Shadow Slave-Chapter 2297: Evening in Bastion

The sun was already sinking behind Bastion when Nephis arrived at her large room at the top of the Ivory Tower. The horizon glowed with a magnificent blaze of crimson and amber tones, while the sky above the Mirror Lake had transformed into a rich shade of indigo, countless stars sparkling on its velvet background like silver ornaments.

The bright circle of the full moon was climbing higher, too...

The darkness had grown dense and blurry, cloaking the world.

As Nephis stepped onto the balcony and gazed downward, Sunny emerged from her shadow and embraced her from behind, placing his chin on her shoulder.

"Difficult day?"

Nephis breathed deeply, then released a lengthy exhale.

"...Yeah."

Together they watched the moon's image drift across the water's surface in silence. Eventually, Sunny tightened his hold slightly.

"You can sleep without worry tonight. I'm watching over everything."

In reality, Nephis wasn't always present in Bastion. Much of her time was devoted to various combat zones — in the hazy waters of the Stormsea, in the frightening territories south of Godgrave, in the brutal chill of the frozen wasteland west of Ravenheart. If not there, she was guiding humanity into conflict in the waking world, even when the world itself hindered her abilities and resisted her existence.

She was striving hard to delay the breakdown of human society on Earth and ready the Dream Realm for the influx of countless refugees who would escape their failing world. Beyond everything else, she was constantly hunting for additional Citadels — those that remained undiscovered and unconquered, all to strengthen the Human Domain as much as possible and smooth the path for the human Sovereigns who would follow in her footsteps.

Sunny was battling too, though in a more secretive way.

But every month, when the full moon appeared over Bastion, both Nephis and Sunny needed to be present.

This was because the Cursed Demon they had released upon the actual Mirror Lake to halt Mordred still lurked there, concealed in reflections. It remained safely trapped on the opposite side of the Great Mirror most days, but during these few nights when the border between the two versions of Bastion grew weak, its sinister influence occasionally slipped through the moon's reflection.

That was why they needed to maintain vigilance.

Nephs rested her hands on his and reclined slightly in his sturdy embrace, allowing his frame to support her.

"I'm not that exhausted. I rested well yesterday..."

As Supremes, they didn't need to sleep nightly, or even frequently... theoretically. However, Nephis faced ongoing pressure due to her Flaw, so Sunny urged her to rest and recover whenever her incredibly packed schedule permitted.

As the final rays of daylight faded into the spreading darkness, she asked:

"How did your conflict go?"

Sunny laughed softly.

"It went alright, I guess. I managed to eliminate one of the Tyrants, so I'll reach their strongholds soon. However... my Shell collapsed rapidly. I was utterly overwhelmed. Even though I surpassed any individual monster there, and none possessed willpower stronger than mine, the united force of the swarm felt like a massive tidal wave. The more I moved, the more it seemed I was sinking in quicksand. It felt as if a tremendous burden was dragging me down, making my movements slower and my arms heavier. Although I could slash them, I had difficulty landing my attacks."

Nephis remained quiet for a moment, then said thoughtfully:

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"It's probably because you direct your Will like a sword."

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

She pondered her response briefly.

"I only noticed it recently, but the Will... it's not a uniform power. Instead, everyone channels their own version of it. Your will, Sunny, is particularly skewed. It centers entirely around your killing intent — I'm not even sure if there's any distinction between them. So, you handle your Will like a weapon."

He laughed softly.

"What's wrong with that? Whatever happened to 'the heart of combat is murder'?"

Nephis smiled gently.

"It is murder, not a weapon. The blade you use matters, but so does the hand gripping it. Ultimately, the real weapon is your body... what I'm trying to explain is that you should cover your entire being with your will, not just infuse your blade with it. That way, you might find it easier to act even when facing a formidable opponent."

Sunny considered her words.

Will was a power, and like any other power, there was a gap between merely using it and using it masterfully. That gap was technique. Both he and Nephis were beginners in this domain, so they often exchanged their findings and helped each other improve.

'I shouldn't focus too much on killing to become a better killer, huh?'

He smiled, entertained by the irony.

"I'll attempt it next time I get an opportunity."

Then, Sunny guided her back gently.

"Come inside. Even if you're not going to sleep, at least meditate briefly. With what's unfolding in the Western Quadrant, you'll probably need to head back to the East. We both understand how tiring it is to stay at home."

They returned to the chamber and soon settled on a couch, his arms still encircling her waist. Nephis relaxed, shutting her eyes, while Sunny stared at the wall.

After several minutes of pleasant silence, she asked:

"What are you pondering?"

Sunny chuckled.

"Me? Oh... I was just thinking about how mundane our lives have become."

Nephis shifted and glanced up at him, her gray eyes showing a hint of humor.

"Mundane? Our lives?"

He nodded.

"Well, yes, we're probably the busiest individuals in the world — two worlds, even. Except for Cassie, that is. But reflecting on how I lived before becoming Awakened, actually, there was far more entertainment involved. Bread and circuses, right? Free food and entertainment — that's been the strategy for calming restless populations since before the Dark Times. Only now it's synthpaste and network comics, I guess. The authorities wisely made both readily available even to people in the outskirts."

Sunny released a sigh.

"But when was the last time we read an interesting book, enjoyed a comic, got excited over a drama, or viewed a movie? I can't recall. Most of these activities can't even happen in the Dream Realm... granted, we appear to have electricity now. Who knows? Maybe there will be a cinema in Bastion soon, or at least a radio station."

Nephis studied him for a moment, then smiled and closed her eyes again.

"There might not be a cinema in Bastion, but there are numerous theaters. There are also printing machines in most Citadels now — nobody has created a novel yet, but there are already newspapers and magazines. Some are even publishing stories in installments. Oh... and the Dreamscape will arrive here soon, too. As long as we can figure out how to repel the horrors who keep invading it."

She paused briefly, then added wistfully:

"But I understand your point. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I simply enjoyed music, either. A radio station... having a radio station would be wonderful..."

Sunny laughed quietly.

"Three billion people direct their hopes toward you, but they have no idea that all their goddess wants is to be able to admire her favorite performers peacefully from the safety of her heavenly island..."

Nephis smiled drowsily.

"Yeah... that'd be fantastic..."

Sunny stayed motionless for a moment, then carefully removed his arms from around her and reached into the shadows. Instead of a sword, however, what he pulled out this time was a black flute.

Bringing it to his mouth, he blew into it gently and then positioned his fingers on its sleek surface.

Soon, a calming melody filled the room softly, lulling Nephis to sleep.

Darkness settled over Bastion. Sunny continued playing the flute while observing the city below.

Somewhere in the city, Rain was sleeping comfortably, having abandoned her dormitory bed for the luxurious guest room of Tamar's family estate.

Beth and Quentin were enjoying a romantic meal on the deck of a floating restaurant.

Effie and her husband were tucking Little Ling into bed.

Sunny's thoughts were tranquil and unhurried.

'I might not be Night of Night&Gale, but if she wants to hear music, I can fulfill her wish.'

And speaking of Kai...

Back in the waking world, he was about to meet the charismatic Saint for the first time in quite a while.

Then, the two of them would embark on an adventure.

'Ah, it will be like the good old days. Nothing unpleasant or dangerous will happen, I'm certain...'