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 darkness like an insidious

weak… his mind

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

at his sword, then at the approaching

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

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

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

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

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

that, real or not, I am really... really, really hard to break. As it turns out. At least not

raised his sword and pointed it at

thing I noticed is 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

step forward, a confused expression

I have to cause to possess will just appear on their own. Easy to

laughed again and assumed a defensive position, waiting for the

a few nightmares to realize that those were soul cores. Strangely, once again, this ability pursued me from the nightmares into reality, making the

ready to meet his

kinds of creatures. Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters… even Transcendent immortals. Some of them had

moment, and then looked past his enemy, at the

why does this damned horse always have

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

under the flying blade and jumped to his feet, putting all

menacing