Shadow Slave

As it turned out, Nephis had not found a Gateway to escape the Dream Realm and Awaken.

Instead, after two long years of solitude and relentless battles for survival, she had found a Seed of Nightmare and conquered the Second Trial of the Spell as a Sleeper.

She had done it alone.

At least that was the only way Sunny could explain the runes he was staring at.

Ascended.

'That is impossible.'

Surviving the Second Nightmare was already not easy for a cohort of prepared Awakened. More people perished while trying than returned victorious. How could a lone Sleeper accomplish the same?

No one had done it before.

However… no Sleeper had been a Tyrant before.

No Sleeper had escaped alive from a battle with a Corrupted horror of the depths before.

No Sleeper had slain a Fallen Terror before.

Nephis had long established her penchant for accomplishing the impossible. Why was Sunny so surprised that she had done it again?

No, he wasn't surprised. He was… dismayed.

A deep, unsettling emotion nestled in his chest, making his face grow dark and his eyes grow dim. The shadows around him seemed to become deeper.

change anything. The important part is that

empty pride. Someone else might have been tempted to chase power just for the sweetness of it, but to Sunny, being anything else than the strongest was an existential

of hurried footsteps resounded near him. Looking up, Sunny saw Effie pushing her way through the crowd. She was not shy about using her prodigious strength, so people did not really have any choice except to let her pass.

no wonder that he dropped everything to come and wait with the rest of them. Sunny felt a

them and froze for a moment,

Cassie! Is it true? Princess

at her for a

I… I passed her to the healers with my own

grin split her face. It

a doubt! No Nightmare Creature

smile a little, infected by

long, Kai arrived, as well. Usually, his appearance would have caused a stir, but right now, no one paid the former

the young man's beautiful

"Gods… thank the gods…"

time. He was truly too decent of a person for this vile world, and infected by a misguided sense of nobility to boot. Knowing that he had escaped

waited. Sunny silently observed the faces of his friends, seeing sincere happiness and relief written all over them. Some… Kai

had no reason to feel a strange ambivalence

decided to ignore the darker

he would have to deal with it then. If he had to die to avoid becoming a slave, he would. If he had to kill in order to remain free… that was

for now, he chose to just share this rare moment of joy with

their cohort was back, after

finally opened, and one of the Awakened healers in the

waiting area held their breaths. Even Morgan of Valor looked up

the government agents couldn't

Lady