Sunny found himself, once again, in a rather unfortunate situation. First, he'd become a slave—again. Then, a gladiator in the madhouse of Red Coliseum, forced to fight for the amusement of lunatics. After months of brutal combat, he finally escaped… but not without loss. A friend had died, and his own heart had been shattered—quite literally—by Solvane. Luckily, the body he currently inhabited in this waking nightmare belonged to a Shadowspawn, and it had two hearts. One gone, one beating. Somehow, he was still alive.
After that? Well, he encountered a mad sorcerer from the East—Noctis himself. Defeated a Dark Steed that had tormented him with endless nightmares. And now, somehow, he stood here… in the Sanctuary of Noctis. A lovely vacation, all things considered.
But now, he had other priorities. He had to find his friends.
Fortunately, his fated attribute was not without merit. The moment he arrived, he had already stumbled upon Kai… though the situation was far stranger than he could have anticipated.
Because now—right now—he was staring at him. And Kai… was with a phoenix. A phoenix. Not just any phoenix, either. Klaus's phoenix.
The mythical, radiant Hemera.
Sunny stood frozen in mild disbelief.
The two had exchanged words already—brief summaries of the journeys they had endured. Meanwhile, Hemera sat silently beside them, her fiery feathers dimmed in rest.
Sunny gave her another sideways glance and shook his head in sheer exasperation. Where in all the hells did he find a phoenix!?
And to top it off, Sunny looked… horrifying. His new form was that of a demon—a shadow demon, no less. Four muscular arms, obsidian skin, long curling horns, a tail, and clawed hands. A genuine monster. He sighed, touching the emerald amulet that hung at his chest—the only thing allowing him to communicate. The relic was rare, priceless, and enchanted to project thoughts as sound.
"Hey, Kai," he spoke through the amulet in a calm yet gravelly voice, "It's time. Let's go."
Kai raised a brow. "Go where?"
Sunny gave him a look that screamed 'Are you serious?'
"Where else? To Noctis."
Kai blinked. Sunny blinked back. But just as their awkward silence took root, it was shattered—violently—by uproarious laughter echoing from above.
Both turned their heads upward, alarmed.
High on the branch of a tree, a man was lounging precariously with a bottle in hand and a delirious grin on his face. His eyes were bloodshot, hair windswept and wild, his face as mischievous as a cat who had just knocked over a vase for the fourth time today.
He looked down at them with exaggerated glee, wobbling on the branch.
Was he… drunk?
More importantly… what in the gods' names was Klaus doing here!?
And more shocking—he hadn't even taken on a new form. He looked exactly like himself. How?
Kai and Sunny both blurted in unison, dumbfounded:
"Klaus?!"
"What the…?!"
With dramatic flair, Klaus jumped from the tree like a showman… only to slam into the ground face-first. He groaned, rolled over onto his back, and sat up slowly, eyes half-lidded and unfocused.
"Hey there… my name's…" He paused mid-sentence, then suddenly appeared right in front of them in a blur of motion.
"Boo!!"
They just stared.
Deadpan.
Unimpressed.
Klaus clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Tough crowd."
But then his eyes began to glow.
Deep amethyst light bled from his irises, his sclera turning pitch black. Cracks of light spider-webbed across the skin surrounding his eyes like fractures in obsidian. His grin widened, and a strange, manic mirth danced in his expression… until he spotted Hemera.
His gaze shifted from Sunny to Kai, then to the phoenix. His smile faltered—just for a moment—before he burst out laughing again.
"So it is you two! Delightful. Marvelous, even! But Sunny, my friend…" he tilted his head, squinting, "Why are you so tall?"
Sunny's eye twitched. First Kai, now this idiot. What was so wrong with being tall?
"I'm a shadow demon now," he replied dryly. "What are you doing here?"
Klaus shrugged with lazy indifference. "Oh, you know… strolling, chilling… killing…"
Kai smiled despite himself. "It's good to see you, Klaus. And thank you… for sending your phoenix. Without her, I wouldn't be here."
Klaus beamed, throwing his arms around Hemera in a dramatic hug. "My baby! The most precious, most beautiful, most terrifying thing in the world! As dependable as ever!"
Sunny and Kai stared at him, unsettled. That's a goddamn phoenix, they thought in unison. Not a stuffed animal.
Hemera, ever aloof, didn't respond. She simply vanished in the blink of an eye—returning to Klaus's soul sea, no doubt, to avoid further embarrassment.
The trio sat together, finally exchanging stories—at least, partially. Klaus, true to form, kept most of his own to himself. The mood was quiet, but heavy with things left unsaid. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something… for everyone to gather before truly speaking.
Eventually, Klaus leaned back against a tree, arms folded behind his head.
"So. You want to negotiate with Noctis?" he mused. "Huh. I was planning on speaking with him too."
Sunny nodded. Kai, however, looked deeply unsettled. He spoke with a strained voice, gesturing vaguely.
"Ah… that Noctis? The immortal Transcendent? Blessed of the Moon, Crimson Beast of Twilight, Chain Lord of the Kingdom of Hope… that Noctis?"
Sunny glanced at him, then shrugged. "Yes, that one. Don't worry. He's terrifying, yes… but he's not unreasonable."
Kai cleared his throat uncomfortably. "You do know who he is, right? Noctis is the master of this domain. One of the Five Transcendents. Across the Kingdom of Hope, his name inspires awe, fear, and confusion in equal measure. He's a symbol of mystery, power… and also debauchery, mischief, and chaos. They say he has a merciful heart, but… beings like him are still dangerous."
He glanced nervously between a shadow demon and a half-drunk lunatic.
"Are you sure getting involved with someone like him is a good idea?"
Klaus blinked… then smirked as if someone had told him the most amusing joke in the world.
"…Debauchery?" he echoed.
And then he laughed.
"Pfhthahahahahahaha! Kekekeke… Ah—respect, my guy. Respect."
Both Kai and Sunny grimaced at Klaus's words, choosing not to dignify the deranged lunatic with a response. There was no point. Arguing with Klaus was like trying to reason with a storm.
Sunny shifted his gaze from Kai to Klaus, his expression unreadable. Silence hung between them like a drawn blade, heavy and tense—until Sunny finally spoke, his voice low and grim:
"...There isn't much of a choice. Noctis is the axis upon which this entire Nightmare turns. Dangerous, unpredictable… yes. But he is also something far greater, something ancient and unknowable. And yet, none of that truly matters right now."
He exhaled deeply, his shoulders sinking under the weight of everything left unsaid. Then, slowly, he turned toward the sanctum of the immortal being who ruled this domain with whimsy and dread.
"What matters now… is that he might be the only one who can help us find Effie."
Their silent agreement was forged in that shared glance, and without another word, the trio strode through the lush, dreamlike garden of the Sanctuary. Blossoms shimmered with faint bioluminescence, casting ethereal glows on cobbled paths that curved with unnatural elegance.
At the threshold of the inner estate, they were met by a pair of Sailor Dolls—stoic, immobile sentinels carved from porcelain and shadow, their hollow eyes watching in eternal indifference. Upon noticing the trio, one of the dolls tilted its head ever so slightly before stepping aside and rapping once upon the ornate door.
With an eerie creak, the door swung open of its own accord.
They stared, dumbfounded.
"…What the hell…" Kai muttered.
Inside, the chamber was bathed in golden lamplight, its walls adorned with surreal tapestries that seemed to shift and ripple with each passing moment. At the center of the room floated a figure in silent levitation—legs crossed, hands resting on his knees, eyes closed in what might've seemed like tranquil meditation… were it not for the dozens of empty wine amphorae drifting lazily in the air around him like drunken satellites.
Lord Noctis—Transcendent Immortal, Blessed of the Moon, Crimson Beast of Twilight, Chain Lord of the Kingdom of Hope—was absolutely, unequivocally sloshed.
Klaus let out a soft whistle, one brow lifting in amusement.
"This guy," he murmured with a crooked smirk, "is already my favorite."