A Sunless Dream

Kai didn't know what to think, Casse was standing at the back of the room unable to form a coherent thought as she saw Nephis use her authority over Sunny not once but twice. It was obvious to the eye that she felt disgusted that she was forced to use her authority however taking the hard decisions for the greater good had become part of her life now.

However, what was truly surprising was Kai for the first time ever had seen Nephis cry.

Nephis slowly moved away from the body after healing him, although the pain from her flaw coursing through her body was incomprehensible to most if not all other awakened to say that was the cause of her anguish would be a foolish opinion to hold. Slowly raising her hands, she looked at them before muttering to herself slowly, "I-I did it again" she said with baited breaths, Kai rushed to her and caught her before she was able to fall to her feet as Cassie continued her struggle to remain composed.

Kai tried reasoning with her although he himself knew that it would fall on deaf ears "It's not your fault, if you didn't, he might have killed himself. You did what was best Nephis and you know it" he said. To say that he had heard the entire conversation would be an understatement, he had heard the anguish in Sunny's voice as he explained his predicament to Nephis, and he had seen the look in his eyes when he noticed her presence.

That wasn't the look of a saint. That was an expression filled with years of pent up anguish and frustration, finally coming to a boiling point as everything in his life went wrong.

"Why? Why can't I ever save anybody!?" Nephis screamed between tears, although most may be unable to understand. Those close to her related to her internal struggle the most. Quite frankly, she had no way of knowing how great of a leader she would be upon usurping the sovereigns. And she had no way of knowing if she would be forced to sacrifice so many as she once had in the forgotten shore.

From her perspective, she was merely a butcher who was dedicated to revenge. Leaving behind both friend and foe in tattered forms barely resembling their original self. Who's lives would be much better had they never met her. And now this situation helped prove she was right once more, she could sense the longing from the man who stood before her however he continued to push her away because he knew what she had realised about herself so long ago.

But why did he continue to suffer so much for her sake?

That was the only question that remained in her mind as she remained a sobbing mess on the floor for as long as possible. Right now, she didn't want to be changing star of the immortal flame clan, who cut down enemies without leaving a single trace with an indifferent mask caring for no one. She wanted to be Nephis, and right now Nephis felt pathetic.

After five minutes had passed, surprisingly Kai was the first one to speak. "Cassie" his voice ripped through the silence as she turned her head towards him, her blindfold was soaked with tears so much, so she was forced to take them off and look him in the eyes. Staring into her blue eyes, Kai fought a losing battle to lash out at Cassie.

He knew she had her reasons for doing so despite the fact she didn't remember. If she hadn't then he would have never made bonds with her in the first place.

But humans were not rational animals, rather, they were fuelled by emotions which could be channelled into brutal rationality on a whim. Taking a few seconds to compose himself, he continued his statement "Can you take him upstairs, there should be a bedroom up there I can't imagine he'd leave this place much seeing how attached he is" Kai said. Turning back to Nephis, he noticed her also making her way to her feet as she shook her head. He could see it once more in her eyes, whatever she was about to say was final.

"I'll stay with him, I'm the only one with the capability of restraining him should he lash out violently" taking a second to look away, she couldn't meet the members of her cohort's eyes as she continued "even at himself." Kai shook his head understandingly as he watched her make her way over to Sunny's body. Nephis took a second to look at him and placed a hand on his face for a second observing him, shaking her head she gently picked up his body and made her way up the stairs.

"Do you need some privacy, I doubt he'd want to talk to me" Cassie said, looking at the floor with her hands balled into such tight fists that drops of blood leaked from them. She was supposed to be the one who manipulated fate in favour of the cohort, allowing one of her dearest friends to be a victim to fate with her being the one to sacrifice him from her perspective was a failing she would never be able to reconcile.

Dragging her away from her self deprecating thoughts was Kai as he grabbed her on the shoulder and locked eyes with her, "Listen, what's in the past is done now. I don't feel like you did the right thing and quite frankly I'd be a liar if I said I'd ever come to agree with your decision. However, blaming yourself and looking downward is the perfect way to miss every opportunity to reconcile the mistakes you've made. Stopping for a second, he looked away with an embarrassed expression as he muttered his final words before he left "oh, and I'm sorry for yelling at you."

With that, Kai pushed the door of the cafe open and flew out. He had spent too much time with the cohort that he had neglected some of his government duties, taking a second to look back he marvelled at the cafe's size from the outside. 'I wonder how he gets it to be so large looking on the inside' he thought to himself before speeding over the horizon once more.

An hour had passed since Kai's departure and Sunny was slowly beginning to awaken from his slavery induced slumber. Opening his eyes slowly, he took in the sight of Nephis grey hair and sighed to himself 'I can never get rid of her huh' he thought. Bringing himself to kill her was impossible. In the forgotten shore he had caused her too much pain for an entire lifetime and he wasn't about to add onto it.

Her screams in anguish as he cut her, the expression she had when she healed him for the first time with her flames. All of those instances of her enduring for his behalf were not something that Sunny would ever forget.

Before he was able to speak, Nephis spoke first, not turning to look him in the eye. "I see you're awake, Sunny" she said, he missed hearing her voice, the calming and authoritative tone that he had learnt to rely on had always gave him a moment of respite he needed. However, the agony that was promised from following her path had always caused him to wince.

"Yeah, I am" was all that Sunny could manage to say, he was tired and hurt and his neck was burning. He would kill for the calming sensation of his blood on his fingers once more however he knew that Nephis wouldn't allow it. "I-I'm sorry for ordering you, again" she replied, he could tell that her voice was wavering and though a part of him wanted to tell her to rot in a pit and die he couldn't help but sit up.

He reached a hand out to her and placed it on her shoulder, flinching from the sudden contact Nephis turned around and looked Sunny in the eye. His pitch black onyx eyes which almost appeared like gemstones reflected and absorbed all the light in the room allowing her to know she was receiving his undivided attention "It's fine, I was going to hurt myself if I kept going" he said, hearing his response, Nephis began to shake.

He knew she was supressing something, there was something she wanted to ask him that he knew she wasn't telling him.

"Why do you go so far" she muttered under her breath, raising her voice a little she repeated herself "Why do you go so far for me? What about me is so special compared to all of the other leaders who you've ever encountered?" she cried, her tears fell to her lap as she continued to hold eye contact with him. He really didn't want to reply, he wanted to brush her off and tell her a lie to comfort both her and himself. However, his flaw wouldn't allow for such a thing.

"I love you and I can't help it. I've tried distancing myself from you for as long as possible and it always leaves a hole in my chest and I'd rather be cut a million times than have to go through that longer than I have to" he said, he had broken eye contact at his abrupt confession. How was she supposed to react? He had claimed he loved her, but she didn't even remember who he was, it wouldn't work, and he knew it.

Ripping apart all of his preconceived notions of how she would respond, Nephis placed her hand on his and smiled at him. It was one of those small smiles that he treasured and had burned into the back of his head like he was forced to, "I haven't heard anyone properly say that to me before. I can't say I feel the same way yet, but we can at least try and make something work" she said, her tone soft and her gaze never wavering from where his eyes once were.

How was that supposed to work, the sin of solace had reminded him in abundance that relationships between a master and their slave would never work. Although it was a part of him, he continuously to this day tried to deny, the sin of solace was a part of him as well.

Currently though, he could care less about the future consequences that were brought about from what he was about to say as he looked up and smiled at her in return.

"Yeah, let's see where it goes."