Shadow Slave

Nephis changed a lot since the last time Sunny had seen her.

Outwardly, she looked almost the same — tall, firm, and strangely distant, as though existing slightly apart from the rest of the world. She was still wearing the Starlight Legion Armor, which accentuated the graceful lines of her slender, lithe body. Only now, there was also a white cloak draped over her shoulders, close in color to the pristine metal of the elegant plate armor.

Changing Star's silver hair was much longer now, almost reaching her shoulders. Without the short tomboyish cut, she looked strangely mature and feminine, making Sunny's heart beat a little faster. Her calm grey eyes were as striking as ever.

The true changes, however, hid much deeper. Perhaps only a person who knew her as well as Sunny did could notice them, or perhaps it was precisely because he had come to know her so well that the veil of detached indifference shrouding her true self cracked, revealing the deeper feelings beneath.

Nephis seemed to be much more alive now, much more present. Her eyes shined with resolve and determination, radiating an almost infectious feeling of temperate confidence.

…This was her power. The power of conviction.

Sunny shivered under that gaze.

Neph was the person he longed to see the most and, at the same time, hoped to never see again. She was the true reason why he had to leave the castle.

Stirred awake by this fated meeting, a torrent of memories rose to the surface of his mind.

If only he had known at the time…

Well, it would not have changed anything, really.

***

Four months ago, on the night that they had ventured into the cursed sea on a boat made of demon's bones, Sunny was shivering in the wind.

…After an eternity spent in the cold embrace of darkness, the endless night of their escape was finally drawing its last breaths. He shifted and turned to the east, where a ghostly line of pale lilac appeared over the horizon.

Trembling, he licked his lips and said in a raspy voice:

"Cas. Cassie. It's morning."

After he uttered these words, the last remnant of strength that had kept Sunny going disappeared, and he slumped on the stones, his chest rising heavily and then falling.

dawn was ready to bathe the desolate hell of the Forgotten Shore in warm sunlight. They

the lightless abyss by a goddess. Sunny and Cassie were holding each other for warmth, while Nephis was lying

'We did it.'

darkness, and even lived through a battle with the horrifying dweller of the depths… by

about the enthrallment hex put onto their minds by the ancient fiend, he

somehow,

and listened to the dark sea as it retreated to hide from the coming sun. Without even noticing

he wasn't

finger wasn't hurting that much

to groan while

the events of the previous night as he was… perhaps even more so. Her delicate face seemed vulnerable and pale, twisted in an anxious frown.

had yet to regain her senses. At some time while he slept, the blind girl had used her cloak to cover Changing Star, helping her to preserve some warmth. Neph lay still and motionless, her face drained of all color. Only the quiet sound of her breathing told Sunny that she

that flame always took a heavy toll on Nephis, bringing her unimaginable pain and

had never done so in the past.

to assess the

Star, Sunny looked around, trying to discern their current circumstances. His heart was

in the middle of the cursed sea, with no way to continue forward, that would be a truly macabre

nothing but the empty expanse of the colossal crater. Same thing for

noticing a dark line in the distance. That was… that was

a strange excitement grasping his heart, Sunny quickly turned around and looked west.

his head was silent and empty. Then, a single thought appeared in

'We were so close…'

Cassie finally woke up. Feeling that he wasn't

"Sunny?"

He licked his lips.

"I'm here."

stretched her

do you sound

turned his head to look at the blind girl. A tentative smile found its way onto his

We have

***

remained unconscious for