Shadow Slave

Nephis held the shimmering crystals, looking at them with a heavy expression. Sunny was also staring at the shards, his head full of dark thoughts.

The remnants of shattered souls glowed softly in the dim twilight of dusk.

Around them, the inhabitants of the outer settlement were hurrying to get inside their pitiful hovels before the coming of night. The sun was already hidden behind the cyclopean silhouette of the Crimson Spire, drowning the world in its eerie shadow. The air was full of fear and worry.

He grimaced.

"What are you thinking about?"

Changing Star sighed and looked up. Her ivory face was harsh and thoughtful. She remained silent for a while, and then said in her usual calm tone:

"We need to split up."

Sunny couldn't help but laugh.

"You do know what usually happens when people split up in these kinds of situations, right?"

She stared at him with no humor in her cold, grey eyes.

"This is not a drama, Sunny. We have the means to provide two of us with food and shelter for a week. There's no reason to pass on this opportunity."

Cassie turned to her, a confused expression on her face.

"But… but what about the third?"

An uncomfortable silence hung between them, broken only by the whistling wind. Sunny looked at the blind girl, then at Nephis, and finally glanced at himself. Which one of them was going to remain hungry in the bitter cold while the other two would be eating their fill in the comfortable safety of the castle?

He thought that he had an inkling.

'What else did I expect?'

than ten minutes since they reached the human civilization — well, whatever passed for one in this loathsome purgatory — and the tentative connection that had been established between them in the crucible of the Labyrinth was

going to change now that they weren't essentially the last three people in the whole wide world, with no one else

long in any group. He didn't know if this time was going to be

threatened to break out of control, Nephis sighed

"Here. Take Cassie inside."

hand,

was surprise, joy, concern… but at the same time, irrationally, a dark sense of shame and resentment. Not

"Why me?"

simply raised an eyebrow. Shaking his head, Sunny

I'm just curious why are you so kind all

a while, and

noble. I

the desire to pinch Neph and make sure that she was awake. Had she met herself? If she wasn't noble, then

shrugged and

going on in the castle than I ever would.

Did Neph just… reveal herself to be as cynically pragmatical as he was? Once again, he felt a weird mix of emotions. He was

was a

at him

of spoils on the way to the castle. Well, here we are. That stone creature was your kill,

'Trade? What trade?'

to teach him swordsmanship and hide the fact that he had no way to absorb soul shards. He has almost forgotten

But she didn't.

and realized that it was over, he felt a sudden pang of regret. It was as though one

took the soul shards from her hand and

Then… I'll meet you in a week, I

opened his mouth, wishing to say something else, but then just turned away. Stepping aside, he gave

blind girl, remained silent for a

"Are you ready?"

hesitated before answering. When she did, there was a hint of sadness