Chapter 1103 Beautiful Monsters

Before too long, it was time to meet the emissaries of Song. Sunny found himself feeling a bit curious... after all, he was not too familiar with the great clan that ruled the northwest reaches of the human territories in the Dream Realm.

By all accounts, the Song clan was no less storied and powerful than Valor. Its foundation had not been as great, but after Ki Song rose to prominence and became one of the first humans to Transcend, the power of her clan utterly eclipsed that of the older, better established Legacy families.

As far as Sunny could remember knowing anything, clan Song was one of the three most exalted powers in the world. Their influence spread far and wide, and their home in the Dream Realm, Ravenheart - an ancient palace built between the snowy peaks and smoldering volcanos of an impregnable mountain chain - was universally considered one of the Great Citadels of humanity.

With a population rivaling that of Bastion, Ravenheart was a beautiful and severe place... from what Sunny knew. Strangely enough, it was not nearly as popular and well-known as the colossal castle that clan Valor ruled. In fact, the whole great clan Song was a little mysterious.

The image of Bastion was etched into the minds of all humans by countless dramas and films, with countless stories of romance and valor taking place in its stone walls. The land of snow and ash where clan Song ruled, however, was rarely depicted, and when it was, it was always to show something distant and exotic.

Whether it was because Ki Song did not care about mundane fame, or because Anvil put more effort into building the public image of his clan, Sunny did not know.

He did, however, know that through pure coincidence, his own path had also mostly crossed with the representatives of clan Valor. Valor were the ones in control of the northernmost territory carved out by humanity in the Dream Realm, where it brushed against the Hollow Mountains, and so, that was where he had gone after becoming an Awakened.

From the Sanctuary of Noctis to the Night Temple, Sunny had met many servants of Anvil of Valor... killing some of them... and then had the misfortune of meeting the Sovereign's son in the flesh. With the complications that followed, it was fair to say that he knew Valor pretty well.

The same could not be said about Song, though... all his experience with that Domain was limited to having met Seishan in the Dark City. Even then, Sunny was not at all close with the former leader of the Handmaidens, so it was not like she had shared stories of her clan with him.

So... naturally, Sunny was curious.n0ve(l)bi(n.)co/m

His curiosity was mixed with a bit of dread, though.

They entered the spacious reception hall once again. This time, it was Wake of Ruin who had been waiting there for some time, speaking quietly with Jet. The staff member who had escorted Sunny and the emissaries of Valor tactfully disappeared, and the gaunt Saint greeted them with a curt nod.

"You're here. I hope you rested well... there is a lot to discuss, so we probably won't be sleeping tonight."

Whispering Blade smiled coldly.

"...Wouldn't dream of it."

Sunny blinked a couple of times, startled.

However, Sunny could not forget her other, monstrous face... he had seen her transform into a hideous creature during the siege of the Crimson Spire, after all. And even before that, he had seen what her victims looked like after being drained of blood.

He sighed mentally.

'Monsters... beautiful monsters. Are all of Ki Song's adopted daughters like that? What the hell has she done to them?'

And speaking of monsters...

Finally, he looked at the fourth member of Song's vanguard. It was a middle-aged man in heavy armor, his face bleak and unfamiliar. His eyes, however...

Were perfectly human, with not even a hint of a mad prince hiding in their depths.

Sunny frowned.

'Yeah... I am not fooled. There's no chance that Mordret would miss on an opportunity to come and wage war against Valor. It's you, isn't it, bastard?'

He lingered for a few moments, and then addressed the bleak man:

"...Long time no see."

The bleak man looked back at him, a masterfully crafted expression of confusion appearing on his face. His lips parted in a polite smile.

"I am sorry. I don't think we've met."

The smile almost looked mocking.

Sunny shook his head, then looked away.

"Uh-huh."

Wake of Ruin frowned slightly. His grating voice sounded a little irritated:

"Now that everyone is here... let's skip the introductions. I extend my gratitude to the elders of the great clan Valor and the great clan Song, for coming to our aid in the time of need. Come, let's start... we need to discuss the war..."