"Again"
Sunny gritted his teeth and barely managed to dodge another blow, he raised a training Staff.
"You think nightmare creatures are the only Monsters you will face?" Silent stalker clicked her tongue, "Some take on a human form"
Silent Stalker didn't believe in warmups, rest or mercy.
Sunny really wanted to sleep, it's been 5... no maybe 6 days?
At this point he was praying to enter his first nightmare already.
"Stop." Silent stalker ordered, "I have to say brother, I thought you were
impressive during wilderness survival but seeing you like this is just pathetic"
Sunny smiled, "You also look beautiful today sister"
"Quite the sweet talker aren't you," Moonveil said from the edge of the dojo, she was lounging lazily on a bench sipping something fragrant and steamy. Beside her, two more figures stood: Bin, her arms crossed glaring at Sunny as if he owed her money and Revel who had a content smile on her face.
"I told you he wouldn't last more than two minutes this session," Hummed Revel.
"Just shut up," Bin muttered, "take your stinking soul shards"
Sunny didn't know what was worse: the pain or the audience.
'Definitely the audience'
There was a knock at the door of the dojo and three figures stepped in, one after the other—young, sharp-eyed, each one trying to look calm. But even from where he stood, Sunny could see it—the subtle tension in their shoulders, the unease in their stances.
Legacies.
He spared them a glance and turned to look towards Silence.
'What was she planning now?'
She threw him a smirk before turning to greet the three people.
"At ease children," She said, "I have gathered all you legacies here today for some simple sparing so don't fret."
The legacy trio didn't move; their unease was palpable.
Sunny's fingers tightened around the staff.
'A sparring match? With them?' Sunny thought, 'Is she crazy?'
Sure, sunny may have been a quick learner but sparring with legacies who have been training their whole life?
This was suicide with a wooden stick.
He looked like a scarecrow propped up by sheer will, was he expected to fight in this state?
Apparently yes.
Yes, he was.
He didn't want to embarrass himself and beg for rest in front of the proud scions of the clans.
After all he was supposed to be the son of song.
And so, surrounded by gods in waiting, Sunny raised his training staff with hands that barely obeyed him and did the only thing he could do.
He grinned.
And stepped forward, taking on a crude looking battle stance.
The dojo fell silent.
Even the air seemed to hesitate, as if unsure whether to encourage Sunny or mourn him in advance.
The three legacies glanced at each other, eyebrows raising. One of them—a tall boy with short silver hair —stepped forward first.
"My name is Kieran," he muttered with a rigid bow, unsure of how to act around sunny.
"Sunless," Sunny simply replied.
Silent clapped once, her tone sharp. "No hitting your opponent once you are down and no using aspect abilities for those of you who have already finished your first nightmare, the only thing allowed is pure skill"
She glanced at Sunny. "Or what passes for it."
Sunny shot a contemptuous glare back
"Now," She continued, pointing towards the corner, "Go pick out a weapon"
She glared at sunny, "you didn't think we would be fighting with sticks, did you?"
Sunny awkwardly lowered his staff and walked to the corner in silence.
Kieran gave a small nod; he went over to corner of the room and picked up the practice spear. It was padded and dull, but still very capable of sending someone into the infirmary if handled right.
Sunny had been forced to let go of the staff, it was familiar but he needed to use a different weapon if he didn't want to make a fool of himself.
His eyes settled on a long serpentine blade; it could match the length of the spear well enough and didn't seem that heavy.
He made his way back, his heart beating wildly, and stood opposite to the legacy.
He squared his stance, legs trembling just slightly. His fingers slipped slightly on the shaft of the sword, soaked in sweat despite the cold air of the dojo.
The match began with a flick of Silent's finger.
Kieran moved like a shadow—clean, efficient, without wasted motion. He didn't charge. He didn't need to.
He approached calmly, as if toying with him.
Sunny took slow measured steps back, eyeing the legacy's every move.
One, two...
And he slipped.
Of course, it was on purpose.
The legacy wasted no time on capitalizing on his opponents mistake and moved in to secure a hit.
Sunny tensed his body and thrusted his sword towards the legacy, at the same time he dodged the incoming spear by a hair's breadth.
Kieran felt a sharp pain on his right shoulder.
"Point," Announced Silent stalker, "Kieran, you are prohibited from using your right arm"
Kieran recoiled, surprise flickering across his face as he instinctively reached for the spot Sunny had struck. The dull thud of the training blade still echoed in the dojo.
He looked at Silent Stalker in disbelief.
"Wait—what?"
"No complaints," she said flatly. "You're the one who let a walking corpse tag you."
"Fine," He muttered, "I underestimated you, won't happen again"
Kieran gritted his teeth in frustration. He rolled his shoulder once and let his right arm fall limply to his side.
Sunny didn't respond but that's because he couldn't, the legacy was already upon him by that point.
Kieran advanced with his off-hand grip, slower but sharper. Gone was the arrogance. Now his movements were precise, controlled, and relentless.
Sunny tried as best he could, try to match the rythm of the spear wielder, dodging by flinging his ragged body one side to the other, barely managing to deflect a couple blows.
Eventually his moves became Sluggish, his steps too slow.
'Keep moving, keep moving'
Then it happened.
Kieran lunged.
Sunny shifted to dodge but he was too slow. Way too slow.
The padded end of the practice spear slammed into his ear with a sickening sound.
Thump.
Sunny dropped like a puppet with its strings cut off.
Thud
As chaos ensued around him with the last of his consciousness leaving him.
He heard a clear faintly familiar voice ring in his head.
[Aspirant! Welcome to the nightmare spell. Prepare for your first trial...]