Shadow Slave

Sunny was enjoying a hot shower. After their short conversation, Master Jet had sent him to clean himself, saying that he "reeked of Nightmare". The unnatural slumber of the Spell would slow down the body's metabolism, and the medical apparatus he had been strapped into was supposed to take care of the rest, but he was still asleep for three whole days.

Even if only psychological, the scent of bloodshed and despair lingered around him.

'Ah, I'm in heaven,' Sunny thought, willing himself to temporarily forget about the looming disaster of the Flaw.

He was alone in the police station's showers, relaxing under the streams of hot water. After a bit of time had passed, Sunny reluctantly turned the tap off and walked over to the towel rack. Coincidentally, he saw himself reflecting in the mirror.

The changes in his physique were subtle, but noticeable. His pale skin seemed a little healthier, his muscles a bit more pronounced. He looked slender and lean instead of emaciated and frail, as he did before. There was a slight luster to his dark hair and a shine to his eyes.

However, he was still rather diminutive. Not exactly a picture of masculine handsomeness, to say the least.

'Flower boy, huh?' Sunny thought, full of bitterness.

Then he suddenly froze, noticing something strange. As he was looking at himself in the mirror, the reflection of his shadow seemed to move. It was as though the shadow lowered its head and quietly facepalmed.

Sunny quickly turned around, piercing his shadow with a nervous look. However, everything seemed normal. The shadow was doing exactly what it was supposed to do, repeating his every motion.

"I clearly saw you move," he said, feeling a bit strange. "You have just moved on your own, right?!"

Sunny glared at the shadow, which obediently glared back.

"Did you move or not?"

The shadow enthusiastically shook its head.

'What the?!'

"What do you mean, "no"?! You've just moved your head! Do you think I'm a fool?"

The shadow seemed to think for a bit and then shrugged.

Sunny was left with his mouth agape.

"Your shadow is more independent than most. It is an invaluable helper," he muttered finally.

Right. This was how the Spell had described his Aspect Ability.

But what exactly could his shadow do?

He decided to experiment a little.

"Hey, you. Tell me what you can do."

The shadow was silent and motionless.

'Right. It doesn't have vocal cords.'

As though that made any sense! Shadows were not supposed to have muscles either, and yet it knew how to move.

"Uh… show me?"

No reaction. It seems the shadow was content pretending to be an ordinary, lifeless blob of darkness.

Sunny sighed.

'I'm doing this wrong.'

of his Aspect Ability. So instead of asking the shadow,

to talk,

returning to the real world. He felt the beating of his heart, the steady rising of his chest, the slight chill of the shower room. He heard droplets of water falling on

the verge of his

A completely new sense.

was hard to describe with words, just like one would have trouble explaining

was as though he could communicate with vast forms that crowded around him and receive an understanding of both their own shape and the surrounding space, guided by the different degrees of pressure they exerted on his mind

naturally and instantaneously, like

the largest one, but the deepest

it, he could sense the shadow just like he sensed his limbs. The only thing was that his

his eyes and looked at the shadow. Then, with a thought, he willed it to

raised

he willed it to change shape, turning into a circle, then a line, then a monster. And finally, back to his own silhouette. The shadow was mercurial and fluid, like water. The

"Ha! How about that?"

shadow pouted, then reluctantly

are

willed the shadow to strike the towel rack. It obediently moved and delivered a powerful kick. Of course, since

that… all you can

tearing the mighty tyrant into little pieces cracked and shattered mercilessly. It seemed he would not

How regretful.

with disdain. Then it

and took a towel off

I will

***

was waiting for him at one of the

"Help yourself."

so different from the stuff he used to consume in the outskirts, and sighed.

Still, it was food.

down the gruel ravenously.

the next thing he knew there was a woman calling herself Master right in front of him.

to appear in his

thought with dark irony. 'Knowing your luck,

you

beginning to open, and put all of his will into staying silent. A second passed without him saying anything. Then a weird pressure appeared in his mind, which soon turned into blinding

it would be a perfect moment for you to ask me about what I am thinking,"

him

you almost

Sunny nodded.

you of a few things. It is mostly a formality. First

at him and

is no shame in asking for help. Your mind is as important as your body

his head. Jet shrugged and

also talk to me. Was

How could he answer?

was simultaneously much worse than I expected and exactly as bad as I

nodded, satisfied with that

any further. Us outskirt rats are way more resilient than people