Shadow Slave

After the shocking revelation about the cruel futility of their long and arduous journey to the Dark City, the desire to reach the promised castle that kept the three of them going for so long had diminished significantly. However, they still wanted to get there as soon as possible. There was a tiny remnant of hope still burning in Sunny's heart. Perhaps… perhaps Effie was lying to them, or wrong about everything.

Somehow.

He didn't really believe it, though. The beautiful huntress seemed sincere and competent, if a little eccentric. More than that, her words made too much sense.

But Effie wasn't in a rush to leave the granite tower.

"There's not enough daylight left to traverse that much distance. Moving through the ruins is a slow ordeal. Get comfortable and rest. We'll leave tomorrow at dawn."

After that, she got busy dressing down the monster carcasses with a long knife that appeared in her hand. She even summoned a Memory that looked like a leather apron to avoid getting blood on her tunic. Whistling an upbeat melody under her nose, the vigorous young woman looked like an enthusiastic gourmet chef.

Nephis, Sunny and Cassie were in no mood to talk. Each of them sat somberly by themselves, trying to digest the awful reality of their new situation.

Sunny was utterly disheartened.

He felt as though someone had pulled the batteries out of his body, leaving him with no strength or desire to do anything. The world had become dim and tiresome.

'That's hope for you.'

He didn't even have enough motivation to get angry. It was as though… as though he had run an exhausting marathon and crossed the finish line, only to find out that there was another race waiting for him on the other side.

he would have to keep

their kindness. He would never become

Which hurt the most.

'Figures.'

made an effort to find some semblance of

think about it… I'm still alive. That has to

glanced at him,

Yeah, the big picture changed for the worst, but our immediate situation has actually improved a lot. We are safe from the constant threat of

Numbers and experience meant everything in the Dream Realm. By becoming a part of a human collective, they were going to shed most of the burdens that had been silently crushing them all this time. Compared to the infernal gauntlet of the Labyrinth, life in the castle was

were willing to submit to its thug of a master, of course. If Sunny

was still the outer settlement. Effie seemed to be doing just fine as an independent hunter. She didn't even seem

person I've ever seen. Seriously, how

at the unreasonably

let's ponder about it. She has a roof over her head and a limitless supply of delicious food, provided that she hunts it down herself. That is already better than my

of his life was not how he had envisioned his future, but it was not that different from struggling to survive in the slums of the real world. Actually, in a lot of senses, it was way better. So, maybe, the situation seemed to be so bad not because

she was so damn happy and lively even in the middle of this

must be

his somewhat rational attempt to find the bright side in this calamity, he didn't feel any

skin crawled. The familiar sensation of dread and unease flooded his

shadow of the Crimson Spire had fallen on

night. Not in the mood to