K: Sunny, you are finally up?
S: Yeah, sorry. Did something happen that I would need to be aware of during my absence?
K: No. Everyone had a day off due to your absence.
S: Good, everyone deserves it.
Before Sunny could walk further, 2 things happened at the same time. 1 Kai asked.
K: Could you not use your shadow helpers to appear next to me next time?
S: I will think about it. Why?
K: Just… never mind.
Sunny shrugged, and once he faced the handmaidens, they were all standing quietly facing him.
S: What is it?
K: They are probably happy you brought all the beds from the castle here.
S: Don't worry about it. It just exhausted the crap out of me. Well, now to the other thing.
Seishan walked forward and asked.
Sh: You are still wearing your mask?
S: Just for a little while longer. I believe you have something to say to me.
Sh: Yes. It is that all of my handmaidens would like to join the Shadow clan as well. Will it exhaust your essence?
S: No, this won't, so they know what will happen? The positives and the negatives?
K: No, they just know the negatives.
S: And they still want to join regardless?
K: Well, they had a discussion and asked how many times Lady Seishan and you sparred and how many times she won.
S: So you said that we have over 100 matches, and you both lost miserably?
Sh: We didn't say it like that, but sure.
S: Right. I guess that makes sense.
He faced them and asked if they really wanted to proceed, which was met with almost one voice of affirmation. It took Sunny 10 minutes or less to finish the whole process, after which he asked all of them to form a line in the other section of the cathedral so all of them could see well. As they did, Sunny was watching from the steps of the cathedral and nodded.
Seishan and Kai were standing by his side.
Sh: Are you gonna start the training right away?
S: Not yet. I need the 10 best of those 100. I will teach those 10 myself, as for the rest, you will teach them.
K: Could I call Cassia over so she could teach them instead of me?
S: We need to find who wants to be an archer, but yes. For now, you can.
Sunny walked down the steps and said to Seishan.
S: They need more flexible clothes. This won't do.
Sh: I will deal with it, and by the end of tomorrow, it will be ready.
S: Alright.
Sunny approached them, taking off his boots, upper memory and mask, making every handmaiden blush some more, some less.
Sh: Did you get more handsome?
S: I don't know, did I?
Sh: I think so.
Sunny faced them and explained the further training.
HM1: How will we determine who is in the top 10?
S: hand-to-hand combat, no aspect use allowed, whoever wins 10 fights is selected as 1. Make sense?
HM1: Yes.
S: Alright. Then start.
Fights were very well organised. They put themselves into ten groups of 10 and then fought one-on-one, and the last 10 standing were.
They were all pretty young ladies with dark hair, some dark brown, some black, with athletic but generous figures, most with cold but determined black eyes.
Their names were (for now HM1-10)
Sunny looked them over and looked behind them, noticing Cassia, but she wasn't alone. She was coming with Effie as well.
Everyone knew her as a veteran fighter and a very strong warrior, so she needed no explanation.
S: Effie?
E: Doufus.
S: Why are you here? Wanna rematch?
Sheishan looked at Effie and back at Sunny again.
Sh: You fought... except the time you mentioned?
E: More like a one-sided beatdown. Yes, the time he got here.
S: Sure, I don't mind, but what is your reason?
E: If I win, you will join Princess's cohort, and if I lose, I will join your clan.
Sunnly looked at Kai, then at Cassia.
K&Ca: Don't look at us, it was her idea.
Sunny sight and stepped away, motioning others to give them some space.
E: Why no shirt? Are you trying to get some?
S: What? Get what?
E: You don't know?
S: No.
E: What I mean is, aren't you excited to see so many strong young women?
S: Excited? Why would I need to be excited about it? They seem like loyal warriors. Is there another reason for me to be happy?
E: Why yes, aren't they your type?
Mostly everyone was getting more and more flustered, but only Sunny was getting more and more confused.
S: I really don't know what you mean.
Kai shook his head and looked at Effie while saying.
K: Effie, you are wasting your time.
E: I will get to him at some point, you will see.
Sunny shrugged and summoned his spear.
E: Hohooo, isn't that spear a bit long for you, shorty?
Sunny looked at her and said.
S: Once we are done, we will see who is below whom.
E: So you have experience with girls getting on their knees in front of you?
S: No.....I don't know. What do you mean? Kai. What does she mean?
K: I don't want to explain, and don't ask me to explain.
S: Is it something with a double meaning, because if it is, I really don't get the other meaning.
Kai did not answer, only looked away from Sunny.
S: Well, I don't really care that much. Come at me whenever you want.
E: Aren't you a bold one? But sure, I will play with you.
She summoned her spear and attacked him, making cracks appear from her lunch at him.
Sunny dodged and is still holding his spear behind his back.
His spear was a bit different from others; its tip was coalescing as if it were a serpent with a very long reach.
E: You think I didn't move from the last time we fought? I am gonna make it 1-2.
S: nah, I think I will take the win for 3-0.
HM2: So in other words, it is 2-0 for master Sunny now?
Sh: Yes. But I don't know about the first fight about the second, tho….
She just shook her head.
E: Last time we fought, you didn't use a spear. Why is that?
S: So I can beat you faster now. Being unarmed and fighting you is fun, but you seem too confident, so why not test you?
She was about to perform another of her shabs, but Sunny kicked below the top of her spear, making it aim upward and side kick its head, sending her sliding across the area.
S: Alright, now it's my turn.
He twisted his spear from behind his back to the front in a swift motion, making his spear create a strange whistling sound while he slashed the training ground as if it were made from paper. Instead of pushing spear in fron of him it looked as if he was about to throw it at her but instead he stabbed into the ground and used it as a ramp she put her spear sideways to block the incoming kick but the kick was so strong it forced her on her knees and before she could react he was already back where his spear was and put his on his shoulders putting his hands around it as if waiting for her.
She got on one of her knees with the one on which side she had an arm shield, which was used by Sunny to deliver a devastating ram from the side, sending her rolling a bit more. Sunny put his hilt on the ground and leaned on his spear.
S: Is that all?
E: Is that everything you have to say after getting all hot and sweaty?
S: I am neither of those. I barely warmed up.
Effie sighted and grabbed her spear with a smile on her face and started to perform furious stabs at Sunny, but each and every stab was blocked by his own stab.
HM4: No, way.
K: Yes, way.
HM4: Am I seeing that right?
HM1-10 except 4: What are you so shocked about?
HM4: his stabs are.
Kai finished for her.
K: he is hitting the tip of her spear with his own spear. It's about to be over.
Seishan got closer to stand beside Kai, crossed her hands and said calmly.
Sh: 20 shards that he will toss her spear away.
Kai looked at her slightly from his peripheral vision and said.
K: 50 that he will get her on her knees while she is still holding her spear.
Sh: deal.
They shook hands on it.
Handmaidens were thinking: What kind of monsters are they betting almost 70 shards as if it were nothing to them? Will I also get to be so strong?
Back with Sunny and Effie.
E: Is this your max speed?
S: No, I will get faster, tho.
It took only two hits. The second one forced her to one of her knees, and the tip of Sunny's spear travelled across Effie's, creating sparks as it stopped in front of her eye.
Sunny stepped back and dismissed his spear.
E: I accept defeat.
Sh: damn it.
K: Yes. Thank you, Sunny.
S: What for?
K: Just thank you.
Sunny shrugged and faced Effie.
K: So, about that deal, Seishan.
She gritted her teeth and tossed him a small bag.
Kai gave her a kind smile and said while looking at her
K: Thank you, you are so kind.
Sh: shove it.
Sunny looked at Effie and asked.
S: Do you really want to join?
E: Yeah.
Sunny shrugged, and thus, Effie joined the Shadow clan as well.
After a couple of hours, they entered his cathedral to discuss something, and this time, Nephis, Effie and Cassia were there as well.
S: I have a bad feeling for some reason.
K: So, Sunny, although nothing happened during your absence. Creepy was…. well, how do I put it?
S: In words, most preferably.
K: Well, he and Seishan were… busy, you know what I mean?