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 the darkness

so weak… his mind is

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

his sword, then at

Actually, while some of those nightmares… gods, how cruel they were… did hit a nerve, overall… I am surprised to admit that... they really weren't

stared at the Awakened hunter with a concerned expression, then scratch the back of

been gutted once, 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…

painted with fear. The

"What?"

Sunny shrugged.

least not to the point where I'll be unable to think. And notice things. Oh, and I did notice a few

slowly raised his sword and

in a nightmare or in the real life. So, that demands a question… if the heartache is the same, then maybe the

a confused expression on

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

assumed a defensive position, waiting for the

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 about one

meet his death…

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

past his enemy, at the mighty black steed

question is… why does this damned horse always

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

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

directed at the menacing