Finding himself in the calming space of the Spell, suddenly missing the warmth coming from Nephis's hand, Sunny took a moment and breathed steadily.
The choice of connecting to her was one that he made in the moment, sure, he thought about it many times after revealing his True Name to her, but always thought it would be better to save the power to connect with his sisters.
Sunless had a running theory that was basically already confirmed, the number of cores he had determined the number of connections he could make, meaning he could currently make four connections.
Connecting with Nephis meant that he couldn't connect with one of his sisters anymore.
He sighed, thinking of all the problems it could come with, not to mention the revealing of all his secrets to Nephis…
The Spell broke his concentration, and Sunny decided to think about the scolding he would get later.
[The Second Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers…]
Just like the First Nightmare, Sunny felt his soul changing, transforming… Becoming more powerful, pure. It wasn't painful like the formation of his shadow cores, it was natural, profound…
He was finally awakening, one step higher in the Path of Ascension.
"Next, become an Ascended, then, join my sisters in Trancendence…"
His body was also changing, undergoing a process to become better, stronger. Being perfected to an even higher degree.
And a new capability was found inside him, the main difference between Sleepers and Awakened, soul essence.
When he was a Sleeper, he could only use essence thanks to Soul Serpent's [Soul Guide] attribute, letting him use the little quantity of soul essence that his Dormant cores inherently had, and the quality was also subpar.
Now, he could use it naturally, without outside help. Serpent could still be used to make the essence more efficient, but now it could also be used outside without limiting him.
The feeling was refreshing, the essence flowing naturally, without being forcibly opened by Serpent.
The Spell spoke once again.
[Awakening Aspect Ability…]
[...Aspect Ability acquired.]
[Aspect Ability Name: Shadow Step.]
Ability Description: [You can move freely between shadows, traveling from one to another in an instant.]
"That… That is basically like Revel's! Yes! I can finally shadow her style completely, not to mention annoy Howl even more!"
Dark Dancer's battle art after Awakening revolved around her ability to basically teleport around her opponent and attack their weak points and spots where they didn't guard.
Before, Sunny used his eldest sister's swordplay, not being able to use it to its full capabilities, now, he could partially copy her.
He took a look at his new runes.
Name: Sunless Song.
True Name: Hollow Death.
Rank: Awakened.
Class: Devil.
Shadow Core: [4/7]
Shadow Fragments: [36/4000]
Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Nine's Regret], [BloodRaven], [Weak Link], [Midnight Shard], [Prowling Thorn], [Ordinary Rock], [Mantle of the Underworld], [Moonlight Shard], [Dark Wing], [Weaver's Mask]... [...]
Shadows: [Soul Serpent], [Dark Wraith], [Marble Saint], [Stone Saint].
Echos: [Soul-Devouring Tree]... [...]
Attributes: [Fated], [Flame of Divinity], [Heir of Shadows], [The Shadow], [The Blood's Shadow], [Embodiment of Death and Solice], [Executor of Death].
Other than his Rank, nothing changed.
'Fair, Awakening isn't exactly a big step in the Path of Ascension, actually, if teacher Lunae is right, ancient humans didn't even have a 'Dormant' rank, they were just considered mundane. Well, Sleepers are basically mundane people with Aspects, the real differences start when we become Awakened.'
Still, just the Rank made a big difference.
He kept looking down, seeing his connections runes.
[The Darkness Connection] didn't change.
[The Blood Connection] did, Seishan Awakened, but other than that, her runes remained the same. The Spell said that the connection had deepened, but that didn't mean they gained something else, maybe from now on it would just be making them feel closer…
Either way, the new connection was next.
[The Light Connection.]
'Strange, as far as I know, Neph's source element is fire, is my theory wrong?'
Shaking his head, he breathed in…
And dismissed the runes.
Nephis didn't consent to the connection, he did it without her even knowing what his Innate Ability was, yet he did it anyway. She could be cursing him for all he knew.
'Damnation… What did I do…?'
He shouldn't have connected to her, he should have at least asked.
'But then again, she didn't seem bothered…'
But before he could think about anything else, the Spell whispered into his ear.
[Wake up, Hollow Death!]
"I'm coming home…"
— —
Little did he know, his own friends and subordinates had received their own boons.
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Song of the Fallen.]
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Raised by Wolves.]
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Nightingale.]
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Faceless Knight.]
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Nameless Ghost.]
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Witch of the Dead.]
— — —
The grand manor of Song was livelier than usual, on a rare occasion, all sisters were present along with all their teachers.
They had just returned from the Dream realm, heading to the dining room after the sisters invited their teachers to eat together to celebrate Sunny reaching the Devil class, one of them was delighted, the others begrudgingly agreed.
When they reached the dining room, they found the unofficial new member of the Song family, Rain, who was shamelessly eating before anyone else.
"Rain… What did I tell you about eating before the appropriate time?"
Eunbin's voice was calm, but hid a hint of anger for her little sister's constant disobedience. Rain meanwhile, groaned in annoyance.
"Sis! Please, I was hungry after finishing teacher Frostblade's training regiment!"
The sisters were about to scold her… Before remembering how much they suffered in the past with the Saint's training.
"Honestly? Yeah, you gain a pass."
Frostblade's cold gaze, once targeting Rain, now turned to Howl who was now sitting on the table.
"No offence teacher, but you did go overboard sometimes…"
The cold gaze sharpened by the second, turning to Moonveil. How dare her favorite say that!
"Look teacher Frostblade, all I am saying is that I once had to get Sunny out of the ground after your training."
Revel's statement as she sat down only made things worse… And her 'friends' did nothing to stop it! In fact, they supported their insolent students?! They were sitting on the table!
"Look Selene, when even my training seems like child's play compared to yours… Maybe it's time to take a few steps back."
The audacity of Charon!
"YOU LED SUNNY TO DEATH!!"
Alright, that is just not true Hel.
All daughters and teachers of Song sat on the table, leaving Frostblade standing with a silent anger exuding from her. Her cold aura threatens to engulf all of the manor.
Yet everyone else besides Rain were completely calm, the girl, meanwhile, was almost fainting.
"Don't worry! She always gets like that when we point out her training problems!"
Eunbin whispered to Rain, which calmed the girl a little… Only a little…
Eventually, the cold beauty calmed down… And smiled, going to her seat at the grand table.
Rain didn't understand anything, but oh well! The food was good!
The maids proceeded to plate the lunch on the table, and the small talk began.
After some time, the matter of training was already a distant past…
"... Either way, how are things going with the Government Jin? Did you spill any more secrets to Soul Reaper Jet?"
Lunae's question made Divine Strategist sigh in extreme annoyance, cartoonably rolling his eyes at his friend.
"Hendren! Please, it was one time! And it's not like she is a loud mouth who says anything!"
Eunbin decided to tease her teacher.
"Oh no, she isn't, you are."
The sound of hidden laughter resounded in the dining room at Jin's expense.
"It was only one time!"
The laughter was interrupted by the sudden opening of the main door.
A maid hurriedly bowed, trying to stay calm, but her anxious demeanor and the sweat coming off her made all her attempts to stay composed useless.
"What seems to be the problem?"
Eunbin asked non-chalantly, trying to hide her annoyance at the interruption.
"M-My lady! T-The–"
The maid was interrupted as a gray, slender hand touched her shoulder, and a familiar woman passed through her. Right behind her, a young man with hollow eyes followed.
All present on the table widened their eyes. Utensils were dropped, water was spat on the table, and smiles invaded their faces.
Seishan and Sunny had returned.
Moon immediately got up from her chair and moved to hug Seishan tightly.
"Took you long enough…"
The elder sister caressed the white hair of Moon while hugging her back.
"I know… Sorry for taking too long."
Sunless stared at the two… Kind of jealous.
"Seriously? What about—"
He was suddenly snatched out of where he was, disappearing as Rain dropped face first to the floor as she tried to jump on her brother for a hug. All that was left was darkness.
"What!? Where did he go?!"
Silent Stalker, who rarely spoke, answered Rain, looking around as if sensing where he was.
"He's in the dojo, no, his room? Actually…"
Stalker looked at the corner of the room, Revel appeared hugging Sunny with the strength of a Saint, who looked like he would die in a couple of seconds.
"About time you returned!"
"Rev- Please- I can't- Breathe!"
Lightslayer let him go after a few seconds. Only for Sunny to be hugged again, this time, it was by a smaller human who embraced his waist, his little sister, Rain.
He smiled and hugged her back.
"Don't go away like this again."
She was pouting, with an artificial angry voice, Sunny chuckled.
"Happy to be back…"
He looked around, Revel, Seishan, Eunbin, Caera, Moon, Terra, Hel, Rain, his teachers… He was finally back home, everyone was.
They were all together again.
The warmth of his family was back…
Seishan noticed someone new she didn't know hugging her brother's waist.
"And who would that be?"
Eunbin, who was in the process of hugging Seishan, opened a smile.
"Oh! That is Sunny's little sister! Rain."
The gray skinned woman widened her eyes, surprise infecting her whole face.
"So you are Rain!"
Seishan kneeled to see the little kid that was still hugging her brother. A smile plastered on her face.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Seishan, but you can call me Shan, though."
Rain looked at the woman curiously, she always heard about Seishan, the elder sister that they always talked about.
"M-My name is Rain…"
Revel, meanwhile, crossed her arms, a smile plastered on her face.
"You weren't kidding when you said you'd return soon."
Eunbin raised an eyebrow at that comment.
"Wait, what is that supposed to mean? How did you…"
Sunless' eye twitched as he understood that it was going to be a long day of explanations…
But Sunny's long day of explanations was interrupted by another type of long day.
"I think that will have to wait."
Saint Lunae lifted his communicator and showed the news that were currently airing.
(... An unprecedented number of Sleepers are currently awakening after some of them passed years in the Dream Realm, the Government is working to…)
"As much as we would love to catch up, you two have to go to the evaluation and get your documents, ready to reveal your true selves? I'm sure you two will get plenty of attention being Songs."
Sunless eyes twitched once again, he would have to deal with all types of reactions…
"No, I'm not…"
But he remembered something important. Some people he needed by his side.
"Hey, teachers, could you all do me a favour? A couple favours actually…"
Undying Blade raised an eyebrow. The Saints then looked at each other curiously.
"You just came back and you already want some favors? What is it this time?"
"Yes, I need your help gathering some people…"
— — —
Motza was sitting at his chair in his quarters given to him by the academy.
It had been a couple of hours since the survivors of the Forgotten Shore came back to the waking world, and by now, they were finally starting to get things in order. The evaluations were already half-way through, and now they were giving the new Awakened rooms.
Four hundred Sleepers were a lot, and there were only so many personnel in the academy, it came to the point that they needed to call off-duty Awakened just to organize the overabundance of people.
After the initial shock of waking up and all of the Dreamer army congratulating and thanking each other, questioning where their leaders were.
The academy said Changing Star and Sunless needed… Time, that once all were evaluated, they would meet, an excuse, to give Nephis the recruitment speeches of the Great Clans and for Sunless to actually get there.
Motza had hoped his evaluation came from some agent that didn't know him, someone who came to simply help the process, even someone from Song…
Unfortunately, the one who evaluated him was the very agent that sent him to the academy in the first place.
Meaning his… 'Family' was coming, he couldn't hide, he couldn't fight…
The door to his room opened, no knock, no warning, the man that entered his quarters didn't care for all of that.
Motza didn't turn to meet the man, he didn't need to see him to know who the man was.
The room seemed to get sharper, an unseen pressure bore down on every piece of furniture in the room, like an invisible blade that could cut down anything at any moment…
Including Motza himself.
The assassin trembled, his eye twitched. The phantom pain in his left eye came back after five years of being numb.
His father had come to see him.
"Motza."
The voice of the man was sharp, efficient, to the point, it pierced his very soul.
"Look at me."
The boy tried… But he was too scared, breathing heavily, he stood still.
"Look. At. Me."
Motza breathed out, gritting his teeth, he turned.
His father wore dark intricate armor, with a vermilion cape that wrapped around his neck as if it was a scarf.
He had dark hair with a thick cared for beard with a sharp face. His steely blue eyes were sharp, piercing, looking like he would destroy anything with a single glance… And he could.
Whispering Blade, Madoc of Valor.
The tall man observed his adopted 'son' intently, then proceeded to talk as if Motza wasn't trembeling.
"Five years… Took you long enough."
His voice was menancing, devoid of all the politeness and kindness he presented outside closed doors.
"You managed to survive at least, good, Anvil and I invested a lot in you."
Motza couldn't help but bite his own lip, forcing himself to stay quiet as the Saint talked.
"Jest also missed you, he often compares you to the others, none coming close to you."
Empty flaterry.
"Although it is a shame you couldn't kill that girl of Song… Makes you wonder what you were doing all this time…"
Madoc began to stare at Motza, relising his pressure onto the boy.
Motza's eye widened, fear creeped into him, they already knew about Seishan? What about Sunless?. Would he receive another punishment?
But the tall man just closed his eyes and stopped his intimidation, letting Motza breathe again.
"No matter, you can still make up for it by killing her once she comes here."
Motza's heart skipped a beat.
'What? Killing… Seishan? Sunless' sister?'
Madoc opened his eyes and turned to Motza, his face showing a hint of confusion.
"Is there a problem Motza?"
The boy didn't respond, breathing heavily as he choose what to do.
Madoc wasn't satisfied.
"Is there a problem Motza?"
He repeated, this time, his voice was deeper, carrying more anger.
Motza still couldn't respond.
The pressure in the room got heavier, the furniture were being threatened to break in seconds, cracks already showing on the edges of the material.
"Is there a problem?"
"Of course there is."
A new voice entered the room.
Madoc and Motza snapped their heads towards the door in confusion as the new man closed the door he had just opened, ignoring all of the sharp pressure in the room.
In fact, he didn't ignore it, he challenged it.
The New presence exuded the same sharpness of a blade, but this blade was not invisible, but covered in blood, and forged to perfection.
The man seemed like a walking forge that tempered a thousand blades. That he himself was the blade.
Madoc sharpened his eyes in anger.
"Traitor…"
Undying Blade, Charon, the living forge.
Blade met Madoc's blue eyes with his red ones. Yet in a twist of fate, the color that represented a calm sea was in boiling anger. Their red conterpart, was as calm as he could get.
"What are you doing here traitor?"
Madoc's voice was full of venom at the Saint that entered the room.
"As I said, there is a problem here, I am here to fix it."
Blade looked at the trembeling boy that sat on the chair.
"Hey, so you are Motza… Sunless really picked the best."
Whispering Blade looked confused for a moment, but soon understood, bering down his vision at Motza once again.
"You allied with Song?"
Madoc moved his hand, something was about to happen, something that only a Saint was cabeble of doing.
But another Saint stopped him.
Undying Blade grabbed Whispering Blade's arm before it came down onto Motza.
An invisible battle occuried between both Saints as their sights meet.
A long, uncomfortable silence settled.
Until Undying Blade broke it.
"He's not your 'blade' anymore Madoc, leave."
Whispering Blade stared at his kid, who looked back in fear…
Madoc cursed quietly, and set his hand free of the Saint of Song.
"You disappointed me. What a waste."
Madoc disappered right after, using his Transcendent ability to do so.
Undying Blade sighed, then looked at Motza.
"So, you can call me Blade."
— —
In the academy's diner, all Sleepers of the Dreamer Army stared at the board, absorbing the fact that was just shared with all of them.