MTLNOVEL Chapter 7: Weeping Souls
The cold, unyielding floor was the first thing Seishan became aware of. The sharp sting of her wounds and the slow, rhythmic rise and fall of her breath reminded her that she was still alive, something she hadn't believed the moment her world went dark.
She had expected it, in a way. After all, why would the Lord of Shadows kill her after abducting her sisters? When she finally regained consciousness, she wasn't even surprised to find her sister Hel lying beside her in the same pitch-black chamber.
Together, they forced their way out of the underground prison. Seishan only hoped no one had witnessed her graceless attempt to ascend the wide staircase, an attempt that ended with her tumbling down like a fool.
Hel's grumpy expression was all the confirmation she needed. And honestly, who could blame her? Hel had willingly followed the Lord of Shadows, clinging to the hope of seeing her sisters again. Yet, despite her grand intentions, Seishan had managed to drag Hel down the stairs with her in the process. Their black clothes, provided by their captor, were now coated in dust.
"Who would have thought that it's not the Lord of Shadows who puts my life in danger, but my own sister?" Hel grumbled under her breath, loud enough for Seishan to hear. Which was intentional…of course.
Seishan rolled her eyes. Embarrassment and irritation simmered in her chest. "Oh, come on, Hel. You're a Saint. Don't tell me falling down a few stairs actually hurts you."
"I'm a Saint, yes. But in case you haven't noticed, this shackle around my neck suppresses my Aspect. Who knows what else it's restricting? I might still be sturdier than most, but right now, I feel... ordinary. So if you could find it in your heart not to drag me down another flight of stairs, I'd appreciate it."
Hel shot her a pointed look before adding, "Even Song of the Fallen would have done better than you. And she's blind."
Seishan's jaw clenched. Compared to a blind girl? Really? Yet, as much as she wanted to argue, she couldn't recall a single instance of Cassie tripping over stairs.
Which meant that, in this particular contest, she had been bested by someone who couldn't even see.
"Whatever," she muttered, storming ahead. "Let's just find the others."
Hel sighed but followed, deciding to let the matter go…for now.
When they turned a corner, an enormous, majestic tree came into view. They stopped in their tracks, momentarily struck silent by its sheer presence. They had never seen such a scene. Sure the Dream Realm is a place full of wonders and spectacular sights, but finding one so calming in the citadel of the most monstrous Saint was still awe inspiring.
Outside, sitting in front of the mimic, Revel waited patiently.
Sunny exhaled, drawing her attention. "They're inspecting my tree right now," he murmured. "I'll head inside and prepare breakfast. You can greet them. Tell them my identity or don't, it's up to you."
Revel blinked. She hadn't given that much thought. Now that she knew the truth and many other secrets besides that, she held power over the information.
A slow, knowing smile curved her lips as she stood and turned toward the temple. "I won't tell them. Not yet. Let them believe you're just some harmless Master looking out for their well-being. It'll help keep them calm."
Sunny chuckled softly before disappearing inside. "Alright. If you say so."
The reunion with their sisters was emotional, and the subsequent explanations even more so. By the time Revel decided it was time to introduce them to the others, a strange sense of excitement had settled in her chest.
'This is… pleasant. I can't remember the last time I was allowed to simply sit back and enjoy a break. Granted, it's as a prisoner, but I can imagine worse scenarios. And I plan to squeeze some secrets out of that man.'
A smirk played on her lips as they made their way toward their new residence.
'Let's see where this leads.'
Seishan, however, was far less amused. "How can you smile like that?" she hissed. "We are held hostage in a goddamn Soul Sea. Do you not realize we will be tortured? Humiliated? That massage, that demand, was nothing like you. How could you expect me to simply oblige? He beat me senseless!"
Revel barely suppressed a laugh. "Calm down, Shan. No one will be tortured. I spoke to the Lord of Shadows, and he assured me we won't be harmed during our stay. If you're bruised and beaten, that's your own fault. Look at Hel, she's fine."
Seishan seethed. "Yeah... for now. But this is all Bin, Howl, and Silent's fault. If they hadn't failed to kill that monster, we wouldn't be here. How do thirteen Saints lose to a mercenary? It's ridiculous."
Hel exhaled through her nose. "We'll ask them that later. For now our warden." She turned to Revel. "You called him Master Sunless. He's preparing breakfast, right?"
"Right. We can question our sisters at the table. He's a friendly enough fellow. But don't get any ideas. His Echo, the one I fought at Vanishing Lake, is here for his protection. And violence is forbidden unless both parties consent. So do us all a favor and don't make this worse than it has to be."
Seishan clenched her fists but said nothing. That didn't mean she wouldn't attempt an escape when the time was right.
'I won't give up. I survived a place deemed inescapable before. I can do it again.'
The scent of freshly cooked food filled the air as they stepped inside, momentarily distracting her from her anger.
Then she saw the table.
It was large, filled with a variety of mouthwatering dishes. Her stomach clenched, both from hunger and disbelief.
The loud greetings of her sisters tore her from her thoughts.
"Welcome, Shan," Bin called, smirking. "You look like you've been thrown down a mountain. And Hel, you're not much better."
Hel chuckled, settling beside Moonveil. "I was fine. The Lord of Shadows convinced me to come with him, and Revel's words helped. Shan, however, tripped on the stairs, and dragged me down with her."
Laughter erupted around the table.
Seishan hissed. "To hell with you all. I wasn't expecting a second set of stairs in that damn temple. Honestly, very fitting for a monster like him. The only thing I don't understand is why he has a tree in there. Hard to believe he's sentimental about nature."
Howl smirked. "Sit down, Shan. We're all a bit baffled. But don't worry, Revel didn't even make it up the first set of stairs before falling to her knees."
Revel shot her a cold look before filling her plate. "So much talk, yet no bite. If you'd shown this much passion when fighting the Lord of Shadows, we wouldn't be here."
Howl huffed. "You're one to talk. If you had killed him at Vanishing Lake, none of this would have happened."
Revel chewed slowly before smirking. "You know what I find funny in all of this?"
Howl frowned. "What?"
Revel leaned forward, folding her hands beneath her chin. "That a proud wolf is sitting in front of me, wearing a collar and eating her meal like the good girl she is."
Howl's jaw clenched.
The table fell silent.
Then someone's mouth escaped a suppressed chuckle.
Revel remained unbothered by her sister's disbelief, casually raising her fork and taking a bite. She chewed slowly, then smiled.
"That too... is pretty embarrassing, if you ask me."
In that moment, Howl wanted nothing more than to lunge at her throat. It wouldn't have been the first time they settled an argument with their fists. It wasn't the healthiest way to handle things, sure, but among sisters, and Transcendent sisters at that, it was arguably the most effective.
At least it settled disputes and counted as decent sparring.
But she held herself back. The fear of breaking the rules loomed too large.
So instead, she just shook her head and returned to her food. Her fingers brushed against the cold metal of the shackle around her neck, and for the first time, the weight of it truly sank in.
"I mean... it makes sense," she muttered. "If it were on a wrist or an ankle, one of us would've cut the damn thing off by now. But the neck… That's a death sentence no matter what."
A few of the others stifled their laughter. All except Silent. As a Black Jaguar in her Transcendent form, the irony wasn't lost on her either.
Seishan, meanwhile, had come to some terms with their situation. Not that she had abandoned the thought of escape, far from it. But trying to flee on an empty stomach wouldn't do her any favors.
"As much as it pains me to admit," she said between bites, "the food is really good. Gods… who the hell taught that guy how to cook? And where is he, anyway?"
She glanced around the room, eager to finally lay eyes on their supposed warden.
Sunny had been listening from the kitchen, carefully schooling his expression. But when Revel made her remark about the collar around Howl's neck, he nearly lost it.
'That was not my intention, but I can't deny that it's funny. Maybe I should teach her some tricks…'
Suppressing a chuckle, he composed himself and made his way into the dining hall.
To his dismay, the only available seat was beside Beastmaster. With no other choice, he sat down.
Seishan and Hel were the first to notice him. They had waited long enough to meet their captor, but neither had expected him to be this handsome. Their expressions made that painfully clear.
"So it's you," Seishan murmured, narrowing her eyes. "I knew I recognized that name. You're Nephis's boyfriend. How the hell did you end up as our guard?"
There was a flicker of anger beneath her confusion.
'No matter how handsome he is, he'll be a bloody mess when I'm done with him.'
Hel, on the other hand, was indifferent. Well, mostly. She wasn't blind to the fact that their warden was absurdly attractive, but it was wasted on her.
'He's still a man. Gods, why couldn't he have been a beautiful woman instead? I want something fun to play with too! Bin looks like she's in heaven right now.'
She sighed in disappointment. All her sisters knew that men didn't interest her in the slightest. Which was why they couldn't help but exchange knowing smiles as they watched her first impression unfold. It didn't stop Bin from gazing at him with an awestruck expression, though.
Sunny had no intention of revealing his identity just yet. Revel was right, it would be easier for them to accept him as their warden if they saw him as nothing more than a Master. So he needed an excuse.
"Yes, that's me," he said smoothly. "The Lord of Shadows and I are close. He asked, and I had no reason to refuse. That's all there is to it. I'm just here to keep an eye on you, answer questions, and act as your caretaker. He won't be visiting often. Then again, he is everywhere, in a way."
He flashed them a brilliant smile. "So, let's get along while you're here."
Seishan frowned. She hated that his explanation made sense.
"A Master guarding a group of Saints?" she scoffed. "Don't make me laugh."
Sunny chuckled at her defiance. A moment later, Saint materialized at his side. He gestured toward the looming shadow.
"I assume you were informed that I'm not your only guard. This graceful knight will be assisting me."
Seishan glanced up, sparing the entity a single, unimpressed look. For all she cared, the Lord of Shadows himself could be standing before her, and she'd still try to escape.
She turned her attention back to her sisters, locking onto Beastmaster. Her voice was firm, her posture straight.
"Now, Bin," she said coldly. "Explain to me how thirteen Transcendent champions of the Great Clan Song, including three of us, failed to take down a single sellsword."
The room tensed.
Beastmaster exhaled slowly, pulling herself from her previous… thoughts. She turned to Seishan with an unreadable expression.
"You weren't there, Shan. So I don't blame you for being frustrated. We... underestimated him. Silent, Howl, and I all thought the same thing before the battle. With our sisters and brothers beside us, we assumed there was nothing that could stand in our way."
Her voice grew quieter. "Then we faced the Lord of Shadows, and our resolve was shattered."
Howl and Silent listened intently, their memories still raw. Even now, it felt like a cold claw was wrapped around their throats.
After a long pause, it was Silent who spoke. Her voice wavered.
"Fighting him was like fighting a Supreme," she murmured. "Even though we know he's just a Saint. It wasn't just his overwhelming strength, it was the fact that no matter how many times we struck, all he bled was shadows."
She shuddered. "And worse? The bastard laughed while fighting us. Like we were insects beneath his feet. Like none of this was ever a challenge. It's clear now, he's like Changing Star and Mordret. A bearer of a Divine Aspect. No one can challenge one of them and expect to win."
She hesitated before adding, "I don't even think Mother could kill him easily."
Revel nearly choked on her food.
Sunny had told her about the Supreme he had slain as a Master, but hearing Silent's assessment made it all the more surreal.
She had also been shown his dead shadow. Which only added to her feeling of helplessness.
Silent continued, letting the weight of her words settle. "We thought his Transcendent form was the four-armed sword demon. We were wrong. He's more like Mother. A mass of shadows that flows like a tsunami across the battlefield. Only he can mold himself into anything he wants whether it's a colossus, a devil, or something else entirely.
"Fighting him felt like fighting death itself."
Revel shot a glance at Sunny, wondering how he managed to keep himself from laughing. He could easily explain, but it would mean revealing his identity.
'He's really willing to play along just to keep them calm. Impressive self-control. Not surprising for a man with seven bodies.'
Beastmaster sighed, rubbing her temples. "It's strange, though. Why did he spare most of us, but not the others? The Saints who fought his Echoes, like the female knight, the ogre, or the serpent that can apparently take on any form it wants too? Why weren't they taken prisoner too?"
Only Sunny and Revel knew the truth.
And someone needed to explain it before the wrong conclusions festered.
Revel sighed, straightening. "I spoke with him earlier. Master Sunless called for him, and he obliged. We talked. And I believe I understand."
Beastmaster quirked a brow. "That's where you disappeared to? Honestly, I thought you snatched our guard for yourself. Not that I'd blame you."
She shot Sunny a sly look.
Revel rolled her eyes. "Gods, you're hopeless."
She exhaled. "Listen, Bin. I don't want to repeat myself. That battle wasn't easy for him either. He only acted unbothered. It was just another way to break your spirit. He gambled that you would surrender. When you didn't, he had no choice but to start eliminating opponents. The ones he spared were those he most wanted to keep alive."
A heavy silence followed.
Seishan's gaze flickered to Sunny.
She already had her suspicions.
The room fell into a heavy silence after the "Revel"ation. At least, they had a clearer understanding of how and why it had all led to their imprisonment. Seishan let her gaze sweep across the faces of her sisters. Everyone was deep in thought, mirroring her own turmoil.
All but one
Unbothered, Sunny continued eating his breakfast as if the weight of their predicament did not concern him in the slightest. As the warden it was natural, bit he was just a little too unbothered for her taste.
'I'll have to ask Revel about him later. There's no way my suspicions are correct… but until I'm certain, it's best to keep them to myself.'
As he sensed her gaze, Sunny suddenly looked up, his onyx eyes meeting hers with a knowing gleam. A subtle smile played at the corners of his lips, too knowing, too deliberate. Unease curled in Seishan's gut. She averted her gaze, turning instead to Revel. There were too many unanswered questions, and she needed confirmation.
'One thing at a time.'
"So, he imprisoned us because he knew our Will could not be broken." She exhaled sharply, leaning back. "I'll take that as a compliment. I'm sure, wherever he is now, he must be quite pleased that we've come to that conclusion." Her voice was steady, but her mind raced. "But now that we have closure, I want to know the true purpose of all this. Changing Star told me after our battle that I was never truly her enemy. At first, I didn't understand. But now? Now, I think I do. Especially after being placed in this so called 'prison'… Or should I call it an indoctrination camp?"
At that, she turned her gaze back to Sunny, watching carefully. She was certain now. The pieces fit too well. The Lord of Shadows himself was sitting across from her.
A simple conclusion, really, when one looked at the evidence.
'And yet my sisters haven't realized it yet. None of them have. Except for Revel, of course.'
The thought sent a flicker of amusement through her, though it was tinged with sorrow.
'Most of them are either too young, too naive, or, if I'm being honest, a bit dumm to even consider the possibility. But let's not start another war before we've finished the one we're already in.'
Her conclusion was correct of course. But calling her sisters dumb was Fair by no means. It was just that Seishan had always been a good detective. Maybe in another universe she would have worn a suit and swung around a pendulum instead of a sword.
She held Sunny's gaze, refusing to look away. The longer she did, the more unnatural the silence became. A chill crept up her spine, the weight of his attention pressing down on her. Then, as if to confirm her unspoken suspicion, his smile shifted, smug now, amused. He knew. And worse, he wanted her to know that he knew.
Her heart pounded.
Then, just as suddenly as it had come, the intensity faded. His expression softened into something more placid, almost reassuring. A calculated change.
Revel, having observed the exchange in silence, finally stirred. She looked between them, sensing the tension but not yet willing to break it.
And then, at last, Sunny moved. He set down his utensil, exhaled lightly, and smiled, this time, in a way that sent a shiver through the room.
It was time.
Time to learn what would come next.
"You're right," he said smoothly. "This is not just a prison. Tomorrow, the Lord of Shadows will bring in two more guests. I'm sure you will have a lot to talk about."
His dark eyes gleamed.
"One of them is Nephis."