Sunny remained still.
For a few seconds, he was nothing more than a hollow statue, his eyes blank and his breath shallow. The world seemed to collapse inward. Then, slowly, he raised his head.
"…I'm… Slave."
The whisper escaped him, quiet but heavy enough to crush mountains.
Despair pooled in his voice. It was the first time he had ever truly said it aloud. And the first time Sunless, Lost From Light, felt the crushing weight of despair.
Nephis lowered her gaze. For the first time since he had known her, the Changing Star's steel-gray eyes shimmered with anguish. Her teeth sank into her lip, her expression twisted by sorrow and helpless pain.
Amon blinked at their stunned faces, then feigned ignorance. He tapped his open palm with a fist, the motion oddly innocent.
"I see… Light was the last part, huh? How interesting."
Both Nephis and Sunny were stunned. They raised their heads and looked at him in disbelief and horror. Nephis's mouth trembled.
"What do you mean... by that?"
Amon scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly, his posture a little humorous.
"A few months ago, I was passing by and saw Sunny kill some poor bastard." He shrugged. "He was whispering something about 'Lost From…' I didn't really hear the rest. I figured it had to mean something big if Sunny killed that poor guy because of it."
He paused, glancing at them coldly.
"Then I remembered how he left Luna to die… so I used that information to play a prank on him."
Sunny's face contorted with hatred. He spat with venom, his eyes burning with fury.
"You mean… you didn't know? Then why did all this happen?! I became a slave for nothing? Because of the ignorance of one pathetic bastard like you?! How dare you, mongrel! I'll kill you… no, I'll torture you first! And butcher you like a pig!"
Amon blinked, his smile twitching as he looked down awkwardly.
"Chill, it's just a prank, bro."
Then his mouth curled up involuntarily, his shoulders trembling, barely holding back laughter.
"'Slave'… so you accidentally became the slave of the one you love most? And she thought she was saving you… Pfthhh… That's some diabolical plot twist, I admit."
Sunny lurched to his feet, eyes wide and bloodshot, ready to kill Amon. But then he froze as Amon took a step forward, his hands clasped behind his back, a polite smile on his face.
"Yes, Sunny. You're right. From the start of this battle, your assumption was correct. I was the monster under your bed. It was me, Sunny. I drove you mad, I killed the Forsaken Knight. I stole the shards and made you all travel for months for nothing. And yes, I also made Changing Star a joke. But we're all friends here, right? It's just a harmless joke, there's no need for such tension when we could all have a good laugh over it."
Their faces shifted from rage into colder fear. Sunny's voice dropped to a desperate rasp. "Joke? Haha... hah... How… how did you manage to steal them? How… did you do all of that? It's impossible..."
Amon's grin widened. He raised a finger to his lips, his black eyes filled with mischief.
"My ability was never 'superior observation.' It was hypnosis. And you even gave me your memories willingly. Heh… heh."
Both Sunny and Nephis remained silent. So all of this happened because of a single mistake… because of one girl? That they left Luna behind?
But oh well, Amon didn't give a damn about their melodrama. He was trying to distract them, so now that he had gotten close to Nephis and created this opportunity, he acted and in one savage motion, snatched up an iron rod and drove it into Nephis's shoulder.
Her cry rang out as blood blossomed. She twisted at the last second, saving her heart, but the steel still pinned her against the wall. Then another rod pierced her opposite shoulder. Then her thigh. Then the other. One by one, he nailed her limbs to the stone like a crucifixion.
"That bitch's done… Now, let's finish this bullshit."
Amon exhaled slowly, his chest heaving, his pale face smeared with blood and sweat. But before he could even have a moment of rest, a cold weight pressed against the back of his neck. Danger flooded his instincts as the whisper of steel cut the air, Sunny's odachi carving toward him, shadow clinging to its edge.
But then, a shadow blurred across his vision.
A vicious strike crashed into Sunny's side before the blade could fall. The odachi veered off course, sparks flying as it bit into stone instead of flesh.
Sunny staggered, hissing in pain, one eye narrowing with venom as blood poured from his abdomen. He knew who had struck him.
Amon's eyes widened momentarily. Wasn't that… Hahaha, so that's how it is. The prodigious son is back.
Before Sunny could compose himself, Amon drove his boot into his chest, sending him staggering back, only for some vague, blurry silhouette to flash. Then Sunny screamed as his wrist split open, the odachi clattering to the ground. A heartbeat later, Caster's boot smashed into his face, sending him sprawling across the cold stone.
Sunny tried to stand, but before he could, a ghostly Jian pierced his shoulder, pinning him down while Amon raised a heavy rock and smashed his leg, shattering his bones and forcing him to let out a tortured scream. In the end, Sunny lay motionless, his eyes open but unable to move.
Amon exhaled and turned. Beside him appeared Caster, moving with incredible speed, his messy brown hair plastered with sweat, his armor cracked and smeared with blood. The speedster looked exhausted as he took a deep breath, leaning against a fractured pillar.
"It's done," Caster said, his voice quiet, almost tired. "Everyone's safe... Though…" His lips twisted faintly. "I never thought you would drop the ship on us."
Amon smiled faintly, looking down with a tired expression, then raised his fist. Caster glanced at it for a moment, sighed, and bumped it with his own.
The midnight shard dissolved into white sparks, flowing back into Amon's soul sea. The rush of battle slowly dissipated, leaving only a hollow tightness in his chest. His expression darkened.
"…Caster. Bring Luna to me, quickly."
Caster's frowned, but still nodded and vanished in a blur, only to reappear seconds later, lowering Luna gently to the ground.
Luna was… horrifying to look at. Amon could admit that much, even if he was biased and thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world.
Her body writhed, flesh twisting and warping into grotesque shapes. She was losing control and couldn't handle the corruption. Her lips trembled, but no sound came. She couldn't even form words. For now, she was forcing herself to remain safe but not for long.
"…Shit," Amon muttered, his humorous expression replaced by an anxious look. He dropped to his knees, cupping her face in both hands. Her fevered skin felt alien beneath his touch, as if it were mutating… perhaps it truly was.
Shit… please, hold on a little longer. With grim resolve, he pressed his palm to her cheek and transferred the Weaver's Mask to her.
"Summon it. Now."
Luna's dim eyes fluttered, and she gave the faintest nod. Then the mask appeared on her face, fusing seamlessly with her flesh. Three jagged horns curled skyward like a grotesque crown, its maw bristling with fangs.
This moment revealed just how vile Luna's flaw truly was. She was vulnerable to corruption, and simply by being unable to replenish her flesh and blood, her soul had nearly succumbed, transforming her into a mad, mindless beast. Slowly, the grotesque, squirming mass of her body began to smooth, bones knitting and skin reforming. Her breathing steadied, and her trembling stopped.
For a moment, she looked almost… peaceful.
"Thanks… hah… haaaa…" Amon sighed in relief, holding her tightly.
Then her body convulsed. A violent shudder wracked her frame, as if her very soul rejected the notion of purity. A tortured scream tore from her lips, raw and beastial.
W-what?! What's happening?! Why!? Amon thought in disbelief, watching her helplessly.
"Shit! Dismiss it! Quickly!"
A heartbeat later, the Weaver's Mask dissolved into nothingness. Luna's expression softened, her gaze steady once more. Then she grabbed his arm, and Amon felt the Weaver's Mask transfer back to him. Still, he remained tense, his eyes never leaving her.
Only when she breathed evenly did he finally exhale in relief. Still… he knew it wouldn't last. Without flesh and blood to devour, she would begin succumbing to corruption once again.
"Luna," he said grimly, crouching close. "You need to replenish flesh and blood. I don't know how your body will react to Weaver's lineage, but…" His eyes slid toward the nailed figure across the hall. "…I know you can devour Nephis. Wait here; I will feed you soon."
For the first time, Caster's pleasant expression cracked. His smile twitched, faltered, then stretched into something brittle and forced. A shadow passed through his eyes… Mr. Error was right. All his followers really are lunatics and weirdos. Well, if Changing Star dies, it doesn't matter to me. I wasn't planning to kill her anymore, but if she dies… well, I lose nothing, in fact... I would get sweet rewards...
Luna shook her head and seized Amon's arm before he could rise. Her gaze shifted to Nephis, still pinned to the wall like an animal, flames sputtering around her injured frame, keeping her alive. And to Sunny, lying motionless nearby.
"We need her."
Oh, come on!What about my rewards?!Caster thought in annoyance.
Amon's head snapped toward her, scowl deepening. "No. We don't need that autistic bitch."
Oh? Well, listen to boss, Luna. He's right; we don't need her, Caster thought pleasantly, following their conversation.
Luna's stare flattened into an unimpressed glare. Her silence cut sharper than words. Finally, she spoke, her voice calm but heavy:
"Amon… I can't heal everyone. My abilities alone won't be enough. But her flames can. Without Nephis, we'll lose the castle. It will be crawling with abominations within hours. And the siege of Crimson Spire will be impossible."
Her words hung in the blood-soaked air. It was true… Caster and Amon were just hating for the sake of it. Caster had to admit, living like this… was enjoyable. He was doing whatever he wanted now, performing cool moves with his speed while saving people. Oh, and also, after he didn't give a damn about his mission, he felt strangely peaceful. But if Nephis died? Well, he'd get rewarded, so why not?
Amon's expression twisted in displeasure as he grunted.
"No. We don't need to worry about abominations…" He paused, then exhaled a tired sigh. "…Fine. Fine."
Luna's lips curled into a warm smile of relief until his next words froze her blood.
"Then eat this."
He extended his arm toward her, his voice calm, almost casual.
Pardon? Caster's smile twitched as he heard what Amon said.
Luna's eyes widened in disbelief. She shook her head violently, looking away.
"No…"
Amon rolled his eyes, pressing his forearm against her mouth.
"Stop being picky now and just do it!"
Her throat tightened. Guilt swelled, heavy and suffocating. She knew better than anyone how much Amon despised pain, how deeply he feared it. And yet here he was, demanding this of her. Slowly, reluctantly, she opened her mouth and sank her teeth into his flesh.
Caster's eyes widened in disbelief, and he blurted out, dumbfounded,
"Wait, I can snatch some corpse from below and come back… quickly…"
His words were drowned in tortured screams.
Amon's composure shattered instantly. Pain blazed across his face as she tore through skin and muscle. A ragged scream ripped from his throat muffled only when he bit down on a strip of his robe, cloth shredding between his teeth. His fist clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, eyes bloodshot, veins bulging as his body screamed in protest.
Instinctively, he tried to jerk his arm back but it was too late. With a wet, sickening crunch, Luna bit through the limb, tearing it clean off.
Amon collapsed onto the cold stone, convulsing in agony. The gag fell from his mouth as a hoarse, guttural scream escaped him, spit and blood dripping from his lips.
But then, he felt warmth. Arms wrapped around him, steady and unyielding. Luna pulled him close, holding him against her chest, her power flowing into his body. His pain receptors dulled, the fire of agony fading to a numbed throb.
Slowly, Amon's ragged breathing steadied. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself upright despite the phantom ache gnawing at him. His face was pale, drained of all color… and yet when his eyes found Luna's, she was watching him with a faint, trembling smile.
Amon forced a smile, more for Luna than for himself. He curled his single arm around her neck; she relaxed into his hold. For a long moment they were silent. Finally he exhaled and said, softly, "We won…"
Luna nodded, voice thin. The weight of everything pressed on her; she trembled in his 'arm'.
"Yeah… we did."
Words felt small. Everything had changed, not just Amon, but Medici and Luna too. He had judged Sunny and Nephis too quickly before. He had been wrong. This cursed place twisted everyone, even the purest. Amon wasn't an unreasonable person. He could admit that he could be wrong, too. No one can always be right… I should apologize to them if they aren't dead… Okay, maybe not such a bright idea after I made their lives a living hell.
Caster quickly took a step back. I probably shouldn't mention that I could have bring a corpse, right? If Amon heard that, he had uselessly sacrificed his own arm… Hiss! No way I'm saying that.
"Luna… do you love me?" he asked, calm on the surface, though the question carried heavy weight, and Amon's expression grew conflicted.
She nodded stiffly, her head against his chest. "…I do."
Amon's smiled faintly and shook his head. "I'm not a good person. I'm terrible, heinous and deceitful."
Luna's fingers tightened on his robe, and with stubborn clarity, she said, "So what? I'm not different. You're the only one I've ever had. Back then, and now, too."
Caster's eyes widened. Oh… they forgot all about me. This… is fun. It's happening! Guys, it's happening… Ah, you guys died. Wait, forget that. Finally! Haha… why do I like this so much? It feels like reading a book.
Something softened in Amon. He brushed a bloody strand of her white hair away. "What do you feel right now?" he asked.
For a second, she was silent. Then she trembled but not from weakness. Amon knew her well enough to recognize it as coiling, wild rage. When she looked up, her eyes burned with a hatred so deep it took his breath away.
Her lovely face twisted into something ferocious and she spat the words with venom:
"I'm sick of it. Sick of this fucked-up place. Sick of those disgusting people. Sick of pretending I'm okay. I'm tired of it, so I won't be. I want to kill every vile beast, human or nightmare creature. I want to burn it all to ash until nothing remains!"
Well… that wasn't disturbing at all, Caster thought sarcastically.
Amon smiled faintly, noticing the tears in her eyes, and lowered his gaze. She was just… tired. At this point, he wasn't even surprised. He too was at his limit, and Medici had already reached his long ago.
At the same time, the sleepers were stirring in the throne hall, eager to see what had happened. Who had won? And what their future would be…
He tilted his head and rested his forehead against hers, his lips brushing the blood on her mouth. For a second, the moment was unbearably warm. Then he pulled back, his expression softening as he smiled softly against her lips.
"I can steal anything… but I cannot steal your tears, Luna. So please… don't cry."
***
[A/N: Well, this is it, guys. I had fun writing this chapter, hahaha. I never thought writing Caster would be so much fun. So, how do you like him? He's changed a lot after Mr. Error and Amon corrupted him, huh? Heh. Anyway, our little speedster is going wild. Seriously, his thoughts were funny to write, I was giggling to myself while doing it. Now it's time for the final act of this arc. What do you think Amon's planning? Well, I foreshadowed it a long time ago. Anyway, that's it from me. I won't yap anymore, so enjoy the meal!]
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