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?'

— well, whatever passed for one in this loathsome purgatory — and the tentative connection that had been established between

in the whole

in any group. He didn't know if

insecurity threatened to break out of control, Nephis sighed and

"Here. Take Cassie inside."

her hand,

the same time, irrationally, a dark sense of shame and resentment. Not knowing how to deal

"Why me?"

eyebrow. Shaking his head, Sunny offered

are you so kind all of a sudden. Is it

at him for a while, and then said

never been noble. I

blinked, struggling with the desire to pinch Neph and make sure that she was awake.

Changing Star shrugged and

much more about what is going on in the castle than I ever would. While

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

continue working together, as though it was a given, had not

looked at

our trade have come 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

'Trade? What trade?'

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

But she didn't.

was over, he felt a sudden pang of regret.

shards from her hand and gripped

Then… I'll meet you

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

girl, remained silent for a bit, and

"Are you ready?"

she did, there was