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?'

they reached the human civilization — well, whatever passed for one in this loathsome purgatory — and the tentative

people in the whole wide world, with no one else to rely on but each other. Was it strong enough to endure without

whole life, Sunny had never managed to last long in any group. He didn't know if this

break out of control, Nephis sighed and

"Here. Take Cassie inside."

at her hand, then

was surprise, joy, concern… but at the same time, irrationally, a dark sense of shame and resentment. Not knowing how to deal with all

"Why me?"

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

you so kind all of a

a while, and then said

noble. I have

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

shrugged and looked

the best choice. Right now, we need information the most. With the help 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 meet in a week, share

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

simply assumed that they were going to continue working together, as though it was a given, had

at him and

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

'Trade? What trade?'

her to teach him swordsmanship and hide the fact

But she didn't.

pang of regret. It was as though one of the few strings that connected them together

the soul shards from her

I'll meet you in a week, I

else, but then just turned away. Stepping aside, he gave the girls some

glanced at the blind girl, remained silent for a bit, and then

"Are you ready?"

answering. When she did, there was a hint