By the time four months had passed, the outskirt resembled a well-functioning village.
Those who had been considered weak were organised in hunting groups. They were able to hold their own in a fight even against creatures that outclassed them in rank, speed and strength.
It was all thanks to Sunny. He had managed to turn starved weaklings into a quite fearsome force, by pointing out the flaws in their movements, stances and correcting various other mistakes.
He was respected, although all those who had been instructed by him thought he was a real Devil!
Sitting on his bed, Sunny stared at his runes.
Name: Sunny
True Name: Lost From Height.
'What?'
Sunny blinked and rubbed his eyes.
True Name: Lost From Light
'Uh.'
He must've seen wrong.
Rank: Dreamer
Shadow Cores: [4/7]
Shadow Fragments: [18/4000]
He was, in fact, a real Devil.
He looked at Changing Star's runes, quite satisfied. He was still- kind of- keeping up with her, despite the numerous factors that allowed her to raise in class much more easily than him, such as her Innate Ability and the fact that she could get hundreds of fragments from killing another Sleeper. Not that she had murdered any fellow human. Yet.
Soul Fragments: [2347/4000]
She was more than half-way to becoming a Tyrant.
'Speaking of the Devil' Sunny thought as her voice invaded his mind.
Caster is back. The meeting is just before dawn.
I'll be there. See you.
See you.
So, the bastard had come through. Not that he had expected anything different. Even if he had been in the Dark City in the original time-line, it must've happened at some point. Sunny would be there this time.
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The trashing of the Dark Sea could be heard from the Dark City as the Sun disappeared into the horizon. Finally, the last remnants of light were snuffed out, and the endless dark waters grew motionless like the surface of a black mirror.
Six figures felt a chill crept up their spines as the noise of the expanding sea finally ceased.
They were humans, armed to their teeth. They were donning heavy armours; one carried a longsword, another an axe. Their faces were hard and ugly. They were clearly members of Gunlaug's guard. Not high in the ranks, though: while their equipment seemed imposing, the quality was barely decent for the Bright Lord's minions.
A strange lantern appeared in the hand of the man leading the group. It cast an eerie blue light, faintly showing the path. Its eerie light would not lure any monster.
They traversed the streets of the godforsaken city in silence, the only noise their steps on the cracked terrain.
Suddenly, one of the man huffed. He wasn't armed. Instead, a curiously shaped bag was slung over his shoulder like a damsel being carried by a running prince.
"Hey, Mark, it's your turn now. This handsome son of a bitch may not look like it, but he's pretty heavy."
The guy wielding a longsword, who must've been called Mark, scowled.
"Forget it, Gurt." He refused.
However, the leader's words cut the discussion before it could even begin.
"Take it, Mark."
"Fine, Black Fist."
Mark scowled again, but obliged.
Black Fist stopped to observed the map again. The well was at a ten minutes walk distance. They were almost at their destination.
The street in front of them opened into a small square. The metallic scent of blood filled his nostrils.
The man recoiled and stopped walking. He raised his hand, his underlying massage clear. His cohort followed suit, stopping too. Blood was a familiar constant for him, part of his life ever since he had been thrown in hell by the Spell three years prior. He knew that in the Dark City, the scent of blood could mean imminent danger.
The blue hue of the lantern revealed the secrets of the night.
The group stared at the carcasses of various types of monster littering the ground in horror. Among them were nightmare creatures he recognized, such as the Blood Fiends, while others were so mangled he couldn't discern their features. The bodies piled upon the other made a gruesome sight, their stomachs uneasy. Some of the monsters seemed to have been skilfully cut down by a blade, the operate of a human.
Others were so thoroughly destroyed the artificer could only have been a dreadful creature.
Blood was slowly oozing out of the battered corpses, pooling on the cracked pavement of the plaza. Splashes had reached the walls, where it indifferently dripped to the floor. The traces it left looked black, touched by the unsettling blue light.
The hunters stiffened, staring at the blooded battlefield.
Fear was coursing through their veins, cold sweat trickling down the back of their necks and the brows.
Black Fist, wide eyed, tightened his grip on his axe, his knuckles turning an unhealthy white.
The men behind him let out laboured breaths, feeling an oppressive force slam into them.
What kind of monster could have done so?
He didn't know if the creature was still lurking around, or if it was still observing them, ready to strike at the first chance.
Suddenly, someone spoke next to him.
"Oh my, it seems I have visitors."
He turned as fast as possible in that direction, raising his weapon.
A short man was standing in front of him, donning a friendly smile. He had pale skin and black hair that were just barely touching his shoulder. He was wearing a tight-fitting grey armour made out of leather, but was unarmed. What the hell was he doing, going around without a blade ready at a moment's notice? Even if Memories could be summoned, it still took them a couple of seconds to appear.
Relieved at the sight of the not tall kid, his muscles started to relax. His blade was still pointed in his direction, though.
"Who are you?"
"I am Sunless. And you are?"
Sunless? Was he kidding?
"I am Black Fist. You must've heard of me."
Mark spoke from behind him.
"Sunless? What kind of name is Sunless?"
The child's smile became a bit forced. His eyes darted to the black bag Mark was carrying on his shoulders, before narrowing.
"Ah, you see, my mother had a poetic soul."
Andrew took an analysing look at the boy, before his eyes widened in recognition.
"I know you. You are a member of Changing Star's cohort."
The pale man nodded.
"Changing Star, huh? You don't know what I would do to that bitch, mmmmm." Mark grunted.
Gurt hummed in agreement. "What is the blind blondie's name? Her ass is just…" He mimicked squeezing.
Black Fist shivered. The night's air felt colder against his skin.
Sunless' face had hardened, a glint of rage in his eyes.
"You see, it happens that Changing Star and Cassie are friends of mine. So, apologise."
Mark laughed. "Or else what? You are lucky I'm feeling pitiful today."
The man's smile had turned a bit terrifying as he pointed to the lying battered Nightmare Figures.
Black Fist tensed in alarm.
"What!? Is the creature responsible for that still here?"
Sunless' expression hadn't changed at all.
"You could say that."
Black Fist could feel the rage growing inside of him. What was this little bastard doing if the beast that had managed to slaughter so many abomination was still there?
"Guys! Let's-"
He was interrupted before he could finish the sentence.
"I'm giving you one last chance to apologise."
"I've had enough of your arrogance!" Mark unceremoniously tossed the bag on the ground before bursting into action. Black Fist was not fast to stop him as his subordinate ran towards the short man, a short sword in hand.
Blood splashed in Black Fist's face as his hand fell to the ground, severed at the wrist. Mark fell on his knees with a scream, clutching his bloodied arm.
A fearsome, black odachi had appeared in Sunless' hands. The blue light cast by the lantern, that had left the leader's hand and was thus on the floor, too, seemed to dread the lustreless blade.
They tried to fight back. They truly tried, pouring everything in the clash.
It was all for naught.
The man weaved through them effortlessly, avoiding their blows like they were nothing more than the slash of a kid trying out his new toy, a rubber sword.
He passed through his defences like a battle ram, his sword penetrating their armours like a knife slicing through butter.
After less than a minute, Black Fist found himself on the ground, nearly drowning in his own blood. His companions were still conscious, even if barely.
The man stood over him, not even a scratch on his armour. He was death, the hunter realised, death incarnate, as the black blade hovered over his eye.
Struggling, he managed to choke out. "Will you…spare… Memories… "
Sunless looked intrigued.
"Yes, I will forgive you for attacking me and what you said about Changing Star and Lady Cassia if you give me all your Memories."
Black Fist hoped the movement of his head came out as a nod.
The man leaned and touched his hand. Black Fist transferred to him most of his Memories. He would not give him his most powerful Memories, of course! He wasn't an idiot like that bastard Sunless. He had the backing of the Bright Lord, and he wouldn't let such a humiliation go unanswered.
All of his plans of revenge crumbled when he looked into the man's onyx eyes. Glints of gold and madness were swirling inside his pupils, making his bones shake in fear and his blood turn colder than ice. He felt like he was going insane. The effect stopped when he finished to give his Memories.
It was ironic, Black Fist thought as he watched his men do the same, that they had come there to get some easy Memories and would instead leave with none.
Sunless straightened when he had reaped all of their equipment.
Black Fist thought he was about to leave them. His dark sword plunged into Mark's heart instead.
As he used the last remnants of his strength to try to crawl away, he spat. "You… promised…"
"I promised to forgive you for what you said about Cassie and Neph, not for what you did to my friend."
Their screams echoed in the night.
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Sunny finished the last hunter and walked up to the bag. He didn't need any of the Memories he had received, but maybe some of the inhabitants of the outskirts would find them useful.
Crouching on the ground, he opened the bag.
Inside was lying an unconscious handsome man. His auburn hair framed his face perfectly. Not even the nasty, purple bruise on his forehead succeeded in diminishing his otherworldly beauty.
"Hi, buddy."
He closed the back and slung it over his shoulder. Serpent had transformed into a towering, fearsome black serpent.
"Make it look like they were killed by Nightmare Creatures."
He heard the sound of limbs being tore apart and bones being crushed as he traversed the streets of the Dark City, Kai on shoulder.