"Listen… of all the Sleepers that had returned from the Dream Realm in the last few years, there are seven whose files were marked as SS. And you are one of them." Jet said, sitting in front of Sunny, while passing a few papers from the table.
Sunny slowly nodded. He had well.. kind of learnt SS meant from Nephis. they were 7.... His guess was Him, Nephis, Kai, Effie, Cassie, Seishan and Gemma.
Jet clicked her tongue, "They would have been eight if that flower boy would have come with you as well." Sunny's mood instantly grew bitter. Jet, immediately noticing this, shook her hands. "Hey! I didn't mean to pour cold water!" she sighed, her fingers fidgeting with the paper holders on the table.
"I heard about what he did... you know. It's absurd how he and that Nephis girl managed to hold off a fallen terror as a sleeper... Its a shame he didn't make it."
Sunny smiled a little, his expression sour. "Yeah... it is."
He chuckled awkwardly.
"So, uh… that really sounds great. A great honor, and so on. But what I really want to know is what exactly can I get thanks to being the fifth most incredible person of an entire generation?"
Master Jet laughed and glanced at him with approval.
"Good. Straight to the point. Well, that depends. What is it that you want the most?"
Sunny didn't hesitate before answering, his tone steady and firm:
"To be free."
***
The survivors of the Dreamer Army were supposed to gather today to celebrate those who remained alive and remember those who had fallen.
Entering the medical center, he headed toward the conference hall, but then lingered for a moment in front of a monitor attached to the wall. There, 517 names were shown, listing everyone who had made it back.
And on the very top of it, there were four very special ones:
"Changing Star."
"Raised by Wolves"
"Nightingale"
"Song of the Fallen"
Nephis, Effie, Kai, and Cassie…
Sunny stared at the four True Names for some time, then slowly lowered his gaze. Right beneath was his own name.
With a grim expression on his face, Sunny opened the doors and entered the hall.
The former Sleepers of the Forgotten Shore were all there, at least those who had awoken at the Academy or could make it there for the memorial. He looked around the crowd, searching for familiar faces.
Due to the irresistible will of Changing Star, many had decided to stick together.
Many people welcomed his arrival with warm greetings. Sunny smiled awkwardly and did his best to reciprocate their goodwill. After a few such encounters, he finally noticed Kai at the back of the crowd.
Sunny stumbled and stared at his friend for a couple of seconds.
'I'll be damned…'
How could that guy become even more gorgeous? He clicked his tongue. 'Ok.. maybe not as much as that guy.'
Asher after beating Gunluag came out with skin that could compete against Ascended in terms of looks.
'Such… such injustice!'
With a resentful sigh, Sunny made his way through the crowd and approached his friend. Kai noticed him from afar, and then, the conference hall suddenly seemed to become much brighter due to his brilliant smile.
"Sunny! You are finally here!"
Sunny wanted to answer, but then froze for a second, noticing a stranger next to the charming young man. A sickly, terribly gaunt young woman was sitting in a wheelchair, staring at them with a tired expression.
…It was only when the young woman smiled mischievously did he finally recognize her.
"What's the matter, doofus? You've been struck dumb by my beauty?"
With a giggle, Effie spun her wheelchair, as though giving him the chance to take a good look.
'Effie… that's... that's Effie?!'
"Not really. What… what the hell happened to you?"
Effie smiled and shrugged.
"Nothing. That's how I've always been, in the real world."
Noticing the strange expression on his face, she grinned.
"Ah, don't worry about it. At least now that I'm Awakened, I can move my hands. Look at this…"
She grabbed the handles of the wheels, then balanced her chair at an angle and spun it around again.
"See? Ain't that the coolest thing you've ever seen?"
Sunny hesitated for a bit, then said quietly:
"...Yes. One of the coolest, by far."
Effie gave him a smile, then glanced at Kai:
"See, Night? Your celebrity aura got nothing on my burning charisma."
The young man looked at her, but didn't say anything. Just then, the hall erupted into cheers. Sunny turned, his expression tightening into something faintly bitter.
Through the crowd, Nephis walked in — Cassie at her side.
But as she stepped into the light, Sunny's face shifted from bitter to… bewildered."…The hell?"
Nephis had dyed her hair black.
For a moment, the sight caught him off guard. The familiar glow of her white hair — gone. In its place was a dark cascade that made her seem… sharper.
"Lady Nephis! Over here!" Kai's voice cut through the noise as he waved. Nephis glanced his way, walking up to the group with that calm, deliberate grace only she had.
"I must say," Kai grinned, "black hair really suits you!"
Nephis offered him a small smile. "Thank you."
Her eyes drifted toward the tall, gaunt woman beside him — recognition flickering in her gaze.
"Effie."
Effie smirked. "The one and only."
Finally, Nephis turned to Sunny.
For a second, neither spoke. Sunny's jaw tightened before he averted his eyes, looking somewhere — anywhere — else.
He doubted they'd be speaking again anytime soon.
Soon, several instructors appeared. In a solemn and sonorous atmosphere, each of them gave a small speech, congratulating the survivors of the Dreamer Army on overcoming the immeasurable hardships and returning to the real world alive. They also spoke about those who had fallen, and offered words of solace, saying that their sacrifice would not be forgotten by mankind.
After all, mankind only continued to exist because of young men and women like them.
To Sunny, those words rang hollow and empty, but they affected many people in the crowd. He saw a few people crying, the others trying to keep a brave face. Everyone had lost a friend, a companion, or a loved one during the tumultuous last days on the Forgotten Shore.
Finally, Instructor Rock took the stage and spoke in length about the meaning of being an Awakened, their duty to safeguard humanity, and what they should do and expect in the next few days. However, at some point, he was interrupted.
"Saint Asher! Tell us what happened to him!"
A hum of voices rose above the crowd, everyone joining in that plea. Instructor Rock sighed.
"Calm down, Awakened. I'll tell you everything we know. Or rather..."
Nephis got up from her chair making her way towards the stage.
"She will."
________
[A/N: Second chapter later today (I hope)]