At the police center, Sunny was placed under special training for combat and survival. It was due to his early infection with the Nightmare Spell—just a week after the Winter Solstice. That alone made his case a rarity. Few were ever claimed by the Spell after the Solstice.
Chained to a chair, he stared at the ceiling until tiredness claimed him.
[Welcome, Aspirant to Nightmare spell. Prepare for your Trial.]
He slipped into a vision, bound in chains and carried along by a captive caravan. His body was once again that of a frail Temple Slave, but his mind was sharper than ever—and he had a plan.
Scanning the front of the convoy, his eyes locked onto one figure.
Auro of the Nine. Once a harbinger of the Gods downfall and a main instigator of the Doom War. Taking him down would grant a high Spell Evaluation—and perhaps will Grant him a Memory that will be helpful to the Forgotten Shore.
The caravan came to a halt for rest. The slaves were ordered to sit, and food rations were tossed their way—scraps falling from the mouths of the soldiers. But Sunny did not complain. These soldiers would die soon enough, so let them go with their bellies full.
A distant roar shook the caravan. Slaves collapsed in terror, and the soldiers too wavered.
Mountainside boulders cracked, rolling down as the Awakened Tyrant—King of the Mountain—descended. He struck nearby slaves, sending bodies and blood spilling across the ground.
Sunny saw his chance.
As the Tyrant swung at another slave, Sunny thrust his chained arms forward, intercepting the blow. The Tyrant shattered the chains—right as Sunny had hoped.
Ignoring the recoil and agony, Sunny lunged toward a Mountain King Larva, intent on drawing its blood to strengthen himself.
He found one by a groaning slave. As it burst forth, Sunny tore into it, using the chain to strangle it, waiting for the Curse's confirmation.
[You have slain a Dormant beast: Mountain King Larva.]
He collapsed, weariness surging, yet forced himself to salvage two fanged daggers from the corpse.
Spotting Shifty and The Seeker pinned by three larvae, waving their arms in distress, he advanced.
"Fools, dressed in sage's robes… yet still fools."
He rushed one larva, driving a fang into its neck.
[You have slain a Dormant beast: Mountain King Larva.]
[You have received a Memory.]
No celebration came—he moved to the next creature, which stared at him, stunned by his savage prowess.
He plunged into its body and cast it aside. Then tackled the third, calling upon his fresh Memory—not a sword, mace, axe, nor spear—but a club.
He waited. The club manifested suddenly. Taking it, he struck the third larva repeatedly.
"I look like a savage beast from Rain Academy… primal and deranged."
[You have slain…]
Turning to Shifty and The Seeker, his eyes brimmed with murderous intent.
"! We're slaves —there's no need!" The Seeker pleaded, voice trembling.
But Sunny didn't pause. He struck them too.
[You have slain a Dormant Human.] (x2)
[You have received a Memory.]
Shifting focus, he watched Auro battling the Tyrant. He shouted to distract, not to aid—but to absorb Auro's combat style.
Once again, he activated his Shadow sence sence Auro's presence through the aura of his shadow. Using Shadow Dance, he internalized the essence of Auro's skill—swift, fluid, near-desperate.
Time was up.
With the caravan teetering at the cliff's edge, Sunny hurled a chain at the King of the Mountain, enough to nudge the cart over the brink.
Auro collapsed, drained.
Using his Child of Shadows Trait, Sunny melted into darkness, reappearing behind Auro. He struck the back of Auro's head once—and then again to ensure unconsciousness.
"Perfect. Fair and square. Now… the spoils." His eyes glinted—not with greed for wealth, but for the kill.
He strode to the caravan leader and, wielding Auro's sword, drove it into the man's neck.
[You have slain a Dormant Human.]
[You have received a Memory.]
The spell stirred in his mind, its tone strangely subdued—perhaps affected by his defiance of fate, or simply muted. It mattered little.
Sunny then slaughtered every resisting soldier and dying slave—twelve Dormant humans in total. But none granted a Memory.
He opened his Rune and examined the details:
Name: Sunless
True Name: ____
Rank: Aspirant
Core status : Dormant
Memories: [Silver Bell], [Heavy Club], [Sage's Mantle]
Echoes: ____
Traits: [Fated], [Divine Spark], [Child of Shadows]
Aspect : [ Temple Slave ]
"Strange… my affinity for Divinity has grown—more than I recall. It was [Mark of Divinity], not [Divine Spark]. But does it matter?"
"i have something more important to do."
He turned to Auro of the Nine, something wicked flashing in his eyes