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?'

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

as he 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,

managed to last long in any group. He didn't know if this time

threatened to break out of control, Nephis sighed and

"Here. Take Cassie inside."

stared at her hand, then looked up

erupted in his heart. There was surprise, joy, concern… but at the same time, irrationally, a dark sense

"Why me?"

Star simply raised an eyebrow. Shaking his head, Sunny

not refusing. I'm just curious why are you so kind all of a

looked at him for a while, and then said with

been noble.

make sure that she was awake. Had she

Changing Star shrugged

on in the castle than I ever would. While you are gathering information inside, I will do the

be as cynically pragmatical as he was? Once again,

were going to continue working together, as though it was a given, had not avoided his attention. For some reason, this small detail gave Sunny a

looked at him

to an end. Your promise was to give up on your share of spoils on the way to the castle. Well, here we are. That stone creature was your kill, so these shards are

'Trade? What trade?'

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

But she didn't.

pang of regret. It

soul shards from her hand and gripped

Then… I'll meet you in a week, I

turned away. Stepping aside, he gave the

girl, remained

"Are you ready?"

she did, there was a