Fate's Slave - Shadow Slave X Honkai Star Rail

Sunny seated himself at a table with March and Dan Heng. It had an attached umbrella to protect against falling snow, but served more as shade instead. The skies were relatively clear — a far contrast from the constant onslaught of the Eternal Freeze.

March was sipping on some sort of drink with a comically long straw, while Dan Heng was reading a book of some kind. Once Sunny sat down, the latter turned to him and asked:

"You’re finished?"

He nodded, turning to the crowd surrounding the Everwinter Monument — a large crystalline structure in the center of the square.

"I got rid of the previous punishment. The knowledge of Awakened can be freely shared in the Underworld."

Sunny glanced at March for a moment, who was humming in delight as she enjoyed her drink, unbothered by the conversation between the two boys. He quickly pushed down the smirk that threatened to break onto his face.

He let his shadows roam freely, acting as extra security. He doubted anyone would try anything, as well as their ability to do so, but he might as well take some precautions.

Dam Heng frowned in thought.

"It’s strange. The older people of the Underworld should know what an Awakened is, right? Cocolia hasn’t been Supreme Guardian for that long, but Oleg seemed to be relatively oblivious."

Sunny shrugged.

"I theorized that it was an older Supreme Guardian. Though, that just makes some things even more confusing. The Silvermane Guards used to operate down there, so people should have definitely noticed in the past... which would cause more deaths."

He paused.

’...When one person dies for telling another, that person will either be inclined to inform someone else about what happened before their sudden death, or they won’t. In the first scenario, they’d die as well, continuing the cycle. In the second scenario, they’d keep it a secret until their grave, so nobody would know if they had that knowledge in the first place.’

The restriction was specifically on those that divulged the existence of Awakened — those who talked about it. As long as someone kept their mouth shut, nothing would happen. Even if somebody did open their mouth, some people would detect a pattern, and learn to keep it a secret.

So, there was still the possibility that Cocolia herself created the rule, and the older citizens of the Underworld simply learned to keep quiet when others died shortly after speaking of Awakened. There was also the possibility that nobody really knew about Awakened, which would mean that the rule was restriction was placed further in the past.

He was leaning towards the latter, since those bloodied runes in the inner sanctum of Qlipoth Fort seemed to be too old to be drawn in the past decade. He wasn’t an expert, though, so he could still be wrong.

Actually, Sunny wasn’t sure if the punishment was the same from the time the restriction was placed. The restriction couldn’t be changed after it was set, but the punishment could. For all he knew, a previous Supreme Guardian could have created the restriction with a humorous punishment — similar to what Sunny himself had done. Then, down the line, another Supreme Guardian would make it more malicious...

Sunny sighed.

"It’s too hard to decipher without more clues. Let’s just leave it at that for now."

He paused for a moment, before asking.

"What’s that movie we’re watching about anyways? I already invited Bronya yesterday."

March decided that it was a good time to insert herself into the conversation, snickering.

"Don’t worry about it. It’ll be a surprise~"

Sunny blinked as Dan Heng hid a smirk behind his book.

"Let’s just say... it doesn’t quite capture real life."

’...What am I supposed to get from that?’

Sunny shook his head in exasperation. He was getting a bad feeling about this...

In passing, March had brought up a particular movie, recommending that they watch it. Surprisingly, Dan Heng agreed with her suggestion, a strange secret conversation passing between them. After the inauguration ceremony, Sunny only planned to fight in the harder arenas of the Dreamscape — since he had no plans to go on another fantastical journey in the Dream Realm — so he didn’t have any issues with joining.

They insisted that he got Bronya and Seele to come as well. He didn’t know why, but Sunny felt like their was a huge joke flying around his head.

Anybody who spent five minutes around Sparkle would notice that.

As he looked between Dan Heng and March for a moment, he asked:

"Wanna challenge the Second Nightmare?"

Sunny used Shadow Step to avoid the flying liquid March spat out. Dan Heng had lowered his book, sending him a look of disbelief.

She coughed a few times, turning to him with wide eyes.

"...You found a Seed?"

Sunny grinned.

"Yep! Actually, during my trip, I found one in the Ivory Tower. Before that, I have to go grab a pair of knives. I know how to grab one of them, but I’ll really have to think of how to get the latter."

Due to his little escapade, the other two had arrived at the Chained Isles a couple days ago in search of him. Now that they were all in the same place, they could attempt to challenge the same Nightmare Seed together.

Sunny sent them a glance.

"So... is that a yes? No? Maybe...?"

March pursed her lips.

"Before that, how the heck are we supposed to get up there?! That thing is way to high up!"

Sunny didn’t say anything for a moment, before shrugging.

"I’ll figure something out. Are you in, or out?"

March fiddled with her straw.

"Eh. Sure, why not?"

Sunny blinked. That barely required any convincing.

"Really? That’s it?"

"Just imagine how pretty I’d be after! Plus, training arcs are important!"

"...Nevermind. Maybe you should stay behind."

"Hey!"

Ignoring her cries, Sunny turned towards Dan Heng.

He sighed in exasperation.

"Someone needs to keep any eye on you two. Unfortunately, I’m the only one who can."

’What? Me? But I’m so unproblematic!’

Dan Heng continued:

"I’m not sure if the three of us will be enough. Is anyone else coming?"

Sunny nodded.

"At least one more. Besides her, I have two others to consider."

Dan Heng hummed in affirmation, returning to his book.

"I’ll trust your judgement."

Sunny stared at them blankly for a moment.

’Why are they so easy?’

He would have thought that forming a cohort to enter the Second Nightmare would be difficult. After all, both skill and trust were important. The Nightmares were isolated, so if any of the challengers decided to try something, there would be no repercussions — assuming they survive.

So, Sunny was more than a little surprised when Dan Heng didn’t ask too many questions about who he was inviting.

There was also the matter of difficulty. The First Nightmare was tailored to the individual, ensuring that there was at least one path to conquering it. For instance, anyone else would have certainly died in Sunny’s own Nightmare, as most people lacked his cunning mind, imagination, and insidious will. Strength wasn’t the deciding factor, it was intelligence.

At the same time, Sunny would have a hard time in most other Nightmares. If a scrawny rat from the outskirts took the role of a knight in the midst of a battle against Nightmare Creatures, he would certainly have gotten mauled.

The First Nightmare ensured that survival was possible, but it was up to the Aspirant to grasp it.

The same could not be said for any of the proceeding Nightmares.

Anyone could challenge a Seed as long as their Rank was below the Rank of those who passed the Seed. For example, Sunny, an Awakened, could challenge the Third Nightmare. If he survived, he’d Ascend and Transcend at the same time, jumping two Ranks. Of course, this was extraordinarily difficult, and had a very low rate of success.

It wasn’t common to achieve this, but there have been some occurrences of Sleepers being unable to find a Gateway, so they challenged the first Seed of Nightmare they’d encounter. The ones who have been known to survive are the minority, as there must have been much more who tried but failed.

Anyways, since anyone could challenge a Seed with a predetermined Nightmare, it was not tailored towards anyone. Instead, the Nightmares were made with a specific Rank in mind. A Second Nightmare was tailored for Awakened... but how many? There was no limit to the amount of people who challenged a Nightmare.

What about their Memories? Aspects?

The Nightmare does not account for any of these. So, naturally, the difficulty varied vastly.

And, considering that the Nightmare Sunny wanted to challenge were the very chains that bound a Daemon, a lesser deity, it was safe to assume that it would be a harrowing endeavor.

However, Sunny had some dissent.

The First Nightmare tasked the Aspirant with slaying a single Nightmare Creature. The Second, Third, and all those after did not.

The only thing that was needed was to resolve a conflict. It was different for every Nightmare, but that wasn’t the point.

Conflicts had infinite ways to be resolved. In a war, one could choose the stronger side. In a natural disaster, one could simply watch from afar as a civilization is washed away. They could also do the opposite. They could fight alongside the weaker army, or attempt to save the civilization.

Freedom was the key to surviving.

As long as someone was smart enough to make the right choices, then they could conquer the Nightmare despite their disadvantages. They just had to pick their fights carefully, while also picking which side they’re fighting on.

Sunny was confident in their ability to survive. After he made preparations, of course.

He would of thought that March and Dan Heng would have been a little more concerned. Especially the latter. After all, even a skilled cohort of Awakened with vast soul arsenals could still find themselves losing their lives in the Nightmare. They should have at least been worried about who else was participating.

’Well, whatever.’

Just as he was about to sit down, his shadow detected something.

"...I’ll be back."

The other two absentmindedly nodded, too absorbed in their book and drink.

’Does it taste good?’

Sunny mentally noted to ask as he dove into the shadows.

***

"There you are."

Seele flinched as Sunny emerged from the shadows of the alleyway. He sent her a curious look before observing the crowd surrounding the Everwinter Monument.

"What are you hiding back here for? That’s my thing."

"Guards, formation!"

As Sunny approached her, the inaugural ceremony began. He watched through his shadows as the announcer spoke, but his eyes didn’t leave Seele’s.

"Citizens of Belobog, I kindly ask for your attention! Lady Bronya Rand’s inaugural address will begin shortly. Please remain orderly!"

Seele scowled.

"What’s it to you?"

Sunny shrugged.

"Nothing, I guess."

Bronya’s voice echoed as she addresses the masses.

"People of Belobog — hear me! Today we gather here to celebrate our victory... but it was a sacrifice made by a mighty guardian that delivered us this opportunity. She dispelled an evil that cost us seven hundred years of suffering... and in the process, she lost her ability to continue to serve."

Seele frowned.

"Veliona and Natasha never found those books. Or the Astral Express. They don’t even know which direction it’s in."

Sunny seemed to stare past her.

"Why would you even read those? It’s gross. Pervert."

She blushed.

"Y—You shouldn’t be asking me. The other one reads those, not me! Honest!"

"The sacrifice of Cocolia Rand ushers in a new Chapter. The blizzard beyond the walls will die away and the offensives of our Silvermane Guards will begin to contain the Fragmentum’s advance. In the far north, I witnessed with my own eyes the struggle between the late Supreme Guardian and the evil power that sought to destroy us. She left behind her only regret..."

Sunny simply sent her a look of distrust.

"Just so you know, I don’t plan on making any syrup vessels for perverts. Repent."

"...The order to seal off the Underworld from the Overworld. With the passage of time, she gradually came to realize the consequences of that decision... Although tortured with guilt, she could not undo the damage. In her final moments, she wanted us to mark the Stellaron’s end by reuniting Belobog. Overworlders and Underworlders must embrace the dawn of a new age... together."

Seele crossed her arms in annoyance.

"They really aren’t mines, crêpe freak."

She paused.

"Wait, what do you mean by ’making’ them?"

Sunny haughtily smirked.

"Let’s just say that I plan on realizing my culinary talents."

"...What a weirdo."

"What was that?"

"People of the Underworld, I dare not ask for your forgiveness — I now know the reality of your decade of suffering... But I want us to work together. We know that without your perseverance and hard work, Belobog will not recover its former glory... and the seed of civilization will not be preserved."

She didn’t respond to his question. Seele looked towards the crowd — both Underworlders and Overworlders intermixed.

"I didn’t realize it back then, but... it’s really over now, huh?"

Her tone was softer than usual.

Sunny scoffed.

"As if! Now you’ll have to deal with interstellar politics and stuff. I’d rather live alone in the Fragmentum!"

He paused, before shivering.

"Nevermind, I take that back."

He remembered the Architect of Lost Preservation. Who knew if there were more creatures like that, hiding as they waited to use their horrific might.

"...And on that note, I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to a few guests of the city. Most of you were not aware of their arrival... but it is thanks to them that our world now flourishes with hope. They made me realize that while we remain focused on ’preserving’ the ground beneath our feet, we should not forget to look up into the sky."

"She’s talking about me, by the way."

Seele shook her head, speaking sarcastically.

"Really? Geez, I wouldn’t have ever guessed."

She looked back at him for a few moments, before resolutely stepping forward. Then, she silently held out her hand.

Sunny stared down at it in confusion.

’A handshake? Weird.’

A little suspicious, Sunny placed his hand in hers. Nothing happened for a few seconds.

"Uh... what are we doi—"

Seele pulled.

"I firmly believe that with the determination of everyone, our world, the world the Trailblazers call Jarilo-VI,will no longer be alone among the stars. But before we accomplish that goal, I humbly ask you to follow me into the future..."

An ownerless shadow suddenly bristled, sending a glare beyond the crowd. Out of annoyance, it glided over to Bronya’s shadow, preferring to watch the ceremony instead.

There was a resolute glint in the woman’s eyes. The shadow silently kept a vigilant eye.

"I, Bronya Rand, the nineteenth guardian of Belobog, hereby take my oath..."

The crowd chanted:

"Lady Bronya! Lady Bronya! Long live Belobog!"

’Er... what do I do here?’

Seele’s slender arms had slithered under his, wrapping him in an embrace. Sunny’s arms hanged stupidly, as if he was confused about where to put them.

Which he was.

"Got you. You’d probably have run away if I offered a hug."

Sunny turned slightly towards the head of purple hair in disbelief, mouth agape.

"...That’s an exaggeration. Who the hell runs in that situation?"

"You get what I mean!"

He couldn’t quite see her face, but Sunny thought that she was probably wearing an annoyed expression. To satisfy his curiosity, he recalled the Happy shadow... which had gotten distracted from it’s task and was longingly floating over to a cafe.

Looking from his shadow, he found that Seele’s face was flushed crimson.

His eye twitched.

"If you’re so embarrassed, just let go!"

Her face contorted.

"I’m not embarrassed! You are!"

Sunny’s brow furrowed.

"Sure, whatever. Now stop hugging me! It’s weird!"

Really weird, actually. Who even does that? At least send him a two-weeks notice so he could mentally prepare.

In response, Seele only gripped him tighter.

"...Thank you. I’ll make sure to keep up my end of the deal."

Sunny grimaced.

"Then do that! Hugs have nothing to do with it!"

She turned her head slightly, allowing Sunny to catch a glimpse of her eyes even without his shadow. Seele narrowed her eyes.

"You squirm too much. Just stay still so we can get this over with."

Sunny huffed.

"Nobody wanted your hugs anyways."

Seele growled.

"And this is why nobody likes you!"

He rolled his eyes.

"Right. What’s this about anyways? In case you can’t tell, we’re both very uncomfortable. So what’s the reason?"

Seele released her grip from him a little, moving back to send him... a pitying smile?

She patted his head, kind of like a pet.

"Poor thing. You might be smart, but you’ll always have no social awareness."

Sunny blinked.

"Ah?"

His reaction was a bit delayed, as despite the perfect chance to pull away, he forgot to escape due to being distracted by her insulting words. She placed her head back on his shoulder.

Through his shadow, he could see her closing her eyes. Then, she started to trace lines on his back...

"Hey! Stop trying to kill me!"

"Whoops. I got caught."

Augmenting himself with his shadow, he pushed off Veliona as he got into a defensive stance. She had a mischievous smile on her face, as if she was attempting a harmless prank.

"Grateful my ass! You just wanted a chance to have me dead at your feet!"

"...Yeah, let’s go with that."

She sent him the strange pitying look that Seele did, which caused him to scowl in displeasure.

"Ugh. I’ll... see you later, I guess. I sure hope not, though."

Crazy women would be the death of him someday...

"Wait."

Sunny’s thoughts paused when a cloud of illusory crimson butterflies danced in the air. He stiffened at the soft object that pressed against his cheek, slightly moist. His heart quickened — if it still beat — as he whipped his head around, finding Veliona at the other end of the alley as the butterflies faded away.

She waved.

"That was from both of us, by the way!"

She turned, paused, then turned back.

"Also, we don’t care if you have a girlfriend. We’ll get you, one way or another."

She mockingly stuck out her tongue, her murderous crimson eyes glimmering as she faded away in a mess of afterimages and butterflies.

Sunny blankly stared at the now empty alley. He made a few noises of confusion.

’...I forgot to ask if she wanted to challenge the Second Nightmare with us. And the movie!’

He wiped his cheek, trying to piece together what just happened.

"I don’t have a girlfriend. Where did she get that idea?"

He crossed his arms, aimlessly walking in a circle. Sunny tiled his head after a while, before summoning a Memory.

"What do you think, Mr. Rock?"

His voice echoed back:

"I think you need to follow your inactive heart! I believe in you!"

Sunny chuckled.

"What wonderful advice. This is why you’re my therapist."

The Ordinary Rock spoke an prerecorded message:

"And that’s why you’re crazy! A crazy bastard!"

Dismissing the Memory, Sunny turned to the Happy shadow. The little guy was pumping it’s fists in joy, everlastingly cheerful.

"Score? I scored, you say? You only ever see the bright side, huh? I know you’re knew around here, but kisses can be platonic... no, stop shaking your head. You have to consider that it was simply a show of friendship... that doesn’t mean we’re friends. It’s... ugh!"

Sunny slid down the wall, dejected. He sent one last look to his shadow.

"...Got any idea on what I should do?"

The Happy shadow confidently pointed towards it’s heart.

Sunny scoffed.

"We both know that doesn’t work. Try again."

After a few moments of contemplation, the shadows fingers turned into puppets — one one hand and two in the other. Then, it brought both hands together.

Sunny stared for a few moments, before groaning.

"...I need to stop talking to myself."