Everyone in the grand hall grew deathly quiet.
Even Gemma seed slightly stunned by the weight of Nephis's proclamation, his usual composure cracking for a brief mont.
The only ones who showed almost no visible reaction were Caster and the other five Sleepers who had entered the hall a bit earlier.
They now stood by one of the walls, watching Nephis with complex expressions that mixed recognition, concern, and quiet awe.
Her full True Na hit the crowd like a thunderclap for two entirely different but equally earth-shattering reasons.
First, she had not introduced herself with an ordinary human na, but with a genuine True Na earned through the Nightmare Spell.
In the entire history of human civilization on the Forgotten Shore, only a handful of Awakened had ever achieved such a feat in their First Nightmare.
Needless to say, none of them were among the roughly thousand Sleepers currently trapped here.
Even the mighty Gunlaug himself lacked one.
But Nephis did.
Second, she had declared herself a Legacy—not just any Legacy, but one from the legendary Immortal Fla clan.
A clan that had propelled the whole of humanity forward not once, but twice: first by helping conquer the Second Nightmare, and then the Third.
The combination of these revelations was enough to set off a taphorical explosion right in the heart of the Dark City.
If this was true, Nephis could be seen as an almost ssianic figure on the Forgotten Shore.
Suddenly, the calm confidence with which she had dared to challenge a fearso Pathfinder to a battle to the death no longer seed strange or foolish.
The dazed looks in the eyes of the gathered Sleepers slowly began shifting.
A subtle, tentative, and fragile glow of hope replaced the emptiness, as though a tiny seed had been planted in the barren soil of their lightless, forlorn souls.
Elysia stood close to the group, her bright smile steady and warm as she sent a gentle wave of affectionate encouragent through the Shadow Bond.
She quietly strengthened the shared confidence flowing to Nephis, her emotionally intelligent presence acting like sunlight piercing the heavy tension.
Senrix, towering beside them with his massive fra relaxed yet ready, felt a surge of genuine pride for his little sister figure.
'That's my girl,' he thought through the bond, his cheerful shield-like spirit radiating warmth.
'Future queen of humanity right there. Though if anyone tries anything stupid, I'll complain about the dents while smashing them flat.'
Cassie remained quietly beside them, her gentle empathy radiating soft support as she simply observed with her kind heart, offering silent comfort to everyone through their soul connection.
Sunny felt a mix of awe and rising anxiety twisting in his chest.
Either by careful design or fortunate accident, Nephis chose that exact mont to summon her armor.
Nurous sparks of soft light swirled around her in a radiant whirlpool, and when they faded, a striking black and white armor clad her graceful form.
Every eye in the hall locked instantly onto the symbol engraved on its breastplate.
On it, seven shining stars were intricately carved into the strange white tal.
"Th—that symbol!" soone whispered in shock.
"It's the Starlight Crest!"
"The crest of the Seven!"
Just like Sunny, who had personally investigated it, Cassie who had glimpsed it in visions, Elysia who had learned of it through their bond, and Senrix who had helped obtain the armor itself, many inhabitants of the Bright Castle recognized the emblem.
It was carved into the robe of the giant statue guarding the city walls and appeared in countless ancient stone carvings throughout the fortress.
It represented the seven heroes who had once vowed to vanquish the darkness consuming this cursed land and lead its people back into the light.
Sunny felt cold sweat trickling down his spine as the implications sank in.
'What… what is she doing?' he thought urgently, sharing the concern through the bond.
'Is this all coincidence, or did Nephis plan every detail? If these fools start spreading rumors about her being so heavenly savior, Gunlaug will co knocking on our door sooner than we can blink!'
Elysia responded imdiately with a soothing pulse of optimism and affection, her cheerful voice lightening the ntal conversation.
'She's doing what she does best—giving them hope without losing herself. We've got this together.'
Senrix added his relaxed reassurance, a hint of playful complaint woven in.
'Let her shine, Sunny. I'll stand ready as the shield. My armor might grumble about extra work, but protecting family is worth every repair.'
What had Nephis told him earlier? Just follow her lead and try to look virtuous.
Sunny stared at her back, feeling utterly stumped.
How was he supposed to manage that? There had never been a single drop of virtue in his entire cynical body.
Cassie offered a small, understanding smile through the bond, her heart reminding them all of their shared humanity amid the spectacle.
anwhile, Gemma had finally composed himself enough to throw an evaluating look at Changing Star.
If there had been only neglect and disregard in his eyes before, now a hint of dark wariness lingered.
Slowly, the leader of the Hunters smiled, though it did not reach his eyes.
"Ah. In that case, nice to et you. I must say, it's a very impressive na you carry. Makes one wonder where such a na truly cos from."
The implication behind his words was crystal clear to everyone.
Gemma was openly insinuating that Nephis might be lying or exaggerating.
That single suggestion seed to remove a veil from the crowd's eyes.
Most people quickly lost their wistful, hopeful expressions, once again regarding her with somber doubt or dark anticipation.
Hints of mocking disdain appeared on several faces.
And yet, a few still watched her with hesitant, timid faith that refused to die completely.
Changing Star did not react to any of it.
She simply remained calm and indifferent, as though she existed slightly apart from the dirt and despair of this broken world.
Elysia continued supporting her quietly through the bond, her affectionate optimism helping maintain that serene strength.
Senrix shifted his weight slightly, ready to act if needed, his friendly presence a silent vow of protection.
Soon, Andel the Pathfinder was led into the grand hall under guard.
The Pathfinder was of average height but solid build, with nacing blue eyes and a sharp jawline.
His head was shaved on the sides, with the remaining hair woven into a short braid that gave him a battle-hardened look.
He appeared slightly older than most Sleepers gathered there, probably around twenty-four, except for Gemma himself.
He carried himself like a skilled, seasoned, and ruthless fighter.
Every Pathfinder was an elite among elites, and Andel was no exception.
Even those who hated him stared with a mix of fear, respect, and reluctant veneration.
Entering the hall, Andel threw a dark, contemptuous look at Nephis before walking forward to the base of the steps leading to the white throne.
There, he stopped and offered a shallow bow to the leader of the Hunters.
"I'm here," he announced curtly.
Gemma stared at him with an irritated, contemptuous expression before sighing heavily.
"You know why I've summoned you?"
The Pathfinder smirked arrogantly.
"So wench wants to challenge ? Good. I was getting bored after letting Harus have all the fun last ti."
Several angry whispers rippled through the crowd, but no one dared voice their hatred for the arrogant murderer openly.
The corner of Gemma's mouth turned downward in clear displeasure.
He remained silent for a long mont before speaking in a dangerously low tone.
"Fun? Did you say fun? Well, Andel, if you were lacking excitent in your life, you should have simply told . How about this? After you kill that girl, I will personally show you what real fun looks like."
With that, he gestured to the Guards that the fight could begin.
Andel frowned slightly but then turned around with a dark, bloodthirsty smile on his lips.
Sunny, Cassie, Elysia, and Senrix were guided to the side, joining the growing crowd of spectating Sleepers.
By now, a considerable number had gathered in the grand hall, drawn by the unfolding drama.
Everyone watched the fearso Pathfinder and Nephis with a volatile mix of tension and anticipation.
So were there purely for the macabre spectacle, excited to see blood spilled regardless of who won.
To them, it did not matter who lived or died, though none believed the girl from the outer settlent stood any real chance against an experienced Pathfinder.
Others quietly hoped to see Andel punished for his cris, yet even they expected Nephis to fall.
They only wished she might make the bastard bleed a little before the end.
Perhaps only Sunny, Cassie, Elysia, Senrix, and Caster truly understood that the outco was far less predictable than the crowd assud.
Not wasting any ti, Andel summoned his vicious falchion and began advancing.
But Nephis did not wait.
With calm, decisive grace, she moved first.
In one fluid motion, she summoned two blades that shimred into existence amid sparks of ethereal light.
In her right hand rested the familiar Dream Blade, its elegant form humming with quiet power.
In her left, she wielded a second sword that perfectly mirrored the black and white of her Starlight Legion Armor.
Its edge glead with an otherworldly sharpness, promising to cut through anything in its path.
The mont she took her first step forward, the starlight sword left a radiant trail of luminous particles in the air, like stars streaking across a night sky.
The entire hall seed to hold its breath as the two combatants closed the distance.
Andel's smirk faltered for a split second at her bold initiative, but he quickly recovered, lunging to et her charge.
Nephis struck first.
She closed the gap with surprising speed, her black and white armor gleaming under the hall's lights.
The starlight sword sang through the air in a wide, elegant arc, leaving a brilliant shimring trail that montarily dazzled the eye.
Andel raised his falchion to parry, but the mirrored blade proved far sharper than anything he had faced.
It sheared through the edge of his crudely forged weapon with almost no resistance, sending sparks and a chunk of tal flying.
Without hesitation, Nephis followed up with the Dream Blade in her right hand, thrusting forward in a precise, deadly strike aid at his shoulder.
The Pathfinder twisted desperately, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow, but the starlight sword ca around again in a seamless reverse swing.
Its luminous trail painted the air as the impossibly sharp edge grazed his side, drawing first blood and slicing through his reinforced clothing like paper.
Andel snarled in pain and rage, swinging his damaged falchion in a brutal counterattack.
Nephis danced aside with disciplined elegance, her dual blades weaving a srizing pattern of light and steel.
Elysia sent a steady flow of calm confidence through the Shadow Bond, her affectionate voice whispering encouragent only they could hear.
'You're doing beautifully. We're right here with you.'
Senrix watched with proud intensity, his massive fra tense but holding back, ready to shield if needed.
'That's how you fight, sis. Make it look easy while the rest of us complain about the ss afterward.'
Sunny's heart pounded as he observed every detail, his sharp eyes catching the subtle shifts in montum.
Andel pressed forward aggressively, trying to use his raw power and experience to overwhelm her.
But Nephis remained calm and focused, her softer, more human leadership style translating into precise, efficient movents that wasted no energy.
She parried his next heavy strike with the Dream Blade, then unleashed the starlight sword in a lightning-fast overhead slash.
The blade left a dazzling trail of stars as it descended, sharper than any mory or mundane weapon in the castle.
Andel tried to dodge, but the edge caught him across the chest, cutting deep despite his attempts to block.
Blood sprayed across the white marble floor.
In that mont of pain and imbalance, Nephis pressed her advantage.
She spun gracefully, both swords converging in a devastating cross strike.
The starlight blade, trailing pure luminous beauty, delivered the final blow—slicing clean through Andel's neck with terrifying efficiency.
The Pathfinder's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as his head separated from his body.
Blood arced through the air while his head rolled across the floor, coming to a stop near the steps of the white throne.
Andel's body collapsed heavily onto the marble with a sickening thud that echoed in the sudden, deafening silence.
The entire hall seed frozen in utter disbelief.
Sleepers, Guards, and even Gemma stared at Nephis with wide eyes.
Sunny himself was stunned by the flawless, almost artistic brutality of the fight.
He had known she was strong, but witnessing her end a seasoned Pathfinder so decisively with dual blades was sothing else entirely.
Dismissing both swords with a composed flick of her wrists, Nephis walked over to the marble steps.
She picked up the severed head by the hair and looked up calmly at the leader of the Hunters.
Then, with a well-practiced polite smile that carried quiet humanity beneath the steel, she said softly:
"...Oh. It was nice to et you too."
Elysia let out a small, relieved breath through the bond, her affectionate warmth flooding the group with pride and relief.
Senrix grinned broadly, his cheerful voice breaking the silence in their shared connection.
'Now that's how you make a statent. Proud of you, sis. Though cleaning this ss is going to be inconvenient as hell.'
The found family stood united, their bonds of trust stronger than ever in the aftermath of the shocking victory.
________
A/N: say thanks to miracle(the comnter) by the way, if not for him I would genuinely leave this alone.
And btw, do you think I need to tone done the dramatization? For I'm okay with this but I don't know for you guys.
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