When Sunny came out, it was decided that Effie would stay with him for a week in the cathedral.
Solaire made his way towards Sunny, who was walking with Effie.
[Sunny, I need to talk to you for a moment.]
Effie glanced at Sunny, then nodded and headed towards the front gate.
"Why did you refuse to travel with us?"
Solaire hesitated, debating whether to tell him the truth or not.
[Nothing much. There is something I must do. Sunny, I'll be leaving the Dark City the day after tomorrow.]
Sunny frowned in confusion.
"Where though? As much as I hate to admit it, this is probably the safest place in the Forgotten Shore."
A faint pang of guilt crossed Solaire's expression.
[I'll tell you once I'm back.]
Sunny had many questions, but he didn't press further.
They walked together towards the exit in silence, where Effie was waiting. Leaning close to Sunny's ear, she whispered:
"Sunny, by any chance… do you lean that way?"
Sunny looked baffled.
"What do you mean that way?"
Effie smacked her forehead.
"Do you like men?"
Sunny looked scandalized.
"No! Of course not! For your information, I like women."
Solaire, slightly confused, stared at the two bickering. At the junction, they split. Watching Sunny and Effie walk back, Solaire thought to himself:
I'm sorry, my friend. I don't want to hide anything from you, but I don't want you to follow me.
With a resolved look, he headed towards his house, preparing for the long journey ahead.
Sitting down on the makeshift bed, he dropped his bag of shards.
"Let's see how much I can gain from all of this."
He began shattering the crystals one by one.
"That should be around sixty shards. Let's see how much humanity I gained."
Name: SolaireTrue Name: Chosen UndeadRank: DreamerHumanity: DormantHumanities: [333/1000]
Memories: [Estus Flask], [Wanderer's Armor], [Soldier's Regret], [Interpreter], [Everstill Flask], [Training Sword], [Training Spear], [Wooden Bow], [Darksword], [Charm of a Silent Oath], [Fanghide]
Echoes: [Bloodhound]
Aspect Name: [Kindler of the Flame]Aspect Description: [Thou who art undead, art chosen. And in thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the resting place of the █████, where the fate of the Undead thou shalt know.]Aspect Rank: Awakened
Innate Ability: [Kindler]Ability Description: [You are linked to the flame and can tend to it.]
Aspect Ability: [Blessing of Invulnerability]Ability Description: [Dodging successfully grants a brief window of complete invulnerability, allowing you to pass through enemy attacks unharmed.]
Flaw: [Fading Echo]Flaw Description: [Your voice has been silenced. With each step toward power, the world forgets you a little more. Words fade… and so does your presence.]
"Hmm… forty-seven more. Not bad. Maybe this is a good way for me to gain humanity quicker."
Satisfied, he began preparing for the journey: three sacks of dried meat, the Everstill Flask filled to the brim, a few meters of rope, and a large square hide for a makeshift tent. Tying everything into a bundle, he set it in the corner of the house.
He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His heart pounded wildly. He had no idea if the place he was heading for was a trap waiting to kill him.
I wonder if dying here would revive me somewhere else…
Slowly, exhaustion caught up to him, and his eyes closed as he drifted into slumber.
The next morning, he woke early. He was determined to meet Sunny before leaving.
Climbing the rope up to the cathedral balcony, he slipped inside and opened the door. Sunny and Effie were sitting together, eating. Placing his sack down, he sat at the table and grabbed a few pieces of jerky.
[I will be leaving soon.]
Silence filled the room. Chewing slowly, Sunny looked at him.
"I hope you know what you're doing. The Dream Realm is a dangerous place, and you're going alone."
Solaire nodded, then turned to Effie. Though he hadn't known her long, in the months spent with Nephis's cohort he had learned much from her.
[Please have a nice stay. Sunny is pretty weird, but he's a good guy.]
Sunny gave Solaire a hurt look, while Effie, still chewing, replied calmly:
"Don't worry about doofus here. I'm sure he won't try anything funny."
She reached into her bag and tossed him a fur coat.
"Well, think of that as a parting gift. Take care of it—that's one of my favorite blankets."
Thanking Effie, Solaire picked up his pack and left the cathedral, heading north of the Dark City… toward the basement where the voice had first lured him.