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?"

bronze cuirass with leather pteruges, as well as

huh? Judging by how clean and shiny the other two look, I'm guessing that their stay in

at Cassie, then

you said, the ambiance there

Effie grinned.

said! Anyway, how can I

Star motioned

"Can we come inside?"

glanced

"Sure. Why not?"

of its corners was occupied by a large pile of furs that served Effie as a bed. At first glance, it didn't seem that lavish, but once it hit Sunny that each of

extravagant thing

only imagine what went on

'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

of them were seated, Effie returned to her pile

so important that you had to come and

in the morning? It's

a few moments,

the day we met.

said

I'll go back into the ruins once my food runs out. Which will be

those monsters was enough to feed a person for a couple of months.

Changing Star nodded.

you do, come with us. Be

she certainly doesn't

to be this direct. He had always

her head

Do you want me to

laughter died down, she

it gets. Best hunters out here wanted me to become a part of their party, and

nodded with

do the same. You need all the sustenance a hunt can provide. The more partners you have, the lesser your share will become, so… you hunt alone,

Effie smiled.

someone has been doing their

paying any attention to the irony in

can solve that problem

the solitary huntress