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…"

forward, his monstrous

weak… his

Sunny laughed again.

be able to last that long. Who would be able

sword, then at the

did hit a nerve, overall… I am surprised to admit that... they

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

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…

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

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

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

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

step forward, a confused expression on

and sometimes fragments of feelings, ideas, and judgments that I have to cause to possess will just appear on their own. Easy to explain in a

laughed again and assumed a defensive position,

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.

to meet

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

at the mighty black steed

why does this damned horse

hunter's sword flashed, abandoning the young girl he was sworn

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

the menacing killer… instead,