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.

the ingenious system of mirrors that was supposed to bathe the hidden chamber in sunlight was long destroyed, leaving

one of the features of his secret lair that he enjoyed

his

stood up and rubbed his face to chase away the last remnants of sleep. His long, dirty hair was getting in the way, so he moved

'Let's make some breakfast.'

But first things first…

into the air and landed on his palm. This

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

months since Sunny came to this

happened during

***

ruined city surrounded by tall walls, with monsters

weren't Awakened, as the three of them had hoped. Instead, they were, each and every one of them, mere

they were no

their strength or luck — were stuck there

what a fool he had been. So full of hope and newfound faith in humanity… where's that faith now,

hysterically, he bent over and

Sunny. What do you think

reproach. Its silence

his third week of living alone in the city. He was more or less alright after leaving the castle due to that unfortunate falling

on his third week, that damn bastard of a knight had almost disemboweled him, leaving Sunny no choice but to crawl away 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

'Good times…'

Anyway, he survived.

over to a table that he had scavenged from the ruins of a library and glanced at the grey rock that was