Shadow Slave: A Supreme Bond (Sunphis Wedding One-Shot)

Sunny grabbed Nephis's arm and tried to pull her into his shadow.

Nothing happened.

He frowned, trying again—but his abilities remained in disarray. His body felt drained, sluggish. It would take a while to recover.

Sighing, he gently tapped her shoulder.

"My abilities are still a mess. Can you walk?"

Nephis gazed at him in silence, an unreadable disappointment flickering in her silver eyes.

"I can."

Sunny smiled.

"Good. You're getting better at handling the aftermath of your explosions."

He laid her gently on the cold earth and chuckled.

"Last time, you couldn't move at all for a while. I thought I'd have to carry you all the way again."

Pushing himself to his feet, he took a step forward. But no footsteps followed behind him.

Sunny paused.

Nephis hadn't moved. She was still lying on the ground, as if asleep.

He turned to her, raising an eyebrow.

"What's the matter?"

Nephis stared up at him, then exhaled softly.

"...I can't walk."

Sunny blinked.

"That's not what you just said—"

She slowly raised her arms toward him. And then, with the sweetest voice she could muster, she whispered:

"Carry me."

Sunny blinked, then chuckled, shaking his head.

"So that's how it is..."

Without a second thought, he slid a hand under her waist. With the other, he gathered her legs, lifting her effortlessly into his arms.

Her body was soft. Light. Like a child made of feathers instead of flesh and bones. Like an angel made of ethereal light, radiating a gentle warmth.

Or maybe— It was all in his head. He wasn't sure. Because at that moment, all his focus, all his attention, was locked onto her.

Her beautiful face. Her warm, radiant presence.

Nephis quietly slid her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer, her embrace tender, unwavering.

Her breath brushed against his skin. And for a long, still moment, Sunny did not move.

He simply stood there, basking in the warmth of her embrace, savoring the sweetness of her smile.

It was perfect. She was perfect. He wanted to keep looking at her forever.

And yet— he had to move. There were people waiting for them. The aftermath of the Gate still had to be dealt with.

With a reluctant sigh, he took a step forward.

Then another. Then another.

Each movement deliberate, careful, ensuring that the delicate beauty cradled in his arms wouldn't feel even the slightest discomfort.

For a few moments, a solemn silence lingered, broken only by the sound of his footsteps against the ruined earth.

Then—He suddenly halted.

His expression shifted. Something heavy settled in his chest. A heavy sigh escaped his lips, his eyes turning distant.

Nephis leaned in slightly. Her voice was soft when she whispered.

"Are you alright?"

Sunny didn't answer immediately. Instead, he smiled. A small, sad smile.

"Yeah, it's just..."

His gaze drifted toward the distance. To the ruined remains of the wedding hall. The place where they should have been right now.

His heart twisted.

"Our perfect moment got ruined by this... damn Gate."

His grip on her tightened ever so slightly. His voice was quiet when he continued.

"If it had just... waited a little longer..."

Nephis looked at his sorrowful expression, her silver eyes flickering with something unreadable.

Then, without warning— She slid her left hand behind his head and pulled him down.

Her other arm wrapped tightly around his waist, holding him close—

And before Sunny could even register what was happening, a soft sensation pressed against his lips.

Warm. Unyielding. Refusing to let go.

His breath hitched. His lips trembled against hers, the initial shock melting away into something deeper, something raw.

His heart pounded in his chest, thrumming in perfect harmony with hers.

For a fleeting moment, he stiffened.

Then— He surrendered. As if drawn by an unseen force, his body relaxed into her embrace.

He let go of her legs, allowing her to stand— Allowing her to pull him in.

Her lips were impossibly soft. Warm. Gentle—lacking urgency, unburdened by the chaos of the world.

Their right hands intertwined, fingers locking fiercely, as if waging a silent battle of their own.

His left arm tightened instinctively around her waist, pulling her closer, as if grasping onto a fleeting dream, like she would slip away if he let go.

For a moment, time ceased to exist. The battlefield, the ruined wedding, the horrors they had faced— None of it mattered. The world began and ended with them.

Nephis's fingers tangled in his dark hair and his hand slid up to cradle the nape of her neck, his fingers tangling in her silver strands.

A quiet sigh escaped Sunny as he deepened the kiss. Slowly. Deliberately.

He could taste the remnants of fire and ash on her lips, and the lingering whispers of heat from her explosion.

It was faintly bitter.

Yet in her embrace, in this moment, it was the sweetest thing in the world.

When they finally parted, just enough to breathe, their foreheads touched. Her silver eyes gleamed with something nameless. Something achingly tender.

"It's still our perfect moment," she whispered, her breath brushing against his lips.

Sunny exhaled a quiet laugh, his grip tightening for just a fraction of a second—before finally, he smiled.

"Yeah," he murmured, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "It is."

Then, before she could say another word, his hands found her face.

He cupped her face with both hands and pulled her in again, claiming her lips in a kiss that left no room for restraint.

This time, he did not hold back.

Nephis responded instantly, coiling her hands around him, pulling him closer, giving in to him completely.

This wasn't the first time they had kissed. But this moment... This kiss... It was different.

It was something they would never forget. Not for the rest of their lives.

...

As they returned to the ruined wedding hall, an array of Saints greeted them—battered, bruised, but standing.

Not a single casualty. Everyone had survived.

A Category 5 Gate had been successfully contained, and with zero casualties. It was a tremendous achievement for humanity. A feat once thought impossible.

It was a proof that humanity could stand against the fiercest trials the Spell threw their way. That it could no longer dictate their fate. No longer destroy them. No longer steal their world.

They had won this war. But it was just the beginning.

There were many more to come.

As Sunny and Nephis stepped forward, a hush fell over the warriors.

Then, in perfect unison, they bowed. A show of respect. Of acknowledgment.

A voice broke the silence.

"Welcome back, Sunny, Nephis."

It was Cassie.

A wry smile played on her lips as she glanced at Sunny—particularly at the red marks on his lips.

"It seems you had quite a pleasant time."

Sunny cleared his throat. "Being an overgrown brat's plaything... Yeah, it was really something."

Cassie chuckled but quickly turned serious. Her gaze swept across the gathered warriors—

Saints from Clan Valor, Song, the Government, and the Shadow Clan. And the Prince of Nothing himself.

The strongest warriors humanity had to offer. All united together and fought against this disaster.

Sunny greeted them in turn, an air of triumph and relief settling over the battlefield. They had fought. They had endured. And unlike the wars of the past, not a single soul had been lost.

It was a cause for celebration.

After brief words of farewell, the factions began to disperse.

The Song Saints returned to Ravenheart. The Valor Saints departed for Bastion. The Government Saints withdrew to their city stronghold. The Shadow Clan, led by Rain, vanished into their hidden refuge.

Mordret had long since disappeared without a trace.

It was now only them, only Sunny, Cassie and Nephis.

A shadow passed over Cassie's face. She turned to Sunny, her voice quiet but firm.

"This was the first Category 5 Gate since the one in North America. But... don't mistake it for an exception."

Her blind eyes met Nephis'. Nephis' voice was steady, but her expression was grim.

"They'll appear more frequently now, won't they?"

Cassie exhaled. "Not for a while... but yes."

Her voice lowered. "In a few years, Category 5 Gates may become as common as Category 4s are now."

Her words brought a deathly silence.

Sunny stepped toward Cassie, his expression unreadable.

He already knew. He had felt it. The shift. The tide. The inevitability.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment. Then, he let out a slow, controlled breath.

"Yeah, I know."

Then, turning to Nephis, he smiled.

"We need to take the next step soon."

Nephis held his gaze. Understanding passed between them.

To fight the ever-growing calamity of the Nightmare Spell— To end it. To save humanity.

They had to become stronger. They had to surpass their limits. They had to ascend to something greater, beyond the threshold of supremacy.

They had to— Become Sacred.

The path forward was brutal. The journey would be gruelling, and the cost unimaginable. But-

Nephis smiled softly, stepping closer, looping her arm around his.

"We will do it..." she whispered.

Her grip tightened.

"Together."

"But before that," she leaned in, murmuring something in his ear before pulling back with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Sunny coughed, taking a step away.

He turned toward Cassie, shaking his head. "Cassie, uh... I guess we'll see you later."

Before Cassie could reply, the shadows beneath Sunny's feet rippled. A smirk tugged at his lips as he grabbed Nephis and vanished into the darkness.

Cassie stood still for a moment, staring at the spot they had vanished from.

Then, she sighed.

"Those two..." A smile spread across her lips. "I hope they have a great time!"

NOTE: I hope you enjoyed this ahem OneShot. Do check out my main fic 'The Weave of Madness' if you liked it. And if you wanna talk with me or are interested in beta reading, here's the link to my discord server. https://discord.gg/sjawMc8PuS