Shadow Slave

…There was warmth, sunlight, and the smell of fresh sheets, wood, and green leaves. Sunny slowly opened his eyes and felt the bed beneath him sway gently. No... the world itself had swayed.

It was time to face a new day.

Suddenly overwhelmed by terror, he sat up with a growl, his eyes wildly searching for the signs of danger, disaster, and death. His four hands rose, sharp claws ready to tear flesh apart.

'No, no, no… it was all a dream, I'm in the nightmare again! I never escaped!'

Panic washed over his mind, but the slowly receded.

Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then lowered his gaze and stared at his four hands. Four… this was the shadow demon's body. He was awake. He was himself… well, the Nightmare version of himself… ah, it was all so convoluted…

He remembered the desolate fortress, the endless torments he had dreamt of, the fearsome battle with the black steed, and his eventual victory. The terrible pain of his last heart giving out.

…Tu-tum-tu-tump. Tu-tum-tu-tump. Tu-tum-tu-tump.

Hearing the strange sound, Sunny looked at his chest.

His three shadows were sprawled on the ground, so the rough skin of the shadow demon had lost its obsidian color and was back to its original complexion, as pale and grey as it had been back when he first entered the Nightmare. There was a thin, barely noticeable scar running vertically from his collarbone to his abdomen.

And beneath it… tu-tum-tu-tump… two mighty hearts were beating steadily, circulating rivers of blood through the gaunt, towering body of the four-armed demon.

He blinked a couple of times.

'I am… alive?'

alive, but he also seemed to possess two perfectly

different color and seemingly carved out of ashen, polished wood. He tentatively made his hands into fists, and saw the wooden fingers bend as if they were no different from the

of the skin on his palms pressing against their tips. His two new claws

raised his eyes and looked around,

under an opulent plush rug. The bed he lay upon was sturdy and large, with a mattress so

a tray with succulent fruit on an intricate wooden table, and a large window on one of the walls, opening

the room… felt

Sunny frowned.

'Wait a minute…'

like this, but far more dilapidated and empty, on the ancient flying

mind, and his vertical

'Noctis! That lying crook!'

around its mast… only that vessel had not been shattered and wrecked, then recovered

captain — the great and powerful Sorcerer

have picked Sunny up after the battle with the black steed and kept his promise, fashioning a new heart for the shadow demon's body, and even replacing the fingers Sunny had lost while trying to learn how

was very nice of

still enjoy ripping the bastard limb

sack of monster crap! Spend the night in the fortress, Sunless… what's the

own skin apart with the claws. He was

the thought of making the deceitful sorcerer squirm felt very nice. But no matter how weak and affable Noctis seemed, he was an immortal Transcended, a Chain Lord of the Kingdom of Hope. Someone whose mere presence was enough to

productive things in life than harboring thoughts

the battle with the Shadow stallion, the rewards he had received

he did not receive an opportunity to consider all these important and vital

suddenly opened the door and entered