Enough was enough. He couldn't take it anymore.
It was time to give up.
He had a good run, really.
But how could anyone endure all this?
He wanted to die.
He was ready… ready…
'Are you? Are you really ready?'
Sunny thought for a bit... and then suddenly bared his teeth.
Fuck no.
He was not ready.
Give up?
Never! Never! He was never going to give up!
He refused to give the world the satisfaction of devouring him. Not unless it choked to death on his soul.
'No, I'm not going to die… I'm going to live… I'm going to thrive… I'll be the last one standing, no matter what…'
With that thought, he summoned the Midnight Shard and gripped its hilt with the last bit of strength left in his body.
Memory Enchantments: [Unbroken].
Enchantment Description: [This blade refuses to be broken, and thus is durable beyond reason. It will greatly enhance the power of its wielder when they are close to death, however only if the wielder is still unwilling to surrender.]
Responding to his vicious promise, the ancient blade finally opened the gate to the well of power hiding somewhere deep within his soul. Instantly, a torrent of energy filled his body with dark resolve.
The power given to Sunny by the Midnight Shard enhanced the healing factor of Blood Weave, allowing it to just barely keep him from slipping over the edge of death while it slowly began to repair his ravaged body. And as long as he was almost dead, the effect of Unbroken continued to feed Blood Weave with power, creating another cycle.
A virtuous cycle. A cycle of unbroken will to survive.
This was how Sunny was able to live through his first encounter with the Black Knight.
However, while his body eventually healed, the wound dealt to his mind remained. Days later, after Sunny finally crawled from that ditch, he was never quite the same.
And he never forgot the debt he owed to the Black Knight.
One day, he was going to kill the bastard, no matter the cost.
...And now, approaching the cathedral months later in the company of Effie, Sunny felt like that day was drawing closer.
Perhaps he really should agree to participate in Neph's expedition.
As long as she helps him repay that debt.
There was a lot to think about.
Effie's voice tore him away from these thoughts.
"Huh… Sunny? Are you alright?"
He shook off the harrowing memories, hesitated for a bit, and then smiled.
"Of course! Never been better. Here we are, by the way. Welcome to my humble palace."
The huntress looked at the grandiose cathedral with doubt.
"Here? You live here?"
Sunny remembered his First Nightmare and shrugged.
"What can I say? I have a weak spot for ancient temples…"