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

so weak… his

Sunny laughed again.

that I wasn't supposed to be able

sword, then at the approaching

cruel they were… did hit

concerned

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

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

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

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

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 of both the dream and the reality is the

forward, a confused expression on his

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 world. And I am awake, am I?

laughed again and assumed a defensive position, waiting for the terrifying Awakened hunter to

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

smiled, ready to meet his death… once

monsters…

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

does this

flashed, abandoning the young girl he was sworn to protect without a

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

at the menacing killer… instead, it was directed at the tenebrous