The 4 remaining people were sitting around the bonfire, now no one fought for the warmth because there was more than enough room
Actually, that was not true. There was simply no one else alive to fight for the spaces nor did they need the warmth anymore, their corpses had already grown cold.
"Don't listen to him, your lordship. This boy is, uh, touched by the gods. He's crazy! is what I'm trying to say."
Sunny had just told them they could not go down the mountain
Hero frowned and looked at the slaves - "The two of you are only alive thanks to this child's bravery. Aren't you ashamed to badmouth him so?"
'It feels like I'm re watching a movie...'
Shifty shrugged, showing that he wasn't ashamed at all. The young soldier shook his head.
"I for one would like to hear his reasoning. Tell me, why can't we go down?" - Scholar looked at Sunny who rolled his eyes.
He raised his hand and pointed at the mountain cliff
"See i told you, he's gone mad!"
"I'm not mad you idiot, look at where that monster had fell, and then woke up with no injuries and enough power to go on a slaughter. What makes you think its dead just because we pushed it?"
All 3 people had their eyes widen and then he continued. - "Our only option is to escape up by climbing because im willing to bet my life that the beast is climbing its way back up to finish the job"
All 4 of them were silent for a while before hero rose again from his seat holding that knife. Shifty tensed and then relaxed when he saw no malice
"Food, water, warm clothes, firewood. That is what we need to find. Let us split up and accomplish one task each." - Then he pointed at himself with the tip of the knife.
"I will carve the oxen carcasses to get us some meat."
Scholar looked around the stone platform — most of it drowning in deep shadows — and grimaced. - "I'll look for firewood."
Shifty also glanced left and right, with a strange gleam in his eyes. - "Then I'll go find us something warm to wear."
Sunny was the last one left. Hero gave him a long look.
"Each of the fallen kept a canteen at their belt, I trust you to get them."
'His words were different to me, was it because of the plan i hatched together?'
"Sure" - He said waking up and moving in a direction different from the rest
after a few moments Sunny was standing in front of the soldier that had whipped him... - 'Ah i guess he didn't this time. but still i promised to slit your throat'
Sunny did not speak to the man, nor did he show any particular emotion. The man was still reaching for the shattered sword
Sunny reached for the sword and slit the mans throat. He sat there for a few seconds and watched as the light drained from his eyes, only this time Sunny didn't throw the blade away. He placed it in the mans hand and stood - "...Your Nightmare is over"
This was Sunny's first time killing a human, first time in this life at least. He had seen himself do it before and the things he saw definitely made him a bit more ruthless but in the end, this was still his first time.
[You have slain a dormant human, name unknown.]
[You have received a Memory…]
This too was another first for Sunny. His first memory - unfortunately Sunny didn't summon it since he already knew its use and looks.
He then stripped the man of his cloak, clothes and boots and even the broken sword before walking back to the group
...
They had reached the part of the road that had been destroyed and this time, Shifty did not suggest killing Sunny because of his relation to the Dead God, rather he had brought up Sunny's cold and murderous nature and like last time Auro had stood up for him with the reason that Sunny had been the most useful of the 3 of them
They had come to the conclusion that they would need to climb up to the old ancient road made by the pilgrims
The climb was long and as arduous as the first time but Sunny was a lot more motivated than the last time too
There was a divine ranked aspect waiting up there, an Aspect that was altered by the God of Shadows and the Daemon of Fate. It was clear to say - he was the most motivated as the other 3
Shifty for example, was already dead and even his corpse was taken
Next Scholar was killed too
And now, It was just Sunny and the man that was trying to kill him in his sleep.
Sunny did not respond this time when the hero had asked if he was asleep. Instead Sunny appeared to be fast asleep
Auro did not question it either, he had seen the way the boy had exhausted himself. How his chest heaved and sweat poured and even see how his eyes seemed to reflect his mental drain
Sunny though was fully alert and outwards it seemed he was wrapping himself in his coat Sunny was listening to the bastard talk
'Same boring speech as last time...'
"I don't expect you to forgive me. This sin, too, will be mine to bear. But, please, if you can… find it in your heart to understand. If things were different, I would have gladly faced that monster to let you escape. But my life… does not belong to me alone. There is an unencompassable duty I am sworn to fulfill.
Until it's done, I cannot allow myself to die."
The hero moved and raised his sword but then as the hero's face was filled with sadness and the blade struck the floor
Sunny moved
Just as the sword clung on the floor, a handful of blood was coughed by Auro and simultaneously his blade was caught by the thick wool coat, Sunny had sprung up like a... well a spring and the broken sword came up to
It came up and struck the hero's throat pushed right through and causing a gush of blood
Hero staggered back and fell, and oppositely, Sunny straightened and rose
"You know… when I just came here, I was ready to die. After all, in this whole world — two worlds, actually — there's not a single soul who cares whether I live or die. When I'm gone, no one will be sad. No one will even remember that I existed."
There was a forlorn look on his face. A moment later, however, it was gone, replaced by mirth.
"But then I changed my mind. Somewhere along the way, I decided to survive. I must survive, no matter what."
Hero could not ask him why or give any suggestions. The light in his eyes would only last a bit longer
Sunny grinned. A dark gleam appeared in his eyes. "Because there will be people I care for and people who care for me, and i plan to kill everything that stands in our way."
Hero had fell, lifeless and flooding in his own blood, Stabbing the neck was the best strike
[You have slain an Awakened Human, Auro of the Nine]
Sunny turned as he heard the THUMP THUMP sounds coming from close outside the cave
'I kept my past's promise. I watched you die'
And that was his signal
Sunny began to climb
The winds blew like wails and his body was freezing and even his eyes closing
'No! I'm almost there...'
Finally after what felt like an eternity, Sunny reached the steps of the black temple.
He started to climb them, and this time he saw thousands of bones that were scattered around. The bones some human and some monster. All of them were killed by the invisible guardians still lingering around the temple.
As Sunny was climbing the steps, one of the shapeless guardians approached him. It was ready to snuff out the spark of life that was burning weakly in the defiler's chest, but then stopped, sensing a faint, strangely familiar scent coming from his soul. The scent of divinity. Sorrowful and lonesome.
But this time, it did not move aside and Sunny was not oblivious to its existence
He paused for a second, panic settling into his bones
'What the hell is that...!'
He moved 2 steps back as the guardian appeared, rising from the shadows faster than he could blink, Sunny fell back as he looked at the being in front of him.
It resembled a Knight, It was humanoid in appearance and if it was once human it was definitely a tall one, a very tall 8 ft. tall one.
Sunny didn't know for sure and he could not determine its Class or Rank but looking at it once thing was clear, it was definitely not a beast or monster nor was it a dormant
While the being was still, Sunny was preparing to pick up one of the bones, maybe attack it but then run instantly towards the altar in the temple.
But then...
The giant being that resembled a knight, bowed
It bowed to Sunny. Falling to one knee, it's arm at his chest and the other on the floor holding its blade.
The knight spoke no words, but Sunny could feel it. As if he could perfectly understand what was happening, as if he understood what the knight was saying.
It recognizes him.
"It recognizes me as the Heir of the Shadow God."
Sunny looked at the knight. - "You were the reason the mountain king took longer to enter the temple last time, weren't you?"
The Shadow Knight simply looked at him, nodding.
Sunny, looking like a child despite the knight kneeling put his hand out to the creature.
A thanks of sorts, as if without the knights' intervention he would have probably died a long time ago, when the knight took it, something happened.
Sunny waited for the knight to shake his hand, but the being didn't. - "Ah handshakes weren't a thing at this time were they"
But then. The knight stood up from the ground and placed his hand on Sunny's head.
Sunny stood there, confused as he felt the cold hand ruffle his unruly hair
[You have acquired a Shadow.]
His eyes widened
'This is... new'
He was not sad though, confused? - absolutely, but not sad
Unfortunately Sunny heard the roar of the creature in the back approaching
Sunny stopped and picked up a long bone from the ground and ran into the temple
Holding the long bone in his hand Sunny brought forward the memory of his Legacy
He danced, the dance was graceful and fluid swapping between forms as if it was the epitome of shapelessness and formlessness
He stopped only when he heard the voice of the spell announcing his success.
[You have acquired an aspect legacy: Shadow dance]
'Perfect'
His future self was quite an accomplished man and now all those accomplishments were his, well technically speaking it always was but now it was especially true.
After all...
Sunny had seen the memories of thousands of battle styles, he had seen himself perform and integrate them into his battles too
And now he had effectively mastered 3 steps of his legacy and would only need to wait to become a master and practice a bit to unlock the rest!
Suddenly there was the sound of heavy breathing coming from the temple door
Mountain King was standing there, looking at him with its five blind eyes. He was still massive, terrifying and revolting. Worm-like shapes were still moving frantically under its skin. It was sniffing the air, salivating.
Then it opened its maw and moved forward, slowly approaching the altar.
'What an ugly bastard'
Sunny laughed as he stabbed his hand with the bone and dropped the red blood on the black altar, the black marble soaking it all up and a second later it was as pristine as before
A second later, it was as pristine as it was before.
The tyrant was just about to reach Sunny. It was already stretching its hands to grab him.
'This is the beginning' he thought,, the smile on his face as wide as possible
And then, The spell spoke
[You have offered yourself as a sacrifice to the gods.]
[The gods are dead, and can not hear you.]
[Your soul is alight with the flames of divinity.]
[You are a Chosen being.]
[Shadow God stirs in his eternal slumber.]
[Weaver stirs in their eternal slumber.]
[Blessings from beyond the grave and from beyond Time fall upon you!]
[Breaker of Fate, Heir of Shadow, receive your blessing!]
Sunny watched as the lunging mountain king was caught by the materialized shadows and was pulled apart, its body torn into pieces falling on the ground
Sunny smiled
[You have slain an awakened tyrant, Mountain King.]
[Wake up, Sunless! Your nightmare is over.]
[Prepare for appraisal…]