Shadow Slave: Shadow of Blood Chapter 62: Profane Decision

They spent hours in Sunny's bedroom, recounting various adventures the Lost Princess of Song and the only Prince of Song went through.

So were fun, others were scary, yet sohow, even though Sunny spent way less ti in the Forgotten Shore than Seishan, he had way more stories to tell.

"You found Changing Star? And saved her from that many creatures!? My big brother is the best!"

It seed like Rain was already a fan… The others didn't look as excited for it, still, it looked like they understood why Sunny allied with Immortal Fla and journeyed with her. Moreover, it did seem like they liked how Nephis saved Sunny a couple of tis.

—

"You killed an Awakened Demon that easily? And to think I almost had to step in when you were training."

"To be fair, Wraith did most of the work."

Sunny caressed the shadow wolf's fur, who had been summoned a while ago on his bed. The Shadow greatly appreciated it.

—

"You fought with Changing Star? And she didn't want to cut your head off?"

"It was an argunt Bin, and no, she didn't. If anything, we got closer because of it."

"Hmhm, so close you two–"

"Don't you dare!!"

Everyone looked confused at the two, only Seishan had a different reaction, sighing and groaning, having a feeling she knew exactly what happened.

Rain was even more confused than everyone else, given she had no context of even why the argunt happened. Sunny promised he would explain one day, but even then, he didn't give much details of why the argunt happened.

—

"So that's how you got enthralled!"

Howl was weirdly excited.

"Yes, it wasn't pleasant, I needed your help to snap out of it. And even then, I only got out with Cassie thanks to Nephis building the boat."

"Well… What about, 'that' Ichor?"

Sunny hesitated when Revel asked that, but with Rain here, he couldn't say it. Moreover, he needed his mother's presence.

"That was there too… We'll talk about it later."

—

"So for a decade this Gunlaug led everything like a Tyrant because of a Transcendent Echo… Wished he had survived."

Seishan nodded at Moon's statent.

"He understood he was wrong after the Bright Castle was invaded… In the end, he had a good heart."

Silent sighed, feeling a little respect for the past Lord. Sunny shook his head.

"He died as he wished, atoning for his sins."

—

"You really did get that armor for one soul shard…"

"Nobody was using it, I figured thanks to his Serpent he could fix the armor, I was right."

Seishan smiled at Revel, who rolled her eyes.

"And here I was thinking you got it from a Fallen Terror."

"C'mon Rev, I'm not that crazy."

All of his sisters stared at him, not believing him one bit.

—

"All these 'Shadow Watchers' have a screw loose."

Howl comnted in a dead-pan expression.

"JUST LIKE THEIR LEADER!"

"Really Hel? I have a screw loose? You scream that we are going to die every day."

"AND I AM RIGHT!"

Rain raised her arm, wanting to speak.

"Technically…"

Moon put her hand in Rain's mouth.

"Don't give her any ideas…"

—

"Did you really have to fight against a Fallen Devil?"

"No, but that thing made angry."

Revel rolled her eyes.

"You are so spiteful."

"And that sa spitefulness made get the Echo of an Awakened Terror!"

Everyone paused for a second.

"He has a point."

"Yeah, makes sense."

"He's right…"

Silent nodded.

"Yep."

"YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!"

"You killed what?!"

—

"So Immortal Fla won't betray you?"

Eunbin asked, glaring at Sunless.

"I'm sure of it."

Seishan supported her brother.

"I can back him, she really does care about Sunny."

The Song sisters sharpened their eyes, suspicion crawled through them, but even Seishan guaranteed it…

"Just be careful."

Rain was completely confused.

—

"So… You turned into a Devil because of your Echoes? Hmph, makes sense, but it's anti-climatic."

"I don't need a grand strategy to be effective Rev."

"I know, but still."

—

But as Sunny finished the story of what happened in the Crimson Spire, the whole bedroom grew quiet, the atmosphere heavy.

He hesitated a lot before beginning, he was unsure he should even say anything, but he needed to be honest.

He told them how Caster died, and how he would have stayed in the Shore out of guilt, if it weren't for Nephis. He told them how he thought he may be the reason why they all die in the future.

Hollow Death… The reason he would have stayed.

Wraith felt the sadness of his master, licking his hand to try and console him, not being very effective unfortunately.

Eunbin stood up and went to console her little brother, sitting in front of him and caressing his hand. She knew Sunny was betting himself up for what happened, because he almost abandoned his family out of guilt, breaking his promise.

"Sunny… It's okay…"

He didn't dare look at her eyes.

"No. It 's not! I almost stayed there, I almost condemned myself to death. After everything I promised, that I did…"

He gripped the bed tightly.

"I… I thought I would bring you all death–"

Seishan gripped him, a sympathetic look on her beautiful face.

"No, you won't. You will never bring us to death. Please, don't even think about this ever again.."

Sunless sighed, he knew that, he knew all of that… But still, his mind couldn't let go of the idea that one of his sisters, or his friends, or his mother…

That one of them may die because of him…

It was thanks to Nephis he could open his eyes to what he should do, to not let Fate determine his life. And yet, the idea still perated in the back of his mind.

"I know! But still… Caster died for nothing, because I let my guard down!"

"Then learn from that. Like mom always says. To learn from your failures, to make sure it never happens again."

Sunny didn't have an argunt, he didn't talk back, he simply hugged Seishan, who hugged him back, no questions asked.

All of them did, one by one, all Sunny's sisters hugged their dear brother, even Silent and Howl.

No one said anything, there was nothing to be said, they only needed to be there, to help Sunny understand that it was not his fault. That they would be there for him, regardless of what Fate said he would bring.

Because they were family. And they are always there for each other.

"Thank you."

Revel smiled warmly.

"Anyti…"

Hel looked at Sunny, at her sisters, and her smile was gone, her mind rembered her visions, what may happen, and what she'd had to do to stop them from happening. Guilt consud her for a mont.

'I'm sorry, little brother…"

They all felt a presence, a heavy, strong, familiar presence… The presence that cares for all of them.

Ki Song opened the door. She had co to the waking world, a sweet, motherly smile on her face.

"Sunny, Shan, welco back."

"Mom…"

—

As they reunited, Ki Song asked for a mont alone with Sunless.

The sisters were hesitant, but understood she wanted to talk to him about what happened… And about Weaver…

As Hel went out of the room, she looked at her mother a little too long, giving her a silent signal. Ki Song nodded.

After they left, Ki Song sat beside Sunny.

"How are you?"

Sunless breathed steadily, and looked directly at her eyes.

"Better… Did you…?"

"Hear everything? Yes."

Sunless hesitated, it was ti to confront his mother, he couldn't help but think about everything.

About what she did for him, saving from a Fate made by the Daemon of Fate, saving him from being a outskirts rat, giving him a life on Ravenheart…

Training him, teaching him, caring for him…

And then he rembered what Cassie said to him, what she asked. To 'lie' to his mother.

But a part of him… Couldn't do that, he was conflicted, Cassie could see the future, there must have been a reason why she asked this, and yet…

"Sunny?"

He shook his head a little, snapping out of his thoughts.

"Y-Yes?"

"Nephis… What does she think of… ?"

Her voice was stable, but Sunny could tell she was a little nervous.

"She wants to know more, as you thought, she knows you… Killed Broken Sword… I don't think she forgave you, but I think I was able to convince her to hear your reason. She wanted to talk with you."

Ki Song stared at him for a mont, a small change on her face occurred, her eyes sharpened, even if very little.

"And… What will she do now?"

"She wants to beco a Master, then, go to Valor and try to understand Anvil. She hopes to understand you through …"

She absorbed everything Sunny said, and with a small nod, she ended her pondering.

"I see…"

Ki Song sighed, then her voice beca deeper, her posture straightened. She beca the Sovereign of Song.

"This incident will mark history, you did well searching for your allies so soon, and now that we made our move, Valor will do the sa."

She looked back at him.

"They will want this big pool of talent that survived the Death Zone, especially the figureheads that led them. From what you and your teachers said, you and Nephis are the main figures that inspired the Sleepers to escape the Forgotten Shore.

And since you are already with us, they will want Nephis, the fact she is Immortal Fla makes it even more enticing for them. With her in Valor, many will want to join them, giving them an edge."

Sunless sharpened his eyes and led his hand towards his chin in a thinking position.

"But will Anvil accept her?"

"Yes, but I don't think he will care much about her, if anything, he could adopt her as re propaganda. That way, more people admire him."

"Even though he sent assassins after her? Why would he change now?"

Ki Song smiled a little, and explained the thought process of her old friend.

"Anvil doesn't see it like that, he uses people like tools, if he finds a use for you he will care little about what you think.

He sent assassins after Nephis because she could be a threat to him. But now that she could be of use, he will use her."

She paused for a mont.

"And if she does sothing else of note before becoming a Master… He will stop at nothing to acquire her."

Sunny looked at his mother, and then at the ground, thinking of everything she told her.

Then he blushed.

"E-Even if she has a relationship with ?"

Ki Song's mouth gapped, then a little knowing smile appeared.

"Hmmmm, I don't think he cares."

Sunny let out a breath of relief, however, his mother didn't finish.

"But I do care."

He blushed even more.

"What type of relationship–"

"M-Mom! Please, no!"

She laughed a little, then widened her eyes, smiling widely. He called her 'mom'...

But unfortunately, the sweet mont couldn't last, she needed to talk about Weaver.

"Sunny. The Ichor of Weaver that was in your soul sea… What happened to it?"

Sunny froze, his eyes widened.

He had to make a choice, what to do…

"It was destroyed…"

"And you…?"

"It was destroyed after I denied it…"

It was technically true, after he rejected the Ichor, he gave it to Cassie, who consud the Ichor, destroying it.

But Ki Song wasn't a fool, she knew what her son was doing… And why he was doing it.

She grabbed his chin and made him look at her, then, with a strict motherly voice, she made the question that would determine the Fate of Cassie.

"How was it destroyed?"

Sunny tried to think of a way to circle around the question. But he didn't find one, rather, he didn't want to find it, because he didn't want to lie to his mother, to fool her, he couldn't, not after everything she did for him.

Ki Song never stopped looking at him directly, patiently waiting for his answer.

The pain of his flaw beca overwhelming…

He finally said it.

"It was destroyed after my friend consud it…"

"..."

Torturous seconds passed as Ki Song didn't change her expression, they kept looking at each other's eyes, not blinking.

She let go of his chin.

Sunny breathed heavily, the pain of holding in the truth overwhelming him still.

He expected a scolding, a talking to…

His mother ordered him not to consu the Ichor, it was profane, sothing to discard. Yet he gave it to Cassie…

He finally heard sothing out of his mother.

"I expected sothing like this."

Sunless lowered his head.

"I didn't inform you of this, but it was the other reason Broken Sword had to die."

His eyes widened.

"I can't tell you why, not yet at least, but the Lineage of Weaver could lead to the end of everything."

Sunless gripped his own heart.

"The carrier of the Lineage doesn't necessarily cause it, but the more people know about the Heir of Weaver, that hails him, the closer the end cos.

The Heir of Weaver must never be known, never be loved, never be worshiped.

And Broken Sword was an Heir of Weaver, just like this friend of yours."

Sunny gripped the bed sheets, frustration consuming him, he finally found the words to speak.

"Will Cassie need to die then?"

Torturous seconds passed, Sunny was breathing heavily, wishing the next words coming out of Ki Song's mouth weren't what he thought they would be.

After what seed like an eternity…

"No, not yet at least."

Sunless' eyes widened, and he finally grew the courage to look at his mother. She had the sa eyes as before, detached and cold.

"What… Why?"

"You can thank your sister. Hel, she had visions…

Visions that showed that Weaver's Lineage is important. Even if I strongly disagree."

She stood up and moved to stay right in front of her son.

"But to be clear, this… 'Cassie' can't beco soone important, she can't be worshiped, or known. Luckily for her, she didn't reveal her True Na, so she'll fade into the background as a side character of your story."

Ki Song's gaze beca heavier.

"The only reason tolerating her existence is because of Hel's visions, are we clear?"

"Y-Yes…"

Ki Song turned around to leave.

"These visions…"

She stopped as Sunless continued.

"... They were about , right?"

She stood still for so seconds, then turned once again, approaching Sunny.

He raised his head to look at her face. The cold detached facade was long gone, and her caring side once again surfaced.

She lowered her body to their eyes to et, she touched his face gently, a small, sad smile on her face.

"Not only you… All of your sisters… All of them, if Weaver's Lineage is the key to protect you, if that girl is the key… I'll take the chances."

Silence settled in Sunny's room as he breathed steadily.

"I'm sorry for-"

She shook her head.

"Don't, I understand."

Ki Song stood up and helped Sunny get up from the bed.

"But let's leave the rest for later, co, we kept your sisters waiting long enough. Also, wear this."

She transferred a mory to Sunny.

As he summoned the runes, his mouth gapped.

mory: [Mantle of Shadows]

mory Rank: Transcendent.

mory Type: Armor.

mory Description: [May this help you in your journey. Your mother insisted that it should be a uniform so as to not deviate from your sisters, I reluctantly agreed, and I must say, I liked the end result.

In case I forget to say it, welco back Sunless.]

He stared at the rank for a couple of seconds, and Ki Song had to snap him out of it.

"I asked him to do it for you, couldn't make it a dress, so I thought a uniform would work. How about you try it on?"

"Yes!"

Sunless' voice was full of excitent, it would be his first Transcendent mory and it would be a gift from his teacher and mother, he imdiately summoned it.

The mory wrapped around his body almost completely, the black fabric perfectly fitted him. A military-like uniform with an overcoat and silver accessories completed forming on him.

Here it is–"

Ki Song observed as her son admired his new mory. mories ca back to her.

The frail boy in the orphanage, the kid struggling with training, the state he was in after the Dollhouse…

And now he was here, just survived one year in a Death Zone as a Sleeper, managed to beco Shadow God's Heir, and led all Sleepers towards ho…

She approached and hugged him.

It surprised Sunny.

"M-Mom?"

"No matter what happens, I'm proud of you."

His eyes widened, and he hugged her back.

"Thank you mom… For everything…"

They kept hugging for a mont, before she separated.

"Co, your sisters waited for long enough."

—-

A day later, in a secret interrogation room underneath a building owned by the Song Clan, a blond, blind girl quietly waited for her interrogator.

She was sitting on a simple chair, in front of the tal table. She was calm, being here was already expected.

With a groan of the door, her interrogator arrived.

"Oh! Hello! Good afternoon, how are you Cassia?"

The petite woman jogged through the room until she slamd her hands on the tal table, denting the object.

Her happy deanor and tone was rely a facade, Cassie's interrogator was angry.

"Lady Death Singer, what do I own the pleasure?"

"Oh nothing much! I only want to congratulate you! If you had revealed your True Na, my mother would have killed you! Your ability to see the future must be as good as mine… Song of the Fallen."

Cassie felt a shiver run down her spine, Death Singer knew much more than expected.

"You know, my family thinks my Aspect only allows to see tragedies. They are right, well, kind of right, I can see tragedies, and also the source of tragedies."

Hel got closer to Cassie, looming over the blind seer, her presence as a Saint making the room sll like the stench of death.

"And your death by the hands of my mother is the source of so many tragedies… Including the death of my sisters."

Death Singer's smile perated, but it was a fake smile, hiding all the repressed feelings over the countless visions she had.

"Do you know how that feels like, Song of the Fallen? Seeing your family die over, and over, and over again, trying to find a way to save them, only to see another way your sibling ets their demise?"

She started to laugh hysterically.

"Only to find out that you can't do anything?! That your only hope is a pathetic Awakened blind girl!"

Hel breathed heavily in anger. Cassie had no choice other than tremble, even though the Saint was saying how her life was necessary, she was still scared.

Death Singer sighed, and regained her calm.

"You should have known Sunny couldn't possibly fool mother, even if he wanted to. You couldn't see that?"

Cassie finally gained the courage to say sothing.

"Why am I here?"

Hel chuckled while smiling hysterically.

"You know why, I want to change the future I see every damn day."

Song of the Fallen smiled.

"Let's help each other then..."