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…"

a step forward, his monstrous voice permeating the

his mind

Sunny laughed again.

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

his sword, then at the approaching

I did. Actually, while some of those nightmares… gods, how cruel they were… did hit a nerve, overall… I am surprised to admit that... they really weren't

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

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

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

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

am really... really, really hard to break. As it turns out. At least not to the point where

slowly raised his sword and pointed it at

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

forward, a confused

I noticed was that 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 cause to possess will just appear on their own. Easy

assumed a defensive position, waiting for

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

smiled, ready to meet his

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

then looked past his enemy, at the mighty

my question is… why does this damned horse

flashed,

under the flying blade and jumped to his feet, putting

not directed at the menacing killer… instead,