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...

up from the water, Nephis shifted her gaze to the ancient tree and saw two weathered skeletons cruelly nailed to its white bark. Both stared at her

some time, one

oh my. Am I

its teeth and let out a creaky growl, then strained, trying to wrestle free of the large silver nails impaling it to the tree. However, no matter how furiously

expression, no

first skeleton

What terrible sins have you committed, girl, to be cast into this hell alive? Even for

and said hoarsely, in a voice

language do

The skeleton laughed.

place, of course. Why? Do you wish

remained silent for a long time,

seek a way back to the waking world. Do you know how

skeleton stared at her

world?

suddenly spoke, his voice

on this abominable thing? She is one of Weaver's, you

skeleton turned its skull

find guides better than the two of us. Just take us off this damned tree, and

them for a while,

two guides.

skeleton strained to free

me, nephilim! I will guide you to the shores of the Underworld

him a glance, then said to the other

"...What about you?"

first skeleton answered

Oh, I am no

lingered for a bit. Finally, she

the two of you… nailed

who had called himself Azarax

my armies into the great war, slaughtered a myriad of

gaze to the