Golden rays adorned the Ivory Tower.
Nephis stood on the floor of the Ivory Tower's grand hall.
Her mind was fixated on just one individual.
"One whom she had a complex relationship with" before she had not thought too much of if , yet now in his absence , his state and condition unknown, it stung , a little too much
Why?
She did not know, rather refused to know.
Distant silhouettes broke her sorrow, Kai and Effie had come , maybe carrying hopeful news. Though what met her were grim faces.
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Effie reached the opulent hall of the Ivory Tower, there the princess and the Seer stood amist tension.
In the past, Seeing them like this , she would have cheered them up with some of her jokes , but at this time it did not feel right.
She took a long glance toward Kai , his eyes indicated to her that he wanted her to say it .
Nephis's and Cassie's intense gaze had already broke down on her . Longing for some respite with good news.
A sigh escaped from her lips.
"Sunny was in Falcon Scott , a city in Central Antarctica , apparently a corrupted titan that had been contained by Saint Tyris for the time being managed to seriously injure her ,breaking free and then started marching towards the city .
A panic evacuation happened right after , but 20 million people were still left in the city , unable to be evacuated in time .
4 masters and some few thousands military personnel with a few hundred awakened remained in the city to defend it against the corrupted Titan"
"There is no contact anymore."
"Sunny was one of those four masters"
Immediately the atmosphere seemed to shift . Ethereal heat of fury danced in the air .
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Nephis stood in a silent room . After all no one dared to move anymore.
Fury and complex emotions raged inside her ever since she heard those words.
Effie had not stated it blatantly but even an idiot would know that it meant that everyone had died there , at the hands of a corrupted titan . No masters , no army , no Saint . There did not exist a force in the world who could vanquish a corrupted titan. Except when the sovereigns personally took action or sent myriad of their saints , leaving the dream realm undefended.
And She knew They would never do so.
'He stayed' She had never thought of Sunny to be type to sacrifice himself for others.
"Strangers".
Yet the news told her that he had done exactly that .
What had happened to him? She could only think of one reason 'Her'.
'No' he would never be gone so easily , He had gone away from her in the Dark city, yet he came back stronger , a professional hunter .She had been told that He had also went missing in the Chained Isles . A month later he came back with the location of a nightmare seed his state' fine'.
Maybe he would come right back, more powerful , boasting about his accomplishments, making Kai stare in fear.
She knew it was only an idea she made to pamper herself ,yet it was relieving , of course since hope was a remedy in times of uncertainty.
She looked to her side .
She saw Cassie, her Visage looking down towards the floor.
The blind seer had great ambitions , and a miracoulous ability to see the future . Even if her ability to sense the future through fate was gone . Nephis knew she was still trying to make plans , thinking of the multiple ways this predicament could be solved.
Even in the grimmest of situations , she would still try .
Her gaze wandered to Kai and Effie, their sulken faces looked around aimlessly. She knew they were awaiting her decision, her guidance , her actions , maybe some crazy declaration that she always gave with ambition . Leadership was a burden after all.
She only saw two ways. Either take action personally or wait in patience, hoping that a miracle would occur .
She knew herself well enough to know that she would never ever choose the latter.
"We're going."
All faces turned to her.
"We're going to Antartica."
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Nephis stood on the hull of a gigantic metal ship . Cold churning wind caressed her skin.
The Government had abandoned Central Antartica , stopping any envoys or missions . The last of evacuations had already been done. This ship only traveled to East Antarctica . There was no way to travel to Central Antarctica anymore.
So reaching there was no easy or simple task . You would have to navigate the terrifying expanse of water that got infested with more and more gates alone.
There needed to be member of the house of the night for safe navigation, and a strong ship that could travel the journey . And wouldn't the ship need crew members to make it function.
Even with her status as changing star, a potent master , a princess of valor . Who would provide her with such things?In a forgone mission.
But she did the best she could . Making contacts with the government , contacting house of the night. Even asking from Valor.
Making promises as compensation she would have to provide for later.
In the end, the best she could get was an small armored vessel and a ferrymen of the house of the night.
The crew members you ask?
All responsibilities fell on her and her cohort.
She had expected not to recieve a response from the house of night because of the nature of the journey . But was surprised when someone answered. It was a master named Naeve . Was he a spy ? He had told her that he accepted the commission because he knew Sunless.
Of course when making requests, she atleast had to tell that they were going there to save a master if he had survived .
Not to mention the struggle that was Dealing with Clan Valor.
More surprisingly Saint Cor of the government sent an echo in the shape of a crow with the ability to act as a potent scout .
At first it seemed as an open surveillance device , sent to keep her in check .
However she also recieved a request to also look for a government master called 'Jet' . Who may still be alive' Stuck there'.
Her gaze lingered on the expanse of the dark polluted tutulmous water of the Indian Ocean.
Various nightmare creates lurked in them. Maybe a Supreme could get rid them, making sea travel less dangerous . But she saw no hope in it , only ambition to become one herself, strong enough to rid this water herself.
She had heard stories of people traveling to distant lands with hope that they leave their misfortunous life or amass happiness. She was now traveling such a journey herself. To reach the still far central Antartica , a place where she could find sunny. Maybe he was just stuck there , unable to contact anyone or leave the dilapated continent.
Even after making up scenarios to justify herself . She felt Hope . A False Hope.
Nevertheless Hope.
....................
In a pale white world , an obsidian black lantern shimmered.
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The Author here Is today's chapter any good .I've thought of an interesting concept for the future . But you know I'm scared to write it . I Don't know if I can pull it off . If written badly , the fanfic will just become wierd and confusing.
Also I Don't know what do others feel about it.
Sometimes you think of a cool concept but when you go and actually write it . It turns out sh*t.