On a quaint hilltop, two Awakened Warriors took a moment to catch their breath after a long patrol of the region. Suddenly, a dazzling shooting star streaked across the horizon, hurtling towards Bastion with breathtaking swiftness.
"Do you see that?" one warrior exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder.
"Yeah, but is it real?" the other replied, uncertainty lacing their voice.
"I hope so! If my eyes aren't deceiving me and we're not caught in some mind trick, that shooting star looks like Saint Changing Star—and she's... she's wearing a bikini!"
"No way! I can't believe what I'm seeing either, but I think it's real!"
"If only cameras worked in the Dream Realm—no one would ever believe us!"
"Right? Let's just keep this to ourselves; they'd laugh us out of the room."
"Agreed."
With a fiery determination igniting her spirit, Changing Star raced back to the Ivory Tower, her speed astonishing as she hurried to meet a beautiful, blind Saint who had been peacefully enjoying her evening just moments before. Now, however, she found herself hastily scribbling her will, just in case.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me who he is! Do you have any idea how I feel right now? I could cry rivers, Cassie!"
[Neph, I'm sorry! We had a deal; I couldn't tell you.]
"What kind of deal? Did he threaten you?"
[No, he would never do that.]
"When I get back, we're talking, and you're telling me everything, got it?"
[Of course! I'm sorry; I'm alone in my office right now. Just come back here, and I promise I'll fill you in.]
"You act like that's a request! I swear, if you leave out a single detail, I'm going to—just hold tight, I'm almost there!"
Nephis landed on the balcony of the Ivory Tower's top floor and strode purposefully toward a grand double door marked "Saint Cassia, please knock before entering." Inside, Cassie was bracing herself for the storm that was about to break. Ever since the 3rd Nightmare, her ability to foresee the future had become murky, leaving her to hope her best friend wouldn't be too furious. With a forceful push, Nephis burst into Cassie's office, the air thickening with tension.
"CASSIE!" she shouted, her voice crackling with anger.
"Please, take a seat; I've prepared something for you," Cassie replied calmly.
Nephis approached the desk and noticed a note that read: "Find a person named Sunless, and wish him a Happy Birthday on Winter Solstice."
"What is this, Cassie?" Nephis asked, confusion swirling in her eyes.
"It's a note I wrote to my past self. The original is in Braille, but the meaning remains the same. I knew I'd forget about the person mentioned, so I took precautions to jog my memory later."
"So you knew you'd forget about Mas... Saint Sunless? How is that even possible? You never forget anything important!"
"I honestly don't know how it happened. Even Sunny tried to explain, but I couldn't hold onto it. We had to approach it differently."
"What do you mean you'd forget instantly? Just tell me who he really is!"
"That I can't say. I can only share what I pieced together from Sunny's memories over the past four years."
"Then spill it, Cassie! I'm losing my patience!"
"Okay, okay, but could you please calm down? You're burning holes in the stone floor, and that chair is about to collapse under you!"
Nephis took a deep breath, trying to quell the tempest within her. As she slowed her breathing, the room's temperature returned to a bearable level.
"Alright, I'm ready. Just tell me everything you can."
"Okay, but Nephis, you need to understand that what I'm about to share is everything I could gather after months of sifting through Sunny's memories, at least what I could hold onto."
"Just start before I set your office ablaze!"
"Jeez, you're really on edge, huh?"
Flames flickered in Nephis's eyes again, but Cassie quickly added, "I'm just joking! Now, let's rewind to six months ago. When I first searched for someone named Sunless, I found nothing—no documents, no leads. Then, one day, I overheard some fire keepers talking about a café owned by a Master named Sunless. I went to check it out, and you know how that encounter went."
"Yeah, you mentioned it felt odd, like time was slipping away faster than it should have."
"Exactly! Now, remember when I told you about the man-shaped hole in the world?"
"Of course! You said your foresight was obstructed, and you weren't the only one experiencing that. You found a hole in the fabric of reality, like a person had been cut out."
"Yes! After talking to Sunny, I realized he's the reason for that hole."
Nephis gasped. "What do you mean? Did he create it?"
"Sort of. He's the cause, but it wasn't intentional. I couldn't get him to explain how it happened, only that it occurred at the end of our 3rd Nightmare."
"Our 3rd Nightmare? He wasn't even there!"
Nephis was certain she would have remembered encountering someone as striking as him.
"That's the twist—he was there, but not just in the 3rd Nightmare. He was with us in Antarctica, during the 2nd Nightmare, and even before that."
"Cassie, when did it all begin? When did he join us?"
"The Forgotten Shore, just days after we were pulled into the Dream Realm."
Nephis's mind raced. "Wait, the Forgotten Shore? How could I forget?"
"I don't know! Only he does, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember what he told me. It was like I never asked."
"That's... terrifying."
"I know, but it's the truth. After my first meeting with him at the café, he asked for my help, and we struck a deal."
"What did he want from you?"
"I agreed to help him enter the Real Bastion, and in return, he'd show me his memories from the past four years."
"What was he looking for in the Real Bastion?"
"He was searching for something—a colossal labyrinth hidden deep within the mountains, made entirely of mirrors. But he hasn't figured it out yet."
"A labyrinth? How did he even know it existed?"
"Let's focus on those memories. Show them to me; it'll be easier."
"Neph, I'm not sure that's wise. When I share memories, you'll feel everything he felt, and trust me, it's not pleasant."
"I don't care, Cassie! I need to know who he truly is."
"Alright, but let's move to the couch. You're going to have a massive headache afterward. His perception of the world is unlike anything you can imagine. It shocked even me."
"Let's just get started."
"Okay, Neph, brace yourself."
With those words, Cassie peeled away her blindfold, revealing her eyes for Nephis to gaze into. In that instant, an invisible thread of understanding wove itself between them, and Nephis sank onto the couch, surrendering to the moment. Cassie began to unravel the tapestry of memories Sunny had shared with her, organizing the chaos into something more digestible for Nephis. What felt like an eternity—yet was merely three hours—passed before they emerged from the depths of those recollections. The truth of Sunny's perception of the world was undeniable; it was a strange lens that took time to acclimate to, especially for Nephis. The headache that followed was a mere whisper compared to the thunderstorm raging in her mind. It felt as if her skull might shatter, rendering her unable to sit upright or even open her eyes. As she fought to regain her composure, she became aware of a chilling dampness on her cheeks, the soreness of her eyes, and the wet patches on the couch beneath her. It dawned on her—she had cried, a lot. The mountain of tissues Cassie had used to dab her face bore testament to her emotional deluge. After what felt like a lifetime of silence, Cassie finally broke through.
"Nephis, are... are you OK? I know it's a lot to process. It took me days to recover from what Sunny showed me, so don't rush yourself. I can help you to bed if you need."
"No... I... I'm at a loss for words. It's too overwhelming for one person. How did he endure all of that? Not just the battle with the Winter Beast, but the Hollow Mountains too. He just walked into the mist. It's incredible how long he survived, even reaching the Forgotten Shore. And all those feelings—the fear, the void, and of course… the sorrow—it's all so heavy. How can he radiate joy after everything he's faced?"
Nephis understood pain, yet this emotional turmoil was foreign to her. Even the loss of her father and grandmother hadn't plunged her into such depths of distress.
"He told me that when he chose to rejoin society, he simply tried to forget the years behind him and focused on the future he wanted to build."
"I get that, but it's still astonishing what he accomplished in that time. It's as if he never surrendered, but that's not entirely true. He once confided that there was a moment he was ready to give up on the world. I dismissed it as a minor concern, but now I grasp the weight of his struggle."
"He made a choice—a choice to return and support us, even when we didn't remember him. It became his mission to uplift us, to uplift you, Neph."
"You noticed it too, right? He's disconnected from the spell."
"I suppose being forgotten by the world also means being forgotten by the spell. Learning to navigate your Soul Sea took him a year. In a way, the spell is a blessing."
"Yeah, unfortunately, it is."
"What's next for you? He's at his café right now. And you left your dress behind, by the way."
"What... oh right! I rushed out and forgot it. I really want to talk to him. Knowing who he is and what he's been through helps me understand him better."
"I can let him know we can meet at his café, or he might want to come to the Tower. He can be here in a heartbeat if I ask."
"I just don't know how to approach him."
'Does he resent me for leaving without letting him explain? No, he's probably just disappointed that I didn't give him the chance. I owe him an apology.'
"Well, after I learned all of this, we just sipped tea and talked it out. How about we do the same, but maybe tomorrow? You look wiped out and need to change first."
Cassie chuckled softly, hoping her best friend wouldn't set her office ablaze again.
"Already cracking jokes, huh? I never said I forgave you for keeping this from me for so long."
'I should have waited until tomorrow at least.'
"Hey, I apologized! You know how tough that is for me. I was just trying to shield you."
"I was joking. I understand why you didn't tell me, but I'm still a bit mad."
"That's fine; I can handle you being a little miffed for a few days. I'll make it up to you."
"How?"
"Ah, that's a secret. Now let's get you into a bath and then to bed. You'll need your rest for our visit to Sunny tomorrow."
"Alright, but before that, one last question. Who is that girl in the Song Domain that one of his clones follows? She seems familiar, but I can't quite place her."
"As far as I know, she's his student. He's been teaching her how to survive and hunt since he returned to society. As for why she seems familiar, I recall her too, but since she's close to Sunny, we may have forgotten her. We definitely met her before, but I didn't ask him more about her."
"Mhmmm, okay, but isn't it odd? She looks a bit like him. Oh no… you don't think she's his daughter and he lied about having a wife and kids, do you?"
"She's a bit too old to be his daughter, don't you think?"
"Oh yeah, you're right. I'm too tired to think clearly."
"Exactly. Now let's go."
"Thank you, Cassie, for sharing all of this with me. I'm grateful to have you as my friend."
"No problem, goodnight, Neph. I'll be waiting for you in my office when you wake up."
"Okay, Cass, goodnight."