There was a still, silent lake that bathed in the darkness of seven lightless suns.
A Great temple of black marble towered above the dark water, full of emptiness.
A legion of silent shadows surrounded the temple, standing on the surface of the still lake without motion, their lifeless gazes turned to the ancient edifice of the temple.
As if waiting for something.
Nothing disturbed the tranquil silence of the dark lake… until, suddenly, a cold wind blew above its surface.
The still water rippled…
Then, without warning, a bolt of black lightning tore the peaceful darkness apart, falling from above to strike the magnificent temple.
It passed through the tiles of its roof, unobstructed, and disappeared inside.
And by the time the black flames retreated, a new shadow stood alone in the impenetrable darkness of the empty great hall.
It was the shadow of a slender young man, his beautiful features still and unmoving.
His eyes were closed.
As the winds raged above the surging lake and the seven suns burned with dark flames above it, the young man remained silent and motionless, just like the legion of shadows outside.
But then, his eyelids trembled.
As the young man's eyes slowly opened, a wave of invisible force spread outward from the temple, passing through the silent shadows and making the vast lake surge. The seven lightless suns ignited with a dark radiance, and the still waters boiled.
The shadow of the young man seemed to break the chains that had kept it motionless, moving slightly… coming alive. He looked around slowly, gaining awareness, then inhaled deeply.
Walking through the great hall of the dark temple, and passing through its gates.
Standing atop the steps of dark marble, the stunning young man looked down at the legion of shadows with his dark, cold, lightless eyes.
Answering to his indomitable presence, the shadows, which had always been lifeless and motionless, finally moved.
Those who possessed forms that resembled humans knelt. Those who possessed forms that resembled beats lowered themselves to the surface of the water.
All of them prostrated themselves before the young man. Welcoming their lord…Their monarch.
Their Sovereign.
Sunny couldn't help it, but a sinister smile twisted on his alluring lips.
'It worked.'
Indeed it had. Sunny had defied the absolute law of Death. With doing so, he had attained Supremacy.
A small chuckle escaped his lips, echoing throughout his Soul Sea.
He scanned each of his shadows with dark glee, each one of this was a part of his domain. The abominations of Godgrave. The horrific creatures of the Forgotten Shore. And so many more.
Sunny's gaze lingered on the shadow of the Mountain King. Around it the shadows were shifting, forming a large circle.
He raised a brow.
'Curious..'
Emerging from the shadows, he appeared at the center of the circle. The shadows all turned to face their supreme ruler once more.
Sunny looked around at his subordinates.
Then, the Mountain King Stepped forward…
Sunny craned his neck, he met its ugly face.
"Oh.. what's this?"
The dark lake ripped as the Mountain King took another step.
Sunny's eyes narrowed.
'I see. So that's how it's going to be.'
The Mountain King lunged forward at a startling speed. Sunny shifted his weight and spun around the abomination, striking it in the back sending it flying across the dark lake.
Sunny spoke once more, his voice cold, and dark.
"You dare challenge your dark lord."
The seven lightless suns grew even darker. The dark lake boiled beneath Sunny's feet.
"I've killed you all once before… What makes you think I can't do it again.."
With that another of Sunny's shadows stepped into the circle.
Recognizing the shadow. He smiled.
'Just what I needed to get a hang of my new power.'
It appeared that there was going to be a Shadow Gauntlet before Sunny could return to the land of the living.
***
The shadow that had approached was none other than the Fallen Devil... the Forsaken Knight.
This bastard had gutted Sunny back on the Forgotten shore, fortunately Blood Weave kept him from dying.
'Still hurt like a bitc..'
Before Sunny could finish his thought, the legion of shadow surged and pummeled him. Even with his ability to see through all shadows, he was couldnt see anything, only reflectionless black. As if he was trying to gaze through true elemental Darkness.
His feet slipped from under him and he fell to his back. A moment later Sunny could see again.
He saw a tenebrous grand hall of a majestic cathedral that was drowning in darkness, tall columns stretched to the high ceilings, shadows bled on its walls.
Sunny looked around, still laying on his back. The Ruined Cathedral it's been a few years since he's been back here. But how was he back?
'Is this a facet of Shadow Manifestation?'
It was a good thought, however something was telling Sunny that even has a Supreme he was not capable of creating entire environments with his shadows.
The sound of metal clicking on stone echoed throughout the hall. Sunny called upon the shadows, inky-black hands rose to push Sunny up from the ground.
A crooked smile twisted on his face.
"Oh how I have dreamed of fighting you again…and kicking your ass even harder."
Looking down at the young man, the two red flames ignited in the knight's visor. Darkness flowed from the cracks of its lusterless gothic armor, crawling down its arm to its hand, forming a long sword of black.
Sunny scanned the Forsaken Knight, devouring all of its weakness, he was a Supreme now after all, not a dreamer when he had first fought the knight. However, it seemed that he was not the only being who had gotten stronger.
When Sunny looked a little closer, his eyes widened.
'A Cur—Cursed Devil?!'
The knights figured blurred, a heartbeat later its anthracite steel shoulder was digging into Sunny's chest.
'Ah..'
Wind whistled in his ears as he flew across the hall, crashing into a stone column.
Sunny rose from the rumble, shadows nesling in his eyes, a dark odachi rose in front of him.
'Damn that hurt. But nothing seems to be broken. Hell, I feel just fine.'
The Forsaken Knight was now even more formidable than it had been in life for unknown reasons. Sunny considered it being because his Supreme essence was corcering through the shadow, but that did not seem right.
He didn't care that much.
"I'm going to carve out that ruby in your chest, and crush it with my teeth!"
Sunny hissed.
So what if the abomination was a Cursed Devil now. He had watched Anvil kill Condemnation, which was a Cursed Tyrant. And he was only a Supreme beast.
Sunny was a Titan.
A wielder of a Divine Aspect.
The shadow of a God
And probably the deadliest swordsman alive.
Sunny called upon the Onyx Mantle.
He looked down at his armor, it was no longer Onyx. His armor remained black, but now its polished surface was different, becoming darker, smoother.. Flawless even. Sunny's armor appeared almost Nobel now, as if carved from black jade.
Enjoying the sight of his new armor for only a moment, he shifted his gaze back to the Forsaken Knight.
He wasn't sure what would happen if he died while in his Soul Sea. If he was even still in his Soul Sea anymore, but he wasn't going to find out. He was gonna go all out.
Raising his odachi, taking the stance of the formless battle art taught to him by Nephis.
The shadows that cowered before the elemental Darkness, now seemed to encompass the world, growing infinitely dark, infinitely cold. Making true Darkness seem like a star in the night sky.
"It's rude to hold your head so high before your Sovereign."
The knight's hand trembled at Sunny's words.