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.

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

it 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

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

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

reached them and froze for a moment,

it

for a bit, then

to the healers with my

move for several seconds. Then, a wide grin split her face. It looked as if she was on the

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

smile a little,

as well. Usually, his appearance would have caused

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

"Gods… thank the gods…"

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

huddled together and waited. Sunny silently observed the faces of his friends, seeing sincere happiness and relief written all over them. Some… Kai especially… looked on the

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

ignore the darker part

slave, he would. If he had to kill in order to remain free… that was not out of the

just share this rare moment of

of their cohort was back,

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

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

government agents couldn't contain herself

is she? Lady Changing Star