Chapter 1114 Bloody Brilliant
Nephis, Effie, Kai, Jet, and Sunny lead the remnants of the Dreamer Army, fighting against a Nightmare Creature horde in a grim reenactment of the Crimson Spire siege. The Fire Keepers, inoculated against fear by their harrowing experiences on the Forgotten Shore, stand in stark contrast to the ordinary Awakened soldiers of the Wolves and Nightsingers, displaying an unnerving calm and lethality. Effie becomes a bulwark of steel, Kai dances through the enemy ranks with his shining ivory armor, while Nephis shines as a radiant omen of death, embodying humanity’s hope as “the Immortal flame”.
Jet, though not part of the original Dreamer Army, proves equally deadly, thriving with each fallen abomination. All eyes are drawn to Sunny, a towering, four-armed fiend clad in onyx armor. A frenzied shadowspawn, he tears through the Nightmare Creatures, his hands, armor, and even face slick with blood. At one point, “Sunny had used his sharp teeth to bite through an abomination’s throat”. The Sin of Solace laughs, echoing Sunny’s own ragged laughter that escapes from between the fangs of the shadowspawn shell.
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Despite their combined power, the situation remains dire. Sunny thinks to himself, “Ah, it’s really funny… we are all going to die…”. The Awakened and Masters fight with skill, but the sheer number of enemies threatens to overwhelm them, promising a grim outcome, even with Saints holding back the Titans. They might be the most powerful Masters alive, save for individuals such as Mordret and Morgan, but the question remains: will that be enough?
Chapter 1115 Creatures Of Light And Darkness
Sunny, masked in the guise of a shadowspawn, continues his savage butchery of the Nightmare Creatures, but his ruthless performance is merely a facade. Beneath the frenzy, a cold and calculating part of his mind questions Morgan’s absence, as reinforcements fail to arrive. Sunny muses, “What the hell is Morgan doing?”. Despite his power, the sheer number of abominations threaten to overwhelm him and the other Masters.
Kai and Nephis find relative ease navigating the battlefield, while Effie and Jet begin to struggle against the endless tide. Sunny acknowledges his perilous task is not just withstanding the flood of monsters, but breaking its momentum, a task that demands careful calculation with every step. Despite the danger, Sunny finds a grim satisfaction in the fight, a feeling he had missed since the Antarctic Center.
He reflects that in Antarctica, he was a detached observer, merely playing the role of a desperate survivor. Now, he welcomes the feeling of fighting with his life on the line, even tricking himself into believing it is for his own survival. And so, nestled within the embrace of shadows, Sunny grits his teeth and continues to kill, “as many as there were”.
Chapter 1116 Placid Whisper
Sunny continues his dance of death, effortlessly slaying abominations with the Sin of Solace. Nephis’ voice suddenly pierces his mind through their Dusk connection, remarking, “[It’s a bit distracting, you know, to have someone speak in your head all of a sudden.]” Sunny, unperturbed, presses her for answers about Morgan’s missing reinforcements. His enhanced senses detect a cloaked Demon, a chameleon-like creature, stealthily approaching the vulnerable Awakened soldiers behind him. With a swift and almost casual motion, he throws the Sin of Solace, impaling the creature before it can reach them. The soldiers, stunned, witness Sunny’s lethal grace, wondering at the ‘jade sword seemingly slipping out of his hand’.
Nephis’ voice echoes again, now filled with concern: “[…what has gotten into you? You don’t… don’t seem like yourself today.]” Sunny brushes off her observation, claiming it’s just a bit of performance for her sister’s benefit, but he shifts back to the immediate problem: the missing reinforcements. He directly questions Nephis, “[Is she trying to get rid of you, or what?]”, voicing his suspicion that Morgan’s actions might be a test or, worse, a deliberate attempt to undermine them.
Nephis admits her confusion, stating, “[No… I don’t know what she is doing.]” She suggests Morgan’s actions could be a strategy to force Seishan to reveal her Handmaidens’ capabilities or perhaps something else entirely. Sunny grimaces, the mystery deepening as the relentless battle rages on. The question of whether they’re pawns in a larger game lingers as he prepares for the next onslaught.
Chapter 1117 Fell Titan
A monstrous titan, riddled with wounds and trailing vile miasma, plummets from the sky, casting a pall of dread over the battlefield. Sunny freezes, stunned by the horrifying spectacle, along with Nephis and the soldiers. Even the Nightmare Creatures pause their onslaught to witness the fall of one of their lords. Recognizing the imminent danger, Nephis barks orders: “Pull back! Fighting Retreat! Move if you want to live!”
She simultaneously sends a mental message to Sunny: “[Sunny… I am going to stall the horde to cover the retreat. You… you do as you wish.]” He understands her unspoken plea for help, a request she cannot directly voice due to the constraints of their bond. Sunny hesitates as the Awakened soldiers retreat in alternating waves, risking their lives with each turn. The Fire Keepers and three Masters help safeguard their retreat as much as possible.
Changing Star takes charge, her flames constricting before being absorbed into her radiant form. Clad in black armor and surrounded in blinding white flames, Nephis takes a step forward, ready to confront the oncoming horde to buy time for the others.
Chapter 1118 Pure Chance
As Nephis prepares to confront the horde, Saint Tyris cleverly redirects the miasma cloud toward the Nightmare Creatures, devastating their ranks and relieving pressure on the Awakened’s defensive line. However, Sunny and Nephis find themselves trapped within the cloud. Blinded and disoriented, Sunny struggles to escape the noxious environment. “Argh, damn it. Escape… I need to escape back to where the Fire Keepers had retreated,” he thinks, but the titan’s fall has left him turned around. He sends two shadows in different directions to find a path out.
Suddenly, a massive shadow lunges at him. Sunny blindly strikes with the Sin of Solace, the blade sinking into something soft before something hard sends him flying. He crashes onto a pile of abomination corpses, spotting a floating creature with no legs or arms writhing in apparent agony. The creature’s ghastly, scaled head, pierced by Sunny’s sword, lunges to swallow him, but it convulses one last time and collapses.
Then, the Spell whispers into Sunny’s ears: “[You have slain a Fallen Titan, Defiled Seeker of Truth.][Your shadow grows stronger.][…You have received a Memory.]” Sunny freezes, shocked. “What just happened?!” he wonders, bewildered by the unexpected turn of events. The impossible kill has just occurred, but how will this shape Sunny’s future?
Chapter 1119 Chain Reaction
After escaping the miasma cloud, Sunny and Nephis collapse behind the defensive line, exhausted from their ordeal. Awakened warriors greet their return with smiles, relieved and triumphant, quickly closing ranks around them to protect them. They watch the hazy wall of poison, ready to strike at any monstrosity that emerges. Sunny, recovering from battle frenzy, realizes the Fallen Titan’s death sparks a chain reaction with “meaning far beyond the death of a powerful abomination”.
With Wake of Ruin and Sky Tide freed, they turn the tide of the battle. The steel-winged bird destroys swathes of crawling vines threatening Summer Knight, Dire Fang, and Silent Stalker. Wake of Ruin, unleashed on a vast number of weaker targets, unleashes his full potential. “Each of the crows was a manifestation of a Transcendent, and so, they easily slaughtered Awakened and Fallen monstrosities.” The birds tear into the abominations with sharp talons and beaks, turning the tide of battle, allowing the soldiers to regain their vigor.
Soon, another titan falls, followed by the remaining two, as the Saints turn their attention to the horde. “The furious massacre that had taken place was grisly and spectacular.” With the advantage on the side of humanity, the battle continues, but the outcome remains uncertain even with the Transcendents joining the fray.
Chapter 1120 Performance Review
As the dust settles, the joint army defies expectations, establishing a fortified camp amidst the ravaged battlefield. Salvagers comb the area for soul shards and valuable materials, while the Saints brace for encroaching hordes, eager to continue the cull. Sunny finds himself among the Fire Keepers, Wolves, and Nightsingers, their spirits lifted by minimal casualties. As he walks through the rows of tents, Sunny notes the reactions of the soldiers. “Look! It’s him!” one shouts. “A monster? More like a Devil!”
Reaching the tent where his fellow Masters are gathered, Sunny finds Kai cleaning himself, Nephis resting wearily, Jet blissfully stretched out, and Effie, predictably, devouring food. Effie fixes Sunny with a stare and blurts out, “Sunny… what the hell was that?! You just… boom! And went berserk! It was actually sort of spectacular.” She demands answers about his shadow fiend transformation, wondering if he has secretly Transcended.
Sunny dismisses her inquiry, explaining it’s a “trick” from the Antarctic Center. Effie shakes her head, proclaiming, “You are scary. Let’s be friends!” A suggestive grin spreads across her face as she adds, “Oh… and try making that shadow fiend bigger, next time. Looking at it made me really want to ride you again…” A strange expression appears on Jet’s face, and the huntress giggles, stuffing another spoonful of stew into her mouth.
Chapter 1121 Deluge Of Compliments
Morgan, Princess of Valor, enters the tent, Cassie trailing behind, her vermilion eyes shining with barely contained excitement, a stark contrast to her usual composed demeanor. Morgan’s mood is high, and with a melodious laugh, she exclaims, “That was spectacular! Dear sister, venerable Masters… you did not disappoint!” She laments not having been able to participate directly. Morgan praises Nephis’s actions, stating, “Your glory is clan Valor’s glory, of course. So, I am very happy right now.” Sunny, however, is bothered by her emphasis on “glory,” his suspicions aroused.
He bluntly asks about the promised reinforcements, wondering if Morgan’s strategy prioritized Valor’s image over their safety. She shrugs, replying, “It didn’t look like you needed any, so I sent them someplace else.” Sunny considers that she might have had a better perspective, knowing Saint Tyris was close to defeating the Defiled Seeker, perhaps even coordinating the titan’s fall to seal the breach. Despite this, lingering doubts plague Sunny, unsure if he trusts her motives.
Morgan’s attention turns to Sunny. Intrigued, she tells him, “Master Sunless, you gave me a very, very pleasant surprise. It seems that the reports I’ve read about you were not nearly detailed enough.” Sunny shifts uncomfortably under her intense gaze, left wondering what Morgan truly thinks of his shadowed powers and what role he will play in Valor’s ambitions.
Chapter 1122 Mirror Of Truth
Summoning the Memory, Sunny conjures a dark silver hand mirror, its surface a pool of mercury. An eerie chill crawls up his spine as he holds the strangely heavy object. He wonders, ‘Not a weapon, and not an armor. A tool, then? Or a charm?’ Runes shimmer into existence, revealing the Memory’s name: Mirror of Truth. However, Sunny’s eyes widen at a single word in the description: Weaver.
Puzzled, he studies the runes further, questions swirling in his mind. Since the Antarctica campaign, hints of Ariel, the Demon of Dread, had surfaced. ‘What… why is that name here?’ The description unfolds a strange exchange between Weaver and Ariel, revealing a surprising encounter at Ariel’s pyramid tomb. Ariel explains, “I built it to bury the truth. Truth is the most hideous thing in the world, Weaver, and knowing it is a cruel torment.” Weaver retorts, “…You wanted to be free of the truth, so you didn’t deserve it.”
Sunny considers the implications of the Mirror’s memory. ‘Wait… the Tomb of Ariel is not the burial place of Ariel, the Demon of Dread? Instead, it’s the tomb that he built?’ The realization that Ariel constructed the black pyramid to hide unbearable truths dawns on him. He understands the potential consequences for whoever conquers the pyramid and uncovers those secrets.
Chapter 1123 Solace Of Oblivion
Despite the restorative power of his Shroud of Dusk’s enchantments, Sunny awakens feeling strangely forlorn, haunted by a dream he cannot recall, leaving behind only a pressing sorrow. He reflects on the enigmatic conversation between Weaver and Ariel, particularly Weaver’s sharp words: “…You wanted to be free of the truth, so you didn’t deserve it.” Sunny considers the Sin of Solace and its [Hideous Truth] enchantment, and finds himself questioning why solace is a sin at all. He ponders the possibility that Ariel, in seeking oblivion from the truth, was the true sinner.
Sunny’s thoughts drift to Kai, his friend burdened with the ability to detect lies. He wonders if the constant exposure to truth, like Ariel’s, will drive Kai to seek solace in forgetting. This prompts him to consider the elusive Demon of Oblivion, a being so forgotten that even recalling its existence is a struggle. He remembers Noctis, the sorcerer close to Aidre, the god of memory, mentioning the Demon of Oblivion, while Shadow God, by coincidence, is the god of solace.
Chapter 1124 Pure Soul
Sunny, wielding the Mirror of Truth, finds his gaze drawn to Nephis’s runes, a habit he’d long abandoned in his pursuit of power. He discovers that Nephis, or Changing Star, is also an Ascended, with five out of seven Soul Cores. He muses on how he caught up to her only after relinquishing their competition. A light smile graces his face as he notes she still has more soul fragments: 2719 out of 5000. He knows her advancement is slower now but will soon change.
He delves into her Memories, a long list including “Dream Blade” and “Starlight Legion Armor”, gleaned from her harrowing Second Nightmare challenge. Despite his curiosity, he resists invading her privacy, respecting the fragile trust they share. Sunny finds himself drawn to those from clan Valor, tailored weapons of war no less outstanding than Morgan’s Warbow. He desperately wants to study their weaves, but envisions a disastrous request: “‘Hey, Neph, could you please take off your armor? I need it for a couple of weeks… no, no I won’t wear it… shut up, Effie!'”
Shaking off the thought, he examines her Attributes: “Dreamspawn”, “Nephilim”, and “Flame of Divinity”. Each description unveils a facet of Nephis’s complex being – a creature born of two worlds, a descendant of an unholy union, and a soul ablaze with divine light. These attributes confirm what he already suspects that Nephis is no ordinary Ascended.
Chapter 1125 Private Conversations
Luck favors Sunny, as a lapse in caution from Clan Song and Valor’s emissaries allows him to eavesdrop on crucial conversations. Spending a month learning how to approach them, he witnesses an exchange between Morgan and Madoc atop the giant Echo’s carapace. Hidden in the shadow of Valor’s Awakened, Squire Warren, he worms his way into their protected space unnoticed. After Morgan invites Squire Warren, she studies him before asking neutrally, “Is there news, Squire Warren?”
The Squire reports that Knight Shtad’s cohort survived the second night and secured a fortified position, which is important news considering Madoc and Morgan’s subtle expression changes. “Their report indicates that the divination seems to have been correct”, he speaks, revealing that Shtad, one of the Masters from Summer Knight’s party, has entered the Dream Realm and located something significant. Morgan, after lingering and sighing, asks about the other scouts. The Squire grimly replies they are either “Lost or forced to enter the Seeds.”
Madoc stresses the importance of reinforcing Shtad, stating, “His mission might very well decide the outcome of this phase of the conflict.” He orders Warren to prepare, promising to transport him personally to the desert once they return to the siege capital. Madoc then offers deference to Morgan: “If my niece does not object, of course.” The mission sounds dangerous and might provide an opportunity for Sunny.
Chapter 1126 Unexpected Revelation
Sunny overhears Beastmaster, the Saint, contemplating Neph’s assassination, chilling him despite its familiarity. Seishan, however, dismisses the idea, stating it would require “too many resources” despite Neph being “just a Master.” She acknowledges Neph’s capabilities, recalling her triumph at the Forgotten Shore and her frustrating self-healing ability. The conversation shifts to Clan Song’s involvement with Anvil, prompting surprise from Seishan, who thought they had sent him. Beastmaster clarifies that smaller clans often mistake orders from different Domains of the great families. She casually mentions their own failed assassination attempt in the Dream Realm, highlighting Neph’s extraordinary luck.
The Saint laments Neph’s escape from their grasp as a child due to the Dreamspawn’s intervention, now complicated by her Ascended status. “When she was a child, the Dreamspawn held us back from going after her in full force.” Sunny is stunned by this revelation, realizing Asterion, the Sovereign, had protected Neph. This explains the continuous, yet unsuccessful, assassination attempts from the great clans. Sunny reflects on his past assumptions about the clans’ motivations, now understanding that only fear of each other restrained their ruthless actions. The implications of Asterion’s protection deepen the mystery surrounding Neph, and Sunny feels a surge of determination to unravel the truth.
Chapter 1127 Escalation
Sunny absorbs the intelligence he overheard. The great clans plan to test each other during the retreat, escalating hostilities between Valor and Song. They conserve their Saints, making it a war of attrition, but Awakened cohorts scouting Nightmare Gates and establishing fortified camps are prime targets, both in East Antarctica and the Dream Realm. Sunny laments that he can’t watch the carnage unfold, but he accepts the war is outside the city walls… or so he hopes.
Beastmaster plans a damaging strike. The options are Clan Valor’s headquarters in Sunny’s destination or Saint Tyris and the White Feather clan near Army Command. She chooses the former. Meanwhile, Morgan anticipates the attack on her base and plans a trap, promising a destructive clash within the besieged city. Sunny feels cold fury at the disregard for collateral damage, and he finds himself increasingly more uneasy with the situation. “Neither of the great clans cared about collateral damage. All they cared about was destroying the enemy. In fact, they seem to care about it a little bit too much.”
The leaders – Madoc, Morgan, Seishan, and Beastmaster – seem under immense pressure, driving them to hurry. Because of this, Morgan is also planning a clandestine attack of her own, sending Sir Madoc, the Whispering Blade, a Saint, to deliver a swift and lethal blow.
Chapter 1128 Contradiction
Changing Star watches Summer Knight effortlessly battling Nightmare Creatures near the outer edges of camp. Sunny observes the Saint’s pristine armor, contrasting it with his own messy experiences. He questions Nephis about Summer Knight, commenting, “That guy, Summer Knight, is both deadly on the battlefield and nice in person. Makes me wonder if he really is a Saint.” She agrees Gilead, the Summer Knight, doesn’t fit the mold of a typical Transcendent.
Sunny inquires about Summer Knight’s loyalty to the King of Swords. Nephis counters with “What are you doing serving the King of Swords?”, then proclaims she is not honorable, valiant, or loyal, unlike the Saint. Sunny, having seen enough of her, leans against the watchtower. He then sends Nephis a mental message asking about her talk with Morgan.
Nephis reveals Morgan warned her of a Song ambush during their return to the siege capital. There are sixteen Nightmare Gates within the city, a drain on resources. Morgan’s Awakened soldiers will challenge the Seeds to close them, while simultaneously scouting the desert, and offered spots to the Fire Keepers. Sunny questions if the Fire Keepers will attempt Ascension. She confirms Shim’s cohort will go first, then the others will follow.
