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.

wells cunningly hidden here and there. Sadly, the ingenious system of mirrors that was supposed to bathe the hidden

In fact, this was one of the features of his secret lair that he enjoyed the

his best

remnants of sleep. His long, dirty hair was getting in the way, so

'Let's make some breakfast.'

But first things first…

moved his hand, pulling on the invisible string that connected his wrist to the ring-shaped pommel of the kunai. The throwing dagger jumped into the air and landed on his palm. This was a trick that had taken Sunny quite some time to master: in the beginning, he almost

the kunai to scratch a small line into the stone. All around it,

been four months since Sunny came to

had happened during

***

be 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

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

they were no Gateway in

of humans — those who had managed to survive the lethal hellscape of the Forgotten Shore due to their strength or luck — were stuck there with no hope

first days in the castle, Sunny couldn't help but laugh out loud. Oh, what a fool he had been. So full of hope and newfound faith in humanity… where's that

over

that's funny! Good one, Sunny. What do

didn't respond, staring at him with reproach. Its silence only made Sunny laugh

living alone in the city. He was more or less alright after

while using his own two hands to stop his intestines from falling out. After finding

'Good times…'

Anyway, he survived.

ruins of a library and glanced at the grey rock that was lying in its