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?"

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

how clean and shiny the other two look, I'm guessing that

at Cassie, then

ambiance there is… well…

Effie grinned.

said! Anyway, how can

Star motioned at

"Can we come inside?"

glanced back, then

"Sure. Why not?"

a bed. At first glance, it didn't seem that lavish, but once it hit Sunny that each of the furs had come from the

was probably the most extravagant thing he had ever

only imagine what went on between

'Pure thoughts, Sunny! Focus!'

huntress had scavenged from the ruins over the years. There was no particular logic to this opulent collection except

Effie returned to her pile of

come and wake me up this early in

in the morning? It's already

for a few

haven't hunted since the day we

then said

food runs out. Which will be in

meat she had butchered off those monsters was enough to feed a person for a couple of months. It

Changing Star nodded.

do, come with

she certainly doesn't beat

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

then threw her head back and laughed

a good one! Do you

her laughter died down, she shook her head

it gets. Best hunters out here

with a

the people in the slum. But because of your Flaw, you can't allow yourself to 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, and never sell the meat of your

Effie smiled.

see someone has been doing

tilted her head a little and, not paying any attention to the irony in those

solve

solitary huntress