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. Then, a

It's

completely forgotten about it. He

she know

gave the blind girl a strange look, opened his mouth, and then decided to let the issue go. She

"Uh… thanks."

a nod, Cassia turned away and seemingly lost interest in having a conversation

for the

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

'Seventeen, huh?'

would make it to this age alive. And

anyone would have told him a year ago that he was going to celebrate his seventeenth birthday by drinking real coffee with real milk

long time ago. Before his mood turned sour, he

Let's do it again

he finished his coffee and

emotional when sending him off. He gave Sunny "one last tip" a dozen or so times in a row and even promised

left thanking him for

wasn't much

gathered them in the

that surrounded the white building, other Awakened were leading their own

first journey into the Dream Realm, the

up in the end wholly depended on the Sleepers

not take them directly to the wing containing Sleeper pods. Instead, he led them to a comparatively deserted floor

rows of wheelchairs. In each wheelchair, there was a person with a blank, strangely peaceful expression on their face. All these people were completely silent, motionless, and still. They did not show any reaction to the appearance

seemed to

hair standing up and a creeping terror sipping

at the empty people with

brought you all here. Look well and remember. Some of you may know who these people are…

He gritted his teeth.

or an Awakened. Some of them were weak, some of them