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?'

was he alive, but he also seemed

to his hands and noticed that his two missing fingers were now back, be it of a slightly different color and seemingly carved out of ashen, polished wood. He tentatively made his hands into fists, and saw the

could even feel the texture of the skin on his palms pressing

his eyes and looked around,

saw was not very spacious, but also not small. Its walls and ceiling were made out of wood, and so was the floor, hidden under an opulent plush rug. The bed he lay upon was sturdy and large, with a mattress so soft that it seemed like

fruit on an intricate

the lavish decor, the room… felt familiar,

Sunny frowned.

'Wait a minute…'

dilapidated and empty, on the ancient flying ship the Fire

his mind, and his

'Noctis! That lying crook!'

a beautiful tree growing around its mast… only that

by its original captain — the great and powerful

steed and kept his promise, fashioning a new heart for

very

didn't mean that Sunny would not still enjoy ripping the bastard

the night in the fortress, Sunless…

own skin apart with the claws. He was

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

productive things in life than harboring thoughts of revenge

had to think about instead. The nightmares, the battle with the Shadow stallion, the rewards he had received after emerging victorious

an opportunity to consider all these important and vital

thinking of his name, the damned sorcerer suddenly opened the door and entered the room, whistling a jolly tune under