Shadow Slave

In the next ten minutes, the foundations of Sunny's worldview were shaken to the core. Kai had drowned him in a torrent of questions… all of which had nothing to do with anything even remotely important!

What interested the charming Sleeper were very strange things like what types of shoes were in fashion, which celebrity wore what to some pompous award ceremony, who of them had a scandal and what was that scandal about, what was the latest dance craze, and so on.

He was endlessly curious about that type of stupid crap and absolutely indifferent about all of Sunny's dark secrets.

It was almost insulting.

What's worse, Sunny felt like a complete fool because he couldn't provide even a single answer. What did he know about fashion and high culture? Nothing!

After a while, Kai's enthusiasm had waned. Looking at Sunny with a comically disheartened face, he sighed and gently asked one last question:

"Sunny, tell me honestly… were you a hikikomori in the real world as well?"

Sunny blinked.

'What is this fool talking about?'

"A hik… a what?"

Kai cleared his throat and offered him an apologetic smile.

"Ah, you know… a recluse? A shut-in? Someone who lives under a rock?"

Sunny stared at the gorgeous young man, feeling like the world completely stopped making any sense ever since they had met.

"What are you talking about? Why would I live under a rock? You would freeze to death! I lived in a cargo container once, but it had four walls and a roof, at least…"

Kai sighed one more time and turned away.

"I see. Well, sorry to bother you. It's just that I've been stuck in this place for about two and a half years now, and life here is so monotone."

His beautiful profile was radiating melancholy and sadness, as though Kai was lamenting something serious, as opposed to utter rubbish.

'Two and half years… that dimwit survived here for two and a half years?'

Sunny was surprised to hear that. Kai seemed like a nice guy, but not exactly someone well suited for the ruthless nightmare of the Forgotten Shore. Perhaps he had underestimated the charming Sleeper… or perhaps there was another, much simpler reason.

Sunny frowned.

There was a group of people who tended to live here the longest. Suddenly suspicious, he asked in a cold tone:

"Are you a part of Gunlaug's gang?"

looked at him with

Then, he chortled.

it's bullies like him. I would rather die than become one of Gunlaug's minions. Plus, the man has no style. That armor of

saying that, he suddenly grew quiet and added after

to time. That is the reason why he tolerates

Gunlaug's thugs. Besides, if he had been one of them, no sane person would have dared to kidnap and imprison him.

meant that Kai was, indeed, much more capable than Sunny had given him

'Interesting.'

shifted his perspective to the shadow and made sure that the terrible

dismissed the

safe now. Time to

they were ready to leave, he summoned the shadow back and prepared to take the first step forward. However, then Sunny suddenly stopped and glanced at

ask you

smiled, honesty and eagerness written all over his

"Of course!"

was silent for a couple of seconds, then said

the best one

looked at him with confusion. Raising one exquisite eyebrow,

understand the question. Is there a

closed his eyes, sighed, and turned

"Never mind. Let's go."

above the horizon, they went deeper into

***

middle of the cursed city. It was grand and magnificent, with dozens of towers rising into the air,

itself. It was narrow and heavily fortified, circling the

been a vast stone platform, meant to serve as the gathering ground for the soldiers in case the enemy

with small shabby buildings made out of stone, wood, and anything else the inhabitants of this slum could get their hands on standing chaotically here and there, forming messy

had grown up, but it had the same unmistakable air of misery,

approached the outer settlement, several Sleepers greeted Kai

you, man. Where have you been

Kai smiled in embarrassment.

you know. Flying around.

exchanging pleasantries with his acquaintance, Sunny

to be almost the same, with just a few buildings slightly changing shapes. The people, however… people somehow seemed more energized and confident, as though the ever-present fear of death and starvation was not

strange sense of tension in

guess she was busy in these three

Kai turned to

"Sorry about that."

Sunny frowned.

are they calling

charming young man stared at him, then cleared his throat and said with a bit of strangeness in his