Shadow Slave

After drinking her fill, Nephis sat silently on the edge of the pool for a while, staring into the distance.

Her eyes, however, were moving, as if reading an invisible book that floated in the air above the calm waters.

Some time later, a pale shadow of a smile touched her lips.

'That guy… he did something crazy again, didn't he?'

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

'How is he so fast…'

In the past months… years, lifetimes?... spent traversing the Dream Realm, surrounded by nothing except for pain and bloodshed, Nephis had started doubting the memories of her previous life. Sometimes, all of it seemed like something that she had simply imagined… a bittersweet dream she had invented to escape from the horrors of the real world. This world.

The world of neverending nightmares.

The change of the runes describing Sunny was the only connection she had left to the actual reality. Perhaps, it was the only thing keeping her sane.

...Even if the things she saw in the shimmering runes were sometimes hard to believe.

The impossible Lineage that should not have existed, the divine Memory of the seventh Rank, the strange essence of his soul, the true nature of the taciturn stone demon… and of course, of his Flaw.

It seemed that Sunny had much more secrets than Nephis had suspected. With that knowledge, many things made much more sense now… but at the same time, many others seemed much more incredible.

Well, it was not like she didn't have secrets of her own.

And anyway, it was all in the past.

Everything was in the past.

All that remained was the future.

...She did hope that he was doing well, though, out there in the real world. With Cassie...

ancient tree and saw two weathered skeletons cruelly nailed to its white bark. Both

time, one

Am I

other grated its teeth and let out a creaky growl, then strained, trying to wrestle free of the large silver nails impaling it to the tree.

skeletons with a calm expression, no

skeleton

Gods! What terrible sins have you committed, girl, to be cast

opened her mouth and said hoarsely, in a voice of a person who had almost

do

The skeleton laughed.

only language there is in this place, of course. Why? Do

remained silent for a

to the waking world. Do you know how to

skeleton stared at her with a

world?

his voice deep and full

on this abominable thing? She is one of

first skeleton turned its skull

oh my. In that case, you will not find guides better than the two of us. Just take us off this damned tree, and we will lead you to wherever

them for a

guides. Which

strained to free himself again,

thrones! Choose me, nephilim! I will guide you to the shores

then said to

"...What about you?"

answered in an aloof

Oh, I am no one. Just

lingered for a bit. Finally, she

the two of you… nailed to this

had

here because I led my armies into the great war, slaughtered a

her gaze to the