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.

matter. That doesn't change anything. The important part is that she is back. Who

becoming more powerful than Nephis was not born out of simple vanity or empty pride.

saw Effie pushing her way through the crowd. She was not shy about using her prodigious strength, so people did

send Nephis into the Dream Realm. It was no wonder that he dropped everything to come and wait with the rest of them. Sunny felt a

reached them and froze for a moment, then

Is it true? Princess

looked at her for a

passed her to the healers with my own

a wide grin split her face. It looked

No Nightmare Creature exists that

smile a little, infected by her

appearance would have caused a stir,

profound relief appeared on the young man's beautiful face. Kai swayed a little, and

"Gods… thank the gods…"

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.

the faces of his friends, seeing sincere happiness and relief written all

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

decided to ignore the darker

had to die to avoid becoming a slave, he

now, he chose to just share this rare moment of

cohort was back, after

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

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

the government agents couldn't

how is she? Lady Changing Star is really