Shadow Slave

Sunny smiled and leaned back on his chair, then looked at his friends with curiosity.

There was a question he really wanted to ask, but tried not to up until now.

"...What's your second Ability, anyway?"

His words hung in the air for a few moments. Suddenly, Kai coughed with embarrassment and looked away. After a couple of seconds, he said in a strange tone:

"I, uh… can see really far now, when I want to. Even when there's no light. I am also supposed to be able to see through illusions and all forms of obfuscation, whatever that means. And… uh… I can also see through objects.

Sunny and Effie stared at him and asked almost simultaneously:

"Like, through walls?"

"Like, through clothes?"

Kai hid behind his glass, lingered for a bit, and then answered in a small voice:

"...Yes. But I would never!"

While Sunny tried to imagine why would Kai refuse to look through walls, Effie laughed out loud.

"I see, I see. What a great Ability!"

She shook her head, then turned to Sunny and asked:

"Hey, doofus. I bet you often wanted to stab me with something sharp. Wanna try?"

He frowned in confusion, then raised an eyebrow.

"No. Why would I stab you?"

him with expectation clearly written on her face, then sighed in

invulnerable. Well… comparatively, of course. Skin of steel, that sort of deal. A very sweet

Ability. Combined with Effie's previous one, it turned her into an exceedingly formidable presence on the battlefield. As if she had

him and asked

"Well, what about you?"

He shifted slightly.

short-distance teleportation. Kai can see through walls, I can go through walls… while you can just plow through them, I guess. In your

Effie grinned.

huh? Interesting choice of

changed

guys? What

sudden question changed the mood of the conversation. For a while, a strange silence

awkward and slightly sad. Back on the Forgotten Shore, the three of them had forged a bond, and now, depending on their choices, that bond would most likely either weaken or

go their separate ways. Perhaps fate would bring them together again, one day...

while, Effie

both clan Valor and clan Song, but… you know me. I don't do well with authority. Plus, none of them have moved a finger to help me when I really needed it. Only now that I am a hot commodity are they all suddenly kind and friendly. Rubs me the wrong way, to be

wheelchair, then slumped in

for the Second Nightmare would be. Maybe I'll have a better chance of becoming a Master soon if I stay independent and don't have to compete against the

the rank of a Master would free Effie from her terrible disability,

he knew why she had said that for her, striving to conquer the

through no wish of his own, Sunny

a few moments. Then, he too

agency has secured me a very good position in Bastion. So I'll be going there soon. I won't have to fight another

life, he didn't sound too happy. There was a note

Sunny frowned.

having to worry about

young man smiled sadly and

my ungratefulness. But what

of his

scribbling a few words about the things you see in the Dream Realm can actually earn you money. And! I think I can weasel my way into receiving a salary from the Academy as a research assistant, whatever that means. So, uh… actually, I haven't decided