Soon after, Sunny found himself in a very strange situation. He was left alone with three emissaries of the great clan Valor - Changing Star, Morgan, and Whispering Blade himself. Two of the most powerful people in the world were right there in front of him, speaking with each other casually. And, of course, Nephis was there too.
The waiting room they had been led to was comfortable and spacious. Food and refreshments had been served by the staff members, and it seemed as if the four of them were having a friendly get-together back in NQSC. The only difference was that everyone was wearing armor... well, except for Sunny himself. Still, he fit right in with the members of clan Valor due to his black tunic.
He sighed. 'Speak about strange bedfellows. That is what they call sleeping with the enemy, huh... wait. Neither of these sentences sounds right!' Lamenting the poor sense of whoever had come up with these idioms, Sunny reached for a plate and loaded it with all kinds of food. Supplies were a sore point for the Evacuation Army, but Wake of Ruin must have decided to go all out today - there were a lot of things on the table that would have been almost impossible to procure anywhere in Antarctica, except maybe on the black market.New n0vel chapters are published on
The pile of food attracted the attention of Morgan, who observed him for a few moments, and then raised an eyebrow. Her vermilion eyes had a hint of amusement in them. "...Are you very hungry, Master Sunless?" He glanced at her somberly, then shook his head.
"Well, if you must know... I spent the last couple of weeks in the wilderness, scouting out the migration routes of a horde of Nightmare Creatures. Then, I had to lend a hand in a battle against a Corrupted Tyrant, and came to meet you pretty much immediately after that. But... no. I'm not that hungry." He leaned back and raised his heavy plate.
"However, one of the first things Antarctica teaches you is to eat when you can. Who knows when I'll have a chance to have a proper meal again?" Whispering Blade chuckled.
"So... not too different from subjugating the Dream Realm, then. Morgan is a bit too young to remember, but back when human territory was actively expanding, it wasn't rare for Awakened to spend years in hellish conquests of untamed regions. Good food was more precious than soul shards." The Saint looked at his niece with an outwardly benevolent expression and smiled.
Sunny glanced at her over his plate and smiled. "I am not going to lie... I did regret that decision myself, a couple of times." Then, he shrugged and turned his attention back to the food. "However, what's done is done. And hey, that's fate for you. Despite everything, we are still going to end up fighting side by side." 'And maybe even against each other. When that happens, your regret will only grow.'
Morgan nodded. When she spoke, her voice sounded a little cold: "Indeed. Life is truly unpredictable... the first time we met, it was because you had caused a certain person to escape his prison, and played a role in the death of one of Valor's Saints. And now, we might be seeing that person very soon, and you are enjoying a meal with me. What a funny turn of events."
Sunny looked at her for a few moments, then shook his head. "You're right, it's kind of funny. However, you are wrong if you think that we'll see that guy. Knowing him, you won't see him coming up until the moment he plunges a knife in your back." Whispering Blade's face slowly grew dark. Looking at Sunny, he said in a neutral tone:
"From your words, it's hard to understand whether you despise that abomination or admire him, Ascended Sunless." Sunny laughed.
"No matter how I feel about that guy... the point is, I would prefer to do it from a distance." Saint Madoc studied him for a moment, then nodded.
"Wise." Hearing that, Morgan chuckled.
"Indeed. Then, Master Sunless... let's wait and see how good your luck is..."