In complete opposition to the grand hall where Valor's Ball was being held, the living quarters of the mansion were quiet, dark, desolate if compared.
The only thing that betrayed that assessment was the few patrols made by the elite of the knights of Valor, powerful Awakened whose job was to make sure no one disrupted the ball.
Two knights passed through the corridors, guards wearing full steel armor, walking with confidence through the halls.
One was a rookie in the knights, joining a few weeks earlier, with his companion being a veteran, already having some years of experience. The veteran was using his luminous Memory to guide their way forward, both keeping guards up to make sure nothing passed their perception.
After a few hours, something finally found their way to them. A sound coming from the center of the building, it was the grand voice of one of their masters, his speech reaching even them.
"Greetings, my friends and colleagues!..."
The rookie sighed, disappointment evident as his posture wavered.
"I wished I could see the Changing Star…"
His counterpart merely laughed, giving a humorous glance to the rookie.
"What? Think you have a chance to get her hand, you fool?"
"Of course not, but nothing stops me from admiring her."
The veteran shook his head as he continued walking.
"So keep it like that, I doubt she has eyes for anyone except Legacies, she's too much for any of us."
As the rookie followed his senior, a certain curiosity creeped up on his mind.
"Sir, do you believe Lady Changing Star is interested in the Hollow Death?"
"What kind of question is that? Are you jealous or something?"
The rookie looked to the side awkwardly, he couldn't deny it but at the same time, he couldn't bring himself to admit it, but there was something else bothering him.
So since his junior refused to say anything, the veteran continued.
"I doubt it, I bet it was just a fling, if there was anything else, she would have gone to Song."
The rookie sighed.
"I sure hope so, with a True Name like that, the spawn of the Queen can be nothing good for Lady Changing Star."
The veteran didn't answer, he didn't need to, he agreed with the statement.
Both guards continued to walk silently. Eventually passing through a study room with a large double-door, completely ignoring it.
Not knowing there were two Masters in the room.
—
"You know, father never talked about you. In fact, I never knew you existed until some months ago…"
Sinclair sighed, still trying to find words to say while looking around.
"He's not really… A conversation guy, mother was the one who took care of me, he? He just trained me to survive, then spent the rest of his time being a Saint."
Despite his words, he seemed pretty indifferent, even shrugging.
"Honestly? I didn't really like him, I think it was because I was always surrounded by powerful people, no one died. Sir Gilead was always preaching about loyalty, Uncle Jest was always there making jokes, I don't even need to mention Lord Anvil."
Sinclair looked down, his gaze reflecting light encased in his eyes.
"But after my First Nightmare, I think I understand, the Dream Realm is truly a harrowing world. And the path of an Awakened is nothing short of terrifying, and Whispering Blade is needed as one of the most powerful of humanity in the front lines. So I let go of my anger to him, came to respect him even, he did a lot for the Clan, for the continuation of humanity. All so the King of Swords could lead us to a better future… His negligence was needed."
Twisting the dagger on his hand, Sinclair glared at the hooded figure that was kneeling in front of him.
"What isn't needed is traitors like you, who tarnish everything we sacrificed. You forced our hand and sided with that witch, not only did you waste all the resources and training poured onto you, you gave it all to the enemy. You bit the hand that feeded you and gave you everything you have, and for what? To serve someone you barely know?"
Sinclair suppressed a curse.
"To think I was excited to meet my 'brother' once he returned from the Dream Realm, the best student of Saint Jest… You are no blade, I can only see a 'Ghost' of a broken blade."
The figure kneeling in front of the son of Whispering Blade was none other than his adopted brother whom he never met until now.
Motza had his gaze fixated on Sinclair the whole time, hearing the whole speech unflinching, his face unmoving, the bandages on his left eye coloured in red blood as his own liquid slowly fell from his forehead.
After some seconds, the shadow operative finally spoke.
"You talk as if Valor is humanity itself."
Sinclair raised an eyebrow.
"So what? For me it is, I was raised and trained to live for Valor, for my father, our father. Just like you."
Motza took a look at his dagger, then looked back at Sinclair.
"You didn't choose that life."
"So what? I enjoy it, I find meaning in it."
"You walk the path he gave to you, not the path you chose. You think following him will give you meaning, it is how he controls people, by making you think you are alone. I understood that once I lost my eye, once I found my meaning to live."
Sinclair rolled his eyes, completely ignoring his training momentarily.
"Really? Your meaning to live? Don't make me laugh. Even if your logic is right, you are doing the same thing, only choosing a different chain to put on your neck, the chain of Shadow and Blood instead of the one from Life."
Motza tilted his head and rose to his feet, mist began following him as he did.
"He doesn't see me as a blade, he cares for the ones he killed, even if he doesn't show it, he searches for meaning in death… That is enough for me."
Sinclair sharpened his eyes, and the two assassins blurred for a second, traveling the distance between them instantly, clashing their weapons.
A flash of orange sparks illuminated the room for a moment, the exchange of slashes began and ended the very next second.
Both combatants stood in the same place as they started, a few feet from each other. Only now, Sinclair had his tuxedo ripped, its right side beginning to turn red as blood flew from a wound.
The man didn't seem to care, his body was already being encased in a well of white sparks as his armor Memory was summoned.
The Nameless Ghost meanwhile was as indifferent as he was when the encounter started, only now, his bandages now flew between the room and revealed his true eye underneath the white fabric. A horrifying scar traveling from his ear to his forehead, passing through his blind eye, the iris now white as consequences from the past wound. A wound that seemed burnt, like the blade that made it did so with heat and fire.
A very old wound.--
The red blood from the wound on his forehead now infected the old scar now that the bandages were gone.
Motza stared at the Legacy, remembering something Sinclair said.
"The First Nightmare changed you as well?"
Sinclair tilted his head to the left as his armor settled onto his body.
"You ask that now?"
Motza ignored his question and continued.
"My Nightmare was in a misty place, I was covered by mist, I was a being of mist. There was nothing else, only me, trapped, in an endless expanse."
Sinclair tried to ignore it, but he couldn't help the curiosity…
"What are you getting at?"
"I spent some time there, I don't know how long, lost, abbandoned… Until someone or something appeared. It didn't notice me at first, it was dangerous, It would kill me if it did, but I followed it anyway."
Motza looked back at his dagger.
"I followed it for hours… Until that thing finally noticed me, and tried to feast on me. After all, what kind of creature consumed by corruption doesn't kill humans?"
Sinclair widened his eyes, Motza ignored his reaction once again.
"I killed it, and afterwards, I thought I was free from the Nightmare…"
Motza looked back at his 'brother'.
"What a fool I was, my Nightmare had merely begun, I thought I would be bound to serve Whispering Blade…"
He looked at his runes, a constant reminder of his curse was there.
Flaw- Empty Choice
[You will never be free.]
"But I will decide who I will follow…"
He turned to Sinclair once again, raising his dagger.
"And I decide to follow Death."
—
The hall beside the study, Saint Jest walked around nodding dramatically, hearing the confrontation between his two best students.
He periodically put his cane down, pinning it on the floor as he walked, a satisfied expression on his face.
"To still be so quiet even when fighting an equal opponent, I'm so proud!"
He strolled a bit more until he turned around the corner.
"They really are impressive, don't you think so, sword of the witch?"
What met him was a bone-chilling sight, various bodies of armored guards stood frozen in different positions in the ice-covered hall.
Guards turned into ice statues, the slashes that tore through their armor freezing their blood and making it stand in the air. Some embedded on the walls, others frozen on the floor.
A true web of ice statues.
The culprit behind the horrifying masterpiece was sitting on a throne of ice of her own making, made in front of it, sipping a cup of cold liquid, her legs crossed in content.
She was a cold beauty, white hair and dress. Despite her clothes showing skin, the cold did not bother her, it was born of her power, it couldn't harm her.
Frostblade opened her eyes and looked upon Saint Jest, leaving her cup of tea on the armrest, her expression didn't change as she gazed through her enemy.
"Saint Jest. Or should I say, 'Not So Funny Anymore'."
Jest looked at her humorlessly.
"Seriously? Even you?! It was cold, so I expected to meet a statue, not a smartass!"
He chuckled.
"Get it? Cold, statue? You have a cold Aspect?"
Frostblade didn't react, simply leaning on her chair and closing her eyes.
"You have never been funny."
"Agh! What did I expect from you? Anyways, can you and the mist brat leave? I have enough on my plate as it is, especially after you killed all these guards."
Frostblade let her cold red eyes linger on Jest before answering.
"They are not dead, just frozen."
"Oh? Great! Less paperwork. Wait, actually, not, there will be more paperwork, I will have to question more people, shit!"
Frostblade ignored the elder Saint's outburst and continued.
"Motza needs to finish his mission, then, we'll leave you alone."
Jest tilted his head.
"And? What are you after? And what makes you think I'll let you get it?! Are you crazy, you crazy woman?"
Frostblade hummed.
"You're smart, figure it out."
Jest got annoyed.
"Are you mocking me?!"
Frostblade hummed.
"You're smart, figure it out."
Jest was outraged.
"You- How dare you?! You are after our records, am I wrong?!"
Frostblade hummed.
"You're smart, figure it out."
Jest's eyes twitched.
"You bitch. I was supposed to be the ragebaiter, not you!"
Frostblade hummed.
Jest interrupted her before she did anything.
"Alright! What is the one thing you can get in the waking world… Oh…"
Saint Jest's face dropped in outrage of his own stupidity, before smiling and confidently stating:
"Right, the records from our activities here, want to know who figured out about that girl huh? Get rid of our spies in the Government?"
Frostblade stared at him for a few seconds…
Before humming.
"You're smart–"
"Enough!"
Jest sighed, tired of the damn swordwoman, he smiled eerily, glaring, showing his true colours.
"Fine, now get out, or I'll make you get out."
Frostblade didn't flinch from her ice chair, on the contrary, she glared right back.
"You won't make me do anything Jest, you're Aspect is the worst against me, we both know about my flaw, even if there was someone else with me, you'd lose."
Silence settled as both Saints stared at each other.
Jest tried to keep a straight face, but inevitably lost it.
"Agh… Why did it have to be you?! Fine! You are lucky we can't have a fight here, and if any Saint got out of the party, questions would rise… Whatever, want to make a deal? If my brat wins, you walk away with nothing, If your brat wins, I give you the records."
Jest stood for a few seconds and shook his head.
"Actually, scratch that, you guys want vengeance, right? The records will only hasten the process, you'll figure it out soon enough. How about you both get out now and I tell you who looked into the mission and approved it."
Frostblade raised her brow.
"Hum? That easy?"
"Of course! After all, it's quite obvious you know?"
Frostblade scoffed.
"Who in their right mind would do that against the Queen, then?"
"Who else? It was me who figured out about the girl of course! Then I sent a few Awakened to kill them."
Frostblade twitched her head. It only made Jest smirk.
"What, did you really think I would let the Queen of Worms get another spawn for her campaign?"
Frostblade stared at Jest…
She then rose from her ice throne and slowly walked in Jest's direction. When she reached his side, her whisper came out as cold and as sharp as a snowstorm.
"You will regret that. I'll make sure of it."
She walked past him, turning to the study room where Motza and Sinclair were fighting.
Jest merely chuckled, but his face steeled, becoming sharp and serious.
"Right, right, get in line, would you? I already hate myself enough, and watch your emotions dear Ice Queen, really don't want to deal with a maniac right now."
— —
All eyes were on Nephis, the hall seemed to turn quiet as she went down the stairs. Madoc's speech had long been forgotten as they basqued in the beauty of Changing Star.
Sunny stared at her unknowingly, almost forgetting the fact Mordret of all people was right behind him.
"You are drooling Sunless."
Snapping out of his daze, Sunny turned to his reflection, a friendly smile welcomed him, the only visible eye in the profile perspective it was in seeming like a mirror that reflected himself back.
"I'm not… What do you want, Mordret? Where were you? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you betrayed us."
Mordret chuckled.
"Please my friend, I would never betray you! I was merely considering my options."
"Your… Options?"
Mordret's smile disappeared, and a rare, pondering expression infected him. He turned to the visage of the city far ahead.
"That daemon made me question everything… I was determined to somehow kill her, to do what not even my father was able to do and yet… As soon as I laid my eyes on her, I knew nothing mattered."
He turned back to Sunny.
"And as much as I wished she was wrong, something keeps telling me she is right."
Sunny squinted his eyes, his voice low and solemn, so only the reflection could hear.
"You… There's something missing in your soul, right?"
Mordret laughed humorlessly, his voice betraying his smile.
"Clever my friend… I'm incomplete, how did you know?"
"I can sense shadows Mordret, and yours is all wrong, it's missing something, somethings."
"Correct. Hah, I can't believe I'm saying this to you… I just feel so wrong, for the first time in a long time, I finally have a body, I have the opportunity to go on my vengeance, to satiate this hunger…"
The reflection looked down.
"Yet I feel nothing, not after the Deity exposed all that I am just by her presence… Just an incomplete soul that will never truly feel satisfaction or regret, just hatred. Even if I kill my father…"
Sunny sighed, his gaze falling on Nephis again, she had arrived on the ground floor, and Madoc had just announced the dance, asking for the pairs to join together.
Of course, Nephis would have to choose someone to dance with, and Sunny could bet Valor demanded she choose someone from a Vassal Clan or a retainer.
He sighed, knowing she couldn't choose himself.
"You want something that you cannot have…"
Mordret smiled humorlessly.
"Exactly, I want the satisfaction of killing my father, the fulfillment, but even after having all my desires exposed by the Daemon of Desire herself, I couldn't feel it, I couldn't feel regret, love, happiness…"
Sunny turned to Mordret.
"What will you do then?"
The reflection smiled.
"My friend… Would you mind going to Bastion with me? I need to get something from there."
Studying the reflection, Sunny eventually lowered his gaze.
"Come now Sunless, I will owe you big time, plus, it's something our teacher wants."
He looked back at Mordret, showing nothing but a stoic facade.
"And what would that be?"
Mordret didn't say anything for a second, before answering.
"To have 'Mordret' back."
Sunny sharpened his gaze, he would ask what he meant, but his attention was pulled elsewhere, to the center of the hall.
he looked through his shadows, and he widened his eyes, Nephis was denying everyone who offered her a dance.
She had sat on a table not far from the dance floor, in fact, it was so close it seemed like she just sat there because it was the closest chair she could find.
And every time a legacy scion or retainer approached her, she simply ignored them. Just looked at the ground, motionless like a statue.
The legacy that thought Sunny had simply stolen Changing Star's glory had approached her by a direction that seemed deliberate to make her see him, before he said anything, Nephis promptly gave him a glance and turned around, forcing the legacy to leave in shame.
One of the ones that badmouthed Sunny's sisters suffered the same fate, after they tried to start a conversation before asking if she wanted to talk to them in the first place.
"G-Good evening L-Lady Changing Star, I'm Cassian, from Clan Fulcrose, I'm delighted to finally meet you. I can guarrantee your choice to join Valor instead of the parasite of the Song Clan was the right one my Lady, may I show you with this dance…?"
Nephis spared the young legacy a disappointed glance, and promptly looked ahead, now resting her chin on her hand, not caring if it ruined the delicate make-up she had.
The legacy named Cassian shuttered, and soon left, ashamed.
Then one of the ones filled with lust came to her, his eyes barely hidding his intentions.
"Hello, my Lady, you are–"
He began talking, but Nephis seemingly knew everything about the young man without even looking as she completely ignored his presence, her gaze not reaching the lust-filled man that didn't seem to stop talking for minutes without end.
Eventually, the dense legacy noticed she wasn't paying attention to him.
"Hey! Do you–"
Before making a scene, his Clan members grabbed him and basically ran away, putting their hands on his mouth to stop him from yeling.
Sunny watched everything from his shadows… His eyes widening as much as they could, a small hope building on his heart.
'That girl… Is she that stubborn?!'
Finally, the legacy that thought it was destiny that he would take Changing Star's hand appeared, he looked as arrogant as ever, the pumpous legacy approached her.
His short hair was brown and spiky, eyes orange as honey and skin white as pearl, using a tuxedo that made him elegant despite his strong build and luxurious. All complemented by a arrogant smile.
He made a dramatic bow as he approached Nephis, who unconsciously caught him on her pereferal vision.
"Good evening Lady Changing Star, may I ask for a dance?"
Nephis didn't react, simply looking ahead, but the legacy didn't take the hint.
"Playing hard to get, my Lady? No problem, I understand if you feel embarresed for the amount of eyes on you, but it doesn't bother me if you are hesitent to take my hand."
He raised himself and placed his hand on his chest.
"For I am patient, I will wait for you even if your magnificent beauty fade. Wait until you are ready to take my hand."
Nephis finally reacted, looking at him with stoic indifference.
"Ah, yes? Do you wish to say something? I'm all ears, Lady…"
She immediately looked the other way, ignoring him to the point she didn't hear what he said next.
The legacy stood there, talking to air as Changing Star ignored him.
The whole hall seemed to have stopped in time, the event was for Changing Star, yet she seemed to have no interest in it. Even the music, that was supposed to start, didn't due to her inaction.
Madoc stared at Nephis with contained annoyence, something Valor's retainers and a few Vassal Clan heads seem to share as their sons were being denyed again and again. While others seemed indifferent if not a little proud, like Sky Tide.
All eyes were on her, all waited for her to suddenly gain interest in the ball. And despite his consistent attempts, the legacy that was still talking to her couldn't do it, in fact, his consistent talking was seemingly making it worse.
At the same time, the young fool was as arrogant as in the beginning, none the wiser of all the eyes he was getting.
Sunny stared at all of that and sighed, his reflection meanwhile was smiling, but as time passed, the smile grew more and more forced…
"Well, she has the tolarance of iron, if it was me, I would already killed the fool."
"Honestly? I would have considered… And they guy is still talking!"
Cassie, who was beside Sunny, hummed in agreement.
"He is as dense as a brick, even more so than you… Even from a distance, I can tell Neph is on the verge of insulting him."
Sunny pinched the bridge of his nose, then snapped his head at Cassie.
"I'm not that dense."
"Yes, you are."
"Yes, you are."
Both Mordret and Cassie said it at the same time, making Sunny groawn.
"Want proff?"
"You know what? Yeah, I want proff Cass."
"She's waiting for you."
Sunny froze, understanding passing through him as he slowly turned to Nephis… In pure coincidence, she was looking at him…
She was truly beautiful, from her hair to dress, the details, pins, jewels, even the red lipstick… It all made her even more beautiful than she already was…
And her grey eyes, the eyes that seemed to have white flames burning in them, were looking at him with longing…
Eventually, she looked away, maybe because he was staring back, a feint blush in her cheeks. Almost in… Embarresment, or was it disappointment?
"Go to her."
Sunny snapped his head to Cassie.
"What-? I can't- Valor…"
Cassie shruggred.
"They won't trust us regardless, especially after this stunt, might as well go all the way."
Sunny hesitated again, lowering his gaze. Feeling eyes on himself, he looked up to see his sisters looking at him…
Seishan smiled, nodding as if she read his mind.
Eunbin was looking at him funny, as if not understanding why he was taking so long, she pointed at Nephis with her hair incessantly.
The Heir of Shadows himself sighed, then looked back at his reflection with something akin to a plea.
"Don't look at me, I don't know how to feel love."
His eye twitched in anger.
"Agh… Fine. If this goes wrong, I'm blaming all of you!"
He let the glass of wine he was holding on Cassie's table and began walking towards Nephis, getting through all other guests, who gave him weird glances as passed them. Soon, he became the center of attention.
—
Nephis was still looking to the side, trying to ignore the annoying legacy that wouldn't stop talking.
But eventually, he finally stopped talking, her ears were saved…
But now that she noticed, everyone stopped talking, there was complete silence, but when she lifted her gaze, they were all still looking at her… No… They were looking beside her.
"Hey! What are you doing here sp–"
The irritating voice of the legacy was cut by a familiar one…
"Get lost, will you? Your voice is bothering her."
Before the annoying legacy's rebuttal, Nephis turned around to look at the owner of the voice.
He was pale, with perfect skin. His raven-black hair dark as the darkness itself and eerie hollow eyes that reflected nothing but an endless well of shadows. His suit was sleek, all-black military-inspired ensemble, with just enough ornaments to signify his royalty.
Sunny looked at her with his hollow eyes…
Her eyes widened slightly as she felt her heart race, she was nervous, but so was he, they needed to talk…
And her selfish whish would allow that.
Sunless Song lowered his posture, put one hand behind his back and held the other towards her.
"Would you grant me a dance, Lady Nephis?"
Silence settled once again, none dared to speak a word…
But Nephis broke it, as it was her will.
"Yes, I would."
She grabbed his hand, and rose to meet Sunless.
The dance could finally begin.