2 Meeting the Trio

Echo neared the trio and as the inhabitants of the outskirts hurried to get inside their respective huts he heard Nephis say. 

"We need to split up." 

"You do know what usually happens when people split up in these kinds of situations right?" 

He heard Sunless—The pale looking short guy. 

"This is not a drama, Sunny. We have the means to provide two of us with food and shelter for a week. There's no reason to pass on this opportunity." 

Cassie turned to her confused.

"But… but what about the third." 

Silence soon followed the trio, but was disrupted by a charming voice coming from Echo. 

"Hello there friends! Are you new to the Dark City?" 

All three heads turn towards him, Echo can see sparks like a memory being summoned by Sunny and Nephis while Cassie stood staring at him with her blank eyes. 

"Who are you and what do you want?"

Sunny broke the silence his tones full of cautiousness. 

"Whoa its alright, I don't bite." 

Echo raised his arms and continued. 

"I'm Echo perhaps you never heard of me, but I've heard of you, you're Changing Star right?" His gaze moved way past Sunless and onto Nephis a.k.a. Changing Star. 

Nephis and Sunny raised their eyebrows both at the same time, surprised someone actually recognized them… well Nephis at least. 

"And what do you want?"

Sunless answered relentless on his cautiousness laced tone towards Echo.

"Oh nothing really, I just want to introduce myself since I've heard of your companion before from someone I know, It's rare having a sleeper with a True Name you know" 

'And I just want to be acquainted with you people specially you Sunny, that fated attribute of yours I'm curious about it.' 

Echo observed their faces though it did lessen their cautiousness around me except Sunny, it never disappeared which is understandable since Echo randomly approached them asking to be friends in this grim city and in the situation they were in. 

"Were you planning on entering the Bright Castle?" He asked to slowly weaken the between them

"The Bright Castle?" Nephis answered this time. 

"Yeah that huge castle over there, if you are… you better hurry there isn't much time before dark, so the gate will be closed soon." 

Echo pointed towards the castle on top of the hill, they are still observing Echo Nephis broke the silence by saying.

"Sunny take Cassie inside."

Nephis took out two soul shards and handed them to Sunny.

"Why me?" 

"I mean, I'm not trying to refuse. I'm just curious why are you so kind all of a sudden. Is it out of some misguided sense of nobility?" 

Nephis looked at him and said. 

"It is simply the best choice. Right now, we need information the most." She looked at Echo for a while and moved closer and whispered to Sunny. 

"With the help of the shadow you will be able to learn much more about what is going on in the castle than I ever would. While you are gathering information inside, I will do the same here. We will meet in a week, share our findings, and decide what to do next." Other people might not have heard it normally even if they were as close as Echo was to the group, but he has super hearing top even among the strongest sleepers, so he heard it loud and clear, although it matters little for him, he has read this part of the novel after all. 

It took awhile for Sunny to compose himself. So Nephis continued. 

"Beside that stone creature was your kill, so these shards are yours by right."

Sunny finally replied after a couple of seconds which was painful to watch for Echo, this guy often spaces out making conversations awkward. 

"Alright. Then… I'll meet you in a week, I guess." 

He was about to say something and opened his mouth but then turned away and let Nephis talk to Cassie for some needed goodbye. In turn, he looked at Echo and asked. 

"Why are you still here?" 

Echo was about to answer, but none came at a loss for words answered. 

"Actually good question, I don't know, I just wanted to introduce myself."

"And why is that? Are you after Nephis? Who told you about her?" He looked at Echo with contempt. 

"What? No… Maybe but not in that way, I just want to be acquainted to you people, you give off a certain aura you see. You know Casper? Yeah, that guy often talked about Changing Star." Coming up with the worst excuse ever, Echo grumbled inside his head. 

Sunny just looked at him with even more cautiousness than ever before. In which he just scratched the back of his head to, the atmosphere turned awkward after that, Sunny seems to have something in his mind and Echo doesn't have the energy to talk anymore. 

It was until Cassie went towards our direction. Sunny looked at her and asked. 

"Are you ready?"

She hesitated before answering with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Yes."

Sunny, Cassie and Echo slowly walked up towards the castle gates, but the surrounding atmosphere is really awkward. Not only since Sunny is an introvert but because both are very cautious on every single thing, though Sunny more so than Cassie who looked at him with a bit of curiosity. Echo finally couldn't take it and said.

"If you have something to ask me girl ask, I don't bite people off." 

Cassie taken aback with his straightforwardness absentmindedly said. 

"What are you?"

"Huh? I'm human." 

"Hmm." Cassie stared at him longer with her blank eyes. Before Sunny interrupter her and said. 

"Be careful, there are steps ahead." 

Sunny hesitated a bit when stepping against the stairs up the castle but nonetheless did so after a second. Soon the trio reached the apex and was stopped by the guards except Echo who seem friendly to them. 

"Go easy on them." 

Echo said while patting one of the guards, who just nodded and looked at Sunny and Cassie. Echo then proceeded towards the inner hallways of the castle. 

"What do you want?" 

Sunny took out his soul shards after a second of hesitating. The guards looked at him and grinned.

 "Well would you look at that, you bought us presents."

 He took the glimmering crystals off Sunny's hand and said in a friendly manner.

 "Come on in. Someone will meet you inside."