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…"

took a step forward, his monstrous

so weak… his

Sunny laughed again.

I 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, and that much suffering without losing

glanced at his sword, then at the

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

hunter with a concerned expression, then scratch the

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

fear. The Awakened killer tilted his head a little, then

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

that, real or not, I am really... really, really hard to break. As it turns out. At least not to the point

and

a nightmare or in the real life. So, that demands

step forward, a

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 so much in the waking

again and assumed a defensive position, waiting

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… I am really only curious

meet his

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

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

question is… why does this damned horse always

hunter's sword flashed, abandoning the young girl he was sworn to protect without a

blade and jumped to his feet, putting all of his weight into an attack of

not directed at the menacing killer… instead,