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…"

took a step forward, his monstrous voice permeating

his mind

Sunny laughed again.

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

glanced at his sword, then at

did. Actually, while some of those nightmares… gods, how cruel they were… did

at the Awakened hunter with a concerned expression, then scratch the back of his

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 am myself

face painted with fear. The Awakened killer tilted his head a little,

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

turns out. At least not to the point where I'll be unable to think. And notice things. Oh, and

and pointed

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 both the

a confused expression

thoughts, actions, and reactions don't really make sense. Sometimes my hands 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

position, waiting for the terrifying Awakened hunter to

inside the souls of living beings… or vile orbs of darkness in those of the 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

to meet

I met all kinds of creatures. Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters… even

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

my question is… why does this damned horse always

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

and jumped to his feet, putting all of his weight into

not directed at the menacing