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…"

his monstrous

so weak… his mind is

Sunny laughed again.

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 that long. Who would be able to endure

at his sword, then at the

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

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 am myself not real. There's one thing

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

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

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

slowly raised his sword and pointed it at the approaching

that my heart always seems ache, doesn't 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 both the dream and the reality is the same,

a step forward, a confused expression on his

own, and sometimes fragments of feelings, ideas, and judgments that I have to cause to possess will just appear on

again and assumed a defensive position,

took me a few nightmares to realize that those were soul

ready to meet his death… once

Corrupted monsters… even Transcendent immortals. Some of

the mighty black steed

does this damned horse always

dashed in the opposite direction from where the hunter's sword flashed, abandoning the young girl he was sworn to protect without a

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

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