Shadow Slave : A Moment of Weakness Chapter 33 33: The dream that became a nightmare

The mont the na left Auro's lips, sothing inside Sunny stirred awake.

It wasn't pain. Not quite. It felt like a fire, burning in his chest, spreading through his arms, and finally settling in his mind. He didn't know this man. It was the first ti he had seen him. And yet, he was certain of what he was feeling toward him.

Hate.

Pure, visceral, and undeniable.

Sunny froze, his hand still holding Auro's. For a fraction of a second, his grip tightened without his permission, fingers threatening to crush bone and armor alike. He forced himself to loosen them before it beca obvious, withdrawing his hand as though the contact itself offended him.

Auro didn't seem to notice. Or if he did, he pretended not to.

Sunny, on the other hand, was reeling.

Why?

He searched his mory, trying and failing to co up with an answer, but nothing surfaced. There was no image. No voice. No reason. Just that sa burning certainty, roaring in his chest like an old wound torn open.

He hated him.

The realization unsettled him far more than the emotion itself.

Beside him, his friend had gone utterly still. The warmth that had lingered between them monts ago evaporated, replaced by a cold, coiled tension. Her gaze was fixed on Auro now - not openly hostile, but sharp enough to cut steel. Sunny felt it like a pressure change in the air.

Auro glanced between them, red brows raising slightly. "I see I have arrived at an inconvenient ti," he said mildly. "But circumstances leave little room for courtesy."

Sunny forced a smile onto his face. It felt wrong - fake and fragile - but it was better than letting whatever was boiling inside him show.

"Inconvenient tis are the only kind we get," he replied flatly. "What kind of 'vital information' is so important as to interrupt people on a battlefield?"

Auro studied him for a brief mont longer than necessary. There was sothing cold in his gaze, as though he were asuring Sunny against so internal standard. And the look in his eyes told him that he had been found lacking.

The scrutiny only deepened Sunny's irritation, bringing to light a deep desire to end the man before him.

"The Nightmare Tide has changed," Auro said. "What you faced today was not random chance. The hordes are being directed."

"Directed?" His friend echoed.

"Yes. By sothing intelligent. Ancient." Auro's voice remained calm, but the word carried weight. "Your gods need to know. Imdiately."

Sunny snorted before he could stop himself. "They always do. We face disasters like this every month."

His friend shot him a warning look, subtle but firm. Restrain yourself.

He exhaled slowly, doing his best to rein himself in. The hatred didn't fade; it was still there, roaring at the edges of his conscience. But if he couldn't understand it, at least he could control it.

"Where did you get this information?" she asked, her tone cool and precise. She wasn't asking, but demanding.

Auro turned to her, inclining his head in acknowledgnt. "From a place that no longer exists."

That earned a flicker of interest from Sunny despite himself.

She seed unimpressed. "Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?"

Auro smiled faintly, amused by the answer. "Then allow to be more specific. A citadel beyond the Weeping Mountains. It fell less than a day ago."

Sunny stilled, just like his friend did.

The Weeping Mountains were one of the most dangerous regions of the Realm, if not the most dangerous. The only settlent there had a powerful garrison, led personally by a Supre with a way to directly contact the Twin Gods in case of need. If they were wiped out before being able to raise the alarm, then whatever they were facing was no lesser threat.

"That is indeed important information," Sunny admitted quietly, almost resenting having to agree with what he had to say.

Auro looked directly at him again. Their gazes t - and sothing passed between them. There seed to be no recognition there, no shared mory. There was one thing, though. Tension.

Auro's smile didn't reach his eyes. "I thought you might say that."

Sunny's jaw tightened, every action he made seed taylor fit to bring the worst out of him.

The urge to wipe that calm, knowing expression off his face surged so suddenly that it startled him. For but a second, he considered—truly considered—throwing all caution aside and striking down the man right where he stood.

Sothing was screaming at him that not doing so would be a mistake. And yet, he restrained himself.

The man had done no wrong, so as much as he might despise him, he couldn't justify acting on it. However, he was certain of one thing.

Auro's re existence was a personal affront.

"Fine," Sunny said after a mont. "You've delivered your warning. You can go."

Auro blinked, then chuckled softly. "I'm afraid that won't be possible."

Sunny raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Besides the notice, I also have sothing else to deliver to your Gods," Auro said evenly. "Given recent… events, I believe the safest way to do that is to accompany you."

Silence fell like a blade between them.

Sunny felt his friend shift closer, subtle but unmistakable. It was a promise; she would back him up, whatever he chose.

It ward his heart more than he was willing to admit.

He smiled, sharp and dangerous. As if daring Auro to repeat what he had said.

"That," he said pleasantly, "is a terrible idea."

Auro's eyes glead, bright as the rising sun. Sunny had not missed the fact that throughout the conversation, his hand had been edging closer to the hilt of his weapon in preparation for the ergence of violence.

"Perhaps," he agreed. "But terrible ideas are the only kind we get, Transcendent Sunless."

Sunny's shadows curled at his feet, restless and eager.

For reasons he could not na, Sunny knew one thing with absolute certainty. If Auro stayed, this would not end peacefully.

And whatever lay between them - real or imaginary - was far from over.

The shadows pooling at his feet bubbled, ready, awaiting, wishing to be commanded to rip the man to shreds. For an eternal second, he almost gave the order to do so.

In the end, Sunny exhaled slowly and turned around toward the city, silently beckoning Auro to follow him.

-------------------------------------------

They entered the city through a narrow service gate, one reserved for returning mbers of the watch. The stone there was darker, older, bearing scars that hadn't been polished away by divine whim or careful maintenance yet.

The sound of life still reached them - faint but impossible to confuse.

Laughter echoed from distant streets. Sowhere, a bell chid. The city was awake, vibrant, whole.

Sunny did not slow down to appreciate the view as he usually would.

If anything, his steps grew quicker, more deliberate. The shadows clung close to his feet, thin and alert, stretching to cover more ground, watching the man following him with complete attention.

Auro followed a half-step behind, which was damning in and of itself. Or maybe Sunny was just grasping at straws to justify his distrust of the man.

He did not try to walk beside Sunny or his friend. Did not try to lead. But neither did he lag far enough to appear deferential. It was a careful distance, almost perfect to react quickly in case of attack.

Sunny noticed. It seed like he was a cautious man, too.

People passed them at a distance. When they saw Auro, clearly following them but all alone, they frowned, murmurs of displeasure following right after.

Auro noticed that too, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly.

For once, sobody else was the objective of the disapproval of those fanatics. It felt almost cathartic.

Sunny almost snorted, but managed to restrain himself in ti and kept walking.

The city unfolded around them as they walked. The pale stone shining brightly under the rays of the setting sun. Couples walked arm in arm. Families lingered near fountains. Children played gas that involved far too much noise for his taste, their joy almost palpable.

It was a nice view; the bloodshed behind the walls made it all too easy to forget why he bothered to defend this city. Seeing this was all the reminder he needed.

Sunny felt Auro's gaze linger on it all, tracking movent after movent with unsettling focus.

There was wonder there, as if it was the first ti he had the chance to see such a scene in a long ti. There was joy there, too, muted as it was. And yet, he could swear that he also saw guilt in Auro's eyes.

"Enjoying the view?" Sunny asked without looking back.

Auro blinked, snapped out of whatever reverie he had been imrsed in, then replied evenly, "I'm morizing it."

That answer earned him a sharp glance from his friend.

"Why?" she asked.

"In case it doesn't look like this for much longer." He admitted simply.

Sunny stopped walking, and so did she.

The street did not fall silent - there were far too many people for that to be possible. And yet, pressure settled on it, subtle but unmistakable, carrying faint traces of danger.

Sunny turned slowly, eyes as cold and sharp as a blade.

"That sounds dangerously close to a threat," he said.

Auro raised both hands slightly, palms open as if to proclaim his innocence. "An observation. Nothing more."

Sunny closed the distance between them until they stood face to face, barely milliters away from each other.

"You travel half a realm to deliver a dire warning and an object you refuse to identify," Sunny said in a dangerously low voice, "arrive right as the attacks of Nightmare Creatures escalate, insist on seeing the Gods imdiately, and now speak as though this city is already dood."

His shadows stirred, darkening at the edges, begging to be unleashed.

"Forgive if I don't find that reassuring." He finished in a tone that made clear just how much he yearned for an excuse to attack.

Auro t his gaze without flinching. "If I intended harm, Transcendent Sunless, you would already be dead."

"That doesn't sound nearly as calming as you think it does, Auro." His friend said coolly, just as ready as Sunny was to enter into action.

Auro's lips twitched. "As you say."

Sunny scoffed, searching and failing to find an excuse. "You're either very honest or very confident."

"Both," Auro replied evenly.

Were they not surrounded by people, Sunny would have struck right there, if only to wipe that smug smile off his face.

He left out a long exhale and resud walking abruptly. "Keep your hands where I can see them. The Twins will decide what to do about you."

Auro did.

They didn't make it another ter before having to stop again.

The light dimd sharply, sothing that the people noticed.

Conversations stopped. Smiles faded, laughter ceased, wariness settled in. The street cleared with quiet efficiency, civilians stepping aside, bowing their heads as darkness coalesced into a single figure.

The commander of the city watch stood waiting.

She was wrapped in darkness so deep it devoured all details about her appearance. Armor, cloak, face -none could be distinguished. The darkness clung to her like a living mantle, swallowing light and sound alike.

Sunny felt her attention on him, then on Auro.

There was no way to guess what she was thinking behind that abyssal veil, but he was certain that she was frowning in distrust.

"Transcendent Sunless," the commander said, her voice firm, controlled, and edged with unmistakable authority. "Report."

"I dealt with the hordes that showed up, so I returned," Sunny replied simply, then added almost resentfully, "with an unsolicited guest."

Her unseen gaze lingered on Auro for a long, asuring mont.

"You carry the scent of burning citadels," she said at last, darkness rolling nacingly.

Auro inclined his head somberly. "I failed to arrive in ti to prevent one."

"Or succeeded in leaving it behind," she countered.

Auro did not seem fazed by the accusation, looking just as calm as ever. "If you believe that, detain ."

The street seed to hold its breath, awaiting the conclusion of the standoff.

The commander stepped closer. The darkness around her pressed inward, coiling like a restrained beast.

"You walk into a city ruled by the Divine," she said. "Slling of ash and death. Surrounded by Transcendents. Knowing that one single misstep could end you."

"Yes." He agreed easily.

"That is either courage," she continued, "or foolishness."

"Those are not mutually exclusive," he replied calmly, a subtle smile creeping on his face.

Sunny almost laughed. If he didn't hate Auro so much, he could almost like him.

Almost.

The commander turned to him. "You will take him to the tower."

Sunny opened his mouth, ready to ask why she couldn't do it herself.

"This is not a request," she added calmly.

Of course. He couldn't wait to be done with this watch.

She paused, then addressed Auro one final ti. "Know this: I have faced far worse than you. And if you dare to harm this city—"

The darkness shifted, growing deeper and hungrier.

"—there won't be enough of you left to bury."

Auro bowed deeply, completely unconcerned about the threat. "Understood."

The darkness withdrew but did not dissipate, and with it, the pressure seed to evaporate. The Transcendent woman gave one last look at them, and then she vanished just as quickly as she had appeared.

The street slowly resud its rhythm, laughter returned, chatter resud, and people kept going about their lives as if nothing of note had happened.

Sunny turned without another word and resud walking toward the central avenue. This ti, his friend walked closer than before, her shoulder nearly brushing his.

Auro was trailing behind them with the sa quiet confidence.

As the tower rose ahead of them, impossibly tall, Sunny spoke quietly—so softly only the three of them could hear it.

"What are your true intentions here, Auro?"

Auro answered just as softly. "I have sothing to deliver to your gods. Whatever happens next is out of my hands."

-------------------------------------------

The tower lood above them like a pillar driven straight through the world.

Its base was wide and unadorned, built from dark, ancient stone. Sunny had seen it countless tis and entered it more than he could count. And yet, it never felt any less oppressive.

They crossed the threshold without ceremony.

The air inside the tower was cooler, heavier. Sound softened, footsteps echoing in long, distant reverberations that returned to them distorted. The door sealed itself behind them with a low, final hum that made Sunny's shadows recoil instinctively. There would be no escaping from the tower if its owners did not allow it.

The first thing they saw as they walked forward was the statues.

They stood on either side of the vast circular hall, towering and immovable, carved from materials no mortal hand could hope to shape. The Daemon of Choice, Nether, stood to the left - his form elegant and terrible, features caught mid-smile, eyes carved with such precision that they seed monts away from blinking. One hand was extended, palm up, holding nothing and everything at the sa ti. The other was spread in front of him, as if to grasp sothing unseen.

Opposite him stood the statue of the Storm Goddess.

She was all sharp lines and restrained fury, only matched by her srizing beauty, one that for so reason reminded him of soone dear to him. Her stone cloak was frozen in the midst of an unseen wind. Lightning motifs crawled across her armor, veins of silver embedded in the statue itself, faintly humming with power. Her gaze was lifted, defiant, as though daring the world to challenge her might. One of her hands was spread in front of her, grasping for sothing.

If his friend was to be believed, it was ant to symbolize the love between the two of them. Even the cold stone yearned for each other's touch.

It was romantic in a way.

Also kind of creepy, in his humble opinion.

Sunny didn't slow down as they passed by them.

Auro, however, did.

His steps faltered and then stopped completely at the center of the hall. His head tilted as he inspected them. The careful neutrality he had worn until now fractured; sothing dark crossed his face as he looked at the Storm Goddess. He gazed for a mont too long at the statue, then turned toward Nether's.

Auro took a step closer to the Daemon's statue, studying the carved smile with an intensity that bordered on reverence. For a mont, Sunny thought he might reach out.

"The last one who dared to touch one of these statues lost his hand," Sunny inford nonchalantly.

The poor fool was still insisting that he hadn't done anything inappropriate to the statue of the Storm Goddess. Nobody aware of his reputation believed him.

Auro stopped imdiately and stepped back, hands lifting in an infuriatingly placating gesture. "I wouldn't dare."

But his gaze lingered on Nether's stony form for too long. As if trying to discern so deep mystery in the cold stone.

His friend stepped closer to him, studying the statue, trying to understand what fascinated the man so much about them.

"You seem very interested in them," she said at last.

Auro finally turned away from the statues. His face was once more a composed mask that allowed nothing to show. And yet, Sunny could see sothing old and heavy pass through his eyes. Bitter too. Like an old grudge that hadn't been let go of yet.

"I've had reason to be," he said in an even voice and resud walking.

Sunny resud walking too, still puzzled about the mysterious man walking behind him. The stairs curved upward along the inner wall of the tower, broad enough for a dozen to walk through at the sa ti, though only the three of them were climbing it now.

With every step, gravity seed to increase. Pressure was settling over their shoulders, demanding that they stop and turn back.

This was a test, ant for anyone who dared to petition the gods for an audience. It wasn't a matter of strength - he had seen Mundanes succeed and Transcendents fail the ascent - but of will. The higher one climbed, the more the world itself pushed back - testing, asuring, judging. Sunny felt it press against his soul like a familiar weight. He adjusted without thinking, far too accustod to it to be affected anymore.

Auro's reaction was… surprising, and yet, sohow, not completely unexpected.

Most, when faced with the pressure for the first ti, reacted in so way. Maybe a hitch in their step; so would freeze, while others would stumble. He had even seen a poor fellow cry out like a slaughtered lamb - whatever that was.

But Auro? No reaction. He t the pressure like it wasn't there.

Either he was a very strong-willed individual, or he was far stronger than he pretended to be. Maybe both.

The steps unfolded before them as they kept climbing. On each one, a rune could be seen, carved into the dark stone. Nas, oaths, victories, failures, concepts, curses. So glowed faintly as Sunny passed. Others remained dark.

If the rumours were to be believed. They could predict your past and your future.

Auro glanced at one particular inscription and stilled when it flashed brightly. For the briefest mont, sothing like pain -or was it grief?- crossed his face.

Then the mont passed, and it was gone.

Sunny saw it anyway. The rune for "War" had lit up.

He narrowed his eyes, but did not comnt. He could always ask later.

They reached the final step at last.

Before them stood the doors to the upper floor—vast slabs of pale tal inlaid with divine sigils, humming softly with restrained power. Beyond them lay the court of the Twins.

Sunny stopped walking, just as his friend did. Auro, unable to keep advancing with them blocking the path, did too.

"This is it," Sunny said quietly. "From here on, every word you speak will be weighed. Every breath judged. If there is anything you want to say, or if there is anything you have yet to reveal. This is your last chance."

Auro t his gaze steadily, completely unconcerned. "I have nothing to say."

Sunny searched his face one last ti - for deception, for malice, for anything that would justify the hatred burning in his chest.

The fact that he found nothing only made it worse.

With a sharp gesture, he signaled the doors. They began to open, light spilling out monts after - brilliant, rciless, and divine.

"We welco you to our domain," Vaelkar greeted them warmly with a charming smile on his face.

"What is it that you must tell us, young man?" Liriel continued, a warm, caring smile painted across her face.

The gods were seated on the sa throne. It was a single seat, split by nature itself: one half forged from ivory tal that resembled a cloudy sky, the other carved from deep, translucent crystal that flowed like water. Clouds curled and drifted around its upper spires, while a constant, silent tide moved beneath its base, reflecting the sky above. Where the two halves t, sky and sea blended seamlessly, bound by an ancient harmony neither could claim alone.

Auro stepped forward and bowed deeply, a perfect show of respect that nonetheless seed rehearsed.

"I bring grim news, and an even grimr object for you to witness," he replied deferentially.

Vaelkar's eyes narrowed, the sky held within them darkening minutely. "Show us the object first."

Auro straightened, and after taking a asuring look around the room - there were only a few attendants besides them inside - he extended his right arm.

Space split, and he plunged his arm inside. A spatial Aspect? Or maybe a powerful artifact?

When he pulled it out, a cylinder made of dark tal that seed to reject all light around itself was gingerly grasped in his hand.

Right after the object appeared, the world around them dimd, as if sothing profane had been invoked rely by the presence of the mysterious item. The grimace on Auro's face told him that it was no less harrowing to hold it.

All traces of levity disappeared from the faces of the Gods. They shared a look, and not even a second passed before they turned back toward them.

"All of you, leave. The ssenger can stay," the Twins said at the sa ti.

They moved even before the sentence had finished. The divine authority in their voices made it clear that they weren't asking, and that there would be a great price to pay if anyone challenged the order.

Sunny, followed by his friend and the attendants, left the throne room.

As he did, the sensation of foreboding that had been prickling at his senses since he first set eyes on Auro spiked. He clamped down on it. It didn't matter how dangerous the man could be; the Twins could squash him like a bug.

-------------------------------------------

"Tell a story," his friend asked.

Sunny rolled his eyes. Was she a child or sothing?

It had only been three minutes since they were asked to leave, and she was already bored. Currently, they were lounging on the floor below the throne room, quietly enjoying so refreshnts while they waited for further instructions from the Gods.

Whatever that sinister object was, it was bad news. Even if it wasn't, the fact that a citadel had been destroyed just like that ant they had so serious danger to contend with. Better to stay here and find out as soon as possible.

He did his best to ignore the heat still coursing through his veins. There was sothing in Auro that brought the worst out of him. A visceral hatred that could only be appeased with blood.

He exhaled slowly, trying to expel the tension out of his body. It was out of his hands; let the Twins deal with it. In just a month, he would be leaving, and it wouldn't be his problem any longer.

Sunny took a leisurely sip out of his drink in an attempt to drag himself out of the grim thoughts.

Since they had nothing else to do but wait, he had been enjoying the quiet while sipping from the apple juice one of the attendants had kindly prepared for him. Or at least, he had been until she decided to pester him.

"No."

"Please."

"No," he reiterated. Then a thoughtful look appeared on his face. "Why were you so quiet anyway? It's unlike you to stay so silent."

She looked aside. Sunny did not miss the clenching of her fists. It seed like he wasn't the only one affected by Auro.

"I don't like that man. He gives a bad feeling," she replied.

Sunny nodded thoughtfully, agreeing completely. "Sa."

"I answered one of your questions. It's only fair for you to tell a story now."

What a shaless friend he had.

Sunny shook his head in fond exasperation, took another sip from his drink, and tilted his head in thought.

"What was the last one I told you?" He asked at last.

"It was one about so man nad Sisyphus, I think," she replied, then added, "Still can't rember who told you those stories of yours?"

Gray eyes and silver hair flashed in his mind, but the image was gone as soon as it appeared, leaving a faint trace of wrongness behind.

"No." The reply felt wrong, and yet it must have been true since his flaw did not protest.

She nodded. Maybe it was just his imagination, but he could swear a glint of glee appeared in her eyes at his denial.

"Have I told you about Odysseus before?"

She humd in thought, then shook her head.

"Odysseus was a hero in an ancient war. In that war, many heroes of great power could be found. Achilles, with an Aspect of an indestructible body. Diodes, so ferocious that even the God of War was wary of him. Ajax, who was as strong as a giant. Odysseus was not the strongest, and not the bravest. However, he was the most cunning."

The faint but unmistakable scent of salt assaulted his nostrils, and for but a second, he was not in the tower, but atop a hill, a dark abyss hanging above and in front of him…

Sunny shook his head and continued. "In the end, Odysseus's cunning ended the war, and he prepared to sail ho. However, the gods cursed him to endlessly wander the seas, never to return. Over the years, he survived one horror after another and lost all of his companions. Then, shipwrecked, he found himself on an island where the beautiful fairy Calypso lived."

A wistful tone invaded his voice as he spoke. It was a story dear to him. Or maybe the one who had told it to him was.

"Calypso fell in love with Odysseus and invited him to her palace. For many years, they lived together in harmony. The island was like a paradise, filled with all kinds of wonders, delicacies, and delights. As long as loving Calypso was by his side, Odysseus was even immortal. But… the longer he stayed, the more ti he spent sitting on the shore, looking at the sea with bleak eyes."

His fists clenched involuntarily, a deep stab of wrongness assaulting his mind. For but an instant, the world frayed at the edges, almost undoing itself.

Then the instant ended, and the world reasserted itself.

Sunny continued, unaware of what had almost transpired. "In the end, Odysseus built a makeshift boat and abandoned the island, leaving all its delights, the beautiful fairy, and even his immortality behind."

He stopped, then whispered, "Why do you think he left?"

She stared at him intently, her hand moving to grasp his free one in a firm yet gentle grip.

"I don't know." She replied softly. "He had everything he could ever ask for on that island with Calypso. There is no reason anyone would ever leave."

Sunny smiled at her, yet it felt fake. Brittle and fragile.

"Why do you think he left?" she asked.

He stared at her for a mont, but unable to hold her gaze, he turned toward one of the many tapestries on the far wall. Almost appropriately, it depicted a ship braving a titanic storm.

Prodded by his flaw, he answered, "I'm not sure myself. Maybe… maybe he loved his wife and son so much that he couldn't handle the thought of being separated from them a minute more." It sounded weak even to his ears.

Her grip tightened, fierce and possessive.

Sunny, paying no heed to that action, continued. "You know? At tis… I also feel like Odysseus."

"What do you an?"

Sunny spoke, giving voice to thoughts he didn't even know he had. "I, too, am lost in a distant land. Only, unlike him, I don't have a ho to want to return to. I have nothing to strive for, apart from saving my skin. What do I have if I go back?" He asked aloud, as if demanding that the world itself answer. "Friends who have already forgotten ? A sister who has never needed ? Another who revealed my darkest secret yet still dared to act like nothing was wrong? The one whom I love and hate in equal asure?" His voice hitched as he spoke, chest tightening painfully.

Not giving her a chance to intercede, he asked another question. "Can soone really be lost if they don't belong anywhere?"

He chuckled, low and bitter.

"Maybe you are right to be skeptical. I'm nothing like Odysseus. At least… at least he had sothing to co back to."

He chuckled once more, eyes burning with barely contained tears.

"Why do I keep doing this? Why do I survive? Why do I keep trying to live?"

Was it spite, as he had said earlier in the day? Could there truly be nothing else to it? It played a big part, he was sure of that. But he was certain that there was more. So sort of primordial wish was buried deep inside him that would not allow him to stop until it was fulfilled.

She opened her mouth, ready to deliver words of comfort. It was one of the things he liked most about her, but this ti, it didn't feel right. He didn't seek comfort but answers. Answers to the questions he had been asking himself for a long, long ti.

Alas, whatever she was about to say was interrupted by the sudden quake that engulfed the tower.

Right after, a terrifying presence descended on them, emitting such pressure that they were instantly flattened to the ground.

It was… it was Liriel's. But it felt wrong - dark and rotten. Filled with malice and madness.

Vaelkar's presence made itself known, clashing against Liriel's for but a second before both of them disappeared from their senses.

They exchanged a look, then instantly darted toward the stairs.

-------------------------------------------

They burst into the throne room at the sa ti. It made for a ghastly sight.

Pillars lay broken like snapped bones. The floor had been torn open, marble fused into glass by lightning and divine will, then split apart by surging water and impossible force. What remained of the throne was scattered across the chamber - twisted tal, cracked crystal, and fragnts still humming with unstable power. The air reeked of ozone and salt, of blood and divine ichor.

A pained groan could be heard, and from the wreckage of one of the pillars, a figure rose.

It was Auro. His armor had been torn apart, his face and body covered in deep gouges from which blood poured out like a fountain. And yet, miraculously - impossibly - he was still alive.

The reason why was held within his left hand. It looked like an orb, one that glowed with undeniable divinity.

It was a thing of beauty - or at least it must have been before resisting the damage it had received. Deep cracks covered it, growing by the second, until at last the orb fractured completely and turned to nothing.

And with the orb's disappearance, whatever had hidden his true power was gone too.

Auro was a Supre; Sunny could feel it. The world-bending will that curled around Auro was undeniable.

The man finished rising to his feet, shaky but growing steadier by the second.

"What have you done?!" Sunny roared in anger.

Auro looked at him, his expression completely calm, at odds with what had just happened.

"I delivered my ssage and the object. Nothing more, nothing less," he replied evenly.

The shadows at Sunny's feet stirred violently, taking on nightmarish shapes, ready to leap onto the wounded Supre.

"Don't act like this has nothing to do with you, you bastard!"

Auro did not seem fazed, rely shaking his head, as if disappointed by his reaction. "I am a re ssenger. It's not my fault that they couldn't handle what I delivered."

Sunny's blood ran cold in pure horror. Auro believed what he said. He was completely convinced that he bore no bla for what had happened.

"What was it that you delivered?" she asked in a steely voice, her eyes burning with pure, unadulterated fury.

He turned toward her, the sa calm expression on his face. "I only know that there was information inside, but not what kind," he replied honestly. "Had I known, they would have realized what it was ant for and smited on the spot."

"You corrupted a divine being," she said, voice disbelieving at the sheer nonchalance of the man before them.

Auro shook his head. "As I said before, I only delivered an object. It's not my fault if they couldn't handle it properly." Then, almost as a second thought, he added, "Everything I did was for a just cause, I assure you."

"She was the protector of this realm! Millions of lives depend on her and her brother. What happens if she dies? Hell, what happens if she wins against Vaelkar and cos back?!" she roared angrily.

Auro shrugged. This ti, Sunny noticed that despite his apparent nonchalance, guilt shone through.

"A necessary sacrifice," he replied in the sa calm voice, completely at peace with what he had just done.

There was guilt there, yes, but he had still done it.

"YOU-"

"Don't bother." Sunny interrupted. "He truly believes that he did nothing wrong. And even if you convince him, he will just consider it a sad but necessary sacrifice," He spoke in a carefully controlled voice, trying and failing to hold himself back from attacking there and then. He added in an ironic tone, "Isn't that right, Auro?"

If he noticed the sarcasm in his voice, he did not acknowledge it. "My cause is just, and as such, every action I take striving for it is just too."

Sunny laughed bitterly, the shadows shaping themselves into armor and their weapon of choice.

"Ah, so I have a hero before ."

A terrifying quake could be felt once more. This ti, the whole realm felt it.

The Twins were fighting, and the aftershocks could be felt all the way here.

"I'd better leave before any of them have the chance to co back," Auro muttered and took a step forward, only for the exit to be covered by a wall of shadows.

Sunny smiled dangerously, heart brimming with joy at finally having the chance to act on his hatred. "What makes you think that we will allow you to leave?"

She smiled no less dangerously. "Normally, I don't enjoy fighting. But this ti, I will."

Auro did not look scared. "I hold no animosity for the two of you. Move aside, and you may yet survive."

Sunny rely quirked an eyebrow, as if asking whether he truly ant that.

Auro exhaled softly and, in a swift move, unsheathed his sword. "I will try not to kill you if I can."

He took a step forward, only to stagger in surprise as his eyes grew heavy all of a sudden.

Their ploy had borne fruit. They had not been talking just because they liked the sound of their own voices. No, her aspect needed ti to work on those who were stronger than her, and they had to buy ti.

Fortunately for them, powerful as he was, Auro did not seem capable of sensing what she was doing and had fallen for their stalling attempts.

Sunny was about to dash forward, ready to deliver a lethal strike. He would have done it, had his instincts not scread at him to stop.

Auro's will erupted like a broken dam, suffocating the room under it. Just a second after, he recovered, the drowsiness gone from his expression.

Of course, it couldn't be that easy. It never was.

"Can you still make him fall asleep?" he asked quietly.

"I think so, but I will need ti," she replied just as quietly.

Sunny nodded, and right after, all of his shadows coiled around him, multiplying his power sixfold.

The darkness surged-

-and was cut apart.

Sunny felt it before he saw it. Auro's sword moved, and the shadows recoiled as if scalded. The blade did not rely slice through them; it carved a clean division in the fabric of space, a corridor where darkness refused to exist. Sunny's dominion over the shadows buckled, entire sections collapsing as reality itself rejected his authority.

Auro stepped forward through the ruin, completely unconcerned.

Blood ran freely from his wounds, soaking into shattered marble, yet his presence only grew heavier. Each step sent a ripple through the throne room, like he was growing stronger the more he bled.

"I will have to hurry," Auro said, voice calm but strained. "That is… unfortunate."

One mont, he was still walking, and the next, he vanished.

The movent was so swift he could barely even process it. One mont, he was several ters away, and the next, his sword was already striking for his neck.

Sunny barely managed to sink into the shadows in ti. The blade agonizingly close to ending his life as he did so.

The sword cleaved through where he'd been, the cut extending far beyond its arc, splitting pillars, floor, and air alike. The throne room groaned as reality struggled to stitch itself back together.

Sunny re-erged behind Auro, striking low-

Auro twisted so fast he left an after-image, elbow snapping back with brutal precision.

The blow connected, and Sunny was sent flying, his shadow armor shattering as he crashed through a fractured wall and skidded across the floor. Pain blossod hot and sharp, his vision blurring as he forced himself upright.

Stronger, Sunny realized grimly. Far stronger.

Auro moved to pursue, taking a step forward to do just so, but then, he swayed. Just slightly.

His sword dipped, scraping stone. His free hand clenched, knuckles white, as his eyelids fluttered. For a heartbeat, his posture slackened-

Sunny seized it with the desperation of soone who knew he was woefully surpassed.

Shadows erupted from beneath Auro's feet, binding his legs, coiling upward like serpents. Sunny teleported again, appearing above him mid-fall, blade raised for a decisive strike.

Auro's eyes snapped open, and his will exploded outward. The shadows binding him held for but a mont and then shattered - as if crushed by an invisible weight.

Auro jumped to et his attack, sword rose in a blinding flash of silver, eting Sunny's weapon head-on.

The impact was catastrophic. For a mont, they were locked into a silent duel, bodies airborne, staring at each other with fierce determination. Then, the mont ended, and both of them were blasted back.

Sunny felt his arms go numb from the aftershocks of the clash, but did not have ti to lant it before slamming into the far end of the hall. He let go of his weapon inadvertently, and it dissipated, his armor threatening to do the sa.

Auro landed heavily, his boots cracking the floor beneath him. The bastard was in a far better shape than he was.

He checked his sword for damage, and when he found it unmarred, he stepped forward to et him again.

Auro took a step, then another, and staggered.

His breathing was uneven, chest heaving, and blood was still dripping steadily from his armor. He planted his sword into the ground to keep himself upright, head bowed as if the weight of the world pressed down on him.

He had taken no new damage yet, but the wounds he already had were not going anywhere. Sunny only had to outlast him.

Behind Sunny, she pressed harder.

The air thickened, heavy with the promise of rest. Sleep crept like fog, subtle and insidious, gnawing at the edges of Auro's mind rather than striking outright.

Auro laughed quietly, hoarsely. "Persistent… both of you."

He forced himself upright, knees buckling under the effort yet refusing to bend nonetheless.

With visible effort, he tore his sword free and advanced - he was slower now, but his movents still carried terrifying precision.

There was an instant of stillnes and then he erupted back into motion, closing the distance in a heartbeat.

Auro's sword flashed again and again, each swing carrying the weight of a mountain and an unerring will to co up victorious. Sunny t each with one of his own, his body contorting, flowing in and out of position, fighting with tooth and nail for every milliter he was forced to cede.

Behind Auro, shadows stirred to life once more, shaping themselves into a greatsword aiming for his nape.

Auro's sword flowed in in a short, leisurely, almost lazy arc, and the world in a radius of ten ters around them split in half. Sunny had only managed to Shadow Step away with a fraction of a fraction of a second to spare.

The wound in the fabric of the world did not dissipate. It stood there, a silent proclamation of Auro's will and might. He stepped forward once more, completely unbothered by the sharp rift that enveloped his surroundings.

And yet, despite his incredible might, his movents were no longer effortless. His breathing rasped, and blood had soaked his armor so much it looked like it was painted red.

He did not bow still, his presence -his will- was overwhelming, pressing down on Sunny like a mountain that refused to fall no matter how fractured it beca.

"You're slowing," Auro observed, voice calm despite the strain threading through it.

Sunny wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled thinly. "Funny. I could say the sa."

Auro lunged, a red blur of steel replacing him.

Sunny vanished into shadow an instant before the blade arrived. He reappeared above, below, behind - each ti forcing Auro to turn, to strike, to react instead of taking the initiative. Blades of shadows, chains, and spears manifested in rapid succession. They weren't ant to kill. Auro was too powerful for that. No, they were ant to distract, to make him expend energy, to stall for ti.

Auro cut through them all; his sword was an eraser, and the world was his canvas.

Each strike grew heavier. Slower yet far more powerful. He was bleeding more now, his steps leaving dark stains behind - but with every wound, sothing inside him burned brighter, harder, sharper.

Sleep pressed down on him. Battering on his mind heavily. Relentlessly.

His steps faltered once, and then he forced himself onward.

His sword struck Sunny's shadow armor head-on, and this ti it held despite the increased might behind it. Sunny braced, teeth gritted, bones screaming under the pressure.

Auro leaned into the clash, face pale, eyes blazing with both defiance and madness.

"You think you can best ?" he asked quietly.

"I do," Sunny answered just as quietly, focus completely dedicated to predicting his next move.

Auro laughed almost deliriously. "I have been fighting for centuries. Never once have I faltered. Never once have I rested. It doesn't matter what stands in my way, what action I have to commit. Until justice is delivered, my will will not be denied."

The proclamation was followed by an increase in the pressure he emitted. Sunny felt it pressing down on him, demanding surrender. Submission. Obedience.

Sunny could feel it. His shadows were thinning, movents slowing, teleportation growing more sloppy.

Auro wasn't the only one who had started the battle in a bad shape. He was quickly running out of essence, and his stamina wouldn't last much longer.

Behind him, she staggered.

Sunny felt the incoming attack and twisted instinctively, throwing a wall of shadow between her and the battlefield just as Auro's next cut cleaved through the space she had occupied a second before. Were it not for his barrier slowing down the slash for an instant, she would have lost her head.

She gasped, clutching her chest in pain, blood trickling from her nose in a steady stream.

Sunny's heart jumped in fright, concern driving deep into his mind. "Stop," he hissed. "You're killing yourself."

She didn't answer, eyes burning fiercely with the sa conviction he assud he was exuding too. She straightened instead - slowly, painfully - and pushed.

Her power surged again, far stronger than before, but raw. Unstable. There was no finesse left, only pure, unadultered power and the will to see Auro's will bent to her own. The air thickened just as the siren song of sleep deepened, no longer creeping but demanding.

Auro staggered, his movents slowing even more. Both knees bent, unable to hold his own weight.

For the first ti, his sword slipped from perfect alignnt. Eyes fluttering closed.

Sunny did not let the chance go to waste.

Shadows wrapped around Auro's arms, legs, and torso. Layer after layer, dragging him downward. Sunny teleported in close, a blade forming in his hands for a killing thrust—

Auro's eyes snapped open, and he roared.

His will erupted outward like an exploding sun. The shadows scread as they were blasted away, holding for no more than a second. Sunny was thrown back violently as the throne room cracked under the pressure.

Auro stood straight once more, the living image of an unbending warrior for an instant.

Then, the second passed, and the image was gone. His posture was broken now, shoulders slumped, chest heaving. Blood poured freely from too many wounds to count. His eyelids trembled violently, darkness clawing at the edges of his vision.

And yet, he still did not fall.

And yet, his eyes still shone with impossibly conviction.

Behind Sunny, a cry could be heard.

It wasn't a cry of pain, but of defiance.

Sothing broke.

The pressure in the room inverted, collapsing inward toward her. Sunny turned just in ti to see it—her Aspect no longer straining against the limits imposed on it, but shattering them outright. Defying common sense to deliver victory.

Her presence changed. It grew and expanded, spreading across the room and far beyond it.

The air bent around her as if acknowledging a new axis of authority. The concept of sleep itself seed to answer her call, no longer borrowed or forced, but owned.

She rose to her feet. Her face was pale, and blood was flowing freely out of her eyes, nose, and mouth. And yet, she had never looked so powerful as she did then.

Auro looked at her then, truly looked, and for the first ti, sothing like awe crossed his bloodied face.

Sleep fell like a verdict.

Auro took one final step forward, sheer stubbornness carrying him where strength no longer could. His hand reached out for sothing unseen, fingers trembling, sword clattering uselessly behind him.

"…Not yet," he whispered. "I still have so much left to do."

Then his knees struck the floor.

The shadows surged instantly, binding him completely. Sunny needn't have bothered.

Sleep had claid him and would not let go of its prize.

Auro's eyes fluttered once, twice - then closed. They did not open again.

Silence followed.

Sunny stood frozen, chest heaving, staring at the fallen Supre who had refused defeat until the very end.

With what little essence he had left, a sword manifested above Auro.

He could have delivered a speech, decried his hypocrisy, scread at the monster whose actions might have very well condemned the whole realm, and yet proclaid that his cause was just.

In the end, he did none of it. It wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth it.

The sword fell without ceremony, and Auro's life ended.

Then he turned slowly to her.

She swayed—and Sunny was there in an instant, catching her before she could fall. The pressure around her receded, leaving behind sothing vast and terrifyingly powerful.

A Supre.

She laughed weakly against his shoulder. "Told you… I just needed ti."

Sunny held her tighter, shadows trembling around them both.

Above, the realm still shook, echoing the divine battle taking place.

He chuckled weakly. "You did."