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

weak… 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 endure that much pain, that much horror, and that much suffering without losing their

glanced at his sword, then at the approaching

those nightmares… gods, how cruel they were… did hit a nerve, overall… I am surprised

the Awakened hunter with a concerned

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

fear. The Awakened killer tilted

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

really hard to break. As it turns out. At least not to the

sword and pointed it

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

forward, a

will try to do something on their own, and sometimes fragments of feelings, ideas, and judgments that I have to cause

assumed a defensive position, waiting for the

last thing I noticed were the radiant spheres 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

ready to meet his death…

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

at the mighty black steed standing motionless behind him, barely visible

is… why does this damned horse always have

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

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