Sunny stopped in front of the imposing gates of the Academy.
He was stunned. The Academy's walls were truly enormous, so much so that even lifting his head as high as possible, he couldn't see them completely.
Turning to his right, Sunny saw Yuki standing next to him. The girl was staring at him, her gaze devoid of any emotion.
'Now you're scaring me. Am i really so beautiful that you can't look away?'
Sunny raised an eyebrow as if to ask.
He glanced to his right and finally spotted Nephis.
'Wow! She is really cute.'
Her silver hair was long and tied in a ponytail with a rubber band. She was wearing a black T-shirt with the Night&Gale logo, an unbuttoned tan sweatshirt and dark blue jeans. Her gaze was fixed on the gates, her gray eyes radiated a glimmer of determination.
Sunless could also feel like there was something inside the silver girl who made her like out of this world.
Ignoring Yuki's stalking gaze, Sunless approached Nephis.
"Hi, my name is Sunless, i know! It's an interesting name. My mother had the soul of a poet, you see."
Nephis, taken aback, slowly took off her headphones and turned to him.
"Hmm? Were you talking to me?"
"Yes, you see! I've been told how important it is to make friends with your peers for the Solstice, so i thought i'd introduce myself."
"..."
Nephis looked at Sunny suspiciously, her face emotionessless, then she finally said: "Nephis."
And then she put back her headphones.
'Yo! Between you and Yuki, i don't know who's more asocial.'
Sunny was astonished by the awkward silence of Nephis and the ice-Nephis behind him, but decided not to let it show, so he turned back to the doors and sighed.
The enormous doors of the academy finally opened, and the three of them entered inside there.
Nephis and Sunless walked down a long corridor, Yuki followed them behind.
Soon, the three sleepers found themselves in a room with other ones.
As soon as they entered, all eyes fell on them, many of them envious of Sunny for walking side by side with two such beauties.
'Okay, the original Sunless got this with trying to look like an idiot, but i'm not playing that game.'
The situation in there was too much for an introvert like him.
Everyone wanted to talk to the other Sleepers. They wanted to discuss their Nightmares, their future journey to the Dream Realm, and everything else. They wanted to ask questions. They wanted to be asked questions. They wanted to discuss something important or just chat about silly things.
Everyone wanted to share.
'No, thanks. I'm out!'
Without looking back at the two girls with him, Sunny avoided the other sleepers, moving as far away from the crowd as possible.
Unconsciously to him, Yuki continued to follow him with her gaze, keeping an unsuspecting distance from him.
Nephis went on his way.
Sunless also avoided Caster who boasted about his ascendant aspect.
Noob!
Finally extricated himself from the crowd, Sunny reached a corner. All the others sleepers were unwilling to approach it. Currently, there was only one girl sitting quietly on the bench. Sunny gave her a look.
The quiet girl was delicate, demure and very pretty. Her clothes were tidy and neat. They weren't very expensive, but still rather tasteful. With her pale blond hair, big blue eyes and exquisite face, she looked like a beautiful porcelain doll.
She was subtly breathtaking.
Her eyes were sad and empty, like someone who had already accepted death.
'Cassie.'
Seeing the girl, Sunny felt a strong emotion of sorrow, regret, and pain well up in his heart.
Cassie was one of the most important people, if not the most important, in the life of the original Sunless.
But fate was too cruel towards them.
The bond between Sunny, Nephis and Cassie during the time of the Forgotten Shore was something tender and special, built like a castle of cards but precious.
If Sunless began to develop feelings for Nephis during that time and vice versa, it wouldn't be surprising that Cassie did the same towards him. Who knows? Maybe her feelings for Sunny were even more intense than Nephis's.
After all, love is such a strang thing.
But then Cassie was forced to choose between the two people who were most important to her.
In the end, she betrayed Sunny, even though it was all for nothing. Everyone hated her for this. She hated herself more than anyone else.
From that moment on, Cassie did everything she could to make up for her mistakes, only to hurt the person she loved most again.
The saddest thing is that all this time she's been nothing but a puppet in the hands of a higher entity. The Daemon of fate, Weaver. She was used by them only to guide their Epigone.
In fact, if it hadn't been for Cassie, actually, Sunny would probably never have found that forbidden lineage or broken fate.
Not to mention the cruelty of Cassie's aspect. Losing her sight, forced to see a cruel future and unable to change it.
It is hard to accept but SHE was right.
Knowledge is a burden heavier than anything else.
It's true. She could have done better!
But at that time she was just a naive girl. Who has never made choices in their life that they later regretted?
Perhaps, if Sunny had said 'yes' that time...
Maybe everything would have turned out differently.
Or if Nephis had been less stubborn or selfish with her dream...
In the end, Sunless and Nephis were also to blame. There were definitely better choices! Both could have done better.
Regardless of whose fault it was, the bond between the three of them after the Forgotten Shore was broken and has never been the same again. A wound that nothing and no one can ever heal.
How cruel of you fate!
Seeing her now, so defenseless, so powerless. Hard to think that one day she will be a trascendent.
'It's okay. I can change that future! I won't force you to make that cruel choice. I won't let Fate use you as a tool. You won't become Song of the Fallen! I promise you.'
Making a pact with his heart, Sunny sat down next to the girl and introduced himself.
"Hi, my name is Sunless, but if you want you can call me Sunny. I know! It's an interesting name, my mother had the soul of a poet."
Cassie was silent for a moment before turning to him, surprised that someone wanted to speak to her.
"Sorry, were you talking to me? Oh! And where are my manners? My name is Cassia, but you can call me Cassie."
"Yes, i was talking to you. Nice to meet you Cassie."
Cassie was speechless, why would anyone talk to her? Can't he see she's blind? Just a burden? Maybe he has an ulterior motive?
"Nice to meet you too Sunless..."
"Sunny."
"Hm?"
"If you said that i can call you Cassie, then you should call me Sunny."
Cassie seemed pleased with the boy's confidence, but then said: "Nice to meet you too, Sunny, but i don't think you'd be happy being my friend. It would be better if you talked to the other slepeers."
"Why?"
"Don't you see that i'm blind? I'm practically a burden." She said sadly while pointing to her eyes.
"Naaah! I'd rather talk to you. If others avoid the prettiest girl in the entire academy just because of something stupid like that, they're nothing but idiots."
In fact, Cassie was indeed the most beautiful girl in the room at that moment. Her beauty could even match that of Master Jet.
Hearing the boy's response, Cassie blushed, her fingers twitched to her dress.
The most beautiful girl in the entire academy? Her?
Cassie had been complimented before.
Of course! No one was so shameless.
Even though Cassie was popular at school, she never had a boyfriend. How should she respond to that?
Before she could say anything, Sunny added: "Besides, the Spell is cruel but it's not unfair. Your flaw is definitely the toughest i've ever seen, but that means your aspect is just as powerful. Who knows? You may be dead weight in the eyes of others now, but in the future? You could also become a real Badass lady."
Hearing this, Cassie snorted and turned her blushing face away, covering her mouth to hold back her laughter.
"Seriously, Sunny? Badass lady? Is that how you hit on girls?"
"Hey! I'm a gentleman and a real attractive boy, too. Thinks! I barely regained consciousness after my first nightmare that a Master jumped on me."
The Master in question was, of course, Jet and the hug she gave him after waking up.
At his statement, Cassie burst into laughter. Her melodious laughter resonated throughout the room, and many sleepers turned to look at the two of them, especially two pairs of eyes, one shining silver and the other ice blue, watching the pair.
Seeing her laughter, Sunny's heart warmed.
'Everything will be fine, you won't lose your smile. I'll protect it.'
Sunny and Cassie talked for a while until Instructor Rock entered the room to give his entrance speech.
After that, Sunny said hi to the blind girl and headed to his room.
Sunny settled into his room. Aside from a private bathroom, it had only a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk with a lamp on it.
He thought about trying to use his ability to see how it worked, but for a certain reason, he decided to postpone it until tonight.
Finally alone in his room, Sunny finally decided to claim the Memories of his Aspect Legacy.
"Claim."
[You have received an Aspect Legacy Relic.]
[You have received a Shadow: Soul Serpent.]
[You have received an Aspect Legacy Relic.]
[You have received a Memory: drop of Ichor.]
"..."
Sunny blinked. Then he shook his head.
'Shouldn't i at least have a second core to have two shadows?' Sunny thought, puzzled.
The question remained unresolved, but checking his Soul Sea and seeing that Serpent was chill, he didn't worry.
'It seems i can't have more than seven shadows, though. Perhaps the drop of Ichor can change that.'
Before continuing, however, Sunny locked the door and balled up part of the bed's blankets, then clenched it between his teeth so as not to bite his tongue for what he was about to do.
[You have aquired a drop of Ichor. Do you wish to consume it?]
'This is going to hurt like hell.' Sunny thought.
Then took a breath and said: "Yes."
[So be it.]
The drop of ichor in Sunny's palm split in two, each part entering one of his eyes.
Immediately, an indescribable pain coursed through his veins, a chilling sensation of death with it, spreading through his muscles and bones until it reached every part of his being.
Oddly [Shadow weave] stay silent and didn't react.
[the Heart] also didn't oppose but welcome the new lineage.
Sunny bit the blankets harder to suppress his cries of pain. His body collapsed to the floor and convulsed violently.
The pain was excruciating; Sunny couldn't even think straight as he clenched his fingers together to resist the urge to cry out in pain.
His state continued like this for a few minutes, until death took him.
[Your Memory has been destroyed.]
[You have aquired an attribute.]
[One of your attribute has evolved.]
"Ooooooh! Please don't make me isekahize again."