Sunny found himself in a rather draining dilemma, which was actually an understatement. The only thing he knew was that Nephis was hell-bent on finding him. It had been a week since he returned from the Forgotten Shore, and it had nearly been nonstop shadow stepping. At the very least, Sunny could practice basic essence control as he was almost drained of it now.
'Seriously! I knew you were ambitious, Nephis, but this is too much!'
Sunny silently cursed to himself as he shadow stepped away from his hiding spot once again. Not even his home was safe, because a certain huntress had innocently told Nephis where it was. If Sunny was being honest with himself, he was glad that Nephis was able to make it out alive, but he would also be more than glad to keep her at least a continent's distance away.
'That much is reasonable, right?'
Of course it was, you could never be too paranoid. The moment she caught him, who knew what she would order him to do... more importantly, Cassie. She seemed off, even though she had betrayed him; she seemed damn near elated about it. Was that damn seer that happy to see Sunny turned into a slave so quickly?
'Vile bitch!'
Sunny was suddenly interrupted in his train of thought by a soft yet hoarse voice behind him. One that sounded like it had gone nearly days without sleep.
"Sunny, I hope you will talk with me."
Sunny felt the instinct to escape go away... his body wouldn't move according to his will. Why wouldn't it? Nephis didn't even speak a command. So why was he rooted to the ground?
'I don't... I don't understand any of this.'
Sunny let out a sigh, turning to face the tired Nephis. Was this really worth it? He could run away from all of this, from everything. This could be over in an instant.
And yet... and yet
'Damnation!'
"Nephis... what are you going to do with me?"
"Nothing, I will never issue a command to you again."
"What if that changes one day? What if you need to order one to exact your revenge?"
"Then I'll find another way. I've already done it once, Sunny. That is why I'm in the Waking World after all."
"How did you come back? Didn't you say that only one of us would manage to leave the damned Spire? Did you lie to me for the sake of turning me into your little plaything?"
Nephis flashed a small smile. "Well, that was originally what was supposed to happen. You know how you said you killed Caster? Well congrats... You managed to break your flaw and tell a lie."
'So she's looked at my runes.'
Sunny stared at Nephis with confusion, all the anxiety in his mind dispersing for a moment.
"No, there's no way Caster is... was alive. I stabbed him through the heart."
Nephis gave a half-hearted shrug. "I heard him scream as the Crimson Spire collapsed."
Sunny slightly grinned; he couldn't help himself. The bastard Legacy had called him a mongrel, considered him a lesser being. Yet he was dead in the desolate ruins of the Crimson Spire, and here Sunny was, alive and well. At least, physically speaking.
Then his grin disappeared.
"That's beside the point... I don't trust you, Nephis. Not a single fiber of my being does."
"That does not matter. Sunny, I trust you more than anyone. It is why I do not need to order you."
Nephis eye's were aflame with intensity... with conviction
"I don't need some lofty collar to get you to follow me. If you do follow me, it is because you will want to. You would follow me with a smile. Why have slaves when I could have the most loyal of followers, who would throw themselves into a terrifying battle against beings much more powerful than them?"
Sunny slightly shuddered. He knew Nephis was an incredibly selfish person, but this was a lot.
"I'm going to rebuild my clan, Sunny. I do hope you find it within you to be by my side. Not as a slave, but as an equal."
Sunny moved to deny it, but Nephis continued.
"We're destined by Fate to be side by side, Sunny. I do hope you realize this."
Nephis then turned around and walked away, leaving a contemplative Sunny all alone in the desolate alleyway.
'With a smile on my face? Don't lecture me with that bullshit, Nephis.'
Sunny shadow stepped away. He had a lot to do, namely, making sure Nephis was never ahead of him. In case she did come back for him, he had to be able to kill her.
He also needed support, but from whom? Every one of his closest friends was a part of Nephis's cohort. He also did not feel like joining Jet in her sleep-deprived state in working for the government.
'Actually, there are always those two.'
The two who had been the only ones who did not join Nephis in her siege against the Crimson Spire. They were the only two, either stupid or smart enough, not to fall for Nephis's schemes. He could always go to them if needed.
'Back to being alone for now, is it?'
"Just me and you now, buddies." Sunny murmured, staring at his two shadows. The gloomy one seemed upset at his owner's naivety, the happy one gave a couple of whoops for Sunny standing his ground