Shadow Slave

As Sunny studied the bodies, Master Jet went away to talk to the police officers, and then returned with one of them. There was a disappointed expression on her face.

"No usable recordings left. Figures… places like this one only exist because they value the privacy of their clients. And the few cameras they did have show nothing but darkness."

Sunny looked at her, then sighed:

"Not much to tell from the victims, too. The murderer just used their fists."

She shrugged.

"That's how it usually goes, in situations like this. The most likely scenario is that the murderer was one of the clients, who went on a rampage because of either alcohol or stimulants, and a momentary failure to hold on to their sanity. So I doubt that this mess was premeditated."

Master Jet remained silent for a moment, and then added:

"He was lucid enough to use his Aspect to obscure the cameras, though. So dealing with him won't be too simple."

With that, she turned to the police officer and asked:

"Any survivors? Do we have witnesses?"

He hesitated for a bit, then gave her a strange look.

"That… yes, actually, there are a few. But…"

The officer didn't finish the sentence, and just stared at them with an uneasy expression.

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"But what? Are they refusing to talk?"

The policeman shook his head slowly.

"No, they're not refusing. They just… I don't know, something is wrong with them. They just don't speak, or even react really. I've seen a lot of people in shock, and sometimes, they can seem almost catatonic. But this… this is something else. Gave us all the creeps, to be honest."

Sunny and Master Jet glanced at each other, and then, one of them said:

"Lead the way."

The officer sighed, then escorted them to the back of the club, where an inconspicuous door led to the service rooms. The witnesses were gathered in a small office, standing there motionlessly, with nervous paramedics trying to determine the reason for their condition.

sharing the same blank, strangely peaceful expression on their faces. They were completely silent, motionless, and still.

eyes were calm

Sunny paled.

how is

only took him a second to recognize what was wrong with the

fact, they weren't survivors at all. These people were

be more precise, they were

mundane human be

he felt a cold shiver run

saw that she had

was bad enough. But this, this just made the whole situation frightening and eerie. If before Sunny was just disgusted, now, he was

"What the hell?"

Jet stared at the five Hollows for a few moments, then turned to the

these

woman with short blond hair and gentle eyes — looked at her with

sorry, ma'am? But… but

out a

can do to help them. Something

and silently walked away. Her colleagues followed, expressions of regret,

a point of standing as far away from the Hollows as he

few moments, her scowls growing deeper, then turned to

your question,

a

can a mundane human become a Hollow? It's only supposed to happen to those who

at him, then silently shook

soul attack creating a Hollow. But beings capable of dealing direct soul

to the five empty humans and

do something

Jet lingered for a bit, then

I am

with these people. And not just the fact that they were Hollow. There was something else… something that

feeling of subtle,

with Shadow

did not miss that sudden

Did you

his