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 she is

not born out of simple vanity or empty pride. Someone else

She was not shy about using her prodigious strength, so people did not really have any choice except

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

and froze

it true?

looked at her for a bit, then

her to the healers with my own two

split her face. It looked as if she

never had a doubt! No Nightmare Creature exists that can keep that pampered

smile a little, infected by her

too long, Kai arrived, as well. Usually, his appearance would have caused a stir, but right

the young man's beautiful face. Kai swayed

"Gods… thank the gods…"

behind all that time. He was truly too decent of a person for this vile world, and

four of them huddled together and waited. Sunny silently observed the faces of his friends, seeing sincere happiness and relief written all over them.

to feel a strange ambivalence about Changing Star's

them, Sunny decided to ignore the darker part of his mind for a bit,

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 of the question, as

just share this rare

of their cohort was

the Awakened healers in the employ

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

government agents couldn't contain herself

how is she? Lady Changing