Shadow Slave

Sunny grimaced and turned away, feeling a terrible headache. The sun was almost gone, and the night was following in its footsteps. He didn't have much time left.

With a desperate smile, Sunny looked and Changing Star and asked:

"What can be so damn important? What can be so valuable that you are ready to condemn everyone here to death?!"

He shook his head, guessing that he already knew.

"Don't tell me that it's some stupid crap like bringing the glory of the Immortal Flame clan back. Duty of the Awakened? What, you gave a terrible oath to become the first human to conquer the Fourth Nightmare, like your father conquered the Third, and your grandfather the Second? Or even worse, is it something even more foolish? Are you planning to save the damn world?!"

Nephis stared at him for a few moments, and then grinned. Something dangerous and unfamiliar awakened in her eyes… no, not completely unfamiliar.

It was the same strange, maniacal glimmer he had seen once before, right after saying the three strange words to her.

Aster, Song, Vale.

Back then, for a few moments, Changing Star had turned from a calm and composed young woman into someone he wasn't sure he recognized anymore.

With a soft chuckle, Neph shook her head.

"Save the world? No, I'm not going to save the world, Sunny."

Then, the smile disappeared from her face, and white flames suddenly ignited in the depths of her cold, grey eyes. With dark and frightening conviction, she said:

"I'm going to destroy it."

Her words echoed in the darkness, making Sunny feel an irrational feeling of dread. He stared at her, both failing to comprehend and afraid to believe in what she had just heard.

Destroy... the world? What?

Deeply inhaling the cool air, Changing Star looked up at the sky.

"This world, Sunny. This cursed place. The Dream Realm. No, I won't be the first one to conquer the Fourth Nightmare. I will be the first one to conquer every Nightmare. I'll go through them one after another, destroying anything and anyone who stands in my way. And when I get to the heart of the Nightmare Spell, I'm going to obliterate every part of it, I'm going to rip it to shreds, I'm going to decimate and bring it to ruin."

in the eyes and

three ghouls can stop me? No, Sunny. Nothing will stop me. Anyone who dares

step back, Sunny stared at her

feeling something cold touch the back of his neck. Then, he grimaced and asked, a hint of

Why do you want to destroy the Spell

mouth curled up slightly. After a few moments, she simply

"Because I hate it."

simplicity of that answer. If it was someone else, he would have thought that they were

because she wanted to, and apparently wanted to destroy

Why the hell not?

his eyes and

"You are actually insane."

Neph smiled.

mad? I would be wary

Then, she sighed.

more questions? The sun is almost gone, so you'd

his head and said, his

Neph. I'm

that, he slowly turned around and

Left behind, Nephis frowned.

are you going? Come

hand and said in a suppressed tone,

have an errand to run. We'll... talk some

Looking at his back, Changing Star gritted

back, Sunny! This conversation isn't over! Come back here

there was no

had already disappeared into the shadows, leaving her standing alone in the alley that was brightly lit

***

on his shoulder. The young man was very gaunt back before he had been killed, so it

…Physically, at least.

the early hour of the

by nothing but darkness, Sunny was left alone with his thoughts and emotions. But, strangely, both his heart and mind were empty. He couldn't be bothered to