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 like an insidious

his mind

Sunny laughed again.

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

glanced at his sword, then at the

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

a concerned

huh? It is almost as if 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

slowly backed away from him, her face painted with fear. The Awakened killer tilted his head a little, then

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

As it turns out. At least not to the

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,

step forward, a confused

many of my 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

and assumed a defensive position, waiting for the terrifying Awakened hunter

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 reality, making the two seem so much alike. So… with all that said… I am really

smiled, ready to meet

met all kinds of creatures. Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters… even Transcendent immortals. Some

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

why does this

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

jumped to his feet, putting all of his weight into an attack of

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