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…"

step forward, his monstrous voice permeating the darkness like an insidious

his mind

Sunny laughed again.

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

glanced at his sword,

nightmares… gods, how cruel they were… did

stared at the Awakened hunter with a concerned expression, then scratch

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…

face painted with fear. The Awakened killer tilted his head

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

real or not, I am really... really, really hard to break. As it turns out. At least not to the point where I'll be unable to think. And notice things. Oh, and I did notice a

and

that demands a question… if the heartache is the same, then maybe the nature of both

forward, a confused expression

ideas, and judgments that I have to cause to possess will just appear on their

assumed a defensive position, waiting for

of light I seem to be able to see 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 reality, making the two seem so much alike. So… with all that said… I am

meet his

Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters… even

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

question is… why does this damned horse always have

sword flashed, abandoning the young girl he

the flying blade and jumped to his feet, putting all of his weight into

not directed at the menacing killer… instead, it was