Shadow Slave: Shadow of Blood

Sunny and Nephis kissed for what felt like a long time, an intense feeling of longing coming from both.

It was a sloppy kiss, yet intense kiss, it was their first time after all, their inexperience showed. Thankfully, Sunny was highly adaptable, and Nephis learned some things from Revel's books, so they went from sloppy to natural relatively quickly.

After so much time alone, being tortured in her dreams, she wanted to feel comfort, she wanted warmth, Sunny was the one who was able to give her that.

And Sunny, having faced his inner demons and fears for her… Also wanted comfort, and she gave it to him.

The action didn't come from any rationality or reason, they just wanted each other in their most vulnerable time…

So the kiss was long, sweet, neither wanted to go away.

Nephis' lips were warm and delicate, which contrasted with her intense tongue that seemed determined to dominate Sunny. Wanting to feel more, she put her hand on the ground and straightened, getting higher, kneeling between his legs and wrapping her arms on his neck.

Understanding what she wanted, Sunny let go of her head and grabbed her hips.

For a brief moment, their lips parted, a thin line of saliva still connected between the two.

They opened their eyes, and the gazes full of longing finally met for the first time after their unconscious action…

White flames of emotion danced in her eyes…

His hollow eyes seemed deeper than ever…

"Neph… I…"

She interrupted him by lowering herself and kissing him again, tightening her arms around his neck and sitting on his lap. Her legs on the side of his hips.

The kiss was even more intensive, she wanted him…

She needed him.

After so much time, she could finally feel true warmth, she could finally see him again…

She now knew what she felt when she thought about him, how she felt, and she would not miss the chance to express it.

Sunny widened his eyes in surprise, but soon closed them. He put his arm back, leaning on the water that seemed solid upon contact to steady himself, and then kissed her back.

He couldn't deny that he also wanted this, seeing her again… It gave him so much relief, happiness, it was all worth it.

Nephis' posture finally deflated, as if she let out a long breath while kissing him, then she leaned on him some more, relaxing on his body, releasing her arms from his neck and raising her hands to caress his cheeks, slowing the intensity of the kiss.

Sunny didn't seem to mind, following her lead and holding her tired body.

After what felt like an eternity, a sweet, incredible eternity, they finally parted, slowly and painfully…

When they opened their eyes, they saw each other, they were in a dream, their bodies were not their true ones, by all accounts, they shouldn't be tired or feeling anything.

Yet it felt so real…

Nephis hugged him, wrapping her arms along his neck and back, resting her head against his shoulder.

Her voice was low and beautiful, seeming like a lullaby to Sunny.

"I'm… I didn't…"

"I know… But… It felt…"

"Right?"

She looked into his eyes as he answered.

"Yes… It felt right…"

They kept their gazes on each other, none uttered a single word, yet both knew what the other wanted.

She once again rested her head on his shoulder, and he did the same, hugging her tightly…

And they rested. For some time, together.

It was peaceful.

And Sunny' thoughts reflected that as he could finally admit to himself.

'I love her… I truly do… It's going to be a true headache once I come back… But… I want to be with her…'

He felt wonderful, as if an invisible weight that he didn't even know he carried was lifted…

Nephis felt releived, the nightmares that were destroying her from the inside were over, all her despair washed away as she sighed, enjoying the moment, she knew nothing else mattered right now.

They both knew…

After plenty of time, they finally parted from the hug, but kept themselves close, with Nephis still sitting on his lap. And Sunny had no objections.

And after a long, comfortable silence, words were finally spoken by the Changing Star.

"Sunny, I won't go to Valor…"

Sunny froze for a moment as she spoke

"I want to stay… With you…"

Sunny felt so many emotions he couldn't describe all of them, but before he could even speak one word, she interrupted.

"But I need to know everything. About Ki Song, about my father, why he was betrayed and why the Sovereigns gave up on climbing the path of Ascension. I need all of it."

He looked at her, hesitating for a few moments before nodding.

"Alright… But I don't know everything, and it would be better to tell you somewhere else."

She nodded, an understanding look in her eyes as she looked around.

"Where are we anyway?"

"On a space my new Shadow created, he can manipulate dreams, he is the whole reason I defeated that bastard."

She looked back at him.

"You have a new Shadow?"

"Yeah, a terrifying horse."

Nephis hummed, before her face darkened, a seemingly indifferent expression that showed anger and resentment.

"That… 'Man'... Did you kill him?"

Sunless immediately understood what she meant, and what she wanted to do.

"No, he is currently going through hundreds of nightmares, dying over and over again in a hundred ways, one more painful than the other… But he still has an untouched real body…"

"Can you wake me up? I'm still in that cell aren't I?"

Sunny nodded, his gaze as dark as hers as they plotted to take revenge against the one who brought them so much pain.

He gave Nightmare the order, and suddenly the whole world seemed to collapse as they began to wake up.

Not noticing just how much they were truly close after all they passed through.

— —

Saint and Igris were locked in a short stalemate against the three Ascendents, a fact that was both surprising and frustrating.

It had been around a minute after their master had lost his form and became a simple mist that hovered in the air. The bastard man that seemed to be the leader right in the middle with his arms stretched, imobile for the moment.

The reason the taciturn knights were in a stalemate was mostly due to a mixture between the Aspects of the Ascendents and the worry over the fact that their master had seemingly become unconscious for no apparent reason, except, of course, the Aspect of the leader. The unknown Aspect led to many conclusions, some worse than others.

But now that their surprise was gone, and they knew that he was secured along with the Lady thanks to their new companion, Nightmare, they had nothing holding them back.

The Shadow Saints took a brief, yet meaningful glance at each other, an entire conversation happening in that short moment.

It was then that the fight truly began… And ended.

There was no way for the Ascendents to win.

Igris blocked the sword of the one who attacked him with the pole of his spear.

Another attacked Saint, utilizing a warhammer and swinging it against her.

She deflected the swing with her sword, then dashed forward with her shield, right in her attacker's direction, crashing into him and then pushing him against the wall, crushing his body between her and the wall.

The reinforced wall cracked, the Ascendent's bones with it.

Having seen how his friend was crushed and possibly out of commission, the last one decided to assist his final comrade that was struggling against the male knight, it was a mistake.

As he approached, Igris pushed the one attacking him aside with a powerful strike of his fist. Launching his opponent just enough for him to twist his grip and launch his powerful weapon towards the other Ascended.

Despite his shock, the Ascended moving towards the spear was able to dodge, rolling to the side.

He landed as gracefully as he could, wearing a full suit of armor, ready to face his opponent.

However, as soon as he looked up, his body was already pierced into a wall. The spear embedding him into the wall pierced into his back, through the right side of his back, into his lung, protruding out of his left side, impaling the wall.

Saint had deflected the lance thrown by Igris in such a way to land exactly on the target.

The last Ascended standing looked at the scene in horror, however, he gripped his sword tighter, prepared for the battle.

Saint walked to meet Igris, who had already recovered the Transcendent spear, squinting her ruby eyes at the Ascended, somewhat intrigued.

Even more interesting, the Ascended that she had crushed into the wall was back up, apparently having an Aspect that allowed regeneration, because the warrior was mostly fine, already grabbing his warhammer again.

The two Ascendents met in the middle of the room, rising to meet the two knights who were right in front of them, just a few steps away.

Igris stiffened, before raising the mighty lance.

The Ascendents knew they were outmatched, yet they still got up to meet the opponents, so were the followers of war it seemed.

But they had a chance, as much as they hated him, the warden could turn the tide, if he was able to defeat that Shadow, they may be able to win.

All they had to do was stall for long enough that he…

The sound of a body falling echoed behind them, together with a well of screams.

The terrified bodies of the Ascendents painfully looked back, praying to their Goddess for them to be wrong, as the scream sounded like their very last hope being completely crushed.

The warden was on the ground, grasping for air as an unfamiliar facial expression embedded onto him: fear.

He was unquestionably terrified.

And the mist that hovered in the air quickly reformed, white sparks appeared as they created a dark uniform. The mist of shadows filled out the piece of clothing, and a humanoid figure made of shadows completed its form.

Sunless looked down with disgust at the bastard that made Nephis suffer, even if it was for merely a moment, he already hated that he let him go from the nightmares.

But soon, he would suffer even more…

He looked to his side, where a rune circle was written on the wall, iron bars marking the place as a cell. He wouldn't be able to destroy the wall on his own, but his Shadows…

Two projectiles pierced the air as Igris and Saint threw their lance and shield respectfully, destroying the wall that served as a cell door.

Debris and dust created clouds as consequence, but to Sunless, that mattered little, he simply Shadow Stepped into the cell to find Nephis.

As soon he entered, he immediately knew it was her, regardless if she was in a different body, their Connection let him know, it was her.

She was in a pitiful state.

Laid down on the floor, chains all throughout her body, not allowing her to make the slightest movement without costing her. She was covered in dust and scars, bruises on her wrists, legs, arms, thighs, neck… All due to how hard the chains binded her body.

Her body had wings, they had been sliced apart, with what was left being wrapped in chains.

The body had long ebony hair that was cascading around her, disheveled and dirty, her skin, supposed to be ivory, was losing the color, a consequence of the many wounds her body received.

What she was wearing could hardly be considered clothing, just rags that covered the least skin possible, making all the scars throughout her visible for the world to see. Her tendons had been slashed, making it impossible for her to move.

She was destroyed, shattered, and mangled…

And yet she was still there, alive. She was still Nephis.

Her head slowly moved, looking up to see him, and a weak voice came out.

"S-unn-y… The chains…"

She didn't need to say anything anymore.

Sunless summoned [BloodRaven], infusing three shadows onto the blade. Raising it and striking the chain that contained her neck, slicing it in two.

Then the one that binded her arms, then the one on her wings, her legs…

Until there were no more chains binding her, she could finally move…

And her flames were finally unleashed. Beginning from her chest and washing her whole body rapidly, healing every wound and scar that had marked her.

Sunny dismissed his odachi, moved to her right and crouched, grabbing her body to help her. Despite knowing all her internal damage was also healing, even with being cuffed and bound for two months without being able to move, all atrophy would disappear in a moment with the birth of the white flames.

Her skin was regaining the beautiful ivory, and her eyes… One of her eyes, the right one, began glowing in white, looking like a well of ivory flames, as if leaking white tears. The other was a simple, dark colored eye.

Not only that, marks throughout her body also ignited, symbols flowed in silver light, runes going from her feet until her neck. On her back, the wings that were once torn and damaged healed, completing six white feathered wings that looked like one's from a dove. All contrasting with her ebony dark hair.

She was truly beautiful…

"Sunny, you can–"

She almost tumbled forward, still not used to her new center of gravity from her body, the problem was even worse given two months of not moving.

He held her up, not letting her fall.

[Shadow]: "Don't be stubborn, you still need to adjust. And don't even think about fighting for now, it took me two months to get used to my own body."

Nephis sharpened her gaze, probably looking at the message in her runes. If she had questions, she didn't voice them, focusing on straightening herself.

Then, she looked directly at him and voiced her current desire with a sweet, stern voice.

"I will destroy this place and kill him. Regardless if I can fight or not."

The black canvas that was Sunless' face rippled for a moment, absorbing her statement. Before nodding and dismissing both Saint and Igris.

Both the shadows augmenting them returned to him rapidly, joining the other three under him.

[Shadow]: "Don't be swift."

With a simple nod, Nephis walked out of the cell with his help, she was quickly getting used to her new body, even with the massive wings on her back.

When they entered the hall, the Ascendents were trying to get the warden to stand up, but the man seemed in a catatonic state, not moving even a muscle.

That seemed to worsened more as Sunless and Nephis appeared in his vision, until his terrified face turned into anger.

He used the Ascendents as support to push himself up, gaining strength from seemingly nowhere.

"You bastard! Bitch… You think you can just-!"

His words died as the Nephilim glared at him.

At that point, Nephis could already walk mostly on her own, she thanked Sunny and moved forward, standing a few meters from the man that had tortured her for two months straight.

Her eyes remained cold, uncaring, when in reality, her soul ignited in intense anger.

Sunless immediately understood what she would do, so he activated his Awakened Ability and found refuge in the darkest, most obscure shadow in the prison. Which was the cell right behind them, one with the corpse of a… Creature…

A single whisper came out of Nephis' mouth, yet it carried the strength of a Terror.

"Burn."

An enormous tide of silver fire ignited on her, burning herself in purifying flames that spread throughout the room like rapid water.

She became an embodiment of flames, her very presence became fire. The runic marks throughout her body glowed in golden light, seemingly empowering the flames even more.

Even the stone burned, turning into liquid for simply touching it. The light shined so brightly it hurt the eyes of all of the followers of war.

But Sunny, be it because of his nature as a shadow or because of his Connection with Nephis, didn't feel a thing. Not the heat, or the blinding light, he felt at peace with her presence…

Along with a specific feeling, one that compelled him to do something completely insane that shouldn't be possible.

He sent all his shadow to augment Nephis. He had tried to do that before, but it never worked, but now, something told him it would.

As soon as all six shadow helpers connected to her shadow, they raised themselves, wrapping onto Nephis and augmenting her like she was Sunless.

The result? Her flames became six times more powerful, more intensive and more destructive.

The three Ascendents could only watch…

The Star of Ruin unleashed her flames towards them. Burning the whole Fortress of Steel.

The fire was pushed towards three Ascendents and the Fortress as a whole, an inferno ignited, one that consumed the complex in an impressive, destructive speed, turning corridors into dust, bodies into ash, and the few guards still alive into nothing more that useless memories for the Spell to discard.

Outside, Wraith jumped as the flames almost infected him with their incessant ferocity, they had already reached the gates, the Fortress burned more and more.

Nephis didn't stop, she ignored the harrowing, destructive pain that became a part of who she was. In fact, she poured more essence into her Aspect, making the flames hotter and her pain even more torturous.

But even as her body burned inside out, as the individual cells of her nerves were torn apart and rebuilt again and again… It was nothing compared to even a day in that nightmarish cell.

The two Ascendant captains were able to resist for several seconds, but even they were burned away. Their defences made null due to the Nephilim's new Attribute, gained after her evolution into a Terror, [Manifestation of Destruction], which made her flames slowly adapt to anything they touched, given enough exposure and considering difference in rank.

The Fortress burned until all turned into carbonizing ash, with just enough remaining for Sunny and Nephis to get out safely, including the cell behind her, where Sunny was currently residing, which had a strange body inside it…

And the only other person remaining was the warden. He received the worst kind of special treatment.

He was not only burned, he was also healed, then burned again in an endless circle of near death, where no respite was given.

He was burned until nothing but bare flesh remained, where his exposed nerves were burned, turning all to ash until they reached the bone. Then, they were quickly healed, all the damage and was relieved, making him healthy once again, only for the cycle to begin once more.

He felt more than just pain, he felt more than just agony, especially because of his deadly flaw…

All sensations he felt were turned to the maximum. Meaning all the joy, anger, sadness, elation, fear, pain, they all were exponentially intensified, a mundane person would already die for the amount of pain he was feeling normally, with his flaw, that pain was exponentially increased.

When Nephis was done and all the fire had been extinguished, the warden remained, his body burnt beyond explanation, he was imobile, destroyed, yet life still remained. Letting out slow, painful breaths.

Nephis looked at him with a hollow expression, the pain of her flaw burning her humanity away for the moment, yet once she put one step forward to confront him again, she faltered, pain flashed in her soul, a familiar, intensive pain.

She almost fell on the ground, but a mist made of shadows quickly materialized into the body of a man, grabbing her and preventing her fall.

Sunny put her arm around his neck and held her up, knowing she would be relatively fine in some moments.

Her seventh core was forming, she would be a Titan in a few seconds.

[Shadow]: "Forget him for now, let the pain pass."

Nephis turned to him, and in the process, white flames ignited in her eyes, the humanity of Changing Star returning to her soul.

She did as he said, letting him hold her until the painful process was finished.

Some moments later, she raised her head, the harrowing pain finally gone.

[Shadow]: "And put on some armor."

"Why?"

[Shadow]: "You are naked, and as much as I enjoy the view…"

Nephis stared at him, who was now looking up, not daring to look down to meet her eyes, then looked down to see her breasts clear for all to see, after all, her flames burned all the rags she used as clothes. So she was fully naked.

A blush, a red blush came over her, because Sunny was able to see her body. She immediately summoned her armor.

None the wiser that Sunny didn't have eyes, he could see all throughout his mist body. So he unconsciously saw her body in all her glory.

But he was too focused on the warden to focus on her beauty.

White sparks enveloped her Nephis put the most comfortable suit of armor she had, the [Starlight Legion armor]. It wrapped around her body tightly, even enclosing her wings.

After finally taking a breath of fresh air, she released herself from Sunny's grasp and straightened, turning to look at the burnt man kneeling a few feet of them.

"He's already dead, there is no way for him to survive this."

[Shadow]: "Why did you say it like you were talking to yourself?"

Nephis looked down and hugged her own body, wrapping her arms around her shoulders, trying to hide her face, she wasn't satisfied…

That man… He did unspeakable things to her in that dream.

Sunny approached her and opened his arms, wrapping them around her in a gentle, comfortable manner.

[Shadow]: "Let's go Neph… It's time to rest…"

"Yes… Rest…"

She turned around to hug him, regardless if she was just hugging a mass of shadows, it felt good, right, warm, even if it didn't make sense.

Sunny carresed her head.

[Shadow]: "Moreover, he's already suffering as we speak."

Nephis opened her mouth to speak, but decided to merely smile in understanding.

The warden was currently in Nightmare's dreams, fated to receive imesuable agony before dying.

Nephis stayed with Sunless, breathing slowly, all while the body of the warden slowly turned to ash… Until it turned into nothing but dust in the air.

His last moments were within a nightmare, still denying the fact he would die as a consequence of his heinous acts. If he was not a phantom created by the Nightmare and didn't torture the Changing Star, he would be right.

They stayed silent for some moments…

Sunny noticed a subtle movement, Wraith had entered, slowly approaching his owner, careful to not interrupt the moment.

Nephis left his embrace and looked at the wolf that was slowly getting to them, Wraith hesitated as her gaze found his.

She smiled softly, crouching, reaching her hand, allowing the wolf to approach her to caress his head. Wraith obediently let her hands go through his fur, enjoying it, but mostly wishing to give her some solace.

And so did Sunless, he crouched beside, being there for her.

But eventually, Wraith opened his eyes wide, smelling something through his muzzle and looking around.

Nephis slightly sharpened her eyes, turning to Sunny.

"What's wrong…?"

[Shadow]: "No idea…"

Wraith moved from the two, going to the only place remained untouched by the flames, the cell where Sunless resided while Nephis burned the Fortress, it was opened, and the corpse of the creature was rotting.

Sunless had no idea why Wraith was so interested in it, save for the fact the creature looked like a humanoid wolf, it didn't seem to be that interesting…

That is, until Wraith bowed respectfully to the body, waiting a few seconds…

Until he opened his jaws wide and ate through the body, ripping flesh and bone thoroughly, tearing everything in search of something, something… Important.

Sunless paused, that kind of action from his Shadows was familiar.

'It can't be…'

Wraith found what he was looking for, his fangs ripped out a big part of the flesh and found the core of the creature, the soul shard.

So Wraith ate it. Breaking it, making sure all fragments entered his mouth.

Immediately after, he dismissed himself, returning to Sunny's soul sea.

Nephis blinked, then looked at Sunny with an indifferent stare.

"Congradulations, your Shadow is evolving. Now you have an even more powerful Echo…"

[Shadow]: "Don't say it like you don't give every Echo you gain to someone else."

"I don't do that, I didn't even get that many Echoes."

[Shadow]: "You gained six Echoes since returning to the Forgotten Shore. You gave them all to the Firekeepers."

"... Who told you that?"

[Shadow]: "Kai is not a great secretkeeper."

"Right… You are not mad I didn't give them to you?"

[Shadow]: "Not really, I don't want a worm as a Shadow."

"Alright… Let's go?"

Sunless nodded, grabbed her hand and led her to the outside.

As soon as they left the gates, he summoned Dreadwing, after climbing it, the raven began to take flight, taking them to the Sanctuary of Noctis.

Despite the Glass Knife not being in the Fortress, the Divine Shadow found something more important for him, the Nephilim that he cared about.