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

born out of simple vanity or empty pride. Someone else might

Sunny saw Effie pushing her way through the crowd. She was not shy about using

man had been the person to send Nephis into the Dream Realm. It was no wonder that he dropped everything to come and

and froze for

it true?

at her for a

to the healers

did not move for several seconds. Then, a wide grin split her face. It looked as if she was on

No Nightmare Creature exists that can keep that pampered psycho

smile a

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

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

"Gods… thank the gods…"

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

the faces of his friends, seeing sincere

they had no reason to feel a strange ambivalence about Changing

to ignore the darker part of his mind for a

to die to avoid becoming a slave, he would. If he had to kill in order to remain free… that was not out

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

cohort was back, after

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

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

government agents

she? Lady Changing Star