Chapter 2004 Seeds of Rebellion

Chapter 2004 Seeds of Rebellion

Sunny was not having the greatest of days. In fact, he was in quite a grim mood. Not only was he forced to watch the senseless and wasteful deaths of too many Awakened warriors — who were supposed to be the blade mankind wielded against the Nightmare Spell, not against itself — but his own sister was hopelessly mired in the very epicenter of the slaughter, as well, a hair's breadth away from being killed herself.

Sunny had promised himself not to trample her agency unless there was no other choice. So, he could not simply pull Rain into the shadows and whisk her away to safety... whatever safety looked like, in this godforsaken place. All he could do was remain as alert as possible, ready to interfere at a moment's notice to save her life. This constant state of alarm and tension was taking its toll. More than that, he was having the worst luck today. Why did Rain and the members of her cohort have to clash with the warriors of the White Feather clan, of all people? Worse still, Rain just had to go and encounter Telle of White Feather.

From the moment their brutal duel started, Sunny had to focus his full attention on the two young Awakened. Obviously, he couldn't allow Rain to die... but now, he couldn't allow her enemy to die, either. Despite having first met Telle many years ago, on the Chained Isles, Sunny did not know her well. Still, he had a good impression of her. Much more importantly, her parents were none other than Tyris and Roan — their daughter could absolutely not be killed on his watch, let alone with his assistance.

So, he waited, getting ready to stop Rain at the last moment — should she win. Or stop Telle should she lose.

At the same time, the seeds of political intrigue that Cassie, Nephis, and Sunny had sown far in advance were blooming, as well.

Nephis had already established herself as a reluctant participant in the war and the only voice of dissent among the warmongers. Considering her previous feats and her flawless adherence to the noble duty of an Awakened, her reputation was stellar among the warriors of both the Song Domain and the Sword Domain. And now, that reputation was being cemented in their hearts. The countless soldiers she had saved, and everyone who had seen her saving them, would never forget the grace and mercy of Changing Star of the Immortal Flame... contrasted sharply against the ruthless will of the Sovereigns.

...And the more disillusioned and tired of the war they grew, the easier it would be for them to accept her eventual rebellion. They might applaud her for betraying her adopted family and engaging in a little bit of royal patricide, even, when the time came.

Even Sunny was having trouble discerning if Neph's actions at the moment were sincere or calculated. They very well could have been both of those things...

He did know that she was putting on at least a bit of an intentional show, however. That was because Nephis had never attempted healing on such a massive scale before. Not only would saving countless soldiers have consumed a truly terrifying amount of soul essence, but it would have also brought her immeasurable pain. Her humanity would have been scorched and burned by the agony. It was a miracle that she had managed to keep the suffering from showing on her face, really... in any case, she would not be in a state to show benevolence, let alone compassion. So, at least some of her actions were a coldly premeditated act. The soldiers saw her as a beautiful, merciful, and noble savior. And she was all that — but at the same time, beneath the surface and above all else, she was a ruthless, calculating, and chillingly ambitious destroyer.

A herald of change and ruin. ...She was beautiful in either case, though. As Nephis spoke to Seishan, challenging the Saints of the Song Domain to battle, Sunny smiled. The goddess had already descended onto the battlefield. Now, it was time for the devil to make his entrance, as well.