They had been training for days.
Each sunrise layered new challenges atop the last. The drills grew more intricate, and their spars honed instinct into reflex. Effie, eager to test her mettle, fought Cassie and Caster together in duels. With every clash, their control over their Aspects tightened to be more precise, more lethal.
Kai trained his archery just as hard, loosing arrows through the erratic interference of Aiko's telekinetic forces. Aiko herself had mostly turned inward, refining the delicate control of her Dormant Ability. Her sword training had also continued, though she began to cheat—allowing her powers to help guide the blade's motion. She expected a scolding when Sunny found out, but to her surprise, all she got was a nod of approval.
The group had fallen into a rhythm. Mornings were for drills, afternoons for spars. By day's end, their instructor prepared rations in silence, before disappearing into the city.
Each evening, as twilight dragged the black waters of the Dark Sea into the Forgotten Shore, he would slip away. At first, they assumed he was hunting—his return always brought fresh meat for their next meal. But with each passing day, his absences stretched longer.
Sometimes, he returned bloodied or with a quiet exhaustion that seeped into the early hours of the morning. Once, he even returned in the late afternoon. He clearly wasn't just hunting, though nobody felt the need to ask what he had been up to.
Tonight would be no different.
As the last light of day kissed the horizon in a fading orange glow, Sunny slipped from camp, swallowed by the shadows below.
***
Along the northwestern quadrant of the Dark City, a boy crouched atop a weathered rooftop. Below him, Nightmare Creatures prowled the alleys, their eerie presence lurking around the stillness of the empty streets.
Further ahead, a wide square lay nestled in a pocket of strangely well-preserved architecture—jealously guarded by the children of Nether. The Stone Saints.
Automata carved from living stone, animated by ruby-dust blood and Daemonic sorcery, they fought any who intruded upon their territory. They were only Awakened, technically—but in a stillborn future, one had slain two Fallen alone in a pyrrhic stand. Their strength eclipsed their rank. Their resolve, even more so.
The boy trained his eyes upon them with a quiet focus. More specifically, the shortest of their ranks.
On the street below, a Serpent coiled with a Silver Bell dangling from its maw. Giving it a gentle shake, a sound rang out—pure, sonorous, and unnaturally clear. It pierced the air effortlessly, travelling to every alley, home, rooftop, and nest.
The city moved.
The square's inhabitants fruitlessly attempted to hunt down the source of the disturbance, but found only a horde of converging beasts closing upon the call.
From nearby city streets, Nightmare Creatures gathered toward the sound. Drawn by instinct, hunger, or simple madness, they came. Blood Fiends. Ghostly wraiths. Rabid hyenas with blistered hides and the stink of decay on their breath. Basilisks with acidic drool, and many more, all equally dreadful.
Behind them came worse.
The Fallen Ones. Most noteworthy were a pack of Armored Spiders, which had wrestled for control of the region. Though they too were mere beasts, they approached more cautiously, as if aware of the dangers of what resided within.
The Stone Saints took formation in the center of the square, shields locked together, swords steady. With calm poise, they stared down the approaching madness around them.
Beasts tore into each other with reckless abandon, inching towards the former denizens of the Underworld. The Saints stood like the edge of a guillotine, slicing through the chaos effortlessly upon contact. Shields batted aside frenzied strikes, stone blades split flesh and bone with ease. The lesser creatures died in waves, blood painting the cobbles.
Only once the Saints were consumed by the tide of monsters on all sides, did their true battle begin. The pack of Armored Spiders launched forward, scuttling into the melee savagely. They tore through fodder and Fallen alike, closing upon the children of Nether.
The boy watched from the rooftop above, still and silent.
Buildings collapsed. Dust filled the air. One Saint fell, then another, though not without taking their attackers down as well. In the end, one remained.
A lone Saint stood atop a mound of corpses, unshaken and victorious. As she drove her sword through the soft underbelly of the last of the invading Nightmare Creatures, her final opponent emerged from the shadows.
***
Saint turned, head tilting slightly to the side upon seeing the Mantle of the Underworld. Her red eyes sparked lightly with confused recognition. She and Sunny mirrored each other uncannily—height, armor, and posture. Saint's frame was more feminine, but Sunny's wasn't far off. His features had always been rather delicate.
Her shield bore fractures, her sword dripped with the blood of monsters, and ruby dust trickled from her wounds. Despite her battered state, her stance remained perfect, balanced, and undeterred.
Sunny approached forward in a guarded stance, sword raised. Saint turned her weapons towards him, and struck the hilt of her sword against her shield—a challenge.
And then, she charged.
The first clash cracked like thunder. Her blade arced toward his neck. Sunny stepped in, catching steel on steel, and turned the blow aside with a twist.
Seizing the opening, Saint struck with a shield bash, driving a savage spike toward his chest. He flowed backward, spun on his heel, and lashed out in return.
Her arm turned to catch the blade with her shield—and nearly shattered on impact.
She backed away, abandoning a counter, eyeing the deep scar in her stone shield. Her ruby eyes flashed, as she assumed an unguarded stance.
A surging flurry of strikes forced Sunny onto the defensive. Saint didn't care about sustaining more wounds—only about closing the distance and bringing him down with her. Her kin had fallen, and she would join them soon, whether she lived or died in this battle. Sunny, unwilling to risk serious injury, flowed around her blows, parried where he could, and punished openings with shallow cuts.
It wasn't enough to stop her though.
Her form was indomitable. Her speed superior. But Sunny didn't panic. In his past life he had trained under her, learned from her. Now, he was a monster among monsters when it came to the sword.
As the battle reached the edge of the city square, Sunny snapped his wrist—and the glint of a silver thread caught starlight. From behind Saint, the Prowling Thorn struck like a bolt from heaven, slamming into her shoulder.
She staggered, and in that moment, Sunny surged forward—his strikes relentless, sword hammering into her shield until it finally gave way.
It shattered.
Saint didn't hesitate. She discarded the broken shield, gripped her sword in both hands, and raised it high.
Sunny mirrored her stance.
In what remained of the fight, Sunny opted to forgo tricks. He would not deprive his most loyal companion of an honourable final battle. All would be left to their swordsmanship.
Though she was a battle master, her opponent had long since transcended mere mastery. The Mad Prince had been called a 'Sword Saint,' and Sunny too could have claimed that title after passing his Third Nightmare.
The two clashed back and forth, falling into the familiar rhythm of Sunny's days spent training with her.
With flawless technique, and the slow yet methodical dismantling of Saint's swan song, the battle eventually reached its natural end. Sunny's final blow pierced her core and in an intimate moment, the two shared a glance. Saint dropped her sword, and tapped her fist to her chest in respect. Soon after, her ruby eyes lost their light and her black armor petrified.
Sunny released ragged breaths. His technique still far surpassed the limits of his body, and the drain on his stamina caught up to him.
[You have slain an Awakened Monster, Stone Saint.]
[Your shadow grows stronger.]
[You have received an Echo: Stone Saint.]
***
At dawn, the cohort woke to find their instructor asleep, carried by the arms of a pristine stone statue. Dust covered him like he'd wrestled a tomb. His newly gained Echo stared at them silently.
Effie squinted at the figure, then at him, then at their matching armors.
"...You dog," she said, grinning. "Didn't you say your heart belonged to another?"
Sunny cracked one eye open, groaned, and sat up, shaking the dust from his coat as though he'd just risen from the grave.
"Sure. But are you really going to blame me for being touched in my sleep? How regressive."
His Echo, still silent, looked on stoically.
"Uh-huh. Very funny." Effie tapped the hilt of the stone Echo's sword with her boot. "Gotta say, she's got presence. Cold, quiet, doesn't talk back—your type?"
Sunny smirked. "She doesn't eat my food or talk during sparring. Ideal, really. You could learn from her."
Effie snorted. "Right! Stone-faced, emotionally distant. Honestly, I can see the appeal."
Kai interrupted. "Lie. Though if you had to spend a few days with yourself it certainly might become the truth."
Effie turned toward him, her hand over her heart, the picture of betrayal.
"Kai, your words wound me! If mere statements could do so, I dread to imagine what might happen if you sang!"
Kai shrugged, unrepentant. "Lie, on both accounts."
Before Effie could escalate, a pebble, propelled by Aiko's telekinetic flick, plinked against the back of her head. Aiko strolled in from the side, arms folded, eyes drifting over the Echo greedily.
"Shush it. How can you lot be bickering when a beauty like this is in front of you?"
Cassie traced the Echo's stone skin, mapping its form in her mind. Caster approached and stood beside her. His head tilted, lips pressed thin in thought.
"Quite the fearsome Echo. Is this what you've been looking for in the City?"
Sunny shook his head. "Partly I suppose, but I was also gathering up various other toys before we left. Kai, Aiko, come here for a moment."
The two stepped forward, and Sunny placed a hand atop one shoulder each.
To Kai, he willed the transfer of the Blood Arrow, gained from slaying a Fallen Beast in the lair of the sleeping Lord of the Dead. The leech was the simplest Fallen creature he could kill in the region. Starved, it leapt forward in a frenzy toward his arm, though it found the edge of a blade instead of flesh.
For a second, Sunny was tempted to tell Kai that the Fallen One who dropped this Memory had literally bisected itself just for the chance to give him a hug — but he figured he'd save that story for when he needed a good laugh.
To Aiko, he willed the transfer of the Prowling Thorn, found through a massacre in the nearby colony of porcupine horrors. Finding it again had been a questionable use of time, but it was the best weapon he could think of to pair with Aiko's Dormant Ability.
"Graduation gifts," Sunny said dryly, squeezing their shoulders once. "From Sunny's School of Killing Things."
Kai raised a skeptical eyebrow. Aiko, solemn as a priestess, trembling in the knees, gave a small, formal nod—as though he'd just knighted her.
Effie's hand shot up like a child begging for sweets.
"No," Sunny said immediately, already turning away and taking a few steps back. "You and Caster get nothing. I only brought two."
Facing the group again, he continued.
"Now that I've finished my scavenger hunt, it's time to collect the remaining Shards."
***
Name: Sunless
True Name: Lost from Light
Rank: Dreamer
Shadow Core: Dormant
Shadow Fragments: [671/1000]
Memories: [Silver Bell], [Quiet Resolve], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Shadow Lantern], [Chitin Knuckleguard], ... [Skitterglass Pendant], [Seed of Remorse], [Ordinary Rock], [Mantle of the Underworld], [Quiet Carver], ... [Pale Ribbon], [Silkstring Spool]...
Attributes: [Unchained], [Fatecharmed], [Mark of Divinity], [Shadowtouched], [Inoculated], [Blood Weave]
Aspect: [The Eclipse.]
Aspect Rank: Divine.
Innate Ability: [Totality.]
Aspect Legacy: [Shadow Dance]
Flaw: [Transparent Conscience]
Flaw Description: [You cannot lie, and your true feelings may not be hidden.]
Echo: [Stone Saint]
Echo Rank: Awakened.
Echo Class: Monster.
Echo Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Mark of Divinity].
Shadow: [Soul Serpent]
Shadow Rank: Ascended.
Shadow Class: Beast
Shadow Attributes: [Shadow Guide], [Soul Weapon], [Soul Beast]
Shadow Abilities: [Soul Reaver], [Grace of Shadows]
***
He flicked the runes aside with a sigh. His inventory had ballooned with many trinkets in the form of half-forgotten Memories. Most were trash that would end up being fed to his next Shadow.
A few had niche uses. The [Silkstring Spool] was a simple self-refilling spool of spider silk. The [Skitterglass Pendant] was a segmented glass ornament that rattled when underground movement happened nearby.
Others were quite useful. The [Quiet Carver] was the plain-looking knife he purchased in the Memory Market, finding ample use during food preparation. The [Chitin Knuckleguards] were self explanatory, and the [Pale Ribbon] was a Tool Memory that could be wrapped around an object to slow its decomposition. He had been using that last one for preserving rations.
The [Seed of Remorse], gained from the Soul-Devouring Tree, still taunted him with its mysteries. He wasn't quite sure if it was a boon or a bane, though he resolved to find out eventually.
He cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the group.
"All right," he said. "If we're going to be relying on each other to survive for the next couple months, we should know what tools we're working with."
He offered benign details, namely regarding his Echo and Memories. Notable exceptions were the true nature of Serpent and the Shadow Lantern.
Cassie was the first to follow suit, her voice calm and relaxed.
"You've seen my sword, armor, and the Endless Spring already," she said. "I also have a few tools: a rope, a staff that produces wind, a long-burning torch, a scent-masking chitin pouch, a vial of glowing moss, and a charm that lessens the effect of blood loss and infection."
The girl had a rather impressive collection of memories too, with many increasing her survivability in the wildnerness.
"I also have an Echo" she stated, summoning the Carapace Scavenger. Under normal circumstances, the group would be more impressed, but it looked somewhat unimpressive next to the Stone Saint.
Kai stepped in next, casual and confident.
"I have a bow, armor, and falcata. Sunny also just gave me an Ascended Memory named the 'Blood Arrow.' I also have a charm that increases grip strength, a firestarter, and a couple other arrows that won't be seeing much use any more."
Effie blinked. "Wait. Ascended?"
Caster made a strangled sound, but Aiko cut in before questioning erupted.
"He also gave me one, the Prowling Thorn—an Awakened knife on a retractable cord. Very stylish. The only other Memory I have is a cloak that keeps me warm."
Effie, composure returning, eyed Sunny suspiciously, and then continued.
"Aside from what I have out right now, I also have an enchanted bag. Though, it drops what's inside if you dismiss it. I also have some kitchenware."
That left Caster, who sighed under the expectant gazes.
"The only one I haven't shown yet is a sling. I haven't been in the Dream Realm very long, and not everyone can be like this freak over here and fill a graveyard with Nightmare Creatures in only a couple months" he said, pointing towards Sunny.
Kai snorted. "True."
"Good." Sunny said, ignoring the taunt.
Serpent manifested into a sword, and Sunny began scratching out a vague map of the region into the stone floor. The edges were jagged, and the markings crude, but the shape of the giant crater and Crimson Spire instantly oriented the Sleepers.
"We have enough survival tools to avoid being crippled in the Labyrinth, and everyone has a weapon to use. We can either go for the two in the south, or the one in the north first. After we get them, and have saturated our cores along the way, we will move for the final one in the catacombs."
He looked toward Cassie.
"What's your gut say, Cassie? North or south first?"
Cassie answered simply.
"North."
Sunny nodded.
"North it is. The Moonlight Shard will be our first target."
He glanced over the group—tired from a hard week of training.
"Rest up today," he said, softer. "You've all been overworking your muscles. Let your passive essence saturation repair the damage before we start getting into real fights."
Sharing quiet conversation and the occasional burst of laughter, they spent their last easy day on the Forgotten Shore.
Tomorrow, the labyrinth would open its jaws once more—and they would step inside.