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?"

clearly written on her face, then sighed in disappointment when

my whole body invulnerable. Well… comparatively, of course. Skin of steel, that sort of deal. A very sweet comprehensive defense boost, if I do say

young 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 formidable presence on the battlefield. As if

at him and

"Well, what about you?"

He shifted slightly.

type of conditional short-distance teleportation. Kai can see through walls, I can go

Effie grinned.

of words.

changed

are your plans, guys? What

the conversation. For a while, a strange silence settled among them.

avoid the discussion 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 bond would most likely either weaken or break. The future was going to lead each on their own path, perhaps in opposite

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

a while, Effie

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

looked at her wheelchair,

them up on the offer, or I might not. 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

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

said that for her, striving to conquer the Second Nightmare

of his own, Sunny had ended up in a

a few moments.

there soon. I won't have to fight another Nightmare Creature for

and comfortable for the rest of his life, he didn't sound

Sunny frowned.

tone immediately, Kai. There's nothing wrong with living like a person should, not having to worry about being eaten every goddamn

charming young man smiled sadly

do. Please forgive my ungratefulness. But what about

of his head,

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