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.

The important part is that she is back.

or empty pride. Someone else might have been tempted to chase power just for the sweetness of it, but to Sunny, being anything

stunned silence, the sound 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. Even Instructor Rock, who had appeared ten minutes earlier, had to politely make

wonder that he dropped everything

froze for a

it true? Princess is

for a bit, then

I… I passed her to the healers with my

move for several seconds. Then, a wide grin split her face. It looked as if she

had a doubt! No Nightmare Creature exists that can keep that

couldn't help but smile a little, infected by

his appearance would have caused a stir,

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

"Gods… thank the gods…"

have been blaming himself for leaving Nephis behind all that 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 the hell of the Forgotten Shore because of someone else's sacrifice must have pressed

waited. Sunny silently observed the faces of his friends, seeing sincere happiness and relief written all

reason to feel a strange ambivalence

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 not out

share this rare moment

cohort was back, after

armored doors finally opened, and one of the Awakened healers in the employ of the Academy appeared from

held their breaths. Even Morgan of Valor looked up

agents couldn't contain herself and

she? Lady Changing Star is