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?"

expectation clearly written on her face, then sighed

a shame. I wanted to demonstrate my second Ability to you. Basically, it makes my whole body invulnerable. Well… comparatively, of course. Skin of steel, that sort of deal. A very sweet comprehensive defense

was a very powerful Ability. Combined with Effie's previous one, it turned her into an exceedingly formidable presence on the battlefield.

glanced at him and

"Well, what about you?"

He shifted slightly.

see through walls, I can go through walls… while you can just plow through them, I guess. In your usual barbarous

Effie grinned.

choice of words. I wonder

changed the

uh… what are your plans, guys? What Citadels are

strange silence settled among them.

the Forgotten Shore, the three of them had forged a bond, and now, depending

or worse, they were about to go their separate ways. Perhaps fate would bring them together again, one day... or perhaps

while, Effie

I don't do well with authority. Plus, none of them have moved a finger to

her wheelchair, then

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 don't have to compete against the actual heirs for resources

body. Reaching the rank of a Master would free Effie from her terrible disability, so Sunny understood

said that for her, striving to

his own, Sunny had ended up in a

few

in Bastion. So I'll be going there soon. I won't have to fight another Nightmare Creature for

who was speaking about being safe and comfortable for the rest of his life, he didn't sound too happy. There was a note of reluctance in his voice. Even…

Sunny frowned.

nothing wrong with living like a person should, not having to worry

man

do. Please forgive my ungratefulness. But what

scratched the back of his head,

rich now. You won't believe it, guys, 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 pick pretty much any of them, since the government