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

grinned. A dangerous spark appeared in his

Well, what are you going to

Harus smiled, too.

was cold, unnatural, and

have to

Sunny raised his eyebrows.

Why

a heavy chain appeared from the air, wrapped around his arm from wrist to elbow. Then, he grimaced and straightened his back

same height as Sunny. But now, Harus towered above him almost as much as Tessai had, his twisted

this is the will of

Sunny laughed.

I don't want to disappoint you, fool, but your

at him with sincere confusion. Then, a corner of his lips curled upward. With something that

worm. You don't even understand what loyalty means, do you? Alive

Sunny snarled.

I

he raised his sword

Flaw are. But now, I am glad that I don't know. I don't

listened to him. A mocking grin

Sunny suddenly became

***

the fearsome hunchback.

'Wh…'

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

lunged forward with terrible speed, aiming to

the little wretch somehow managed to roll