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?"

on her face, then sighed in disappointment when he didn't

demonstrate my second Ability to you. Basically, it makes my whole body invulnerable. Well… comparatively, of

woman with a bit of awe. Indeed, that was a very powerful Ability. Combined with Effie's previous one, it turned her into an exceedingly

him and asked

"Well, what about you?"

He shifted slightly.

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

Effie grinned.

Interesting choice of words. I wonder

hurriedly changed the

are your plans, guys? What Citadels are

strange silence settled among them. All three had

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 bond would

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

a while, Effie

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.

wheelchair, then slumped in

on what the fastest way to get ready for the Second Nightmare would be. Maybe I'll have a better chance of becoming a

body became their physical body. Reaching the rank of a Master would free Effie from

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

enough, through no wish of his own,

few moments.

secured me a very good position in Bastion. So I'll be going there soon. I won't have to fight another Nightmare Creature for a long, long time. I

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

Sunny frowned.

that tone immediately, Kai. There's nothing wrong with living like a person should, not having to worry about being eaten every goddamn day. Don't even think about feeling bad about it. Got

young man smiled sadly and

ungratefulness.

scratched the back of

but 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 can