Sunny had an excellent memory, but Cassie was on an entirely different level. Her memory was simply... absolute. It was incredibly vivid, detailed, and all-encompassing, as if it was impossible for her to forget something even if she wished to.
He knew that it had not always been like this. Cassie's ability to remember everything with perfect clarity had slowly developed as she climbed the Path of Ascension, most likely reaching its current state as a result of Transcendence.
It was bitterly ironic, therefore, that her memory felt fragmented and shrouded in fog.
Being drawn into Cassie's recollection did not mean that Sunny could read her mind — the only thoughts he could sense and hear were those that she remembered thinking, after all. However, he could still feel how burdened she was by the shattered nature of her past.
Great swathes of her life were missing, and that fractured emptiness seeped into the very foundation of her self, making the whole world feel like treacherous quicksand.
Nevertheless, Cassie was undeterred, confidently walking forward despite being unable to look back.
Sunny, though, was far less poised. As soon as the unfamiliar recollection blossomed in his mind, a strong sense of vertigo overcame him, and he swayed. If he wasn't sitting on a chair, he would have probably lost balance entirely. Cassie's world... was far too overwhelming.
He suspected that she must have been dazed when reliving his own memories — after all, the way Sunny perceived the world was unique and extraordinary. Not only was his mind split between several incarnations, but he also possessed a sense that humans did not, navigating the world full of shadows.
So, Sunny was not a stranger to complex points of view.
But the way Cassie perceived the world was simply overwhelming in its staggering complexity.
To start with, all her senses were incredibly sharp — many times sharper than that of over Saints, which were already far, far superior to that of mundane humans.
...All senses except for her sight, of course. Cassie's world was a world of darkness, and being blind was a mild shock to Sunny in and of itself. He had experienced being blinded before, but never as a permanent and inseparable part of his existence.
And then, there was more...
Cassie's own point of view was already disorienting enough, but it was not the only one she was living. As she was walking down a stone corridor, she was also perceiving the world through several other people.
There was Nephis, leaving the expedition force of the Sword Army behind to descend into the Hollows. The sweltering heat of Godgrave was pouring from the radiant sky, and drops of sweat were rolling down her lean, powerful body. Then, a wave of harrowing agony washed over her, burning her alive, and two beautiful white wings spread open behind her.
There was Sunny himself and his world of shadows, as well — the impression of his original incarnation was sharp and clear, the other two less so.
«...Therefore, Lady Cassia, you must succeed.»
Sunny froze at the sound of the cold, commanding voice. A voice that tolerated no disobedience.
He knew that voice.
And he knew by whose side Cassie was walking, as well.
She lowered her head in a bow and answered respectfully:
«I understand, Your Highness. It will be done.»
It was Anvil, the King of Swords.
Pushing a heavy door open, Anvil walked into a cold, damp room and waited for Cassie to follow.
Inside the room...
There was the smell of blood, and the sound of rattling chains as someone moved.
She could feel the prisoner's stare, but there were no words.
Only silence.
Cassie marked one of the guards stationed inside the cell and was finally able to see her surroundings.
In front of her... an old man who had once been dignified was chained to the wall, his clothes soaked with blood. His gaze was calm and heavy.
It took her a moment to recognize him as an elder from one of the Legacy Clans who had pledged their loyalty to Valor.
Nevertheless, the old man had turned out to be a spy of the Song Domain.