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

did matter. 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 power

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,

Nephis into the Dream Realm. It was no wonder that he dropped everything to

and froze

Is it

looked at her for a bit,

her to the healers with

for several seconds. Then, a wide grin split her face. It looked as if she was on the verge of starting to howl

Nightmare Creature exists that can

but smile a little, infected by her

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

he received the confirmation, an expression of profound relief appeared on the young man's beautiful face. Kai swayed

"Gods… thank the gods…"

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

friends, seeing sincere happiness and relief written all over them. Some… Kai especially… looked on

feel a strange ambivalence about Changing

the darker part of his mind for a bit,

a slave, he would. If he had to kill in order to remain free… that

now, he chose to just share this rare moment of joy

of their cohort was

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

waiting area held their breaths. Even Morgan of Valor looked up from her communicator, strange sparks igniting in her

the government agents

is she? Lady Changing