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.

anything. The important part is that

To him, it was of paramount importance. His obsession with becoming more powerful than Nephis was not born out of simple vanity or empty pride. Someone else might have been tempted to chase

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

was no wonder

reached them and froze for

it true?

for a bit,

the healers

wide grin split her face. It looked as if she was on

yes! I never had a doubt! No Nightmare

a little, infected

caused a stir, but right now, no one paid the former idol

appeared on the young man's beautiful face. Kai swayed a little, and then

"Gods… thank the gods…"

world, and infected by

Sunny silently observed the faces of his friends, seeing sincere

had no reason to feel a strange ambivalence about Changing

Sunny decided to ignore the darker part of

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 not

he chose to just share this rare moment of joy with his

of their cohort was back,

the Awakened healers in the employ of the Academy

Morgan of Valor

government agents couldn't

Lady Changing Star is