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…"

hunter took a step forward, his monstrous voice permeating the darkness

his

Sunny laughed again.

I wasn't supposed to be able to last that long. Who would be able to endure that much pain, that much horror,

his sword, then

did hit a nerve,

concerned expression, then scratch the back

can impress you that much. Or if you have already watched your mother die once, the second time won't be as… well… maybe it would? I don't know… I am a bit

away from him, her face painted with fear.

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

break. As it turns out. At least not to the point where I'll be unable

sword and pointed

matter whether it's in a nightmare or in the real life. So, that demands

forward, a confused expression 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. And I am awake, am I? Or am I?

a defensive position, waiting for the terrifying Awakened

Corrupted. It took me a few nightmares to

smiled, ready to meet his death…

in my nightmares, I met all kinds of creatures. Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters…

looked past his enemy, at the mighty

why does this damned horse

hunter's sword flashed,

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

at the menacing killer… instead, it