Shadow Slave

Some time later, they were standing in front of a makeshift cabin. Just like Changing Star's patchwork dwelling, the cabin was constructed out of mismatched stone blocks that had been scavenged from the ruins. It was reinforced with monster hides here and there and seemed to be built slightly better than the rest of the hovels in the outer settlement.

There was a large bestial skull hung above the door, its thick forehead split apart by a devastating strike of some sharp weapon.

Glancing at the skull, Nephis took a step forward and knocked on the door. However, no response followed.

Sunny sighed.

"Maybe she's not home."

Instead of an answer, Changing Star frowned and banged on the door with her first. The first strike was somewhat gentle, but by the last, the bestial skull was on the verge of flying off the wall.

A sleepy and irritated voice sounded from the inside:

"I swear to gods, whoever you are, you'd better be a Nightmare Creature!"

A few moments later, Sunny heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door. Before it opened, though, Nephis suddenly spoke:

"Sunny, turn away."

Hearing a strange urgency in her voice, he scowled and did as she had asked.

"Your shadow, too."

'What is going on? Are we expecting trouble?'

As he was staring away from the cabin, the creaking of wood informed him that the door was flung open.

"Who the hell is… oh. It's you."

He swore he could hear Neph's teeth grinding against each other. A few seconds later, Changing Star spoke, her tone especially flat:

"...Put on a Memory, Effie. Please."

'Wait… what?'

Why would she… oh…

Oh!

When he was finally allowed to turn back, the last glimmers of ethereal light were yet to disappear from the fabric of Effie's provocatively short chiton. She wasn't wearing anything underneath, either.

"Here. Better?"

huntress was exactly the same as the last time he had seen her — tall, strong, and brimming with vitality. Without the bronze cuirass with leather pteruges, as well as other elements of the archaic armor, even more of hew dewy olive skin could be

are back together, huh? Judging by how clean and shiny the

at Cassie, then said in a reserved

the ambiance there is… well… an acquired taste, I

Effie grinned.

how

Star motioned at

"Can we come inside?"

glanced back,

"Sure. Why not?"

At first glance, it didn't seem that lavish,

probably the most extravagant

could only imagine what went on between those

'Pure thoughts, Sunny! Focus!'

also a fireplace, a table with a single wooden chair, and a pair of sturdy chests. The rest of the space was occupied by various curios that the huntress had scavenged from the ruins over the years. There was no particular logic to this opulent collection except for the fact that each object had once

the three of them were seated, Effie returned to her pile of furs, wrapped herself in

that you had to come and wake me up this early in the

in the morning? It's already

a few moments,

the

said in a languid

back into the ruins once my food runs out.

enough to feed a person for a couple of months. It was all gone already? Just how

Changing Star nodded.

you do, come with us. Be

doesn't beat

Sunny had not expected Neph to be this direct. He had always

then threw her head back

a good one! Do you want me

her laughter died down, she shook her head

as it gets. Best hunters out here wanted me to become a

nodded with a

spoils of their hunts. Each hunter keeps a part to eat and sells the rest to the people in the slum. But because of your Flaw, you can't allow yourself to do

Effie smiled.

someone has been

a little and, not paying any attention to the

can solve

the solitary huntress