Sunny heard the stories Noble and Fort shared, and had some add ons by their kids, with burning curiosity. He smiled in most of them but those smiles, those smiles faded just as soon as they appeared.
Sunny told them about the days where Rain would follow him around, the days they spent with their parents and the days in the orphanage, even Noble had some stories to share of their time there. Noble and Fort talked about the times in school, at home, at movie theatres, at shows, at family days and many more.
Many things that would make Sunny feel both jealous and happy. Jealous—Jealous because he wanted those too. He wanted to spend time with his family—with Rain. The happiness was for an obvious reason, Rain was happy.
They talked more and more about the days, hours passed in that time, and Sunny—Sunny simply listened and sometimes added on, pointing their similarities or comparing stuff about Rain with how their parents were. There was even a time when Noble got a call from the school saying Rain beat up some boys for simply asking her out, and Sunny—Sunny laughed. Laughed... and wished he could be there during the moment.
But he couldn't. That was the simple truth. And now—now he never would.
All because of a certain girl. A girl with silver hair, who was called Changing Star, and was the one who brought ruin upon everywhere, and anywhere.
Along with a blind, blonde seer.
A loathsome Star of Ruin and a loathsome Song of the Fallen.
They dared steal his freedom, steal his sister, steal the only person who mattered to him at that point. At the point after he was betrayed.
Hatred.
Sadness.
Guilt.
All those filled inside him, the hatred for the two girls for stealing his freedom and sister. The sadness because of the loss. The guilt because it was him who trusted them.
And that trust—that trust was the reason she was dead. The reason Rain died.
'They will pay for this.'
They would suffer.
They would...
DIE.
And he would make sure he held the blade.
Or the scythe.
He would be the reaper who would reap their souls, steal their life, and KILL them.
Hatred.
Wrath.
He breathed in, carefully hiding his intent, his pressure, and forced a smile.
"Thank you for sharing the stories, I'm sorry that I can't stay. I would like to visit her grave, do you have a location?" Sunny asked, carefully mainting a proper expression.
After having the location he headed back to the academy, he needed credits if he wished to visit their grave, and his Ascended status would give him just that. Credits.
He had a few plans to tie stuff up with the government, assure a safe location away from Changing Star of Immortal Flame. He could plan there...
But all of that would have to wait.
He needed to grieve.
Cry.
Cope.
And regain his thoughts.
Alex gave him a Memory, calling it useful, but that too, would wait.
Sunny shadow stepped in the academy, and just outside the room he entered, there stood, or well existed, 4 very damn familiar shadows...
On the ther side of the door, Nephis stood.
She trembled.
Her legs, they shook.
From excitement.
Excitement of seeing Sunny again.
From guilt.
Guilt because she knew damn well what she did.
Kai was comforting her just mere minutes ago, and Effie too, was trying her own way. By making jokes. But neither of them knew what happened on the crimson spire, not exactly.
Cassie. She acted strangely since they left Forgotten Shore. She even suggested them to come here, so she knew they would safe.
And whatever happened, she knew Sunny won't hurt them.
Or he would... She honestly didn't know. He could be both, kind and cruel. Could be both, honest and heartless. He masked himself in a way that was always convinient, efficient even.
Sunny just Shadow Stepped in, and she immediately opened the door, with shaky hands.
"S-sunny. I'm glad you're alive."
"Why, you didn't think I would survive without you?" Sunny laughed, a slow, maniacal laugh.
A heartless one.
One filled with madness.
"On the contrary, I knew you would survive." She said the same thing she said back in Forgotten Shore.
"After all, we both are the same are we not?" Neph continued.
A louder, somehow even more maniacal laugh responded back.
"Can a slave and a master ever be the same?" He replied in a cold, almost quite literally freezing, voice. Then she realised, the shadows around them became deeper.
Colder.
Somehow more hostile.
The shadows stirred, ready at any notice. For he was their master. The heir of death. They were his to command.
"S-Sunny. What happened?" Kai froze with fear; faint gleads of sweat appearing on his skin. His face paled, and for once... he didn't look so dashing.
Effie didn't make a joke this time. She couldn't make one. Not with the pressure her friend was exerting.
Why was he acting this way?
Didn't he stay back willingly?
Nephis never told them, so yes, they did assume it.
But—but Nephis could never do that. Not Changing Star. Not someone from Immortal Flame. Not someone who was their friend.
She would never betray Sunny.
Could someone abandon their love that easily?
'W-what? Why is he acting like this? Why... Why is he looking at us like this? Were we not friends?' they both had similar thoughts going on in their head.
Confusion.
All the while Sunny looked at them, careful, calculative, and... And cold.
Sunny timed the guillotine at just the right moment. Its blade fell.
"What makes you think we are friends?"
A pause.
"After all... Freinds aren't meant for us, outskirt rats. The less privileged one, at that. Nor is family apparently... I lost my sister... My last family member... The one I sent for adaption."
A longer pause this time.
"Rain."
A sombre mood feel in the room, Nephis felt as if she was cut to pieces. She felt millions of needles hit her heart.
She failed, again.
Just like she did back then.
Just like— just— just like when she lost him at the Crimson Spire.
Just—just like at the Dark City.
She dropped the onyx pearl she bought for him, and was carrying around since the last two days, and let it fall. She thought it woud look good on him, with his shadow aspect and eyes. And just then...
A knife grazed her neck, and around her the same happened with everyone but with Kai and Effie having it go past their hair.
"I- I a-am s-sorry" Neph whispered.
"Words have no meaning anymore. Actions speak louder." Sunny spoke, Nephis knew there was nothing she could do after the statement. She could neither bring Rain from death nor go back in time. She knew it.
So what was he trying to get her to do?
"Now Rain died. Tell me can you fix a thing? You stole my freedom. My sister. What's next?"
The words carried bloodlust, it was strong enough to make her feel the weight. It was strong, fierce and—and horrifying. She felt the blade of the guillotine fall on her again, but the words carried more than the intent.
She failed.
"Is it that you will steal my memories of her?" Sunny continued with a laugh, "Oh or you can even wipe out my memories and make me willingly follow you?"
Shadow Bond. She understood it.
Nephis didn't respond. Couldn't. What was she supposed to say? Sorry I didn't mean to? Sorry I didn't know? What bullshit. She knew deep down... Deep down what it would do. What it would mean.
What it could take.
He was from the outskirts, of course he wouldn't trust her. Funny thing that she took too long to trust him, such a fragile thing trust was.
"Tell me what's next, master."
Nephis shivered. "I-"
Effie, at the same time, finally broke out of the fear and spoke up.
"Doofus, what happened." She genuinely felt afraid, just his intent showed that she was no match for him.
"Ask Changing Star, my master over there." Sunny responded before Shadow Stepping away.
He responded not with her name, but true name and with 'master'
Nephis realised she had a lot of explaining to do...
Sunny quickly got his communicator and some credits to head to Rain's grave. He didn't ask the question he desperately wanted to ask Cassie, about the why in betrayal.
Even if he was hurt, he couldn't bring himself to hear the words she would reply. He knew when it happened, he wasn't stupid.
Cassie apologised back when they left Ashen Barrow...
It was before that.
Nephis even hinted to him that she didn't trust him.
He treated her like a sister...