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?"

her — tall, strong, and brimming with vitality. Without the bronze cuirass with leather pteruges, as well as other

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

Cassie, then said

particularly. Just like you said, the ambiance there is…

Effie grinned.

how can I help

motioned

"Can we come inside?"

huntress glanced

"Sure. Why not?"

it didn't seem that lavish, but once it hit Sunny that each of the furs had come from the corpse of a Nightmare Creature, he quickly

was probably the most extravagant

what went on

'Pure thoughts, Sunny! Focus!'

huntress had scavenged

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

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

in the morning? It's already

lingered for a

hunted since the

then said in

once my food runs out. Which will be in a

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

Changing Star nodded.

come with us. Be our

she certainly doesn't beat

this direct. He had always imagined this conversation taking much longer

her head back and

Do you want me to

her laughter died down, she shook

City. You are as green as it gets. Best hunters out here wanted me to

with a serious

of your Flaw, you can't allow yourself to do the same. You need all the sustenance a hunt

Effie smiled.

has been

paying any attention to the irony in

solve

the solitary huntress