Lua walked into the lodge that served as their headquarters. 'Those too might be a bit,' she smirked knowing the conversation between Nephis and Sunny would take a while. She hummed to herself as she walked into the large conference room.
She found the full ensemble already there. Effie was chaperoning Cassie to make sure nothing happened. Caster was stood at the table, examining the map laid out on top.
"Any progress?" Lua called out to him.
"Just finalising the route for the way back."
"We'll probably have to improvise anyway, no telling what kind of state we'll be in after taking down the messenger." Lua sat on the edge of the table next to Caster. "We've probably got a meeting soon."
"Did she find Sunless?" Caster asked with a raised brow.
"Kinda, and more," Lua chuckled, pulling her hood down, her hands briefly running over the onyx horns part of the Blood Relic. 'Shame this thing doesn't come with a proper helmet.'
Idly caressing the horns whilst spacing out, she failed to notice Nephis' return. "Lua." Nephis called out in a cold tone.
'Uh oh.' Lua spun her head round, "Yes Neph?"
"We need to have a good talk after this." Nephis spoke slowly, a small amount of pressure in her voice.
Lua quickly prayed to the dead gods, ignoring the strange look from Caster. Her golden eyes met the confusion in his 'You're better off not speaking.' Lua silently signaled to him. He nodded.
The five sat around waiting, and waiting, and waiting.
Seemingly bored Lua swung her legs back and forth "He is coming right?" She asked Nephis.
"He said he had to do something first." Nephis responded, clearly still bitter about the situation with Kai.
Only a few moments later the man of the hour arrived. But, he brought a friend. 'He wants to use Kai's flaw to tell whether or not we are lying.' Lua genuinely smiled at Sunny's out the box thinking.
Sunny smiled and spoke, "Oh, so many familiar faces. Hi, everyone. No need to say how much you missed me. Anyway, this is Kai. Kai, say hi to everyone — these are Cassie, Caster, and Effie. You already know Lua and Nephis."
Kai smiled, "Uh… hello. Lady Nephis, Cassie, Caster, huntress Athena and Lua… it's very nice to meet you."
Lua fought back a snicker, knowing something funny was about to happen. And it did.
Cassie giggled "Huh, you won't believe it guys, I thought I just heard Night from Nightingale say my name. Crazy, right?"
Lua smiled slightly, adjusting her sitting position on the table so her side was facing Sunny and Kai. "Oh, sorry. I am Night from Nightingale, actually."
Lua watched as Effie preemptively moved forward and caught the cup Cassie dropped seconds later. "Every time… this happens every time…"
Lua chuckled whilst leaning back. As she watched the others greet him, especially Caster. His smile looked genuine but she wasn't an idiot. He wasn't very happy about Sunny's return to the cohort.
She figured it was the case that Caster didn't want Nephis to have anyone else to support her which would allow him to isolate her and dispose of her much more easily. Sunny didn't know that he was planning to kill Nephis of course, but he seemed to know something was off about him.
Or maybe that was just his general dislike of Legacies. Lua had long since figured that out, given how he reacted when Caster outed her full title was enough to tell her. It made sense of course, she could tell at a glance that he was from the outskirts and didn't receive nearly as stable a life as she had.
Once they had finished their greetings Sunny finally asked, "So… what did you guys want to discuss?"
Lua pulled her essence into the shape of a claw and conjured it at the door, flicking her wrist to shut the wooden door. Caster then summoned a Memory that looked like a bone flute and placed it on the table.
Lua felt the audio barrier form in the room. Sunny was more confused. "What is that thing?"
Caster sat next to Nephis "This Memory has an enchantment that creates a cone of silence. No one outside this room will be able to hear what we're talking about now."
Sunny sighed "So, the Bright Lord is finally ready to obliterate you all? Can't say that I'm surprised. If anything, it's strange that he didn't make a move much earlier."
Lua swung her legs "Indeed he has."
Nephis glanced at her and turned to Sunny, "You are right. The Bright Lord is indeed about to make a move. We have withstood his previous attacks, but they were just a rehearsal. A few provocations to test out strength. Now, he is ready to act in earnest. And that's why I need your help."
Sunny raised his eyebrow "How can a cockroach like me help the great and mighty Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan?"
Both Effie and Lua both turned to Nephis with a strange look. 'Cockroach?'
Effie took the initiative "Don't take it to heart, princess, but I sort of agree with Sunny. What can this little imp… uh, no offense, Sunny… do that we can't? I mean, he is a decent scout, but…"
Nephis smiled, then looked at Sunny. "Don't be misled by his act, Effie. Sunny might behave like a cowardly weakling, but in fact, he's the last person in the Dark City I would want to face in combat. He is far more dangerous than anyone thinks he is. Isn't it right, Sunny?"
The smile froze on his face. A few moments passed in silence, with everyone staring at him. Finally, Sunny sighed. "Oh well. I guess the secret is out of the box. Surprise, everybody! I am actually not a weakling. Who could have thought?"
A few more remarks were made before Sunny finally asked what they wanted. Nephis answered, "I want you to take Effie to your hideout in the ruins and keep her safe there for about a week."
Sunny was rightfully confused, so he asked a bit about why. Nephis answered all his questions without any lies. She also explained why Gunlaug was beginning to move.
After a bit of back and forth Sunny said "Uh… I would like to talk to Nephis alone. Please."
Lua smiled teasingly whilst looking at him, he glowered at her. But she relented, leaving with the others. The others dispersed as they exited. Lua waited by the door until Sunny came out.
"How'd your love talk go?" Lua teased
"Not a love talk, but well." Sunny hissed before fixing his expression. "Your dormant ability… is essence manipulation right?"
"It is…?" Lua tilted her head.
Sunny paused for a moment "Can I have your help with something? I'll pay you for it."
"Sure, so long as it isn't too dangerous."
Sunny paused, "I have a memory, but it's broken right now."
"Broken?" Lua furrowed "You want me to fix it."
"Yes." Sunny pulled out ten ascended soul shards "In return."
Lua's eyes widened slightly "Sure, okay but let's head somewhere else."
The two walked for a bit before arriving at Lua and Effie's house. "Summon the memory."
White sparks gathered in Sunny's hands as a large piece of armour made of stone appeared. Lua peered deep into the spell weave of the memory. It was damaged, badly damaged.
The weave was torn and cut in many different places, the nexus making up the memory's tier and rank too dim to be seen. "Hand it here" Lua urged with her hands and Sunny handed her the broken stone armour.
Taking the armour in her hand, she began to circulate essence and push it into the weave, she observed as the spellweave started to repair itself. The diamond string moved against the invisible winds that had been playing with them before. The torn ends turned whole again, the separated threads became connected to the rest of the pattern once more.
Thousands upon thousands of ethereal strings moved in unison, their motions full of strange symmetry and grace. Watching the beautiful weave restore itself caused Lua to have an epiphany.
A bright stable essence blade appears behind her, startling Sunny who summoned a tachi in return, but Lua ignored him. This time she took a new approach, instead of simply using her core as a power source, she used it as the nexus.
Mimicking the spell weaves restoration gave Lua and idea, the tether between her and the blade trembled, before splitting into multiple strands, all twisting and interlocking with each other into a pseudo spell weave.
The Will binding the 'tether' stretched and bulged as if on the verge of ripping before shifting slightly 'This?!' Lua's eyes widened as the Spell seemingly activated, stabilising the tether into a shape, a form Lua could memorise and use on instinct.
A stronger tether formed between her and the blade, her essence traveling along the basic weave before reforming into the shape of a sword. The weave she'd created was rather simple in that it was simply the binding force which allowed memories to bind to their owner's soul cores.
Lua smiled to herself as she felt something in her soul become more complete.
[Your Aspect Legacy mastery level has increased.]
[You have received the right to claim a Legacy Relic.]
[...Your Memory has evolved.]
Lua dismissed the sword. "Sorry, something… came up." Sunny hesitantly calmed down.
"Either way your memory is repaired now, enjoy." Lua handed him the now repaired memory, in return Sunny handed her the ten ascended soul shards.
"Pleasure doing business," Sunny smiled at his newly repaired memory.
Lua walked into her room, crushed all ten shards and called on the Spell.
Name: Lua
True Name: RealmHeart
Rank: Dreamer
Class: Demon
Soul Core: [3/7]
Soul Fragments: [1423/3000]
Memories: [Winter's Blessing], [Knight's Crest], [Sky's Gift], [Scale Suit], [Talon of Unrest], [Eventide], [Papyrus Scarab], [Sky Cleaver], [Valhalla], [Broken]
Echoes: [Gemstone Wolf]
Attributes: [Flame of Divinity], [Soul Bound], [True Heart]
Aspect: [The Empress]
First Lua called on the Blood Relic
[Blood Relic]
Memory Rank: Awakened
Memory Tier: III
Memory Type: Armour
Memory Description: [In the great forest a King commissioned a great blacksmith to construct an elegant suit of onyx and gold. During the twilight of its forging, a stray drop of blood from a dying god reached the metal.]
Memory Enchantments: [Blood Bound], [Stalwart], [Assimilate], [Perfect Gold]
'A new one?'
[Perfect Gold]
Enchantment Description: [This armour is forged from pieces of sublime gold, and as such is durable beyond logic and reason.]
Lua felt the Blood Relic change, the armour plates becoming sturdier and more movable. The gold that once only covered small parts of the armour thickened and expanded, the fingers of the gauntlets completely reforming.
The gold continued to reform over the most essential parts of her body, then the horns smoothened out, where previously they were composed of smaller segments joined together now they were one solid piece of beautifully carved onyx, overlined with gold.
The final change was far more apparent. 'Finally.' Lua pulled on a thread of the armour, a helmet forming out of the blood like liquid that made up the armour formed over her uncovered head.
The helmet was reminiscent of a dragon's head, extending only slightly in front of her face, the horns perfectly emerging out of air tight holes in the sides of the helmet. The gold continued over the nose bridge of the mask and forehead.
Lua ran her fingers over the helmet then dismissed it. Instead turning to her Aspect Legacy.
New Beginning Mastery Level: [2/7].
First Relic: [Claimed].
Second Relic: [Claim].
Third Relic: Unearned…
Lua paused for a few seconds. "Claim" She spoke softly.
[You have received a ???.]