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?"

written on her face,

my whole body invulnerable. Well… comparatively, of

a very powerful Ability. Combined with Effie's previous

glanced at him and

"Well, what about you?"

He shifted slightly.

of conditional short-distance teleportation. Kai can see through walls, I can go through walls… while you can just plow

Effie grinned.

choice of words.

hurriedly changed the

your plans, guys? What Citadels are you going

while, a strange silence settled among them. All

for as long as possible. Mostly because it was both slightly awkward and slightly sad. Back on the Forgotten Shore, the three of them had forged a bond, and now, depending on their choices, that

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

while, Effie

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

at her wheelchair, then slumped

It depends on what the fastest way to get ready for the Second Nightmare would be. Maybe I'll have a better chance of becoming a Master soon if I stay independent and

one's spiritual body became their physical body. Reaching the rank of a Master would free Effie from her

knew why she had said that for her, striving to conquer the Second Nightmare was

wish of his own,

a few moments. Then, he too

very good position in Bastion. So I'll be going there soon. I won't

was speaking about being safe and comfortable for the rest of his life, he didn't sound too

Sunny frowned.

nothing wrong with living like a person should, not having to worry about being eaten every goddamn day.

man smiled sadly and

Please forgive my ungratefulness. But what

the back of his head,

as it turns out, 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 on a particular Citadel yet. But I