Day 367 of the First Nightmare
Running through the forest, which was clear of snow, a red-haired man rushed past trees, arrows flying above him in an attempt to catch something.
The thing they were attempting to catch was him, of course.
It was a nostalgic feeling as he rushed past the place he was at when he first arrived in this nightmare — the place where the Mountain King had attacked.
Now, out of everyone who was there, he was the only survivor. Well, not for long, he supposed, as he was losing blood, out of essence, and barely holding on to life. Luckily though, he was used to life slipping out of his fingers, yet every time it never did.
Whether it be fate or maybe even for him to take the burden of his sins, he was still alive. He also didn't want to die just yet. Or rather, he couldn't allow himself to die just yet.
It's been about a month since he had gotten the memories of Umbra, and with those memories came something else. Maybe it was because he was in the body of him, or perhaps it was due to the fact he was an awakened and Sunny's core had replaced his. But when he saw the Shadow Core, he received the memories of Umbra.
And when he saw the Pearl Core… he received the memories of Auro of the Nine.
---
The arrows rained down upon him as he found his way to a mountain. He couldn't climb up it as they would just be able to aim better, so he did the much more logical and rational thing — he climbed through it.
Slamming his hands into the mountain, he attempted to pull out some of the rock embedded in it. That was to no avail as his entire body was out of strength. Left with no choice, he began to climb.
Snow started pouring down at a worryingly rapid pace. While blizzards take a while to form usually, for some reason it was as if it was instant. Due to this, the arrows flying at him missed by inches. Also due to this, he couldn't see where he was climbing and had a hard time grabbing leverage.
Not all the arrows missed though. Some pierced into his flesh, sinking into the meat of his body, slowing him down. Luckily, or rather sadly, he could somewhat ignore pain now.
How long had he been climbing by now? He knew the chasers were also climbing up now as the arrows had stopped. Assuming they didn't give up, they had to also be climbing up. The old him — or rather the old them? He didn't know anymore.
The old being he was would have had thoughts of giving up, but this new being that had been birthed had no thoughts. So it kept climbing up.
---
He supposed fate wasn't on his side after all, as somehow, just as he made it up the mountain, they did also, despite him having a head start.
He ran towards the temple that was now in sight, but it was to no avail. The arrows pierced his body, his legs punctured, his arm being nothing but a mass of flesh, his organs like leaking water balloons.
The being kept running, its body now being nothing more than a mass of deformed flesh that was only holding onto life by pure willpower. An old him would have held on by spite. But someone like him wasn't allowed to be spiteful. After he killed innocents, he had no right to be spiteful.
So he kept running, a single-minded determination rushing towards one goal.
Rushing inside the temple, the guards followed. A singular arrow shot out, piercing his heart.
His body landed on an altar of sorts. He knew the gods were dead; he knew no answer would arrive. But still, he called out to them.
---
[You have offered yourself as a sacrifice to the gods.]
[The gods are dead, and cannot hear you.]
[Your soul bears the mark of divinity.]
[You are a Peerless Sinner.]
[Its eyes fluttered.]
[It sent a tear from beyond the void.]
[Peerless Sinner, let the hourglass turn over!]
---
[Prepare for appraisal…]
Sunny found himself in a space between dream and reality. It was an endless black void illuminated by a myriad of stars. Between those stars, countless strings of silver light were woven into a beautiful and inconceivably complex net, forming various nexuses and constellations. It was truly breathtaking.
How long had it been? He had forgotten this entire thing had only been a nightmare. None of it was truly real. The memories he received from Umbra and Auro had mostly faded away, leaving only things he desperately needed to know.
[You have received a Memory: Viridiflumen]
'What the hell is that…?'
[Aspirant! Your trial is over.]
[A Peerless Sinner who called himself a hero ascended down the Snowy Mountain. Both innocent and evil fell by his hand. Broken yet standing, he entered the ruined temple of a long-forgotten god and spilled his blood on the sacred altar. The gods were dead, so they did not listen. Yet something else answered his call.]
[You have defeated…]
[You have defeated…]
[You have defeated…]
[You have defeated…]
[You have defeated…]
[You have defeated…]
For hours, it went on and on. To no stop it listed off every being he had killed — no, not just that — every being Umbra and Auro had killed also. Does that mean he was all three now? Or was he still just Sunny?
[You have received the Unknown's sorrow]
[You have achieved the impossible!]
[Final appraisal: Vile. Your wickedness truly knows no bounds.]
'…'
[Dreamer Sunless, receive your boon!]
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Lost from Light.]
"WHAT!"
That took Sunny out of his trance. He was so engrossed in holding back the bile that would never come up in this zone, most likely outside of the world.
[Your Aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve Aspect?]
Sunny hesitated but crossed his fingers and said:
"Yes."
[Dormant Aspect Pearl Diver is evolving…]
[ERROR!]
[ERROR!]
[ERROR!]
'What's happening?!'
[New Aspect acquired.]
[Aspect Rank: Divine.]
[Aspect Name: Pearl Diver.]
Aspect: [Pearl Diver]
Aspect Rank: Divine
Aspect Description: [What is happiness to you? Well, for me…]
Innate Ability: [Bonded]
Ability Description: [Find a worthy master and let them know your True Name. Once they recite it out loud, you will be bound to their will, unable to disobey any command. It is improper for a Peerless Sinner, let alone a Divine one, to walk around without a standby executioner.]
The nightmare started to shatter.