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 she is back. Who cares how she

simple vanity or empty pride. Someone else might have been tempted to chase

using

man had been the person to send Nephis into the Dream Realm. It was no wonder that he dropped everything to come and wait with the rest of

them and froze for a

Cassie! Is it

for a bit,

I passed her to the healers with my own

face. It looked as if she

never had a doubt! No Nightmare

but smile a little, infected by

his appearance would have caused a stir, but right now, no one

young man's beautiful face. Kai swayed a little, and then leaned

"Gods… thank the gods…"

decent of a person for this vile world, and infected by a misguided sense of nobility to

waited. Sunny silently observed the faces of his friends, seeing sincere

they had no reason to feel a strange ambivalence about Changing Star's

to ignore the darker part of his

had to die to avoid becoming a slave, he would. If he had to kill in order to remain free… that was not out of the question, as

share

of their cohort was back,

of the Awakened healers

of Valor

the government agents couldn't

Lady Changing