Shadow Slave

Changing Star was in a watchtower near the outer edges of the camp, observing the ongoing battle. Her gaze was locked on the lustrous figure of Summer Knight, who stood like a fortress amidst the attacking Nightmare Creatures, cutting them down with his flowing lance.

Sunny approached and stared at the slaughter, as well, wondering how was it that the Saint had not gotten a single drop of blood on his armor. Was that a skill one could learn? The black silk of the Graceless Dusk always remained pristine, rejecting any kind of taint, but the same could not be said about his skin... and hair, especially hair. Washing blood out of his hair was a real chore.

Which was one of the reasons Sunny had enjoyed the few months of being a scout and never getting his own hands dirty, instead relying on shadows to do the killing for him.

"That guy, Summer Knight, is both deadly on the battlefield and nice in person. Makes me wonder if he really is a Saint... every other Transcendent I know is either the stern stoic type, vaguely sinister, or completely insane. He really doesn't fit."

Neph glanced in his direction and smiled with the corner of her mouth.

"Maybe you just attract these kinds of people."

Sunny coughed.

Come to think of it... stern and stoic, vaguely sinister, and completely insane were all words that could be used to describe Nephis, as well.

She looked back to the battlefield and added:

"But you are right. Sir Gilead is somewhat of an outlier among the Saints. He is too... straightforward. What you see is what you get. Honor, valiance, loyalty... and all that. He is the picture of a noble knight."

Sunny remained silent for a moment.

"Is that a bad thing?"

He certainly thought that it was. A person who proclaimed these virtues was either a hypocrite or dangerously naive - gods only knew which option was worse.

However, Sunny wanted to hear Neph's answer.

She shrugged.

"Not usually. But in the case of Summer Knight, it presents a contradiction. What is a person like that doing serving the King of Swords? And not just as a vassal, but as a direct retainer of clan Valor. A tool in their machinations."

She lingered for a few moments, then sighed.

"Maybe it has something to do with his Flaw."

Sunny looked at Nephis with curiosity.

"...What are you doing serving the King of Swords?"

Her subtle smile grew a little wider, and white sparks ignited in her eyes.

"Ah, but I am not honorable, valiant, or loyal. I am just driven and good with a sword. Don't you know?"

He scoffed.

"I do. Don't I know it well."

With that, Sunny leaned on the framework of the alloy watchtower and watched the valiant Saint fight in silence.

At the same time, he sent Neph a mental message:

[What did Morgan want to talk to you about?]

She leaned on the alloy bar by his side.

[We are most likely going to be ambushed by Song on the way back to the siege capital. She warned me to be ready. There is also the issue of the Nightmare Gates within the city. There are sixteen of them, at the moment, and keeping each one contained is a drain on the resources. Once we are back, the Awakened soldiers under Morgan's command will begin challenging the Seeds to close them... and scout the desert in the process, of course. She offered a few spots to the Fire Keepers.]

Sunny hesitated for a few moments.

[The Fire Keepers? Are they going to attempt Ascension?]

Neph lowered her head a little, nodding.

[They have long saturated their cores, and have more than enough experience. So, yes... Shim's cohort will enter first, followed by two others. A month later, two more cohorts will challenge the Second Nightmare. The last two will go after... if... the first challengers return.]

Sunny blinked.

If that plan worked... then in less than a year, Changing Star would potentially command close to fifty Masters. Some might die in the Nightmare, but still... that was a staggering force. An inconceivable force, even, by the standards of the modern world.

But then again, the world was changing. And the return of the survivors of the Forgotten Shore had made so much noise for this exact reason - not because they were powerful Awakened, but because each had a substantial chance of becoming a Master... and maybe even a Saint, in the future.

The force that Cassie had built had the potential to dramatically shift the balance of power between the great clans. No wonder Nephis seemed to be in a hurry to send the Fire Keepers into the Seeds... the emissaries of Song knew what was at stake, as well.

Once the fighting between the forces of the great clans started in earnest, Beastmaster would without a doubt aim to destroy the Fire Keepers before they Ascended.

'How complicated.'

Sunny remained silent for a while, choosing his words carefully. Eventually, he spoke... thought... in a casual tone:

[I happened to eavesdrop on a conversation.]

Nephis glanced at him.

[Oh. By pure accident, I'm sure.]

He smiled.

Then, however, the smile disappeared from his face.

Sunny looked forward, pretending to study the battle.

[Turns out, it was your Uncle Vale who sent Caster to kill you... you know, Anvil of Valor, the King of Swords. That Uncle Vale.]

She didn't show any hint of a strong reaction.

[...I figured as much.]

Sunny sighed.

[I also overheard that another one of your father's three friends had limited the great clans in what means they could use to kill you... back when you were a child. He seems to have protected you, to a degree.]

This time, Nephis couldn't maintain the mask of indifference. Someone else might not have noticed, but Sunny knew her too well. She was shaken.

After a long pause, Neph whispered:

[...So that's how it is. I see. That explains a few things I always wondered about.]

Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then asked:

[Do you have any idea what his reasons might be?]

Nephis remained silent for a long time, looking at the battlefield. One half of her face was illuminated by a gentle light, the other drowned in shadows. The cold wind was playing with her silver hair, making it dance.

Eventually, she let out a deep sigh.

[I don't. However, I do have a suspicion. I am the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan, Sunny... which means that I am also the last carrier of Sun God's lineage. Asterion had prevented that lineage from being snuffed out, and had taken Mordret from Anvil. It is... it is almost as if he is collecting the carriers of divine lineages.]

Nephis paused for a few moments, and then added in a grave voice:

[If my suspicion is correct... then should you meet him in the future, you would be wise to be careful too, Sunny. You do not possess Shadow God's lineage, but Asterion might not know that. Sun God, War God, Beast God, Storm God, and Heart God... all these lineages had already been found. Shadow God's was the last one to remain hidden. Maybe that is why he stayed passive all these years... waiting patiently for it to reveal itself.]

She suddenly turned and looked him in the eyes, then said in her own voice, discarding the safety of the Blessing Dusk:

"Sunny... you have guarded your secrets well. It is very important that you continue to do so. Be careful... if you wish. Please."

The cold wind got to Sunny, as well, making him shiver.