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

so weak… his

Sunny laughed again.

am very, 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. Who would be able to endure that much pain, that much horror,

glanced at his sword,

did hit a nerve, overall… I am surprised

with a concerned expression, then scratch

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

fear. The Awakened killer tilted his head a little,

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

least not to the point where I'll be unable

his sword and pointed it at

the real life. So, that demands a question… if the

step forward, a confused

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

a defensive position, waiting for the terrifying Awakened hunter 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

ready to meet

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

a moment, and then looked past his enemy, at the mighty black steed standing motionless behind him, barely visible in the

why does this damned horse always have

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

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

at the menacing killer… instead,