6: I'm free

It was Nephis.

The mysteries and confusion about Sunny's identity immediately disappeared as Changing Star was shown in the video.

As the known hope for humanity, government, civilians and saints were expected to respect and even favor her. Seeing Nephis on the screen brought them curiosity that overshadowed even the Lord of Shadows.

She looked just like the last time he had seen her... but also different.

Then confusion rose among the audiences.

"Who's he? "

"Does Lady Changing Star have a.... you know... "

"No! that can't be!"

Not only because the white metal of the Starlight Legion armor was torn and scorched, breached in half a dozen places...

Nephis' brows furrowed. There should be no one who should know the name of her memories except the cohort and the highest memory makers of the Sword Domain. Yet, there is someone. Her eyes widened in realization.

'Could it be... him?"

If it is then... he could be closer to her than she has thought of. To the point where she isn't sure if she should feel guilty of not remembering him.

'No... that's just cruel.'

The thought were immediately torn off her mind. Not because of the chances of it being true were miniscule, but because Nephis just couldn't bear the weight of the thought of a close comrade being forgotten.

Nephis shaked the thought off because of her fear of it being true.

And not only because her presence seemed to illuminate the world, so much stronger and tantalizing than it had been before.

And not even because she had grown even more beautiful after undergoing the rebirth of Transcendence.

No... it was because Nephis had wings.

A pair of white wings extended from her back, looking too majestic and pure to be a part of this mortal world.

"Is that Lady Changing Star's transformation ability? "

"She's an angel sent by the spell!"

"I've seen it once already but seeing it up close is just different. "

Normal people and awakened alike were dazzled by Changing Star's transformation ability. Though some of them have already seen it, it is much more... divine than other transformations.

Sunny stared, enthralled.

'...Partial transformation?'

The crowd were once again dumbfounded when they saw whose point of view they were watching.

It was Sunny's.

Meanwhile Effie is grinning as her awaited scene finally came. A glimpse of the relationhip within the two, especially with it being shown in Sunny's point of view.

"Princess! M-may be you were not single since birth after all!"

Kai's jaw dropped when Effie just said that with a voice that could be heard from kilometers away. The whole room followed as they all looked at Nephis who had a confused look on her face.

The words of Effie echoed towards the audiences as more and more people were taken back om being curious with Sunny's life story.

There had to be more to this Transformation, of course. Sunny doubted that a Divine Aspect would be limited to enhancing one's might and granting one the ability to fly.

Petrified.

The whole crowd was petrified.

The reason? What the mysterious Forgotten Saint had just said. Lady Changing Star of the Immortal clan is a Divine Aspect user. Something that have never been recorded in history after the spell arrived. The best, strongest and the almost mythical, Divine Aspect is true and the holder of it is the hope of humanity.

"T-that's just amazing...! "

Rain was in awe, the first ever Divine Aspect user was Changing Star whom she personally met back then in her old neighbor's house. She even trained her for a bit, yet the memory were kind of hazy. As if something is missing from that moment. Something Rain couldn't really wrap her head around.

The vassals of the great clans were in shambles. After all it was a Divine Aspect. That Divine Aspect! Bastion, Government and Ravenheart alike cannot believe what they are seeing.

Of course the two great clans can't just ignore this news and some may even consider this a threat to their clan but without their respective Sovereigns, they cannot act accordingly to treat Nephis as a threat. After all, Nephis' influence also reach even the vassals of the clans.

The whole audiences were celebrating this new knowledge, the fact that the first Divine Aspect user was finalky here. But a man with a face that transcend human standards smiled.

Mordret couldn't help but be amused by these people, celebrating about this stupid information.

He of all people here with the exception of Changing Star knows the burden and demise that a Divine aspect brings to its user. Mordret, curious about what is happening to the topic of the whole audience's conversation, Changing Star, looked at her from the very back of the theater.

Changing Star was there, confusion written all over the place. Nephis had never knew her bad premonition will come true. This... this Sunless is someone close to her, very close to the point that he knows something only the cohort knows.

The cohort's mood was in shambles. Kai and Effie were in shocked, they didn't thought of the possibility of someone being with them all along, forgotten.

He stared for a few more moments, then sighed.

'Well, I can ask her later.'

For now...

Sunny had to do something very unpleasant.

Namely, explain himself.

"Now that this was shown, him and Lady Changing Star used to be close. But what is he about to explain? This is making me curious."

The princess of Valor, Morgan stated and shared her curiousity about this topic which started another conspiracy sharing.

"Did he perhaps cheated or something?"

"Lady Nephis doesn't have anyone!"

"Oh yeah? I ain't agreeing with your two brain cells, she obviously forgot about him!"

"Maybe he betrayed them?"

"What kind of idiot will betray Changing Star?"

"He obviously lost a fight! This is after the third nightmare, he lost a fight and Lady Nephis suffered the consequences!"

"Someone who's part of Changing Star's cohort isn't a pushover!"

The bantering continue but as well as the video, making them grumble in annoyance.

What was one supposed to say after leaving his partner to face the last challenge of a dreadful Nightmare alone?

Effie felt that she was in heaven. When she heard the word partner she immediately lost it and shook Nephis' shoulders.

"Look! I told you! I called it princess!"

Effie laughed out loud as she celebrated for herself.

"I am an oracle! My aspect just hides it!"

Kai sighed with her childishness and couldn't believe that this woman have a child.

"Effie, oracles don't work anymore. Fate was in shambles isn't it?"

"Yeah but I don't care."

Sorry, I had to step out to break fate really quick?

"This confirmed what Saint Cassia said. He is someone who broke fate. Insanity."

Summerknight laughed. Of course, what can he even do now? He already expressed his reaction, his words about this Sunless and how insane all he's saying but in the end, it turned out to be true.

All he could do is laugh on this insane feat made by someone who isn't even a Saint at that time.

He winced, not looking forward to that conversation at all.

'Goddammit.'

It was too late, however, because that movement attracted Neph's attention.

She turned her head and looked at him, her eyes shining with radiant white light.

Sunny smiled nervously, then hesitated and took a step in her direction.

There were the complicated intricacies of his relationship with Nephis and the consequences of the choice he had made, yes.

"Complicated? How?"

"Well it seems that there are things involved in their relationship that hinders it."

"As I said! This bastard cheated!"

"Shut up will you?"

But there was also the reason he had made that choice.

His connection to the Nightmare Spell was gone, and his [Fated] Attribute was also gone.

"... gods!"

"He doesn't have an access to the spell?"

"You're saying that the spell is connected to our fate?"

In the midst of this batenring, Beastmaster spoke, startling everyone.

"Why is no one talking about this [fated] attribute? Are you blind? And isn't him being able to break fate already hinted before? Gods... you annoy me."

What about Shadow Bond?

"Hmm? A part of his aspect perhaps?"

A random awakened spoke garnering the attention of all. Beastmaster right now is beyond annoyed.

"Can you shut up? Stop stating the obvious will you? and you'll eventually get the answers later!"

As Sunny walked, considering what he would say, Nephis spoke in a calm, even tone:

"Stop."

He took a couple more steps and froze, stunned.

'It's... it's...'

It was gone.

The connection between him and Nephis was gone.

Confusion rose from the audience. A connection? They couldn't understand what they meant. Is it a metaphorical or a practical statement? They couldn't figure it out as the clues were all lacking. Thus, they continued to watch.

Sunny took a shaky breath.

'It... worked. It worked!'

An involuntary smile found its way onto his face.

'I'm free!'

Although confused on what he meant, everyone knows that he was free from fate as he broke it. But how did he know? How did this mysterious Saint know how it worked?

Sunny had been a bit scared to face Nephis after abandoning her at Verge... but he was much more scared that his decision to leave had been for nothing. That would have been a really, really bitter pill to swallow.

But, luckily, it had not been in vain.

Everything had worked just as promised.

There is only one thought in everyone's head.

'He abandoned Changing Star? How? Why?And who in their right mind to abandoned such person?'

"I told you! He abandoned her! He is a traitor in Changing Star's cohort!"

"We don't know what happened yet. Don't jump in your random conclusions!"

His wish had come true.

His smile widened, refusing to go away... which was a bit awkward, considering the nature of the conversation they were about to have.

Everyone in the theater were curious on what drove Sunny that far. How could he abandon a comrade just for his goals. Is it selfishness? Or is it another reason? No one knows.

But one thing is for sure, they will soon know it.

Sunny opened his mouth, trying to say something...

But Nephis beat him to it.

Looking at him coldly, she frowned slightly and asked:

"Who are you?"

There was no hint of recognition in her voice.

"...Identify yourself."

Sunny's smile froze. His body froze, too.

Everyone in the audience, except for some psychopaths felt a pain in their hearts. Though Summerknight already explained it to them earlier, the thought of someone close to you treating you as a stranger made them felt pain.

And now they are seeing it face to face. The true origin of that question, the man who was forgotten by the world.

They are seeing his first reaction on the situation that anyone couldn't imagine happening even to their worst enemies.

For a moment, he was utterly confused, doubting that he had heard Nephis correctly. But there was no doubt - her voice was very clear.

'Identify yourself? What is she doing, giving me the cold shoulder?'

Some understood his confusion while some doubted it. They believe that Sunny's mind already know the answer but it's just refusing to accept this change, this... cruel change.

He could understand if she was angry at him because of what had happened on the cold shores of Verge. Resentful, even. But still, wasn't it too childish, to pretend as if she did not know him?

Sunny tried to calm down, but at the same time, he knew that he was deceiving himself. Nephis was not the kind of person to lash out by treating him as a stranger... she just genuinely did not recognize him.

'H-how can it be?'

"He's... in denial."

Beastmaster said in a somber tone.

"Of course, I would too."

The two who were in each other's neck everytime were miraculously doesn't mind each other's company. They were at this moment not a Saint of two sides of a war, but just an audience of a pitiful man cast away from existence.

Well... to be fair... he was indeed covered in dust and dirt from head to bottom. It was easy to mistake him for someone else. No, was it? It might have been for someone else, but not for Nephis. She knew him far too well for that, not to mention that he was wearing a rather unique suit of armor. There was no mistaking the Onyx Mantle.

Sunny hesitated, not knowing what to say.

But he had to say something, because the pressure of the Flaw was building, forcing him to answer.

Seeing this rare information, Saint Cor immediately reacted.

"His flaw! We might get information about his flaw!"

Everyone in the audience werw alerted. Knowing someone's flaw is crucial, especially with a man like Sunny who is very mysterious and unknown. This could also result to knowing more about his story.

"A theory but his flaw may be something that he couldn't refuse in answering questions?"

Morgan said as he looked around trying to find someone who will add more to her theory.

"That is our only choice Lady Morgan, the scenes shown is only pointing to that direction."

It was Saint Jest who answered. The old man finally did not utter any jokes because of the seriousness of the situation. Though, he couldn't help but feel pity about the young man's situation.

"It's me... Sunny."

His voice sounded strangely lost

Neph's frown deepened slightly.

"Your affiliation?"

Petrified and feeling his hair stand on end, Sunny answered stiffly:

Everyone here knows what is happening. Sunny is slowly... realizing what is truly happening.

"...Evacuation Army, I guess. Army Command, special envoy."

Jet scoffed at this information.

"So he was part of that hellhole too? My respect to this man rose to a high level with this being shown."

People were on the same thought as hers. Yet Jet was in a pinch. What if this Sunny was a comrade of her? What if he is also someone important to her? She couldn't just wrap her head around the feeling that something is wrong.

What was going on?

What was happening?

As Sunny was balancing on the edge of mental collapse, desperately trying to keep the emotions from showing on his face, Nephis nodded. It seemed that she accepted his explanation easily.

She looked around, then opened her mouth to say something... possibly to ask what was going on, what date it was, and what state the Southern Quadrant was in. But then her expression changed, and she turned slightly, as if listening to a distant sound.

"Cassie!"

A moment later, Nephis dashed away and plunged her hands into the slope of the crater. Her beautiful white wings spread, and with a barely audible gasp, she pulled a massive alloy plate from under the ground. The plate itself must have weighed many tons, and with the added weight of all the soil and debris piled on top, it should have taken titanic strength to raise it.

Then, Nephis jumped down into the ruins below. Leaving Sunny alone, for a few moments.

He gasped for air, suffocating.

'Fate... the Thieving Bird stole my fate...'

"Could it be... What he said to Rain before was true? He said that a vile bird stole his fate..."

"Is he saying the truth because he knows that no one will ever believe him?"

"Damn..."

But what did it mean, to have his fate stolen?

In simple terms, it meant that the loathsome miscreant had taken all the countless strings of fate that bound Sunny, and tore them away. Leaving Sunny entirely free of their shackles.

However... those shackles...

Were also what made Sunny the person he was, and what connected him to all other living beings, as well as to the world itself.

By proclaiming that he wanted to break fate... that he wished to be free of its chains...

Had he not proclaimed his desire to set himself free from these tethers, as well?

"So we can't even break our fate huh? Because that fate is what made us into who we are right now?"

His mouth was suddenly terribly dry.

Taking a step back, Sunny swayed and almost fell down.

His face was as pale as that of a ghost.

The audience were shocked. They have seen Sunny's peaceful and scary side but this one is beyond creepy.

Sunny looked like a hollow.

A being without a soul, an empty human.

'Be careful... of what you wish for.'

A disbelieving chuckle escaped from his lips.

He should have known that there would be a price to pay... no, he had known. Of course, he knew. But he stubbornly pressed forward, anyway.

They knew that he knew about the consequences but they couldn't help but wonder. Why? Why would someone do such a thing like this? What pushed him to do such thing?

To gain freedom.

Rain in the back couldn't help but feel pity to her master.

"Why? What is pushing you to even do this... master?"

It was a soft whisper coming from her. For some reason she could feel her master's sorrow and helplessness yet she couldn't do anything about it. This has already happened and cannot be changed anymore.

Well, now, he had gained it. He had liberated himself. Not just from fate, but from... everything.

When the vile Thieving Bird stole the strings of fate wrapped around him, it also tore his very existence wrapped around him, it also tore his very existence from the tapestry of fate. And so, his existence was erased from the fabric of the world.

His [Fated] Attribute was gone. His connection to the Nightmare Spell was gone.

And much more importantly... he had lost his True Name, as well. Because True Names were innately tied to one's fate.

"I'm curious about what his true name is."

"I am too, and how did he get it"

"Well maybe he even got it in his first nightmare!"

"Only two people were known in doing it dumbass!"

"Maybe three because he was forgotten."

"Stop using that stupid argument!"

"There's possibility that it's true though."

That was why Nephis could not command him anymore. Everything about his Aspect remained intact, including his Innate Ability, Shadow Bond.

[Find a worthy master and let them know your True Name. Once they recite it out loud, you will be bound to their will, unable to disobey any command. It is improper for a shadow, let alone a divine one, to walk around without a master.]

Realization have hit them once again. The part of this Shadow Bond. Nephis is Sunless' master and he wanted to break it to be free of her. That is why he even took the matter of breaking fate. Because he truly wanted to break free.

"I take it back, he surely will break fate because of that."

"It's also impossible for them to be a couple! Meaning we still have a chance!"

"Delusional"

"I also take back what I said earlier. Even if he got his true name on his first nightmare, there is no way that someone will know. Only stupid people will announce their weakness like that."

Shadow Bond had not disappeared. It was just that Sunny did not have a True Name anymore, and therefore, its condition could not be fulfilled.

The bond formed between him and Nephis was broken, and no one else was going to be able to enslave him, ever again.

"This is an example of a solution that should never be a solution."

"I agree with my whole life."

Because a fateless being could not earn a True Name.

Sunny was truly and utterly free.

But at what cost?

The memories of his existence had been erased from the world.

Sunny fell to the ground and looked up, at the grey sky drowning in the flood of rustling swords.

After a while, a terrible smile split his face like a jagged chasm.

Taking a shallow breath, he laughed bitterly and whispered:

"...I'm free"

Pithiness and sorrow could be felt from the theater. Yet there are some who are different.

Mordret is smiling in anticipation. He wanted to find more about this person that he suspect to have a Divine Aspect just like himself.

While Changing Star is there, standing. She was watching all the scenes with eagerness in her eyes. Because she felt it, she felt the man's longing, desire and despair above anyone else's.

She have felt it even when he first appeared on the screen. She felt intense connection to this man who she had forgotten.