One month had passed since sunny made his way away from the bright castle.
And he made sure to make use of every moment
Sunny spent most of the time weaving memories in the ruined cathedral and returning back there after he was done with his hunting sprees.
Sunny had many gains in such a short time
Firstly sunny slightly raised the count of the mantle of the underworld coming a few steps closer to its soul bound enchantment
Aside from that sunny already booked tons of memories from Stev and Aiko that basically just needed collection.
And above that sunny had already forged a relationship with two future cohort members. Effie and Kai.
Sunny also spent ages making memories. His potent essence enhanced by multiple attributes and with the help of serpents ability was a massive aid in this. Forming memories as fast as possible to grow saint.
Sunny had a ungodly amount of awakened soul shards resting within the bag of storage courtesy of Serpent and Knighty
He was an expert weaver with the experience of developing memories on numerous occasions. In his free time. For a request and even in the depths of battle. Right now, sunny was only limited by his essence.
Within each week sunny didn't focus on memories as a main goal rather it was his hunts to gain shards. Ascended shards. That was not to say that his slacked off in production
Each week sunny formed a minimum of 50 memories all of the awakened rank. Truthfully sunny didn't need to make memories for saint. He already had a staggering 200 or so memories resting in his soul sea, rewards from the spell.
Still sunny made his own memories. The memories in question were all crude creations. Useless junk in his eyes formed from various parts of Nightmare Creatures a bone here, a claw here even some weird ones consisting of spikes, quills and other things. It was quite a sight.
The reasons we're simple. Sunny was proficient in memory creation but the spell was slightly ahead. If needed he could enhance them but they were a tad bit better than his. So naturally he kept the ones made by the spell and decided to use the ones he made to feed saint.
How odd it was.
The Nightmare Creatures made use of these ligaments and their other appendages as a tool to harm sunny. And yet now he was using it to grow him and his shadows allowing him to kill more of them
"Hey as long as these pathetic things raise saints and Shelly's counters, I have no problems"
The saint in question was standing beside sunny.
He got her a few days ago and unlike last time you could actually call the way he got her was - 'honorable', By honorable sunny would have meant that he had to spend a lot of the darkness residing in his soul sea to heal himself because of the brutal fight
"That was not an experience I want to go through again... Why in the world didn't I use one of my shadows to kill her" - He couldn't help but shudder at the memory
...
Sunny remembered leaving the city outskirts after he made the deal with Effie. He had walked through the dark city. Sunny walked his steps soft but if someone were to see him from the front they would see something beyond terrifying.
Behind sunny walked a plethora of creatures. There was a horrifying bird with flaming green eyes, on either side of it marched 2 knights wielding blades and on the side of the male looking knight slithered a serpent her aura emanating death. And on the size of the female knight marched a house side demon its scythes looking for death
Every nightmare creature that walked in their path was killed. Sunny simply made his way through the streets walking as his shadows harvested the shards too. The nightmare creatures who were foolish enough to attack were not his concern. He was focusing on his enhanced shadow sense looking for saint
'having strong companions truly is a hack huh'
Their days were spent like that and he had also gotten a new echo and a a bunch of new memories all decent but not as good as his current line up.
The echo in question was received from a weakened fallen beast called the [steel spider]. Sunny knew exactly where this beast got its injuries and so he and his shadows sped through the streets and made it to the top of a building.
Sunny looked down from the height. Behind him was his shadows their eyes gleaming for death
Sunny looked at them - "this is my fight. Don't intervene"
He changed his glance and looked down. There lied a few corpses of spiders lying around the ground and in the middle where steel was clashing stood a stone statue. Her body flawless her blade true. She was still fighting. 12 of the streel spiders remained.
"how odd this was only supposed to happen like 4 and a half months from now"
Then Sunnys eyes flashed
He began to laugh
"please don't tell me that saint actually fought of those beasts once before I had got her on my side"
It made sense. After all those fallen beasts targeted saint despite her having no flesh which made no sense because they would get nothing from her
So the only logical conclusion was that they wanted to kill her for revenge because she was fated to force them into retreat . Maybe because she had already whooped them once before she was so weakened the last time
Sunny looked down at the battle more closely. Saint wasn't wounded this time and nor were the fallen beasts. But sunny took his opportunity for a duel.
"Time to make her serve me again... Wait that... Doesn't sound right" - he chuckled
His mind had raced with thoughts that he might not get saint because it's too early. But remembering that all the strings of fate were connected to beings sunny knew that he would get her. It was literally in the weave of fate.
Jumping down sunny landed right on top of a spider that was about to attack her in the back. Sunnys blade instantly stabbed into the creatures head killing it. The enemies paused momentarily looking at the new human standing there. Even saints cold demeanor showed surprise
"so how about we all kill each other" he smiled
With his words the place returned as a battle field once more. The battle in question was bloody
All key fighters had multiple opponents. Sunny fighting of the spiders and saint. Saint fighting sunny and the spiders and the spiders trying to kill saint and sunny. But there was something bound to happen. Sunny was going to be the true Victor
Sunny battled his blade clashing with the legs of the spiders. They jabbed at his body and using the darkness he formed shields to protect himself. By the end of it sunny had slaughtered 7 of the spiders while saint killed 5
"did these bastards target me because I'm have flesh?"
Saint looked at sunny. She slashed her blade through the air causing the blood to fly off the blade. And cleave the rock besides her. Looking at sunny she paused and then got into a stance and waited
"Even as a corrupted you maintained your honor huh"
And then it started. Their blades slashing at air and clanging against each other. Each sounded like a strike of thunder each blow causing them both to stagger back just before charging again
"Come on saint it breaks my heart to fight you like this"
Sunny laughed and charged again.
The battle continued for a solid 20 minutes. The battle masters both seeming tired. But it did not stop.
After more strikes sunny disarmed her. And kicked her causing her to fly a few steps back. Her blade skidded across the floor and out of reach. Sunny looked at her as she put her fists up ready to fight and so. He did to
Sunny through the blade of blood onto the ground as it flew into a sea of white sparks before hitting the ground
Soon the battle that was once blades now became a battle of fists both sides taking devastating blows. She was a awakened monster yet he was a dormant demon. And yet sunny was dominating the battle
Dodging and landing the punches flew missed and landed. And then sunny yelled. His fist covered by the puppeteers shroud enhanced by the darkness crushed into her face. Sunny saw the ruby dust fly from where her mouth would be as her helmet cracked and she flew back. Crashing onto the stones in the back unable to get up as he walked towards her.
He summoned the blade of blood back enhancing it. The once silver blade and hilt now a midnight black
"this blade is an awakened memory being enhanced by the dark soul of a great tyrant. This is the best blade I can offer for you"
He slashed at her. Her head sliding of and hitting the ground
[ you have slain an awakened monster: Stone saint]
[a fragment of your lost shadow returns]
The spell remained silent for a few moments as if trying to tease sunny, but he knew the spell better than most.
"Come saint. Become my blade once more"
[you have received an echo: Stone saint]
"welcome back saint"
...
And that's how sunny got saint back and why he was forced to use all the dormant darksouls he had to heal himself
"a small price to stop the pain"
Sunny naturally analyzed her Runes as well as the changes made.
He couldn't help but have a happy expression as he noticed that the attribute all his shadows got as a extension of his second aspect [Child of Darkness], Actually read
[Saint of Darkness]
It made sense to sunny. It wasn't a stretch or anything abnormal to believe saint was once a saint. Aside from her name she was being made by a daemon to fight against the gods army. She naturally would have needed to be strong
Sunny had already obviously made her become a shadow. It costed a 100 fragments but if anyone knew what a magnificent boon making her a shadow was. They would naturally make the same decision
143 / 3000.
That had been the previous Runes but now they read a mere
43 / 3000
But he was not sad in the slightest.
Saints had a counter as well to. That was obviously the Runes that showed how close she was to ascending a rank.
There was also the aspect of saint leaving the class of monster to demon and the devil.
The first component rested within the gem of darkness that sat within the Knight of the ruined cathedral. And the second one was in the heart of darkness that was currently in the mountain within Antarctica with the hoard of dark beetles.
Sunny knew well how to grow saint but unfortunately at the moment his abilities were limited.
Firstly he didn't want to kill he ruined knight yet because he was sunnys personal house guard so yeah. He would live for now.
Soon saint would grow in power to a degree that would be frightening. And sunny was going to see it through
Sunny had tried to funnel the darkness from his soul into saints core hoping her count would go up. but there was no such luck.
"can't have everything on easy I guess."
There was no other way to grow her other than the good old way.
Sunny paused from his thoughts and looked at the wall and the tally marks that it had detailing his time here.
"it's time to visit to visit Nephis and Cassie before I leave...."
Sunny decided to go once Saint had raised her count decently using the newly created. And so he watched as she took each memory he gave her and crushed it within his soul sea.
Her count grew steadily. Awakened memory by awakened memory
And soon her runes read
20 / 300
Like that saint became an ascended and was sadly a long way from transcendence.
Saint too had become free from needing awakened memories. So right now all of those shards in his memory were currently useless to them. And until sunny could procure enough ascended shards at the moment halting thoughts of making her reach transcendence
Saint stood there again once sunny summoned her. Clearly taller and stronger now. Saint walked up to sunny and stood behind him. She patted his head and rubbed it affectionally like an old friend
A side effect of shadow god's lineage
Sunnys other shadows were also a demanding bunch.
Shelly for example was a shadow that grew his rank by eating like a glutton. Though the spell called it scavenging.
His count read 180 / 400.
' soon he will become a tyrant'
Then there was Knighty who sunny had no idea how to grow his class. But his rank would grow soon. His reads read
3000/4000
It was natural after all. He spent a lot of time hunting in the dark sea and sunny also had them hunting in the dark city.
Right now sunny was smiling
He had already chosen a class to give to Shelly. A rock and hopefully a poison ability which he could get through his scavenger ability. He already started by eating saint's corpse. Her original corpse.
And in his arsenal, he had many powerful echoes
Serpent. An ascended demon who would soon become a Titan with him.
A ascended monster soon to become a demon and possibly a transcendent depending on how many ascended shards he could get. Saint
Shelly too was growing. Sunny didn't know how long it would take to become a transcendent but he was close to becoming a tyrant.
A great tyrant sunny had no idea how to grow
And now his weakest shadow. Knighty a awakened devil soon to become a tyrant.
And like that sunny made his way to the bright castle. He quickly turned into a shadow and entered the dark castle in secret a black shade on the floor.
Nephis and Cassie weren't his only stops and so he didn't visit them right away.
Once he was in the castle sunny went into a certain blood drinkers room. And after ensuring she was not doing anything... Anything. Sunny entered
Song Seishan sat on the bed. Her alabaster skin catching the dim light of the candle by her bedside. Sunny formed from the ground he wore his usual outfit, but he was very clean given the bathes he took with the endless spring a sharp contrast to the others who lived outside the castle.
Sunny formed and walked over the beauty who had yet to realize he was in the room. Even as a holder of beast gods lineage it seemed that shadow was truly as endless as death. A beast that would once die would never know the vastness of death and such could not know sunny nor his ability.
Sunny walked and sat on the bed besides her gently his eyes looking at her.
Seishan got up with a fright her claws reaching for his neck. Her eyes bestial. Panic flurrying instantly overcome by her battle sense to dispose of the enemy
"Calm down Seishan I'm here on business" sunny said as he woke of the bed and walked a bit dodging her attacks
She continued to attack him. Sunny wasted no time he quickly dealt with her and sitting on the bed she looked like an angry child with the bump on her bed again.
" So, you're going to hear me out now?" - sunny smiled
"Do I have a choice? "
Sunny laughed lightly and walked to the bed side and picked up the glass of wine.
He made sure it was wine and not blood
"no you don't Seishan. But I give you my word I'm not here on I'll terms"
Holding it in his hand sunny drank bits in small sips as he looked at Seishan
"come let us drink Seishan. And discuss important matters"
She looked at him. Just as she was going to get another glass with an annoyed look at sunny for taking her glass of wine.. But just before she woke up sunny summoned a memory
"here"
He said it simply. The contents in the glass was a crimson color and let of a fragrance that Seishan couldn't help but crave
"is that..."
"it's blood. A memory I made myself and harvested enough blood for you to enjoy for at least a year"
She looked at him
"How do you know about my flaw"
"You know Seishan... Shadows are everywhere. They see all even if they don't react, they know "
Seishan took a sip the flavor hitting her tongue as a drop leaked onto her already red lips quenching the thirst of her flaw
"fallen..."
"yes lady Seishan. That cup is filled with the blood of the fallen creatures I've drained"
He paused letting that sink in.
"I know how hard it is to hide your... Unique cravings so I'm willing to give you that memory"
"what do you want in return"
"You see my love is about to hatch a plan to slaughter your lord and get us out of here" - He took a sip of the wine as if he did not just speak such mundane words - " you will help her as much as possible"
"... Overthrow Gunlaug. Are you mad Star of Darkness. He has a transcendent echo what chances do you have"
"I have my ways Seishan. I just ask for your trust and aid when the time comes "
She looked at him. Sunny let his hold on [Child of Dread] slip a bit
"... I will help where I can"
"thank you princess of song"
And like that sunny left.
'How does he know my real identity. Is he a legacy... No... There's no shadow user in valor or song so...'
Her mind raced a thought formed causing her to pause sight fear flowing
'Another great clan.... A shadow clan'
Sunny knew what thoughts he planted in her mind. And he went to visit nephis and Cassie
...
Cassie and Nephis sat on their beds and waited patiently.
"Neph sunny should have come back already... You don't think something..."
She didn't get to finish her thoughts because a male voice appeared in the room.
Leaning against the door sunny spoke
"Do we honestly think some nightmare creature could kill me "
Nephis looked at sunny and stood up. Cassie had stood up to hobbling towards Sunny's voice
"s... Sunny!"
Sunny walked over to the girls and gave them both a big, joined hug.
"I can't stay long. The guards patrolling the halls will hear me and I can't exactly just kill them "
"Sunny how have you been" - Nephis asked
"Great Nephis... But as I was saying I have a minute or 2 at best"
Sunny walked to Cassie
"Cass thank you so much for the endless spring it's a great help. Also, I promise I'll be as safe as possible."
Sunny hugged her transferring the echo of the steel spider to her
"Sunny why are you giving me this..."
"it's the echo of a fallen beast. It's going to be a big help to you so please keep it"
"Thank you... Thank you so much"
Just before sunny turned around he felt Nephis hug him from behind. Her chin resting on his head
[you have received a memory. Midnight shard]
"... Thank you Nephis"
Sunny turned around after releasing himself from her hug
"I have a gift for you too Nephis"
Walking up to her he held her head. And kissed the tip of her nose. Then her forehead. And then her lips. Gently and lovingly but quickly and shard
Pulling back Nephis was a mess and sunny was blushing to she was truly speechless her eyes wide her face flushed in need. But sunny didn't continue he simply spoke again the embarrassment in his voice evident
"As you know... I've transferred you some memories. One is a Blade I got from a rock like nightmare creature I strengthened it with some attributes also there is an armor, the [Starlight Legion Armor] it's an ascended armor and I also have a stealth charm, the [stealthy sneak] "
Sunny fashioned the blade from memory he got from a very sturdy monster that had 2 main attributes that seemed to pass onto the blade, a great deal of resistance and defense - adding upon attributes he weaved from the [Mantle of the Underworld] - [Living Stone], [Stalwart].
The blade alone had no specific or powerful abilities other than an extreme deal of strength, resistance and the ability to repair itself - so Nephis could use her flames to an extent as for the Starlight Legion Armor it too was given the same attributes and had its Awakened Nucleus replaced with an Ascended one
He could stay for a while but knew he couldn't. There were things that he needed to get done so he left heart heavy.
And like that. Leaving a confused Cassie and a red Nephis sunny left. As a shadow he glided through the window and left into the dark city planning to enter the sea.