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?'

human civilization — well, whatever passed for one in this loathsome purgatory — and the tentative connection that had

had expected, the nature of their relationship was going to change now that they weren't essentially the last three people in the whole wide world, with no one else to rely on but each other. Was it strong

long in any group. He didn't

threatened to break out of control, Nephis sighed and handed him

"Here. Take Cassie inside."

at her hand, then

time, irrationally, a

"Why me?"

an eyebrow. Shaking his head, Sunny offered her a crooked smile and

are you so kind all of a sudden. Is

a while, and then said with

noble. I have never been

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

shrugged and looked

of the shadow, you will be able to learn much more about what is going on in the castle than I ever would. While you are gathering information inside, I will do the same here. We will

to be as cynically pragmatical as he was? Once again, he felt a weird mix of emotions. He was simultaneously elated

that they were going to continue working together, as though it was a given, had not

at

to give up on your share of spoils on the way to the castle. Well, here we are. That stone

'Trade? What trade?'

the trade he had made with Changing Star to get her to teach him swordsmanship and hide

But she didn't.

reminded of its existence and realized that it was over, he felt a sudden pang of regret. It was as though one of the few strings that connected them together had been

sigh, he took the soul shards from her hand and gripped

meet you

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

at the blind girl, remained silent for a

"Are you ready?"

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