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

his mind

Sunny laughed again.

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

glanced at his sword,

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

Awakened hunter with a concerned expression, then scratch the

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 not. Maybe I am myself not real.

face painted with fear. The Awakened killer tilted

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

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

slowly raised his sword and pointed

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

forward, a

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

position, waiting

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 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…

smiled, ready to meet

nightmares, I met all kinds of creatures. Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters…

past his enemy, at the mighty black steed standing

question is… why does this damned horse always

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

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

the menacing killer… instead, it was directed