Shadow Slave Fanfic: Peaceful Dreams...well...kinda. [New]

Morgan was taken aback; she didn't know much about Nephis's relationship with her parents. There were a few stories, but they were sparse and often vague, especially regarding recent events. The details surrounding Nephis's father's death and how her mother became Hollow were unclear. Hearing Nephis claim that her father had killed Broken Sword shocked Morgan. She swallowed hard and responded cautiously.

"I had no idea, but I can see how that could happen. With my father going to war against his companion, Ki Song, it makes sense that he would eliminate your father to reduce his concerns before achieving Supremacy. But what about your mother? I know she's Hollow. Did he have anything to do with that?"

Nephis shook her head. "I don't know, but I don't think so. My mother became Hollow while she was pregnant with me, so I never met her."

Morgan noticed the sadness on Nephis's face. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to hug Nephis, surprising her. Until now, Nephis had typically been the one to initiate such gestures, but the roles had shifted. Sunny chuckled and remarked, "You know, for someone who plans to kill your father, you seem quite fond of her, Morgan."

Morgan laughed heartily and released Nephis. She smiled at Sunny and said, "I liked her before, but now I like her even more. Discovering my real brother and learning that Changing Star and her entire cohort are planning to take down my awful father feels like Christmas and Easter rolled into one."

Mordy let out a relieved sigh. "I never thought I'd get a chance to talk to you. I owe that madman a thank you for calling me a few days ago. That bastard changed my life for the better again."

Morgan tilted her head in confusion. "What madman? Who are you talking about?"

Mordy chuckled. "Oh, it's just my best friend who freed me from that prison and introduced me to this group. You probably haven't met him; his name is Rick."

Morgan laughed. "You're telling me Greenhorn is Rick, and you call him madman now? How many names does Rain's boyfriend have?"

Mordy raised a hand and began counting on his fingers, smiling as he said, "Let's see… Fuckup, Greenhorn, Bastard, Monster… ah, counting them all would take too long. Let's just say he earned the nickname 'Madman' after crushing me in a Dreamscape Duel."

Morgan continued to laugh, raising an eyebrow. "And what about you? What names does he call you?"

Mordy sighed. "Well, he usually calls me Princess and Rapunzel, along with just calling me Mordret to get under my skin. I really hate that one."

Morgan calmed down a bit. "Sounds like you two have had a lot of fun over the years. Living as a recluse must be peaceful."

Mordy smiled and sighed. "Peaceful? Well... kind...sometimes the days feel like a dream. They pass quickly, and you forget them soon after. Weeks turn into months, and months into years. One day you wake up, and boom… you're 30. It's not fun, I can tell you that much. Thankfully, as Awakened, we don't age as quickly, but just because your body doesn't feel like it's 30 doesn't mean your mind doesn't get tired. I'm still far from becoming an old man who only cares about becoming stronger, but time changes people, and I guess that's what happened to our father."

Cassie leaned in and kissed him, which made Morgan feel cold and sour. Sunny noticed and pointed at her. "See, Nephis? I'm not the only one. Thanks, Morgan, for backing me up here. We people with siblings have to stick together."

Morgan laughed. "Yeah, it feels strange seeing your brother kiss a woman, even if he's in his 30s and I've only known him for a couple of hours."

Sunny manifested a shadow hand, and Morgan gave him a high five. "I couldn't have said it better. I never thought I'd have a conversation with Morgan of Valor without worrying about how I'd take you down if things went south."

Morgan chuckled. "Well, we haven't seen each other much before. Just once in the castle when I gave you the title of knight and once in that restaurant right before the assassination attempt on Nephis, which failed spectacularly… that was planned, of course."

Sunny looked at her and smiled. "That wasn't exactly the truth, Morgan."

Morgan glanced at the table. "Well, the higher-ups didn't really care if she died, but I knew she would just heal from it, so I was actually a little curious to see how she'd handle the situation. Congratulations, you made them all tremble when they watched the footage."

That wasn't what Sunny meant, but he decided not to clarify. He thought, 'I really need to find a way to resolve that memory issue. Getting my fate back isn't an option right now, but if I could just control the memories they have of me, that would be perfect.'

Nephis smiled at Morgan. "Thank you. It feels a bit odd to be congratulated by the person who planned the whole thing, but I won't hold it against you."

Morgan sighed. "Actually, most of them expected you to survive. The reason they were worried was Sunny's performance with the Gate, or rather his Echo, which didn't help lighten the mood in the conference room."

Sunny chuckled and summoned Saint. The graceful stone knight struck her shield with her sword and bowed slightly to her master, then turned to Morgan. Morgan laughed awkwardly. "There she is. You can summon those Echoes pretty quickly. I thought she was in Godgrave, at least that's what Nephis told me."

Sunny smiled and commanded Saint to sit beside Cassie. "You're right; she was in Godgrave just a moment ago. I can summon my shadows from any Avatar in seconds, regardless of distance or realm."

Morgan's eyes widened. "That's… terrifying. But what do you mean by shadows? They aren't Echoes?"

Sunny smiled. "No, my Aspect allows me to turn every Echo I receive into a Shadow. That makes them stronger and smarter. It also gives them the ability to rise in class and rank."

Mordy laughed. "It's a bit like my Reflections, I guess, although I just need to sacrifice a Core for them."

Sunny sighed. "It's similar for sure, but let's change the subject. We can discuss our abilities another time when we have everyone here. Now, Morgan, how do you want to proceed with your brother?"

Morgan paused and smiled. "Definitely don't tell anyone in Bastion. If our father finds out there's a copy of Mordret he can kill, he'll hunt him down like a rabid dog. I suggest you don't even try to get near Bastion, since the whole area, especially the castle, is heavily monitored by Diviners to ensure my father knows the moment you're in striking range. Technically, his entire domain is in striking range, but you get what I mean."

Mordy sighed. "I had my suspicions about that. Good to know I was right and didn't do anything stupid."

Morgan chuckled. "Good. Now let's talk about something else. When do you want to meet again to discuss further plans? I'll need to give the higher-ups, especially our father, a solid reason for being gone for so long, since this will take some time."

Sunny nodded. "I'd say two days should be enough. It shouldn't take us more than three days to gather everyone, so let's plan to meet here in three days. You should make sure no one bothers you for two days. That should be possible if you tell your father the Lord of Shadows is helping with preparations for the war."

Morgan chuckled. "What do you mean? I need something specific to tell him."

Sunny took a deep breath. "I'll secure an area in Godgrave for the Sword Army, so you'll have an easier time establishing a foothold. It's not much, but when Nephis tries to bring the Domain of the King to Godgrave, it would help if nothing too harrowing attacks the Ivory Tower. I think he'll be satisfied with that."

Morgan nodded. "That should be enough. I'll tell him you want to show me where we can go and that I need you to take me to Godgrave for that."

Sunny sighed and smiled. "Perfect. I love when things work out. Now I just need to finish those memories and solve that Mirror Maze."

Mordy raised an eyebrow, curious. "What Mirror Maze? I can help with that."

Sunny scoffed. "No, you can't, because it's beneath the real Bastion. So if you don't want to potentially meet your father face to face, you can't assist me. But it's fine; Cassie and I have already explored quite a bit of it, so I hope to solve it on the next full moon."

Morgan tilted her head and frowned. "There's a maze made of mirrors beneath the real Bastion? I don't think even my father knows about this. How did you find it? And more importantly, how did you get there without being seen?"

Sunny smiled and stood up, taking a step to suddenly appear right behind Morgan. As he spoke, Shadow stepped through the room.

"This ability of mine is called Shadow Step. It lets me teleport between shadows within a 30-kilometer radius. As for sneaking past all security measures…"

Sunny melted into the shadows and reappeared on the large round table. He waved at Morgan for a moment before transforming back into his human form.

"That's how I do it. The maze is located deep underground, and I discovered it using another ability. I can sense shadows, and since a large underground room without light casts a significant shadow, it was easy to find."

Morgan crossed her arms and smirked.

"Showoff."

Sunny laughed and jumped back to his seat. He sat down and asked, "I think we're done here, right?"

Everyone nodded, and they all got up from their seats. Sunny approached Morgan and extended his hand, revealing a ring that looked like it was made of glass. She took it, and suddenly a spell announced her acquisition of a new memory. Confused, she looked at Sunny and asked, "What's this?"

Sunny chuckled. "That's for not losing your cool and turning Mordy into a puzzle. It's a ring I originally created to make invisible armor. It didn't work out as planned, but it's perfect for containing your flaw. It will need essence for the durability required to manage your flaw, but you should be able to use it for hours before running out."

Morgan smiled and replied, "Thank you! I'm surprised you can create memories; that's a rare ability."

She turned to Nephis and winked. "Is there a chance you could share him with me? You know, sisterly love?"

Nephis walked over and hugged Morgan tightly. Suddenly, the room felt stifling, and Morgan struggled to breathe. Nephis chuckled, "Not in a million years, sis. Good luck finding your own man... or woman, but Sunny will always be mine, understood?"

Nephis released Morgan, who could finally breathe again. Cassie laughed, "You'll be able to breathe normally in a few minutes."

Morgan looked at Nephis with a nervous smile. "Is it that obvious?"

Nephis scoffed. "Oh yeah, but I guess only I can see your longing flames when you glance at others in meetings—not just men, but women too. So, I figured you liked both."

Morgan sighed. "I can't deny it. I just don't act on it since everyone in Bastion is a bit… conservative."

Nephis sighed. "Trust me, you'll find someone. If a blind girl can, then you can too."

Cassie pouted, and Mordy hugged her. Everyone noticed and chuckled. Soon, they all went their separate ways. Kai stayed with Mordy in NQSC, while most returned to Bastion, with Morgan heading back to the castle to inform her father about her departure in three days and that her stay would be longer this time.

Three days later in the Ivory Tower

Cassie, Nephis, Sunny, Effie, Rick, and Rain were gathered in Cassie's office, waiting for Morgan. Jet, Kai, and Mordy were already at Nephis' mansion. The group chatted about random topics. Rick was talking with Rain and Effie when he suddenly caught a scent. He began sniffing the air, causing Rain and Effie to look at him curiously. Effie chuckled, "Yeah, I know. We had bacon and eggs for breakfast earlier; it smells delicious, right?"

Rick frowned and shook his head. "No, I mean yes, it does, but that's not what I'm concerned about."

He stood up and followed the scent, sniffing around the room. He checked Rain and Effie first, but that wasn't it. He approached Nephis, but she wasn't the source either.

'Where is it coming from? I'm sure someone here…'

He walked over to Cassie and stopped, sitting in the chair in front of her desk. He leaned in, took a deep breath, and froze. Everyone looked at him with confused expressions. Effie tilted her head and asked amused, "What is it? Do you like her perfume?"

Rick's eyes widened, and he fell back in his chair. He quickly stood up and returned to Effie and Rain. After sitting down, they leaned closer, and Rain asked, "What was that? What did you smell?"

Rick leaned in and whispered something, but no one could hear. Moments later, both women froze, and Effie exclaimed, "YOU CAN SMELL THAT? THAT'S CREEPY!"

Rick's face turned slightly red as he quickly replied, "I can't help it; I just have amazing senses, and part of that is a really good sense of smell."

Cassie looked the most confused. She tilted her head and asked, "What is it? I'd be happy to give Rain the name of my perfume if you like it so much."

Rick took a deep breah, "No, that's not it. I prefer Rain's natural scent. The thing is, I have incredible senses, and I just picked up a scent I haven't encountered in a while, so… I'm about 99% sure that Cassie is pregnant."

Everyone's jaws dropped. Cassie froze, and Nephis turned to Rick in disbelief. "You can smell when a woman is pregnant?"

Rick coughed awkwardly. "Yes, a woman's body undergoes multiple changes during pregnancy, and one of the early signs is a change in her scent due to hormone production. I haven't met many pregnant women, but now that I've witnessed the change in real time, I'm pretty sure. Judging by how Cassie looks right now, she's more than a little shocked, so I guess she didn't even know until now. Sorry for spilling the beans like that, Cassie."

Cassie fell back in her chair, covering her head with her hands. "Someone please bring me a pregnancy test. No, even better, bring me ten."

She started to cry, and Effie and Nephis rushed to her side while Sunny Shadow Stepped into Nephis' bathroom and then back to his own café to gather every test he could find. When he returned to Cassie's office, everyone had calmed down a bit. Cassie was in her office bathroom with Effie, while Nephis waited outside. Sunny handed her the twelve tests he found, and she took them, giving him a kiss before going inside. Sunny sat back down with the others. A few minutes later, Rick sighed. "I should have kept my mouth shut."

Rain leaned against him. "No, it's better this way. Now she knows and can act accordingly. Maybe you're wrong, and she isn't even pregnant; that's a possibility too."

Before he could respond, Cassie's cries could be heard through the bathroom door.

Sunny facepalmed. "I guess Sherlock Holmes was right."

Soon, the three women emerged. Cassie had taken off her blindfold and was holding a box full of pregnancy tests. She sat on the couch and spilled them out on the table. They all glanced at the tests, and each one showed a green light with a heart on the screen. Cassie took a deep breath and turned to Rick.

"You were right; I'm pregnant. There's no way twelve tests are lying. I'll need to see a doctor first, but it's pretty much confirmed."

Rick coughed awkwardly. "Okay, but is that a good thing or a bad thing? If we set the war aside for a moment."

Cassie sighed. "That depends; does Mordy like children?"

Rick laughed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry; he once told me that if he ever becomes a father, he'd make sure the child has the exact opposite experience he did growing up, so you're good."

Cassie let out a relieved sigh. "That was my biggest concern. Thanks, I'll tell him later in person when we meet."

Rick glanced at the door, which opened a moment later to reveal Morgan. She smiled at everyone but quickly noticed their expressions. She approached and saw the pregnancy tests. Her eyes widened. "Who?"

First, she looked at Nephis, who shook her head. Effie did the same, and her gaze landed on Rain, who smiled and said, "Nope, instead it seems like you're going to be an aunt soon."

Morgan's jaw dropped as she looked closer at Cassie. The blind girl smiled up at her and said, "It's true. I know it's early for this, and I haven't told Mordy yet because I found out just ten minutes ago, but Rick said he'd be fine with it."

Morgan, still a bit stunned, dropped to one knee and hugged Cassie. In a soft voice, she said, "Oh… okay… I mean, ahem… congratulations to you and your baby. I hope he or she is healthy and grows up to be a strong and good person."

Effie chuckled. "Feels good to not be the only one with bad timing."

Cassie laughed. "Yeah, but unlike you, I'm not in a nightmare, and I can participate in the war without fighting on the battlefield."

Effie crossed her arms and pouted. "I know, but your laughter will end when you're ready to deliver. Trust me, it's going to hurt like hell."

Sunny sighed and chuckled. "Oh, she knows. Everyone who was with you on that ship knows. I was worried the Great Butterflies would hear us because of you."

Everyone laughed, except for Morgan, who was confused by Sunny's comment. But a moment later, she forgot about it and simply accepted the laughter as happiness for Cassie's pregnancy.

Cassie stood up and put her blindfold back on, sighing as she did so.

"Now that everyone has arrived, we can head out. I have my Anchor in the Mansion, so I'll take Morgan with me. Nephis will take Effie, and Sunny can transport Rain and Rick."

Cassie returned the pregnancy tests to the box and reached out her hand, which Morgan took. In an instant, they disappeared from her office. The others found their Saint Express and vanished as well. Moments later, they all stood together in Nephis' Mansion.

Mordy, Kai, and Jet were already seated at the large round table. When Cassie spotted Mordy, she felt a wave of nerves wash over her.

'I hope Rick is right and he doesn't leave. We've only known each other for a few days. It's my fault; I told him it was fine, and now I'm pregnant.'

Mordy noticed the look on Cassie's face and stood up. He walked over, kissed her, and hugged her tightly. In a gentle voice, he asked, "Is something wrong, sunshine? You seem a bit anxious."

Cassie leaned in closer and whispered, "I need to tell you something. Please come with me."

Mordy nodded, and they left the room. The others had already gathered, and some were curious about what the two were discussing. Jet leaned over to Effie and asked, "What's going on between them?"

Effie shook her head and put a finger to her lips. A moment later, Rain chuckled and said, "Oh, don't worry about them; it's something very small, I promise."

Sunny smiled at Rain while wiping away a tear, saying, "I'm so proud of you; my student is becoming a master."

Rain laughed and hugged him back. "Well, I had the best teacher."

Rick facepalmed and smiled, "I'm doomed; this woman is going to play these games with me for the rest of my life."

Meanwhile, in the adjacent room, Cassie was about to have a very emotional conversation. She closed the door and sat Mordy down on a small couch. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak, her voice trembling as she struggled to hold back tears.

"I have something really important to tell you. I just found out half an hour ago, so I'm still a bit in shock."

Mordy took her hands in his and said softly, "No matter what it is, I love you, and nothing can change that."

Cassie took a deep breath and showed him the box filled with positive pregnancy tests. Tears streamed down her face as she spoke. "I'm pregnant… I'm sorry… I told you it couldn't happen, and now it has. I'm such an idiot."

Mordy was taken aback, momentarily speechless. Once he gathered his thoughts, he stammered, "I'm going to be… a father. I'M GONNA BE A FATHER!"

Cassie flinched slightly at his outburst, but thankfully it wasn't loud enough for anyone except Rick to hear. Cassie let her hands drop and asked, concerned, "Are you upset? I can understand if you…"

Mordy interrupted her, pulling her into a passionate kiss. His excitement was palpable, and Cassie could feel her heart racing in response. After what felt like an eternity, they finally pulled apart, and Cassie let out a relieved sigh.

"So you're not angry or disappointed?" she asked.

Mordy laughed heartily. "Are you kidding? This is amazing news! Sure, there's a war coming, but I think we can handle it."

Cassie kissed him again, feeling her heart settle. She took a deep breath and said, "You have no idea how stressed I was about your reaction for the last half hour. Rick told me you'd react well, but I wasn't sure if that was still true, especially given the circumstances."

Mordy sighed and cupped her face in his hands. "I can't think of a better person to start a family with than you. I love you with all my heart, Cass. Becoming a father has always been a dream of mine, and that it's happening with you as the mother of my child is… beyond words. I'm completely overwhelmed. You are the love of my life; you are my sunshine."

Cassie began to cry again. "I'm really excited too. I love you so much, and we'll get through this together."

He pulled her closer and whispered, "Yes, we will."

They stayed in that embrace for a while until Cassie suddenly gasped and stood up. "Oh no, we forgot about everyone else! We need to go."

Mordy stood up as well, taking her hand. He nodded and led her to the conference room. When they opened the door, everyone was sitting there patiently. Cassie and Mordy stood in front of the table, and Cassie said, "I'm sorry it took us so long; it was really important."

Morgan chuckled, "Twenty minutes isn't too bad. I expected this to take much longer."

Cassie and Mordy smiled and quietly took their seats at the end of the table beside Sunny and Nephis. Kai and Jet were the only ones still in the dark, their expressions showing confusion. Jet cleared his throat and asked, "Is anyone going to tell us what's going on? Cassie looks like she just went through a storm; what's up?"

Cassie suddenly had a mischievous idea. 'Thanks for the lessons, Sunny.'

She shrugged and said nonchalantly, "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just pregnant."

Jet and Kai's jaws dropped. Sunny smirked and said, "I'm the best teacher in two worlds!"

Everyone laughed, except for Jet and Kai, who were still in shock. Jet looked at Cassie dumbfounded, "Tell me, Cass, didn't we learn a lesson from our third nightmare? Something like, don't get pregnant while a major event is approaching? I mean, I'm already dead, but that doesn't mean I won't die of stress if I have to drag a pregnant woman through a battlefield again."

Effie coughed awkwardly, noticing Jet's intense gaze on her. Meanwhile, Cassie sighed and replied, "The situation is different this time. I didn't plan on fighting on the battlefield. I'm much more useful in a support role, and it doesn't matter if I'm pregnant or not for that."

Jet sighed. "I suppose you're right, but it's still not ideal. We'll need to keep you safe."

Effie shrugged and suggested, "What about my farm? The dimensional space is safe, and there are plenty of masters always watching over it. The women of the Wolf army could help care for Cass when she goes into labor."

Cassie raised her hand and said, "Calm down, everyone. I'm not going to that dimensional storage of Effie's. I'll stay with you for as long as I can, and only when I'm going into labor will I consider hiding. We've delivered a baby in an endless void surrounded by great beasts before a river of time; surely a war isn't worse than that."

Sunny placed his hands on the table and nodded. "You're right; it'll be fine. Cassie can defend herself and her baby if anything happens. This time, we have more people and resources. Our goal isn't to win this war; it's to take down the three Sovereigns and help Neph become a Supreme herself so that everyone doesn't fall victim to the spell."

Morgan lingered for a moment and asked, "I think I need an explanation. I know you want to kill Ki Song, Asterion, and Anvil, but how do you plan to achieve supremacy without conquering the fourth nightmare? They surely won't let you do that."

Nephis looked at Morgan and replied evenly, "By attaining supremacy without the spell."