Sunny had no choice but to resort to one last, desperate gamble.
Caster smiling maliciously, waiting for the tyrant to kill the boy after. "Deperate is the right word... I would also describe it as futile."
"Futile? How so? Yes it alerts the tyrant but if it's truly blind than it's no matter, it can't see him so if he will be quite enough than it'll all be alright." Noctis said, his voice ever melodious. Caster simply snorted coldly in contempt, not answering the transcendent magician.
He had no chance against the enemy in a direct confrontation, at least not without an advantage. Bloodbane poison was supposed to be his hidden card, but turned out to be nearly useless. Being able to see in the dark did not help that much, too: somehow, Hero was able to perceive their surroundings even without any light.
Nephis herself nodded, "it is indeed quite peculiar tho the answer can range from it being a simple attribute to an aspect ability..."
"It could even be some type of memory tho it seems not to be the case seeing his reaction to the bell memory displayed by, sleeper Sunless" naeve said, his voice sounding to Sunny like a voice muffled by water from the distance they were from, but no worries, your dear author can hear from anywhere in the theater<3
Noctis nodded... "What's a memory?" As he asked that mordret looked at the ancient Saint and asked:
"Are you unfamiliar with peculiar objects holding enchantments to help Awakened?" His voice surprised, even sunny was gazing curiously, wishing to find out more about the past.
"Enchantments? A type of sorcery than, I assume to added onto objects? It exists tho none call them memories so I was a bit confused... is the ability to recall and summon them a common ability held by all memories?" Noctis said, his voice quite contemplative, he was a Sorcerer himself and such a way of using it was also quite great... nearly as great as he himself, he could already imagine storing all his clothes in his soul...
Anvil, the dirty warmonger king nodded, his voice carried throught the grand theater as none dared to cut him off or just didn't bother, "memories indeed use sorcery, my clan of valor specializes in creating them thanks to the aspects they got that help in doing so. tho such means aren't needed, the Spell in and of itself creates them automatically if you are lucky after slaying a nightmare creature. If it comes from the Spell it indeed always carries the ability to summon and recall and for convenience sake so do ours."
Noctis nodded, "very interesting, and Aspects very peculiar tho expected. Aspects can be anything. I myself might try doing something like this once I return! As a grand Sorcerer, the grandest really!"
Whether he was using his sense of hearing or some magical ability, Sunny did not know — not that it mattered now that they had left the cave and were standing under the moonlit sky.
Noctis nodded, theorizing, "it indeed could be very well some enchantment helping him sense, be it on the sword or on the armor or wherever else. Seeing that he can't see too far it could even be something along the line of an enchantment that let's him feel or see as far as his sword can reach."
Now he had only one advantage left. The fact that he knew that the tyrant was blind, and Hero did not. Acting on that knowledge, however, was easier said than done.
But what else could he do?
That's why he tried to stay as quiet as possible and rang the silver bell. If the description did not lie, its ringing could be heard from miles away. Surely, the tyrant was going to hear it, too.
"A very situational enchantment... can alarm allies but also foes alike, that it found itself in your hands in this very trial speaks of itself." Jet said to Sunny,
Sunny responded, his voice a bit hesitant, "well the Spell doesn't make executions, no? There needs to be a couple ways out... this probably is one of them, to be able to attract the tyrant to one's side and let someone else deal with it..."
Morgan just snorted dismissively, "acting as if this is some great never seen before tactic that only he could come up with."
Mordret smiled mockingly, "says you. You would probably already have run towards it even in his exact situation wouldn't you? with your monkey brain. Warmongers like you should stay quite instead of always being obnoxious and let their superior minded peers speak."
This nearly made Morgan full on crashout, she was raging inside. Veins beneath her alabaster skin popping as her vibrant red eyes demanded blood...
On the other hand jest looked at the monster talking, "trying to make someone laugh, little beast? I'll tell you that you aren't that funny anymore as you though you were initially, only capable of stretching a single joke."
Mordret smirked... "'not that funny anymore', huh? I guess you are correct..."
Those that knew old jests true name chuckled, even anvils lips twitched Unseen by all but the author...<3
Now Sunny only had to stay silent, stall for time and hope that the monster would come. As he did so, Hero's bewilderment slowly turned into anger.
"Tell me right now or you will regret it."
His voice was quite threatening, but still, the young slave did not answer. He just shivered in the cold and tried not to moan despite the pulsing pain in his chest.
Jet looked at Sunny, "just don't die, dying is such a pain y'know?" Her pale zombie like skin glowing with weird light as her dead like blue eyes watched him.
Sunny nodded, gulping down his own saliva, "r-right... any particular reason for this grand tip? Or is it simply common sense?" His dark eyes gazing at her dead like features once more becoming more horrified with each lasting second of his unfortunate existence.
A dark chuckle reverting throughout his poor ears...
Mordret smiled kindly, his voice reassuring, "Don't worry, it's not that painful! When my Soul and body were annihilated I only screamed a handful of times!"
Sunny's eyes widened, "is that because you had no body to scream with or because it was actually not that painful, huh!? And how does that even work? If your soul is even destroyed than how can you even exist?"
Mordret still smiling kindly just patted sunny on the back "<3"
"Why are you not answering?"
But Sunny did not dare to answer. He held his breath and watched, horrified, as the familiar colossal figure appeared behind Hero. His lungs were on fire, and his heart was beating like crazy. It was beating so loud that he was even afraid that the blind tyrant would hear it.
Seishan smiled like a predator... "I can hear it from here, the blood pumping through your being..." She liked her lips as if tasting the blood itself, Sunny shuddered..."I wonder how it tastes? Sweet? A bit sour maybe? Or maybe a bit spicy, huh?"
Sunny wanted to be gone from here... why was he even in this damn theater! Seishan on the other hand was having lots of fun...
But, of course, it couldn't be louder than Hero's voice, who was still talking, turning himself into the only source of noise on this mountain.
At the last second, a hint of understanding appeared in the young soldier's eyes. He began to turn around, his sword rising with lightning speed.
"Too slow..." effie said, her eyes watching another men die thanks to those vicious beasts... something she'd seen many times. Not that she cared much, she still liked it in the dreamrealm.
But it was too late.
A massive hand appeared from the darkness and caught him into an iron grip. The bone claws scraped against the armor, pulling it apart. Mountain King dragged Hero back, paying little attention to the sword biting into its wrist. Viscous saliva was streaming from its opened maw.
Aiko near gagged at the sight of the streaming saliva, 'disgusting' even those creatures that called themselves guards back in the bright castle looked better, not by alot but still!
Even Morgan had a face of disgust, she could take it and could easily beat, something she easily knew, all warmongers always thought about fighting first and foremost. But it's mere looks turned her mood off instantly that she got while imagining a fight.
Kai was frozen in his seat watching the creature, "How foul! Does it not know what skin care is? What about its hair? When was its last bath?" His voice wasn't loud, he was more so whispering to himself... if they were talking about the beast or sunny in his disheveled form was a mystery.
Petrified by fear, Sunny slowly turned his back to them and took a couple of steps up the old, winding path. Then he darted away, running as fast as he could.
"Such an coward." Caster snorted, why couldn't that rat just die?
Sunny om the other hand nodded, he was indeed a coward, who would think that this guy would compliment him! Maybe those filthy legacies aren't that bad.
Jet just looked at Sunny from the side confused at how proud he looked, till it all clicked and she snorted. Shaking her head, like the skeletons do if you dig them up in the graveyard . "That wasn't a compliment, Sunny..."
"No?" Even mordret was surprised, he had thought that its a positive thing, "the Valor Awakened and ascended seemed pretty cowardly when they were trying to capture him even running aw- tactically retreating if needed!
Behind him, a desperate scream tore apart the silent night. Then a hungry roar followed. It seemed that Hero wasn't going down without a fight, even though his fate was already sealed.
"Quite stupid," mordret said "I would have let it kill me faster so that it can pursue my enemy that I really want to kill instantly."
Noctis shrugged "he probably has a goal. And needs to survive more than to kill a random slave."
Mordret smiled, "I wasn't really talking about dying, I would have taken shelter in its eye, you see."
Noctis nodded, intrigued. "Very interesting approach indeed! Tho most likely not usable for most."
Mordret chuckled in response maliciously, "kind of a skill issue, no? It's just a means to an end. If I can do it by losing my body for a bit, it doesn't matter."
"A matter of perspective, but indeed."
But Sunny didn't care. He was running away, climbing higher and higher.
"I'm sorry, Hero," he thought. "I did say that I will watch you die… but, as you know, I am a liar. So go and die on your own…"
Mordret started clapping, exaggeratedly. Cheering, and even full on talking about how great this performance was, the director was a genius indeed! His grandeur knowing no end to write such perfection!
Kai was also relieved that the filthy and probably stinking boy survived, he didn't like death nor blood "Such a relief!"
Obviously Kai was nowhere near as relived as the rat in question himself, his mere involvement and relief matched only by Caster's hateful cursing beneath his breath, he seemed nearly a out to get on his knees and beg to the six gods themselves to strike this slippery rat down, but the bastard would slip out the same way diddy did! All the lube did pay off, now an innocent man. Well mostly, still guilty on two of five charges. The author hopes for an invite to the celebration<3(this is a joke, don't take it seriously. Saying ts because there is gonna be people that take this seriously, making jokes of my statement in comments is fine!)
***
A lonesome dark mountain stood tall against the raging winds.
Jagged and proud, it dwarfed other peaks of the mountain chain, cutting the night sky with its sharp edges. A radiant moon bathed its slopes in the ghostly light.
Noxtis smiled watching that beautiful moon and the light it radiated, he wished to be there bathing in it instead of this teather.
Under that light, a young man with pale skin and black hair reached the peak of the mountain. However, his looks didn't match the magnificence of the scene: wounded and staggering, he looked pathetic and weak.
Sunny just snorted, feeling that being called pathetic was unfair in this situation till his eyes gleamed full of malice... "atleast not dead, like that bastard!"
Mordret smiled, so beautiful. He shaped him in this theater and his malice was perfect, it made him shed a tear! Looking away to not be noticed.
Revel such tsk'd seeing such a pathetic figure in this beautiful scene! "Can't he just die, already?"
"Exactly." The voice of Caster agreed wholeheartedly. The rat should just fucking die. He probably didn't eat much, he was already weekend, he got his back blown out by that damn 'hero', how can he still even walk through a damn mountain!
The young man looked like a walking corpse.
Caster just hoped he was more than looking like one and that he would just jump in the damn grave! He would even let one of his retainers dig up the hole!
Nephis licked her lips, she liked pathetic looking man her age, preferably from the outskirts too, she didn't know it but this trait came all the way from the sun god himself while inheriting his legacy!
His coarse tunic and cloak were torn and smeared with blood. His sunken eyes were cloudy and lifeless. His body was bruised, beaten and cut. There were specks of bloody foam on his lips.
He was hunched over, cradling the left side of his chest. Each step caused him to moan, ragged breath barely escaping through gritted teeth.
Sunny was hurting all over. But most of all, he was cold.
So, so cold.
"Just be warm? What's the problem, it isn't that hard to stay warm." Morgan shrugged.
Naeve on the other hand could agree, sometimes it was too cold... even more so when he was swimming in the ocean, freezing even! Tho the situation was a bit different.
Aiko was shivering, imagining ending up in such a place instead of her great first nightmare filled with beautiful flowers and her great task to gather them all!
He just wanted to lie down in the snow and fall asleep.
But instead, he continued walking. Because he believed that the Nightmare will be over once he reaches the peak.
"Why such believe?" Saint tyris asked, her voice near disarming while her cold face near freezing, her silhouette melting tho.
"Ehh... I guess my future self decided that there was no other place to go and there needs to be an end..." Sunny responded which made tyris nod, roan next to her smiling gently at her.
Step. Step. Another step.
Finally, he had made it.
At the highest point of the mountain, a vast expanse of flat rock was covered with snow. In the center of it, illuminated by moonlight, stood a magnificent temple. Its colossal columns and walls were cut from black marble, with exquisite reliefs decorating the stygian pediment and broad frieze. Beautiful and awesome, it looked like a palace of a dark god.
"Oho, an ancient temple huh? It might have been from an Era prior to even my existence..." noctis said, making most listen, "they don't make them this design no more unfortunately. It might be one even created for all 6 gods or something like a temple to one of the minor deities, interesting tho."
Asterion himself was interested, indeed this Sorcerer was from an Era where gods still existed no? Why not use this opportunity and get something fruitful? "Is there something you know about the gods or even their legacies?" His voice stern, cold and demanding.
Noctis looked at the man that sat in the same row, "well, I myself am a gods grandson, aren't I majestic truly? The gods legacy seem to travel through one's bloodline even. Giving them abilities that seem close to the gods or atleast remain quite similar, my own concerns the moon and the God that blood flows in my veins is the God of it. But if there is something more particular maybe could answer that, you're question is too broad, you know?"
Asterion nodded, "maybe something about the shadow God and his creations and maybe even the ones holding an divine shadow aspect?"
Noctis nodded to the question contemplating what he knew..."well, they are called shadow creatures and there aspects have to do with shadows, the other that you were talking about are 'divine shadows' to put it simply as far as I know they are shadow gods shadows oravatars used to let him interact with the real world more deeply."
Asterion surprised a bit on the information about the divine shadows but remained a bit satisfied, he would ask more later...
At least it did once. Now, the temple was in ruins: fractures and cracks marred the black stones, parts of the roof had collapsed, letting in ice and snow. It's tall gates were broken, as if smashed into pieces by a hand of a giant.
Still, Sunny was satisfied.
"Found you," he said in a hoarse voice.
Gathering the last of his strength, the young slave slowly limped in the direction of the ruined temple. His thoughts were muddled and confused.
"What is the point? How will this affect whether or not you pass?" Morgan asked annoyed, was she gonna see a god or something or was this just gonna be a long worthless film night... well most film nights are worthless and done only for amusement but still...
"Such a narrow point of view!" Mordret exclaimed, calling her ignorant, "your ignorance knows no bounds, that no God wants to communicate with someone as worthless and idiotic as you does not mean it's the same for our dear Sunless, wrench!
Morgan just snorted coldly, deciding not to raise to the bait. Which made mordret chuckle about her genius, "smarter than a goldfish atleast!" This made Morgan grit her pearly white teeth.
'See this, Hero?' he thought, forgetting for a second that Hero was already dead. 'I've made it. You were strong and ruthless, and I was weak and timid. Yet now you are a corpse, and I am still alive. Isn't it funny?'
"Look out, otherwise he'll rise up front the grave, y'know?" Jet said.
"Very unlikely, the queen of maggots isn't there." Jest responded.
Revel glared at the old man, "Shut it old man, wouldn't want the elders to drop dead too early would we?"
He stumbled and groaned, feeling the edges of his broken ribs cutting deeper into his lungs. Blood was dripping from his mouth. Dead or not, Hero had gotten him good with that single strike.
'Actually, it's not. What do any of you even know about being ruthless? Poor fools. In the world where I come from, people had thousands of years to turn cruelty into an art. And as someone on the receiving end of all that cruelty… don't you think I would know more about being vicious than you ever could?'
"Indeed sunny, you are the most malicious!" Mordret smiled, "who is? That's right! It's you." His voice a bit ridiculing while sunny looked away...
Jet chuckled, while Caster glared. Why can't a rat just drop dead...
He was getting closer to the temple.
'Truth be told, you never stood a chance… wait. What was I thinking about?'
A moment later, he had already forgotten. There was only pain, the dark temple, and the overpowering desire to sleep.
'YES, YES, YES! Just die you little wrench, worthless mongrel undeserving of even life. Too poor to even afford to breath!' Caster was near euphoric, he could even orgasm from the sheer euphoria he felt throughout his being, the gods answered, at this point he will become a firm believer. A sacrifice of a rat away, keeps the Wrath of the gods away!
'Don't fall for it. It's just hypothermia. If you fall asleep, you'll die.'
Finally, Sunny reached the steps of the black temple. He started to climb them, not noticing thousands of bones that were scattered around. These bones once belonged to humans and monsters both. All of them were killed by the invisible guardians still lingering around the temple.
"Invisible guardians, huh? Interesting... an sorcerous enchantment perhaps?" Noctis said, his voice very much interested in this temple...
Sunny too, or rather If he would survive those guardians... perhaps the bit of divinity will come in handy afterall!
As Sunny was climbing the steps, one of the shapeless guardians approached him. It was ready to snuff out the spark of life that was burning weakly in the defiler's chest, but then stopped, sensing a faint, strangely familiar scent coming from his soul. The scent of divinity. Sorrowful and lonesome, the guardian moved aside, letting Sunny pass.
"How lucky!" Mordret said, a smile on his face.
"Indeed" Caster said, gritting his death in utter hate towards the rat, why? Because!
Oblivious, he entered the temple.
Sunny found himself in a grandiose hall. Cascades of moonlight were falling through the holes in the partially collapsed roof. Deep shadows were surrounding these circles of silver light, not daring to touch them. The floor was covered in snow and ice.
At the far end of the hall, a large altar was cut from a single piece of black marble. It was the only thing inside the temple untouched by snow. Forgetting why he came here, Sunny headed for the altar.
Morgan just huffed, 'no way, no no way... there was no way he would sacrifice himself and get help from a damned God... no fucking way.'
Even asterion froze as he looked at the altar... was he... gonna see a god... feel him... but they're dead, no? Even if the Spell replicates the events to a tee it can't replicate a god... was it the real deal?
He just wanted to sleep.
The altar was dry, clean, and as wide as a bed. Sunny climbed on it and lay down.
It seemed like he was going to die.
He was okay with it.
Sunny tried to close his eyes, but was stopped by a sudden noise coming from the direction of the temple's entrance. He turned his head to look, not even a little bit curious. What he saw would have sent chills running down his spine if he wasn't so cold, tired and indifferent.
Athena, looked on in surprise, "How persistent..."
Caster was grinning, "how delightful, finally! There was no way that damn creature could mess this up..."
"Wait... is it blessed by divinity?" Noctis asked, peculiar to be let through by the guards...
Nephis eyebrow rose after realizing that indeed the creature could not he accessed the temple otherwise...
Mountain King was standing there, looking at him with its five blind eyes. He was still massive, terrifying and revolting. Worm-like shapes were still moving frantically under its skin. It was sniffing the air, salivating.
Then it opened its maw and moved forward, slowly approaching the altar.
Sunny had a dark look in his eyes, "Why couldn't it just let me be and die alone, damnations!"
Mordret chuckled, waiting for sunny's inevitable death... no hard feelings, really he enjoys him and making fun of him but seeing him die was equally fun...
Caster was full on grinning from ear to ear like a mad man, "gods are truly merciful, what next, was he gonna have a guardian angel?"
As noctis heard him speak, he froze, "do not speak of those creatures boy! Those winged Demons are even worse than the real Demons!" This warning made even Caster freeze, was he making fun of him or do angels exist and they are truly abominable creatures that made Saints not wish to talk about them?
'What an ugly bastard,' Sunny thought and suddenly clutched his chest, convulsing in a fit of torturous coughing.
Bloody foam flew from his mouth and fell on the altar. However, the black marble soon absorbed it.
Asterion couldn't believe it, was this what he wa spooking for? The last one? Was he gonna see a god? His eyes were shining like a goblin that spotted gold! Maybe not a complete waste of time!
A second later, it was as pristine as it was before.
The tyrant was just about to reach Sunny. It was already stretching its hands to grab him.
Aiko gazed away, not wishing to see the boy die at th hands of this worm invested, salivating abominable creature of one's deepest nightmares!
Cassia also looked away, she could never wish upon someone such a fate! She wasn't so cruel to even think of doing something remotely close to such cruelty!
Athena just shook her head, how unfortunate! Still smiling, not giving much of a damn.
'I guess this is the end,' he thought, resigned to his fate.
But at the last second, suddenly, the voice of the Spell resounded in the dark temple.
The eyes of asterion were watering, his figure shook in eternal euphoria! He was here, he was gonna feel a god. Everything felt like sun's and rainbows, as if he laid upon a bed of majestic flowers!
[You have offered yourself as a sacrifice to the gods.]
Nephis was watching, absolutely shocked... a god...
Everyone from the rank of ascended and above that were connected to the world closely felt the pressure of eternal damnation, of the Fated, promised end descend upon them, as if telling them that it would come... not today... not tomorrow... but one day, and nothing could make it stop. A devious will th made them all seem as insignificant insects not worthy of existence itself.
The insidious eternal presence of death, already slowly and sneakily mining up their frame and gripping their blood pumping heart, making it slow even while their mere nervousness made their heart naturally want to speed up...
This... this... was a god... a sovereigns was an insect, the rest of them... below that...
[The gods are dead, and can not hear you.]
[You soul bears the mark of divinity.]
[You are a temple slave.]
[Shadow God stirs in his eternal slumber.]
The presence growing as the shadows around them seemed to consume them, overpowering any semblance of a will that they might hold...
The felt as if they would drop dead, simply from being before this eternal presence, power that cared not whether dead or alive because it was death itself...
Noctis wanted to feel more and to succumb to it. Would he die finally! Would he finally feel the sweet release~?
[He sends a blessing from beyond the grave.]
Morgan found this entire situation preposterous! What the fuck? She glared at the smugly smiling mordret, so damn annoying.
Mordret smiling started, "yes, yes! I predicted it. Now Sunny as we are great friends how about when we go back you help me?
Sunny was frozen looking at the screen, how preposterous was this? Hah. He smiled smugly at that damn legacy.
[Child of Shadows, receive your blessing!]
Under Sunny's astonished eyes, the shadows crowding the great hall suddenly moved, as though coming alive. Tentacles of darkness surged forward, entangling Mountain King's arms and legs. The mighty tyrant struggled, trying to get free.
But how could it resist the power of a god?
The shadows dragged Mountain King back, pulling in different directions. The tyrant opened its maw, and a furious howl escaped it.
Nephis herself was gazing in appreciation, she would make him her own! Not through force, he would follow her of his own free will.
The next second, its body ruptured, torn apart into pieces.
Blood, viscera and severed limbs fell on the floor in a crimson torrent. Just like that, the horrible creature was dead.
Sunny blinked.
"J-just like that?" Noctis said...
Anvil was shook... so this is the power of a god... if he had a sword it definitely would have felt and clattered on the ground...
Ki song felt her meaningless existence unravel and than it disappeared after a moment... such prowess... the difference was immeasurable... the difference couldn't be calculated no more...
Asterion never felt better... a god... the difference between a man and a demigod could still be seen... but a demigod could not see a true gods peak height, a realm in distance.
Once again, he was alone in the ruined temple. The great hall was dark and silent.
And then the Spell whispered:
[You have slain an awakened tyrant, Mountain King.]
"Come on!" Caster screamed, "he didn't even fucking touch the tyrant once! Once! This is fucking ridiculous, I needed to actively fight in my Nightmare!"
Cassia was shocked too... Kai was frozen... Aiko absolutely stumped, she wanted to go back to her fucking gambling den!
[Wake up, Sunless! Your nightmare is over.]
[Prepare for appraisal…]
That is when the battle of which great clan would get sunny began, even asterion started asking sunny a question. "Can you say my name, like As-ter-ion? Please?"