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…"

Awakened hunter took a step forward, his monstrous voice permeating the darkness like an insidious

so weak… his

Sunny laughed again.

I wasn't supposed to be able to last that long. Who would be able to endure

his sword, then at the approaching

some of those nightmares… gods, how cruel they were… did hit a nerve, overall… I am surprised to admit that...

hunter with a concerned expression, then scratch the back

after you have already been gutted once, nothing else 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 confused about what is real, and what is not. Maybe I

away from him, her face painted with fear. The Awakened killer tilted his head

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

really, really hard to break. As it turns out. At least not to the point where I'll be unable to think. And

sword and pointed it at the approaching

matter whether it's in a nightmare or in the real life. So, that demands a question… if the heartache is the same, then maybe the nature of

a step forward, a confused expression on

will try to 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. And I am awake, am I? Or am I? Or am I not?

laughed again and assumed a defensive position, waiting for the terrifying

Corrupted. It took me a few nightmares to realize that those were soul cores. Strangely, once again, this ability pursued me from the nightmares into reality, making the two seem so much alike. So… with

smiled, ready to meet his

of creatures. Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters… even Transcendent

for a moment, and then looked past his enemy, at the mighty black

question is… why does this damned horse always

that, he dashed in the opposite direction from where the hunter's sword flashed, abandoning the young girl he was

under the flying blade and jumped to his

at the menacing killer… instead, it was directed at the