Blood still dripped steadily from Andel's severed head as the group left the castle behind.
Thick crimson droplets fell onto the cracked stone path beneath their feet, leaving a grim trail in their wake.
Nephis carried the head by its hair as casually as soone might carry an ordinary bag, her expression remaining as indifferent and unreadable as ever.
It was as though publicly executing one of Gunlaug's trusted Pathfinders in front of the entire Bright Castle had been nothing more than another item on a long list of tasks she intended to accomplish.
For the first ti in a very long while, Sunny found himself feeling wary of her again.
Not because she had won the duel.
Not because she had killed Andel so decisively.
But because of how effortlessly and cleanly she had done both.
His gaze lingered on the severed head for several uneasy monts before shifting back to Nephis herself.
How many people had she killed before this? The question lingered in his mind longer than he liked, stirring old suspicions beneath his growing loyalty.
Senrix walked tall and proud beside them, his massive fra a steady presence as he looked at Nephis with a complex mix of deep pride and quiet concern that Sunny couldn't quite decipher.
Through the Shadow Bond, the giant sent a warm, brotherly pulse of admiration mixed with his usual lighthearted complaint.
'That was one hell of a show, sis. Though carrying around heads is going to be inconvenient—think of the stains on my armor later.'
Cassie, ever the silent oracle, simply faced Nephis's direction with quiet composure, her blind eyes sohow conveying deep empathy and understanding that transcended sight.
Elysia walked close on Sunny's other side, smiling gently as she sent waves of soothing warmth and affection through their shared soul connection.
The cheerful radiance helped calm Sunny's turbulent emotions, easing the knot of wariness in his chest even as she remained thoughtfully observant of everything around them.
The castle inhabitants reacted with a volatile mixture of horror, awe, fear, and fascination as the group passed.
So stared at Nephis as though she were a divine ssenger sent to punish the wicked and bring justice at last.
Others regarded her with open dread, as if she were a monster wearing human skin, capable of upending their fragile world.
The people of the outer settlent reacted in a quieter, more profound way.
They did not cheer or shout in celebration.
They simply watched in heavy silence as the group walked by.
And in their exhausted, weary eyes, Sunny saw sothing far more dangerous than raw admiration.
Hope.
A fragile, flickering spark that could either save them or burn everything down.
He didn't like how easily Nephis seed to ignite it.
Sunny had always prioritized preserving himself above all else, but if his actions caused others to suffer, he would search for a better path that still benefited him without unnecessary harm.
He knew his own feelings well enough—he was growing genuinely affectionate toward Nephis and the whole group—but he was scared that this version of her might not be the person he thought he knew.
Whether Nephis had intentionally awakened that hope or whether it had blood naturally from her actions, neither possibility sat comfortably with him.
If she had planned it, then she was far more calculating than he wanted to admit.
If she had not, then it ant she inspired people almost instinctively, like a fla drawing moths to its light.
Neither answer felt entirely reassuring to his cautious, wounded heart.
Elysia noticed the sa undercurrents in the crowd.
Walking beside him, she remained unusually quiet for a ti as she observed the settlent around them, her pink hair swaying gently in the evening wind while countless pairs of eyes followed Nephis and Senrix with growing intensity.
Unlike Sunny, however, she was not focused on the siblings.
She was studying the people—their expressions, their body language, and the quiet storm of emotions swirling beneath the surface.
After a few monts, she sighed softly, the sound quiet enough that almost no one else could hear it.
Almost no one except Sunny, whose sharp senses caught it imdiately.
He glanced toward her with a questioning look.
Elysia simply shook her head, her affectionate warmth still flowing steadily through the bond to steady him.
Sunny understood exactly what she ant without words.
People were beginning to believe in sothing greater than their daily survival.
And belief, in a place like this, was always incredibly dangerous.
Senrix caught the exchange and sent a relaxed, supportive comnt through the bond.
'Let them hope a little, Sunny. We've got each other's backs. If it gets ssy, I'll tank the consequences while complaining the whole ti.'
His friendly reassurance helped anchor the group, reminding Sunny of the trust they had all chosen to build together.
By the ti they reached Effie's cabin, the sky had already begun to darken into deep twilight.
Without saying a single word, Nephis casually tossed Andel's severed head onto the ground in front of the huntress.
The head rolled once before stopping near Effie's boots with a dull thud.
Nephis calmly crossed her arms, her protective and responsible deanor unchanged.
"Can we talk now?" she asked simply, her voice carrying quiet expectation.
**********
High above in the Bright Castle, Gunlaug sat upon his throne, his golden armor gleaming faintly as he gazed silently in the direction where Nephis and the other Sleepers had gone.
Beside him stood only three figures: Seishan, the sharp leader of the Handmaidens; Xeleray, the enigmatic commander of the Night Watchers; and Harus, his trusted blade.
"What? You're not gonna do anything, golden boy?" Xeleray's voice rang out casually as he lounged on the armrest of the throne, two hawks perched on his shoulders.
Gunlaug remained silent for a long mont, his eyes still fixed on the throne room's gigantic gates.
Then Seishan's calm voice resonated in the ears of the three n.
"Gunlaug, the contract between , Harus, and you ends in six months. What are your next moves?"
Harus stood silently, gazing at the lord he had served for many years under the terms of their shared contract.
"I'm going to wait," Gunlaug finally replied, his weary yet kind voice carrying the weight of long years.
"Whether she does sothing to is up to her. I only hope it happens before our deal ends."
The three lieutenants fell into thoughtful silence.
They had known Gunlaug for a long ti—Seishan and Harus from the sa generation, while Xeleray had been present even before the Nightmare Spell claid them.
"My only wish is that she doesn't fail the sa way I failed at being the Bright Lord this accursed place needed," Gunlaug added quietly, a note of genuine lancholy in his tone.
After a few minutes of suffocating silence, Harus began to fade, becoming transparent until he vanished completely.
Xeleray then dissolved into a dozen or more shimring feathers that scattered into the air.
Seishan simply walked away in silence, her steps graceful and asured.
This left Gunlaug truly alone on his throne.
He stared at the gigantic gates for a long mont before speaking in a soft, private voice.
"Are you watching this, my love? Watch well, then. I will show you the true might of the third Bright Lord."
With that, he stood up and descended the platform with asured steps.
He walked toward the giant gates and continued onward, heading far away to a place known only to him, Xeleray, Seishan, Harus, and the mory of his lost wife.
_________
A/N: smaller chapters than the last ones due to being lazy, I'm trying my best to characterize my own version of gunlaug (and I'm doing bad, at least according to what I see)
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