Chapter 2: I know this Ceiling!
Pain.
That was all he felt as everything went dark.
A blinding pain that wasn't physical, but in his very soul and being.
'ahhh... dam...mnation'
After an unknown amount of time passed, the pain gradually lessened and then vanished completely.
Sunny could have been there for hours... or only a few seconds for all he knew. A feeling of disturbance flooded him while his Supreme mind was disoriented.
Suddenly, a strong pull tugged at his soul, and his nonexistent eyes split wide open as he was ejected put of the darkness.
**
A pale young man was sleeping peacefully in his cozy bed. All around him, humanity was in a desperate struggle against the freezing temperatures, the hordes of corrupted abominations, and the limited resources.
Humanity was again forced to adapt and overcome the unforgiving world. Aswell as show their burning resolve and indomitable human spirit once more.
The young man was part of the struggle as well, but not right now—he was recharging during his well-deserved break...
Until he wasn't.
Sunny jolted awake with a load gasp, glancing around with panicked eyes as he tried to calm his racing heart.
'W-what the... this ceiling! I know this ceiling!'
He looked around the captain's room with unease.
'Is it a mind-hex? No, that can't be, I'm way too resistant against those...' He pondered, his mind racing as he noticed many things that shouldn't be. "Why am i so... weak?"
He looked at his hands in disbelief before squeezing them into fists.
He wasn't impressed.
Then he stretched out his Shadow sense as far as he could – which was a pitiful distance compared to his Supreme self – and finally managed to make out the entire picture of his surroundings.
'I'm in Falcon Scott...? just what the hell did i do...'
He observed the huge Siege capital through his Shadow sense, noticing the millions of live shadows moving around, manning the remnants of the wrecked alloy walls, waiting in lines for rations, boarding a large vessel at the Port...
The sun was nowhere to be seen. A permanent darkness covered Antarctica in these months after all, much to his benefit.
Sunny looked down, seeing himself covered in the familiar sublime silk robes of the [Shroud of Graceless Dusk] he used to have before... well, that bird happened.
The enchantments [Blessing of Mind], [Blessing of Soul], [Blessing of Flesh], [Blessing of Spirit] Were a great boon and managed to help him calm down. He had missed it dearly after having lost his fate.
In fact, all his memories he had lost before his fate were back again.
'But... that would mean...' his eyes widened
'My Runes!'
In front of him, a set of Familiar runes were displayed, only visible to him... and Neph.
———
[Name:] Sunless
[True Name:] Lost from Light
[Rank:] Ascended
[Class:] Devil
[Shadow cores:] [4/7]
[Shadow fragments: 2977/4000]
Staring at his Runes, Sunny didn't know what to feel. His true name was finally back... but so where his chains. He was a slave once more. Was this truly what he wanted? Gods knew how he felt right now... he continued, skipping over the usual.
[Memories:] [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [e.t.c...]
[Echos:] —
[Shadows:] [Onyx Saint], [Soul Serpent], [Nightmare], [Ravenous Fiend]
'So they're back aswell... that's good.' Sunny let out small breath of relief.
'Although my precious mimic is back to being a memory, huh? I'll just weave it back then... someday.'
[Attributes:] [Fate breaker], [Flame of Divinity], [Master of shadows], [Blood weave], [Bone weave], [Soul weave], [Flesh weave], [Marble shell], [Time Anomaly]
Now, this made him pause... He didn't know some of these attributes at all! And all his weaves stayed with him as well...
'This is good... saves me a lot of work, heh.'
He focused on the runes...
[Fate breaker]
[Description:] "The strings of Fate have loosened their grip on you and thus no longer bind you with their inevitably.
You may bend your Fate to your will, but be cautious, treacherous Lost from Light, Fate has a distaste for outsiders."
Sunny was shocked– no – utterly stumped as he read through the description.
"Bend fate to my will, huh? And what's with the treacherous crap again?"
Sunny was aware of just how petty fate could be. He didn't need to be told.
[Time Anomaly]
[Description:]"In a lost future, The Supreme of Death had broken fate and defied death, leaving the tapestry in shambles. Having deemed his act of defiance not enough, the treacherous Lost from Light broke the law of Space-Time as well, motivated by his desire of wanting to right his wrongs.
Your treachery truly knows no bounds at all, doesn't it Lost from Light?"
His eye twitched a bit at the over-exaggeration. Sunny let out a breathless chuckle... "Glad to have you back as well, little spell."
He did miss the spell quite a bit if he had to admit. It was a huge inconvenience to live without it... even if it left, it's uncalled for remarks on him.
Suddenly, he groaned a bit and ran a hand down his mere ascended face... "Ugh... How am i gonna explain this to my Neph and the others?"
[Aspect:] Shadow slave
[Aspect rank:] Divine
[Aspect description:] ...
[Innate ability:] Shadow bond
[Ability Description:] ...
[Master:] Changing Star.
The runes describing Nephis as his master were strangely gray and lifeless... not like she was dead, but more in an inactive type of way he's never seen before.
'Interesting. I guess i will explore it further once I've got time.'
...
...
[Flaw:] Clear conscience.
[Dream Anchor:] Tower of Longing
[Aspect Legacy:] Shadow dance
[Legacy Mastery:] [3/7]
Everything else was exactly as it was supposed to be. He was sure he could remaster the 4th and 5th steps of Shadow-Dance in record time through his memories and everything that remained with him.
He sighed a bit... no more excuses. It was time to leave his cozy room and face the past.
'Oh well... nothings stopping me now.'
He mused himself insincerely as he opened the hatch of the Rhino, climbing out onto its armored roof...