Shadow Slave

"Wake up, Sunless! Your nightmare is…"

"Shut the hell up!"

Trying to remain in the blissful embrace of sleep, Sunny hissed through his teeth and stubbornly closed his eyes tighter. He was warm and comfortable under the blanket, on his own bed, where all the problems of the world seemed less serious and dire.

For a moment, there was silence.

'That's better…'

"Wake up, Sunless! Your…"

'Goddammit!'

Thrusting one arm from under the blanket, Sunny summoned one of his Memories. Immediately, a triangular leaf-shaped throwing dagger appeared in his hand, only to be thrown blindly at the source of the irritating voice. Missing its mark, the kunai clinked against the stone wall and fell to the floor.

However, the voice did fall silent.

Sunny sighed. It was already too late. He was awake.

Far in the distance, the waves were starting to crash against the city wall. The night was coming, so it was time to get up.

Opening his eyes, Sunny sat up and looked around.

His room was beautiful and spacious. The stone walls were engraved with intricate patterns, creating an atmosphere of sanctity and elegance. The furniture was made out of pale polished wood, with several mismatched pieces that Sunny had scavenged from different places himself.

hidden here and there. Sadly, the ingenious system of mirrors that was supposed

the features of his secret

was his

of

'Let's make some breakfast.'

But first things first…

on his palm. This

the kunai to scratch a small line into the stone. All around it, there were dozens and dozens of similar lines, grouped neatly into

months since Sunny came

happened during that

***

true. Far in the west, they indeed found a vast, ruined city surrounded by tall walls, with monsters wandering its narrow streets. And in the center of the city, there was a hill with a magnificent castle standing

However, they weren't Awakened, as the three of them had hoped. Instead, they were,

they were no Gateway in the

strength or luck — were stuck there with no hope of ever returning to the real world. It

in the castle, Sunny couldn't help but laugh out loud. Oh, what a fool

bent over

What do you think about

staring at him with reproach. Its silence only made Sunny laugh louder. He just

around his third week of living alone in the city. He was more or less alright after leaving

while using his own two hands to stop his intestines from falling out. After finding his way to a secluded ditch and lying there for a few days, too

'Good times…'

Anyway, he survived.

kunai, Sunny walked over to a table that he had scavenged from the ruins of a library and glanced at the grey rock that was lying