Shadow Slave

On the day of the winter solstice, Sunny woke up feeling tired and drowsy. No matter how much he tried to shake off this listlessness, it wouldn't go away. In the end, he just stayed in the bed for a while, wrapping himself in a blanket.

He was already familiar with this feeling of neverending, ensnaring sleepiness. It was the same in the days before his First Nightmare. It was also quite similar to what he had experienced while slowly dying of hypothermia on the slopes of the Black Mountain.

Remembering the cold embrace of approaching death, Sunny couldn't help but shiver.

This was his last day on Earth… at least for a while. By nightfall, the Spell was going to take him away once again, this time to challenge the vast expanse of the Dream Realm. What was he going to face in that ruined magical world? Would luck be on his side this time, or would there be another disaster?

'Ugh.'

There was no point in guessing. He had already done everything in his power to prepare for the inevitable. He studied hard, trained hard, and kept his secret safe. His Aspect was better than most, and his will to survive was long tempered by the harsh reality of the outskirts and the even harsher ordeal of the First Nightmare.

All in all, he was ready.

With a sigh, Sunny got out of bed and went along with his morning routine. If this was going to be his last hot shower in a long while, he was going to really enjoy it. If it was going to be his last scrumptious breakfast for the time being…

Actually, he had no appetite.

The cafeteria was full of Sleepers, but no one was talking. Everybody was in low spirits and seemed to be uncharacteristically introspective. There was no usual laughter or boisterous conversations — only the Legacies remained calm and collected. However, even they kept to themselves.

Sunny thought about the last time he was preparing to enter the Spell and, with a bit of trepidation, approached the coffee machine. During his stay in the Academy, he had long discovered that a lot of people were in a habit of adding sugar and milk to their coffee. So, on this auspicious day, he decided to give it another try.

After all, it was nice to have a tradition.

A few minutes later, he had taken his usual seat near Cassia, the blind girl. Despite their compulsory closeness, they had not talked to each other even once, just like two strangers forced to share the same space by circumstances beyond their control. Sunny did not see a reason for anything to change today.

However, as soon as he took the first seep of coffee, Cassia suddenly turned her head and stared at him with her beautiful, blind blue eyes.

Unnerved, Sunny looked around, checking if someone else had attracted her attention, and, after making sure that there wasn't anyone standing behind him, asked:

"W—what?"

Cassia was silent, as though hesitating if she should reply, and then suddenly said:

"Happy Birthday."

'What?'

words.

right. It's my

forgotten about it. He was turning

she know

opened his mouth, and then decided

"Uh… thanks."

and seemingly

for

to his coffee, finding it not too bad this time. Of course, sugar and cream were making most of the work. However, he did feel a little bit

'Seventeen, huh?'

it to this age alive. And yet, despite

birthday by drinking real coffee with real milk and sugar, he would have laughed in their face. But now it

people who used to celebrate his birthdays with him, a long time ago. Before his mood turned sour, he decisively dispelled these

again next year, when I'm already

he finished his coffee

The old man got pretty emotional when sending him off. He gave Sunny "one last tip" a dozen or so times in a row and even promised to apply for a research assistant position to

thanking him for his time

there wasn't much to

was close to setting, Instructor Rock gathered them in

the white building, other Awakened were leading their own batches of Sleepers to the same destination. It

of the best Healers among the Awakened. For the duration of their first journey into the Dream Realm,

or not they would wake up in the

them directly to the wing containing Sleeper pods. Instead, he led them to a comparatively deserted floor and then

strangely peaceful expression on their face. All these people were completely silent, motionless, and still.

seemed

up and a creeping terror sipping

Rock looked at the empty people

well and remember. Some of you

He gritted his teeth.

weak, some of them were strong. Some