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?"

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

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

glanced at Cassie, then said in

particularly. Just like you said, the ambiance there is… well… an acquired taste,

Effie grinned.

Anyway, how can I help

motioned at the

"Can we come inside?"

huntress glanced

"Sure. Why not?"

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

the most extravagant thing

one could only imagine what went on

'Pure thoughts, Sunny! Focus!'

curios that the huntress had scavenged from the ruins over the years. There was no

of them were seated, Effie returned to her pile of furs,

so important that you had to come and

in the morning? It's already

for a few

haven't hunted since the day

then said in a

food runs out.

how? The amount of meat she had butchered off those monsters 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

doesn't

this direct. He had always imagined this conversation taking much longer before getting to its

her head back and laughed out

one! Do you want me to

died down, she shook her head and

City. You are as green as it gets. Best hunters out here wanted me to become a part of their party, and I refused them all. Do you know

with a serious

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 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

Effie smiled.

someone has been

head a little and, not paying any attention to the irony

can solve

solitary