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…"

Awakened hunter took a step forward, his monstrous voice permeating

so weak… his mind

Sunny laughed again.

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

his sword, then at

nightmares… gods, how cruel they were… did hit a nerve, overall…

the Awakened hunter with a concerned expression,

won't be as…

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

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

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

slowly raised his 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

took a step forward, a confused expression on

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 dream… not

assumed a defensive position, waiting for the terrifying Awakened hunter

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

to meet his death… once

Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters… even Transcendent immortals. Some of them had one soul core, some two or

his enemy, at the mighty

is… why does this damned horse always

he dashed in the opposite direction from where the hunter's sword flashed, abandoning the young girl he was

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

directed at the menacing killer… instead, it was directed