Streaking through the night sky, Asher cut across the darkness like a comet.It had been days since he'd started his journey.
The storage box Stev had left him with carried enough food for a few weeks—carcasses of Nightmare creatures stacked neatly inside. It wasn't infinite like Sunny's chest, but it held plenty. At least food didn't rot in there.
Water, though… that was a different problem.
He wasn't sure how Nephis managed, but as a Sleeper, he still needed to drink. Often. And that was why he was headed for the Hollow Mountains—to collect snow, to stockpile whatever he could.
He sighed, summoning the box with a thought. The faint shimmer of runes glowed as he pulled out an apple and bit into it, the crunch echoing faintly against the empty wind.
He and Nephis had their own share of advantages and flaws. His mobility far outstripped hers—he could travel faster and flee if needed. But unlike Nephis, he lacked her miraculous healing. His wounds mended fast, yes, but not fast enough to regrow what was lost. That meant caution—constant, grating caution.
And worst of all, he was cut off. No runes. No whispers. No sign of the outside world.
Nephis could at least see Sunny's marks.
He had… nothing.
He clenched his teeth. "Guess I'll just have to rely on you, huh?"
Silence.
He sighed again, not bothering to enter his soul sea. "Whenever you decide to wake up, that is…"
Another bite of the apple. A hollow crunch.
He floated through the dark, wind tearing at his clothes, the faint sound being the only thing breaking the silence in the sky.
"…Seriously," he muttered, voice dry with self-loathing, "what the hell was I thinking?"
***
"...I can understand. Rationally, I do. You were forced to make a terrible decision, with both choices being a betrayal. And you chose to help Neph, who was with you first. Who saved you when I would have just left you to die."
But then, a cold gleam appeared in Sunny's eyes as he stared at the blind seer sitting in front of him.
"But that doesn't mean that I can forgive it. You go to hell, Cassie. Go to hell and die there, for all I care. I hope that I will never see you again."
With that, Sunny turned around to leave, but then stopped.
He couldn't help but be cruel to her one last time.
"Oh, and that secret? It was the reason why he got stuck there all alone. So, in a sense, you have two of your friends."
As he spoke those words, Cassie flinched.
A satisfied, vindictive smile appeared on Sunny's face.
...But why did it hurt him so much to say those words?
"So, congratulations. You've made it back, Cassie. Go back home, spend time with your family. Didn't you tell me that your mother makes the best eggs? Eat your fill. Try to enjoy them, knowing what you did."
As the blind girl paled and turned away with a broken expression on his face, he smiled bitterly and walked down the table in the academy.
The very same table all of them meant. The very same table were they grew to be friends. And the very same table they ended their friendship.
Outside, the crimson gates of the Academy loomed ahead. He stopped there, staring at the world beyond. The cold wind brushed his face. A bitter smile tugged at his mouth.
'That guy… will he make it back?'
He exhaled, stepping forward. He needed a walk—something, anything, to quiet his mind.
But as he stepped past the gates, something flickered in his peripheral vision.
A figure.
He turned—and froze.
Nephis stood there, leaning against the wall, the crimson light of the sunset glinting across her white hair. A familiar pair of earphones hung loosely in her ears, faint music whispering through the wind. Her eyes, half-lidded and hollow, looked nothing like the leader that led the dreamer army.
It was the same sight he'd seen when they first met…
Only now, Asher wasn't there.
Sunny's jaw tightened.
"So?"
Nephis looked up, slow and deliberate. Her gaze met his, calm and unreadable. "Hi, Sunny."
He scoffed. The word tasted bitter.
"Skip the greetings, Neph. Who the hell do you think you are?" His voice rose, sharp and shaking. "Who asked for your damn righteousness? Do you even know what you took from me?! Who gave you the right to decide for me?"
Changing Star looked down and remained silent for a bit. Then, she said:
"But I did not make it for you. I made it for me."
For a moment, the air between them stilled. Then, she reached up, plucking one earphone free and tapping the communicator to stop the music.
Still," she murmured, "it doesn't matter. Maybe it would have… if I'd stayed behind. But I didn't."
She lifted her gaze again, meeting his directly.
"I'm sorry, Sunny. I know an apology means nothing—but it's all I have."
Sunny clenched his fists, his teeth grinding. "If you're about to tell me you regret it—"
Nephis cut him off, her voice steady. "If you're about to ask me to kill myself, I can't."
He blinked, caught between rage and disbelief. "Can't?"
Sunny's glare hardened.
'What an infuriating woman…'
Nephis stepped closer, her stone clanking against the tiles.
"Won't," she corrected softly. "My dreams are too big for me to die here. Not yet."
Nephis took a step closer, her shadow falling across him. Her tone turned firm.
"I won't use it."
Sunny's eyes narrowed.
Nephis met his gaze, unwavering. "I promise you that, Sunny. I'll never use it."