Shadow Slave

Out in the great hall of the ancient castle, the air was full of screams and clangor of steel, with rivers of blood being spilled on the white marble floor. But in the wide corridor Sunny and Harus had found themselves in, the havoc that reigned above seemed muffled and distant. It was just the two of them here.

Picking up the Midnight Shard from the cold stones, Sunny flexed his shoulders and looked at the hunchback. There was a dark, icy fire burning deep within his eyes.

"...How wonderful. We are finally alone."

The hunchback tilted his head and stared at him with his glassy eyes, not saying anything. A slight smile appeared on Sunny's lips.

"What, no reaction? Well, fair enough. Allow me to introduce myself, then. My name is Sunny… and I've been craving to kill you for a long, long time."

Harus remained motionless, looking at him with the same indifferent, bored expression. A hint of anger appeared on Sunny's face.

Taking a subtle step sideways and slightly turning his torso, he said in a casual tone:

"To tell you the truth, Harus, I have killed many monsters. Some of them were Nightmare Creatures, and some were men. I killed a person or two, as well. But I have never done it out of malice. I've never enjoyed it… too much."

He paused and then spat, his voice shaking:

"But I will enjoy killing you."

Sunny grasped the hilt of the Midnight Shard with both hands and took a step forward, piercing the hunchback with a furious gaze.

"You embody everything that I despise. The mere fact of your existence offends me. You sicken me, and for that reason alone I am going to end you. You don't deserve to live."

Harus blinked and continued staring at him, motionless. Sunny stopped a few meters away and snarled, frustrated at the lack of response.

"Do you have any idea what I had to do, what I had to sacrifice, how many things I had to let go of to save myself from becoming someone's slave? And here you are... living as one of your own free will… bastard, what gives you the right? Who gave you the idea that you can breathe the same air as I do?!"

The hunchback finally showed a sign that he had heard Sunny. With a slightly irritated expression, he shook his head and said:

talk too much, little

grinned. A dangerous spark appeared in

what are you going to do about

Harus smiled, too.

cold, unnatural, and

have to die, anyway. All of you

Sunny raised his eyebrows.

really? Why

from the air, wrapped around his arm from wrist to elbow. Then, he grimaced and

seemed to be of the same height as Sunny. But now, Harus towered above him almost as much as Tessai had, his twisted figure radiating a sense of vicious, bestial power.

is the

Sunny laughed.

don't want to disappoint you, fool, but

Then, a corner of his lips curled upward. With

even understand what loyalty means,

Sunny snarled.

I

raised his sword and prepared

Aspect Ability and Flaw are. But now, I am glad

listened to him. A mocking

then, Sunny suddenly became

***

hunchback. Then, suddenly, his sight

'Wh…'

flying back. Sunny hit the wall of the corridor and then fell to the floor, leaving a trail of blood on the cold

fist, the heavy chain wrapped around his knuckles, lunged forward with

surprise, though, the little wretch somehow managed to roll away and jump back, avoiding