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.

part is that she is

becoming more powerful than Nephis was not born out of simple vanity or empty pride. Someone else might have been tempted to chase power just for

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

Realm. It was no wonder that he dropped everything to come and wait with the rest of

huntress finally reached them and froze for a moment,

Cassie! Is it

for

passed her to the healers with my

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

No Nightmare Creature exists that can keep that pampered psycho

a little,

as well. Usually, his appearance would have caused a stir, but right now, no

of profound relief appeared on the young man's beautiful face.

"Gods… thank the gods…"

his friend must 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 down

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

reason to feel a strange

the darker part of his

If he had to die to avoid becoming a slave, he would. If he had to kill in order to remain free…

chose to just share

their cohort was

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

Valor looked up from her communicator, strange sparks igniting

agents couldn't contain herself and

Lady Changing Star is