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?"

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

guys are back together, huh? Judging by how clean and shiny the other two look,

Cassie, then said in a

the ambiance there

Effie grinned.

said! Anyway, how can I

Star motioned at

"Can we come inside?"

glanced

"Sure. Why not?"

was small and cozy. One 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

the most extravagant

could only imagine what

'Pure thoughts, Sunny! Focus!'

space was occupied by various curios that the huntress had scavenged from the

returned to her pile of furs, wrapped herself in

come and wake me up

the morning?

for a few moments,

hunted since the day

then said in a languid

go back into the ruins once my food runs

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

Changing Star nodded.

do, come with

doesn't

He had always imagined this conversation taking

her head back and

Do you

died down, she shook her head

kids, but you have just arrived in the Dark City. You are as green as it gets. Best hunters out here wanted me to become a part of their party,

nodded with a serious

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 alone, and never sell the meat of your prey, just their

Effie smiled.

someone has been

and, not paying any attention to the irony

can solve that problem

the solitary huntress