In the shrouded darkness surrounding the Nameless Temple, an eerie stillness enveloped the night, shattered only by the grotesque symphony of bones splintering and flesh being mercilessly torn apart. A corrupted Devil, having dared to breach the sanctum, was being met with a brutal fate, courtesy of the Temple Guardian that Sunny had reawakened. He sought solitude for the lengthy and taxing conversation ahead, wishing to avoid any unwelcome interruptions.
"So... that must be the temple guardian, huh? Sounds like it's making quite the scene," Jet remarked, her voice quivering with unease.
Kai, peering through the walls, was transfixed with horror. "You have no idea. It just dispatched a Corrupted Devil without breaking a sweat."
"Looks like the Lord of Sha... I mean Sunny, wasn't just blowing smoke when he said that thing could protect the Temple, even in a place as treacherous as Godgrave," Jet replied, her tone lightening with relief.
Just then, a flicker of movement caught Jet's eye, causing her to flinch. "Good grief, Sunny! Could you not give me a heart attack?"
Sunny merely smirked, shrugging nonchalantly. "It never bothered you before. What's got you all jumpy now?"
"Maybe it's because you traumatized me yesterday with that transcendental battle style. It was thrilling, but terrifying too!"
Sunny chuckled, giving Jet a reassuring pat on the shoulder before settling at the end of the table. "No worries, we're safe now. The Temple Guardian will take care of any intruders lacking Divinity, so no Nightmares will disturb our peace."
Kai hesitated, then voiced his concern. "Yeah... but how do you clean up the mess after it just ripped a Corrupted Devil apart?"
Sunny shot him a knowing glance and summoned Fiend. In an instant, a towering, silver-black ogre with bulging muscles and flames dancing in his eyes appeared behind him. Sunny gestured casually. "I just send him to handle it later. He devours just about anything, so he's perfect for the job."
Kai shifted in his chair. "Got it. Nice work, Fiend."
Fiend grinned crookedly, his deep voice rumbling, "Kai play dodgeball with Fiend. Kai friend."
Kai sat there, momentarily speechless, when a door creaked open. Effie emerged, finally roused from her slumber, and froze at the sight of Fiend, who beamed at her.
"Fiend hug Effie. Effie friend!"
Effie stood there, her left eye twitching in disbelief. "The... the thing can talk?"
Sunny chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh yes, he can, though it's more of a novelty than a talent. Best if he keeps quiet most of the time; some of the things he says are downright outrageous."
Effie shot Fiend a glance, then turned back to Sunny, a realization dawning on him that he never thought possible. 'Is she... embarrassed?'
Effie, of all people, feeling bashful? Sunny found himself irked that the dream realm's cameras were so unreliable.
"So, you really are the Lord of Shadows?" Effie asked, hoping against hope that yesterday had been nothing more than a nightmare.
Sunny smiled faintly, momentarily manifesting the Onyx Shell and helmet before dismissing them, donning the Nebulous Mantle once more. "Indeed, I am. But it's more accurate to say that the Lord of Shadows is me, as he is merely an avatar of mine. The true essence resides within Master Sunless."
After a brief pause, Effie finally spoke. "Did anyone else know before this morning?"
Nephis and Cassie tried to fade into the background, but Kai and Jet shot them a dark look.
"As it turns out, Cassie has known about Sunny's secret for months, while Nephis caught on about ten days ago. So, you, me, and Kai were the last to find out."
Effie felt a wave of relief wash over her, realizing she wasn't alone in her ignorance, but it did little to ease her discomfort. She had interacted with Master Sunless frequently and even spoken ill of the Lord of Shadows in his presence.
Hiding her face behind her hands, she mumbled, "I can't believe I didn't notice sooner. This is so embarrassing."
Nephis chimed in to comfort her. "Don't be too hard on yourself, Effie. I didn't catch on until Sunny outright told me on one of our dates. He's quite skilled at keeping it under wraps, so there's no reason to feel ashamed."
Effie finally lowered her hands, a hint of pink on her cheeks. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Especially when I came to you guys yesterday with my suspicions?"
Nephis shrugged, her tone even. "Because it was amusing."
Effie's irritation flared. "So you're telling me that while we discussed the Lord of Shadows, you knew and kept it a secret just to mess with me?"
Nephis smiled and nodded.
"Unbelievable! I never would have guessed you could maintain a charade for this long. Cassie? Sure. But you, Neph?"
Sunny couldn't hold back his laughter any longer, letting it burst forth as Effie huffed and crossed her arms.
"Oh, sweet heavens... this is incredible! Never in a million years did I expect something like this to unfold."
Effie glared at him, pouting. "And you, Sunny! How could you do this to me? I thought we were friends!"
"I did it because we are friends, Effie. You've always been the one to joke and tease others, so I just wanted to turn the tables and give you a taste of your own medicine. Who knew it would work out so splendidly?"
"I see. Well, I must admit, you executed it brilliantly. How did you manage to suppress your presence, though?"
Sunny stood, dismissing the Nebulous Mantle. Suddenly, the shadows in the hall deepened, the candlelight flickering, and Fiend trembled slightly.
"As you can see, the Mantle I usually wear was the reason you couldn't sense my presence. I crafted a memory from it so no one would perceive me as a saint. Running a café and memory shop as a Master is something people can accept without a second thought, but a saint? That would raise too many questions I wasn't eager to answer, so I concealed my presence for convenience."
All eyes were on Sunny, except for Cassie, who was currently using Nephis's sight.
Sunny's alabaster skin, sculpted with defined muscles that seemed forged from steel, was a sight to behold. His chest was chiseled, his six-pack prominent, and his arms looked as if they had been hammered in a crucible. He resembled a Greek god descended from the heavens.
Nephis was practically drooling, while the others stared at Sunny, mouths agape. Jet broke the silence first. "I get it now, Nephis... I really do."
"I always knew you were hiding an impressive physique under that coat, Sunny, but this is beyond anything I imagined," Effie said, a smile creeping onto her face.
"Yeah, I have to admit, I'm a bit envious, Sunny," Kai added calmly.
Sunny glanced at them, then down at himself, realizing he wasn't wearing a shirt beneath the mantle. He quickly summoned it back and sat down, clearing his throat. "Ahem... I apologize. I didn't realize I wasn't wearing a shirt."
Nephis, still lost in thought, was jolted back to reality when Cassie spoke, breaking the silence. "You have nothing to apologize for."
Sunny placed his hands on the table, exhaling a long sigh. "Stripping in front of everyone wasn't on my agenda for today."
"It should have been! Hiding such a body should be a crime. Mind taking off that mantle again?" Jet chuckled.
Nephis finally snapped out of her reverie, shooting Jet a murderous look. "Don't give me that look. Can't a girl make a joke now and then?"
Nephis calmed herself, shrugging. "You're lucky you're already dead, you know that?"
"Okay, I'm sorry."
"That's what I thought," Nephis huffed.
Laughter erupted among them, and the atmosphere lightened once more. After a moment, Jet was the first to shift the conversation. "Change of subject. Can you explain how your ability works now? This is what we've been waiting for Effie to wake up for all day."
Sunny nodded, shrugging as he manifested five additional bodies, all clad in the Onyx Shell but without helmets. "My Transcendent Ability allows me to transform each of my Shadows into an Avatar. Each one possesses the same strength as my original body, but they all share the same soul, which means they also share the same Essence pool, memories, and echoes. Although I lack the latter."
Kai, Jet, and Effie exchanged puzzled glances
"What do you mean you're out of Echos? What about Saint, Fiend, that Bat, and the Chain Worm?"
Sunny paused, contemplating the question before responding.
"They're not Echos; they're Shadows. The distinction is significant—these beings are far more powerful and cunning than the average Echo, and they possess the remarkable ability to evolve. Each one has its own unique criteria for ascending in Class and Rank, along with a diverse array of abilities."
"I've never encountered anything like that. I take it this is a trait of your aspect?"
"Indeed! When I obtain an echo, I can weave it into a shadow by trading some shadow essence—my unique twist on the usual essence. The essence itself is the same; only the name and its essence differ."
"Interesting! How many shadows do you command?"
"I have five shadows at my beck and call: Saint, Fiend, Serpent, Nightmare, and Mimic."
Kai's brow furrowed in confusion; Sunny had been truthful about his shadows, yet it was still bewildering.
"And what about the Chain Worm and the Bat?"
"Ah, they both fall under Serpent's domain. Serpent can morph into any creature I've slain, provided it's of equal or lesser Class and Rank."
"Every creature you've ever taken down? Can you recall them all?"
"Not at all! My soul is a bit peculiar—it holds the essence of everything I've dispatched, from nightmares to humans."
"You're quite the enigma, Sunny."
"Enigma? You haven't even heard about my six soul cores from my Divine aspect, or the two Divine memories I hold, or that the nameless Temple didn't exist in Godgrave until I teleported it here! Oh, and did I mention my flaw? I can't lie! It must have slipped my mind, seeing how some of you look like you've seen a ghost."
A hush fell over the room, the silence palpable. The tension was so thick you could hear a pin drop. All eyes darted between Sunny and Kai, except for Cassie, of course. After a moment of hesitation, Kai spoke, his voice trembling.
"He... he isn't lying."
Sunny wore a nonchalant grin, letting out a small sigh.
"Ah, works like a charm every time."
Sunny unraveled his tale, and though Cassie and Nephis were already in the know, the casual way he shared it made it sound utterly absurd. Kai, Effie, and Jet fired off questions, which he answered with ease. After a thorough explanation of his flaw, Effie leaned in.
"Sunny, I have a question."
"I'm all ears."
"Good, because this is serious."
"Hit me with it, Starlight. I'm ready for anything."
"Oh, I bet you are, considering you have no choice."
Sunny's eyes widened, realizing the trap he had walked into. He glanced at Effie, who wore her infamous smirk—the one she donned before asking something wildly inappropriate.
"Have you ever used your ability to create multiple bodies for... intimate encounters with Neph?"
Sunny was momentarily speechless, the weight of his flaw pressing down on him. He contemplated summoning Weaver's mask but knew it would take too long. Instead, he commanded Fiend to scream at the top of his lungs while he turned away, determined to avoid answering.
After silencing Fiend, he shot Effie a venomous glare, hissing, "No more questions from you, Effie. Keep that foul mouth shut."
Effie giggled and shrugged, unfazed.
"You do realize I got my answer anyway, right?"
Sunny glared at her, frustration boiling over. "Unfortunately, yes."
Meanwhile, Nephis plotted a way to silence Effie without resorting to violence. Not that she cared at that moment, but mere death wouldn't suffice for her dear friend, who was about to receive a beating unlike any other.
"EFFIE!"
Effie turned, her voice high and innocent. "Yes, what is it, my beloved friend?"
"I suggest you step out for a moment."
Effie caught the look Nephis shot her, then bolted for the door.
Sunny let out a long sigh as the door slammed shut behind her. "I should have seen that coming. I practically invited her to ask something scandalous."
Jet chuckled, glancing at Sunny. "Yeah, you did. Though I didn't expect her to go that far, so quickly. You've got to forgive her; she's an open book with no shame. What others hide in embarrassment, she treats like small talk. The more she likes someone, the less she holds back, so it's really just her way of showing you're a close friend."
Before Sunny could respond, Kai chimed in. "Take it as a compliment. I know it's tough, but she didn't mean to offend you."
Sunny nodded at Kai and Jet, then turned to Nephis. "Is this a good time to share our news?"
Nephis shrugged, her voice steady. "We can try, but it might be hard for them to accept."
Concern etched across Kai and Jet's faces as Jet facepalmed. "Don't tell me you two managed to create another third Nightmare Effie situations. We're going to war in a few weeks! Didn't you say you had it under control, Sunny?"
"What do you mean, Jet?"
"THE FACT THAT YOU KNOCKED UP NEPHIS, OF COURSE! WHAT ELSE?"
Both Nephis and Sunny flushed crimson, scrambling to calm Jet down.
"No, that's not it!"
"I'm not pregnant!"
"Right, I use manifested shadows as protection. There's no way anything could happen."
Jet froze, then exhaled a long, relieved sigh, laughter bubbling up alongside Kai and Cassie. "Thank the dead gods it was a misunderstanding! I can't go through that again. Having a pregnant woman in the middle of a battlefield is too much, even for someone whose heart is already dead."
Kai sighed with relief, curiosity creeping into his voice. "Okay, now that we've cleared that up, what did you want to say?"
Sunny, Neph, and Cassie exchanged glances, hesitating until Cassie finally spoke. "For this, we should bring Effie back in. It's important, and we don't even know if you'll understand it."
"Okay, sounds intriguing at least. Let's get Effie back in here."
"EFFIE, GET IN HERE! I KNOW YOU'RE RIGHT BEHIND THAT DOOR LISTENING! I CAN SEE YOU!" Kai shouted.
To no one's surprise, Effie swung the door open, a grin plastered on her face. "Don't know what you're talking about; I just came back from the bathroom."
Nephis shot her a serious look, gesturing for her to take a seat. "Now sit down and please be quiet this time before I lose my mind."
"Okay, I'm sorry for earlier."
"Good, now let's begin."
Sunny took a deep breath, preparing to reveal his true self and origins, but it felt futile. As soon as he finished, Effie, Kai, and Jet stared back at him with blank expressions.
"Didn't you want to explain something?" Kai asked, with Jet and Effie nodding in agreement.
"It's just as I suspected. They can't remember the conversation at all," Sunny sighed.
"This is what happens to people who can't even hold onto the information about you they just received. It's quite unsettling," Nephis said, sadness lacing her words.
"Yeah, it's been like this since the third Nightmare. The only ones who remember anything I've shared are Cassie and you. Cassie can recall because of her aspect, but it took her a while. I'm not sure why you can remember, Neph, since your aspect isn't memory-related."
"I don't know either. I wouldn't even know where to start."
Kai, Effie, and Jet exchanged glances, still trying to grasp the situation as they awaited Sunny's explanation. Finally, Kai broke the silence. "Could someone explain what you're talking about, Sunny? We're still waiting for you to tell us what you wanted to say."
Cassie sighed, trying to shed light on the confusion. "All I can say is that whatever Sunny—or even Neph and I—are trying to tell you won't stick in your minds. You'll forget it the moment you receive the information, no matter what we do. You remember that our memories have been affected since the third Nightmare, right?"
The trio nodded slowly, curiosity flickering in their eyes.
"Good, then I hope I can at least explain the reason for that. Sunny has lost his fate."
The three Government Saints exchanged glances, then turned to Sunny, who simply nodded.
"How is that even possible?" Jet asked, bewildered.
"You can't just drop that bomb on us and expect us to understand," Effie added, equally confused.
Kai, still processing the revelation, pointed at Effie. "What Effie said."
Nephis sighed, treading carefully with her words. "We can't tell you what happened, as you'll forget, but it's true—Sunny is fateless. This means all past memories you had of him are gone, and regaining them through simple means is impossible."
"Okay, but what did you two do? You seem to remember him," Effie pressed.
"We don't have our memories of Sunny back, but Cassie reconstructed his identity using her Transcendent Ability, and I did so with the help of Cassie and Sunny," Nephis explained.
"Alright, let's just try the same with the rest of us and see what happens," Jet said, frustration creeping into her tone.
"Look into my eyes, you three."
Cassie removed her blindfold, revealing her eyes to Effie, Jet, and Kai.
"I'm going to show you a brief memory that will give you a hint of Sunny's past."
Cassie shared a memory of Sunny building a grave for those who perished in the battle of the Crimson Spire. To no one's surprise, all three stared at her, waiting for something to happen.
"Are you going to do it or not?" Effie asked, impatience bubbling over.
"I just did," Cassie replied with an air of calmness.
"Did you see anything?" Effie inquired, her curiosity piqued.
Jet and Kai exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison.
"As I mentioned, everything tied to Sunny's past has been wiped from everyone's memories, and they can't retrieve it unless Sunny regains his fate," Cassie explained.
An idea sparked in Jet's mind, a glimmer of hope that could turn the tide, but first, they needed to discuss it.
"What if we could freeze time for ourselves? If there's no present, no future, and no past—just a still moment—perhaps we wouldn't forget instantly because time wouldn't be flowing?" she proposed.
Confusion clouded the faces of her companions, all except for Cassie, who remained unfazed.
"I mean, we could give it a shot, but how do you plan on doing that? Please don't say you want to venture to the Tomb of Ariel; I'm not stepping foot near that cursed place again," Effie protested.
"No, that's not what I meant, but you're right; I'd prefer to steer clear of that location too."
With a flick of her wrist, Jet conjured a memory—a white hourglass filled with black sand.
"Oh, that memory! You got it after we vanquished that Great Devil," Effie recognized, her eyes widening.
"Exactly! But I haven't used it yet because the enchantment is a one-time deal; it shatters once the sand in the upper chamber has completely fallen."
"What does it do?" Cassie asked, her curiosity ignited.
"It can halt time for everyone within a ten-meter radius for about five minutes," Jet explained.
"So you want to use it just to test a theory?" Sunny questioned, skepticism lacing his tone.
"Well, I don't have any other use for it, so why not?"
"But what can we accomplish in just five minutes?" Nephis pointed out.
Jet shrugged, "I have no idea."
Effie muttered a curse under her breath before voicing her concern. "So, once we activate the enchantment, we have five minutes but no plan? Am I the only one who thinks we're in deep trouble here?"
Jet met her gaze and shrugged. "No, you summed it up pretty well."
Cassie sighed and turned her attention to Sunny. "We should figure out why Nephis can retain memories and knowledge about you. Can you think of a way to investigate that?"
Sunny fell into contemplation. He had an idea, but it was one he dreaded. "I know a way to find out why Nephis can hold onto things connected to me, but it's quite unpleasant, to say the least."
"What is it?" Effie pressed, impatience creeping into her voice.
"It's my mask—the one that resembles a demon's face. It has an enchantment that lets me glimpse into fate. But I've only used it a handful of times because it can kill me quickly and painfully."
Cassie sighed, disappointment lacing her tone. "So we're back to square one with no way to check why Nephis can keep her memories."
Sunny continued to ponder, realizing that he might be able to use Weaver's Mask. He hadn't considered it since losing his fate, but now he had a reason, and he possessed Soul Weave, acquired at the end of his third nightmare right before fate slipped away.
"Maybe I can use it after all. I've gained perfect control over my essence since obtaining another part of the Weaver lineage at the end of my third nightmare."
"You mean you could use it to manage the enchantment better?" Jet asked, intrigued.
"I can try, but if I fail, it will be my end—and a painful one, at that."
Silence enveloped them until Nephis finally spoke up. "How bad is the pain? Perhaps I could heal you to lessen it?"
Sunny scoffed, shaking his head. "No, that won't work. You can't heal me because it's not physical damage—it's mental. My brain gets overloaded with information, and peering into fate is something no human should endure. The pain ranks among the top three worst experiences of my life."
Nephis hesitated, then asked a question she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to. "What was worse than the mask?"
Sunny met her gaze and sighed. "Obtaining the Weaver lineage and drowning while being burned alive."
Everyone's eyes widened in shock, even Cassie's, as silence fell over them once more. Finally, Nephis found the courage to speak again. "H-how did you drown and burn alive simultaneously?"
Sunny shrugged, a smile creeping onto his face. "Simple—by being submerged in molten metal. But to clarify, it wasn't really my body. It was a nightmare during my second one. The bastard who orchestrated it was my black stallion, ironically named Nightmare. But as I said, the pain from Weaver's Mask is comparable to those other two."
"I see, but how did you survive using it before?" Nephis pressed.
"I exhausted most of my essence beforehand so that I wouldn't be able to maintain the enchantment for long, allowing it to deactivate naturally once my essence ran low. Once activated, I can't stop it; it consumes all my essence until I'm either dead or it runs out."
As everyone mulled over this, Sunny spoke again. "So let's do it. I'll drain most of my essence before we try, so even if I lose control, I won't die."
Surprise flickered across their faces, except for Cassie, who remained steady. When she finally asked, "Are you sure? After what you've told us, I wouldn't do it even if I were in your position," Sunny nodded resolutely.
"Yeah, I'm sure. It's going to hurt like hell, but it has to be done."
Jet regarded him with a mix of emotions. "You know you don't have to do this for us, right? We can wait until you get your fate back. It's not a big deal."
"No, it's fine," he insisted.
Nephis felt a wave of worry wash over her—not just because he would endure pain, but because she would have to witness it. She asked, her voice trembling, "But why, Sunny? Why put yourself through this torture?"
Sunny met her gaze, offering a reassuring smile. "Because I want to."
Nephis's eyes sparkled with understanding. She recognized those words; they were the same ones she used when she was determined to achieve something, and she wouldn't rest until she did. When Sunny spoke those simple words, she felt their weight—a depth that transcended mere language.
"I understand."
"Good. Now I just need to drain most of my essence."
Sunny paused for a moment before closing his eyes, focusing on his essence pool. He began to exert his essence from his soul's core. The room grew colder and darker as he released it. With six cores, he had a significant amount of essence, so it took a while. After about five minutes, his essence pool was nearly empty—just enough to ensure he wouldn't die even if he lost control of the enchantment.
"By the way, the mask also reverses my flaw, so don't ask any questions you want serious answers to while I'm wearing it."
Effie smiled, "Wouldn't dare."
Sunny sighed and summoned Weaver's Mask. 'This is going to suck.'
"I'll be fine."
Kai looked at him quizzically before recalling what Sunny's flaw entailed. "Oh, so that's how it works. Everything he says now is a lie."
Sunny fixed him with a steady gaze. "No."
Jet giggled, eager to test the waters. "Sunny, please tell us what you think about Nephis."
'Are they serious? This isn't the time for jokes.'
He wanted to flip her off and dismiss her, but the pressure of his flaw compelled him to respond. "I absolutely despise her; I think she's the ugliest person in the world. I think about getting rid of her all the time."
Nephis was taken aback, her anger flaring initially, but then she remembered Sunny's warning and felt a blush creep across her cheeks. "Could we please stop? This is making me sad. Even though I understand the meaning behind Sunny's words, I don't like what he's saying."
"Yeah, I'm done," Jet said.
"Me too. Although I'd love to ask Sunny more questions, I'd rather wait until he removes the mask," Effie chuckled.
Sunny took one last look at his friends, concentrating on the enchantment, [Where is my Eye?] He braced himself, determined not to lose control over his essence as he activated it, forming a fist with his hands.
'Here we go.'
Once the enchantment was activated, his vision sharpened, and he fought to maintain control over his essence. To his surprise, it worked. Perhaps it was because he no longer had a connection to fate, or perhaps it was the Soul Weave that granted him absolute control over his essence. Whatever the reason, he managed to hold onto his essence, feeding only a small portion into the enchantment.
The pain surged through him, his body tensing under its weight, but he remained conscious, scanning his surroundings. With the weakened effect of the [Where is my Eye] enchantment, he couldn't see as much as before, but it was enough to reveal something he had never encountered before.