Nephis pov
She opened her eyes. In front of her was the ceiling of her mansion.
She had completed her first nightmare again. She was currently lying on her bed, in her room.
'It feels strange to be this weak again.'
She turned her head and looked to her side.
There was a man in his forties sitting on a wooden chair beside her bed.
He had black hair, brown eyes, a beard, and a scar across his face.
Master Lian.
He was the only master who hadn't left after her father died.
But he had joined the government and stopped serving Immortal Flame. Because the great clans had started sending assassins toward anyone who supported them.
That's why Immortal Flame had no Awakened, only a few mundane human servants.
But he still tried to help her from the background. That's why he was here—to watch over her when she was in her first nightmare. Because he was the only one she could trust not to kill her during her nightmare.
But he had died during Antarctica. She slowly sat up and looked at him.
He got up from his chair and looked at her.
"Welcome back to the waking world, Miss Nephis. Congratulations on surviving your first nightmare and becoming a Sleeper."
Sleeper.
'How long had it been since she heard this name? Well... not too long. People still talk about it, how I had beaten the second nightmare as a Sleeper.'
Still, Nephis felt nostalgic.
She looked at him and said with an indifferent face:
"Thank you for protecting me while I was in my nightmare."
"You don't have to thank me, this is the least I can do."
He looked at her with a hidden emotion in his eyes. In past-future—whatever. In her past life, she couldn't discern emotions. So, she just ignored it.
But she could now. In his eyes there was... hope.
He slowly bowed and spoke.
"I prepared clothes for you to wear at the academy. You don't have much time before the winter solstice. Well, it's not like there is anything in the academy that you haven't already learned."
He hesitated for a bit before saying:
"Remember to get acquainted with people in the academy. I hope you survive the Dream Realm, and bring... glory to the Immortal Flames again."
With that, he left her room. Nephis hadn't cared and trusted people before Forgotten Shore in her previous life. So, she had also been skeptical about Master Lian.
When she heard that he died, she had been sad. People thought she had no emotions, but they were wrong. She could feel sorrow, she could feel pain, she could also be happy.
Because of her upbringing, she couldn't show her emotions easily. But that didn't mean she had none. That didn't mean she didn't care.
In the end, she was also human. A human who was slowly approaching godhood and leaving behind her humanity.
She shook her head and closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, there was a new flame of determination burning in them.
'I am not gonna lose anyone again.'
She headed toward the shower to wash herself.
Now the main problem.
'How am I gonna contact Sunny? The Spell said that we're gonna be transported to the moment when we first came in touch with it. But I don't know when he first came into contact with the Spell.'
Yes, that was right. She didn't know when he first came into contact with the Spell. She had forgotten to ask him, and he had also forgotten to tell her.
'Damnation! How the hell did I forget to ask him? And he also forgot to tell me. Couldn't he tell me a little about his past? Instead of being all mysterious?'
Nephis sighed. She knew Sunny had his reasons not to tell her, and she trusted him. But she couldn't help feeling a little bit frustrated.
Nephis shook her head. She stepped out of the shower and got ready for the academy.
'It doesn't matter too much. He knows where I am. He will find me.'
Still, it hurt her knowing she couldn't see him for a year.
With that, she looked at the mansion for the last time—the only property she had, after selling the rest before going into the nightmare.
She entered Master Lian's PTV and went to the academy. While driving, he also gave her advice, which she only paid 5% attention to. The rest of her attention was on Sunny and her plans.
'With the help of [Unseen from Fate], I can save more Sleepers from Bright Castle without alerting Fate. But the main problem is if I get out of the Forgotten Shore with everyone else, then that definitely will alert Fate. So, should I get out or... stay there?'
They reached the academy. Then they said their goodbyes and parted.
Nephis waited in front of the academy gates for them to open.
"Neph."
Her body stiffened.
'Sunny? What is he doing here? Did he come to meet me? Did he get infected by the Spell earlier than me and already Awakened?'
She turned around and froze.
Because he was wearing the same suit as her. That meant he was also a Sleeper.
What th—
Suddenly, images appeared in front of her eyes. Her mind was overwhelmed with memories. She saw it. Now she remembered it all.
In the Twilight City, he was with them. He was also on Ananke's boat with her. He was with her on top of the great monster. He was with her in Antarctica, the Devil of Antarctica. She also remembered how his runes were the only things that kept her sane. A pain gripped her chest, remembering how she had taken his freedom away and hadn't said sorry a single time. Not understanding his pain.
Remembering how Sunny was with them in Forgotten Shore. How he was with them in the journey of collecting shard memories. And... how Sunny was with her and Cassie in the Labyrinth. The two of them... had been three of them all along. He was with them since the beginning.
And after all that, somehow everyone had forgotten about him.
After the 3rd nightmare, Nephis had always felt like something was missing. She felt empty, like something was missing from her very being that made her complete. A missing piece.
And that missing piece was, of course, Sunny.
After meeting Sunny six years later, Nephis had felt complete again. That she had found her missing piece. But never understood why he, of all people, was her missing piece.
But now she understood.
Nephis's mind was overwhelmed by emotions. She didn't know what to think or what to do. So, she followed her instinct.
She took five steps and hugged him.
Her warm body pressed against his. The sides of their heads brushed against each other.
Sunny hugged her back. Then tears started to fall from her eyes. She tried to stop them, but failed. Her emotions were finally letting out. She couldn't hold back anymore.
She felt it—how Sunny tightened the hug, like he never wanted to let her go again.
She also tightened the hug.
Because she also didn't want to let him go ever again. She wouldn't let him go, not this time.
She felt her right shoulder, where Sunny's head was resting, getting wet.
She moved her hand from his back and reached upward. Once her hand reached his head, she softly caressed his hair in a comforting way.
Her other hand wrapped around his back, pressing his body against hers, holding him tightly. As if he would disappear again if she let go.
He was also stroking her back and head gently, running his hand over her hair softly and slowly. As if he feared she would break like a glass if he pressed harder.
His other hand was wrapped around her waist, pressing her against his body. As if this was a dream, and if he let go, the dream would turn into a nightmare.
For a few minutes, they stayed in each other's embrace. As if they had founded solace in one another, in this chaotic world.