As the naval convoy moved closer and closer to Antarctica, Sunny had to accelerate his attempts to weave new and better enchantments into the Memories of his soldiers.
Although his rudimentary knowledge of sorcery was not nearly enough to create something truly powerful, he did manage to comprehensively upgrade the cohort's arsenal. Even if the modifications he had made were mostly modest, they were all targeted and suited the tasks facing the First Irregular Company.
While Sunny failed to make the Memories considerably stronger, he succeeded in tailoring them to the situation and, more importantly, to their users.
This was already enough.
Now, many of the Memories that his subordinates wielded looked rather peculiar to his eyes. If he were to touch them and peer deep inside, he would see strange weaves that combined the usual strings of ethereal light with the lightless threads made of shadow essence. The sight reminded Sunny of himself and Nephis.
And speaking of Changing Star…
A few days before the fleet reached Antarctica, the world was shaken by an emergency announcement transmitted by the government. Of course, the propaganda machine managed to present the approaching cataclysm in an easily digestible and inspiring light.
It was almost as if the Chain of Nightmares was going to be a glorious stage for heroism, valiance, and human triumph… instead of a bloody, unmitigated disaster.
However, no matter how hard the government tried, people weren't that easy to fool. Although nothing much changed for the soldiers of the First Evacuation Army, Sunny was sure that a wave of panic was spreading through the rest of the world.
The population centers of the Southern Quadrant were, of course, hit the worst. He could not even imagine what the people living there were going through… but other continents had to be consumed by fear, as well.
If something like that could happen in Antarctica, then it could happen anywhere else. The infrastructure was bound to come under terrible strain when hundreds of millions of refugees from the besieged continent arrived… if they could even be saved. What if the evacuation failed?
How did people living in South America feel, knowing that they would soon be cut off from the rest of humanity?
…No one was left unaffected by the shocking news.
Nephis and the rest of the cohort had to have seen the announcement, as well.
Knowing that the next few weeks were going to be extremely turbulent, Sunny retreated into his cabin, spent some time establishing a new tether, and then closed his eyes.
It took him several minutes of intense concentration to grasp the elusive sensation of the Dream Realm anchor. Then, he circulated his essence in a swift, complicated pattern… and disappeared.
The cabin was suddenly silent and empty. All that remained was a slight, eerie feeling of coldness that permeated the air.
***
The Ivory Tower did not change much in the many months since Sunny last visited his current Citadel, at least on the outside.
Well, what did he expect? The great pagoda remained the same for thousands of years, so why would it suddenly change now. The Fire Keepers might have made it their home, but they were hardly capable of reshaping the ancient structure.
The island itself, however, looked a bit different.
To his surprise, Sunny noticed a large garden surrounded by a neat and tidy wooden fence. Inside, various vegetables were growing in the soil. There were also several other structures here and there, all built of wood. Some seemed like they were meant for training, some resembled simple barns. They all looked rather harmonious.
'That's probably Kaor's and Shakti's handiwork.'
The two members of Cassie's former cohort had used to be Artisans in the Bright Castle. One was an Awakened carpenter, the other Kido's disciple with an Aspect related to plants.
The Ivory Island looked much more… inhabited now.
More than that, a familiar ship rested on the surface of the lake. Despite thousands of years that had passed since its former captain disappeared, the flying vessel remained much the same.
Sunny sighed.
He had been rather taken by the Rhino. But now, looking at the graceful lines of the ancient ship's hull, he couldn't help but feel that the armored APC was rather small and shabby.
'Whatever… it has better plumbing, anyway. That's what really matters!'
Somewhat vindicated, Sunny allowed himself to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the beautiful island for a few moments, and then headed toward the Tower.
As he did, a thundering voice boomed behind him:
"Sunny!"
He slowed down, and then cautiously turned around.
Effie was traversing the green meadow with long strides. Her eyes were burning with intense emotion.
'Uh-oh.'
A second before the huntress reached him, a swift shadow flew across the grass, and Kai suddenly landed on the ground. The archer seemed concerned.
"Sunny…"
Effie growled, interrupting him:
"What the hell, Sunny?! Antarctica, that was your big secret? You up and left... to go to war? Without telling us?!"
Sunny stared at them for a few moments, and then cleared his throat.
"...Actually, it's Captain Sunless to you, citizens. Please maintain some decorum."
Effie's eye twitched.
Before the huntress did something that one or both of them would regret, Sunny raised his arms.
"Alright, alright! Yeah, I am currently in the Southern Quadrant. It wasn't my secret to tell, okay? The government is very particular about classified information, you know!"
He lingered for a moment, and then added:
"Besides, it's not like you can't join me. The Second Army would be very glad to get its hands on two renowned Masters. The life of service is not for the faint of heart, of course, but the benefits… are to die for…"
The huntress stared at him in stunned silence. Finally, she palmed her face and said:
"Doofus… no, sorry… Captain Doofus, are you really giving us the recruitment speech?"
Sunny looked her up and down and grinned.
"Well, not really. However… I do think that the uniform will suit you very much…"