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 voice permeating the darkness

his

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.

sword, then at the approaching

how cruel they were… did hit a nerve,

a concerned

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

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

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

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

sword and pointed

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

a confused expression on

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 to explain in a

and assumed a defensive position, waiting for the terrifying Awakened hunter to

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.

ready to meet

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

enemy, at the mighty black

question is… why does

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

on the wet stones, Sunny dove under the flying blade and jumped to his feet, putting

directed at the menacing killer… instead, it