Shadow Slave

Sunny looked at the terrified young girl, and then… laughed.

...His laughter sounded more than a little bit unhinged.

His lady shuddered:

"Sir, you… you…"

Sunny waved a hand in the air.

"No, no. No need… I understand. I sound crazy."

The night sky above them was covered in an impregnable veil of clouds, and the one below them was empty and dark. The ancient stones they stood upon were slick with rainwater, and it was too dim to see anything except for vague silhouettes.

The silhouette of the Awakened hunter was towering, menacing, and embodied the very concept of terror.

But Sunny didn't care that much.

Massaging his chest, he smiled crookedly and said, his voice hoarse and raspy:

"...But then again, this whole world is insane. Someone told me once… ah, I don't quite remember who… that we can only reflect what is in front of us. Is it my fault that there is nothing in front of me except for madness?"

He looked down, his smile turning into a wicked grin.

"And someone else once told me that they wanted to destroy the world. Back then, I thought them insane… I think… but now, I wonder…"

monstrous voice permeating the darkness like

so weak… his mind is

Sunny laughed again.

weak. But I am not weak enough, I guess? Somehow, I have a feeling that I wasn't supposed to be

at his sword, then at

gods, how cruel they were… did hit a nerve, overall… I am surprised to admit that... they really weren't

with a concerned expression,

won't be as… well… maybe it would? I don't know… I am a bit confused about what is real, and what is not. Maybe I

from him, her face painted with fear. The Awakened killer

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

not to the point where I'll be unable

sword and

doesn't matter whether it's in a nightmare or in the real life. So, that demands a question… if the

took a step forward, a confused expression on

do something on their own, and sometimes fragments of feelings, ideas, and judgments that I have to cause to possess will just appear on their own. Easy to explain in a dream… not so much in the waking world.

again and assumed a defensive position, waiting for the terrifying

the Corrupted. It took me a few nightmares to realize that those were soul cores.

to meet

see… in my nightmares, I met all kinds of creatures. Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters… even Transcendent immortals. Some of them had one soul core,

and then looked past his enemy, at the mighty black steed standing motionless behind him, barely

question is… why does this

sword flashed, abandoning the young girl he was sworn to protect without

the wet stones, Sunny dove under the flying blade and jumped to his feet, putting all of his

his strike was not directed at the menacing killer… instead, it