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?'

he alive, but he also seemed to possess two

back, be it of a slightly different color and seemingly carved out of ashen, polished wood. He tentatively made his hands into fists, and

could even feel the texture of the skin on his palms pressing against their tips. His two new claws were forged out of lusterless

and looked around, trying to understand

was the floor, hidden under an

with succulent fruit on an intricate wooden table, and a large window on one of the walls, opening onto a breathtaking view of the boundless blue

the lavish decor, the room… felt

Sunny frowned.

'Wait a minute…'

more dilapidated and empty, on

his mind, and

'Noctis! That lying crook!'

onboard the magnificent sky vessel that had a beautiful tree growing around its mast… only that vessel had not

by its original captain — the great and powerful Sorcerer of the East,

his promise, fashioning a new heart for the shadow demon's body, and even replacing the fingers

very nice of

Sunny would not still enjoy ripping the

the fortress, Sunless…

his fists, almost slicing his own skin apart with the claws. He was full

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

in life than harboring thoughts of revenge against

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

not receive an opportunity to consider all

damned sorcerer suddenly opened the door and entered