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.

anything. The important part is that she is back. Who cares how she

or empty pride. Someone else might have been tempted to chase power just for the sweetness of it,

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

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

and froze for a moment,

Cassie! Is it true? Princess

her for a bit,

I passed her to the healers with my own

wide grin split her face. It looked as if she was on the verge

No Nightmare Creature exists that can

smile a

long, Kai arrived, as well. Usually, his appearance would have caused a stir, but

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

"Gods… thank the gods…"

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

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

reason to feel a strange ambivalence about Changing

to ignore the

a slave, he would. If he had to kill in

for now, he chose to just share this rare moment

of their cohort

Awakened healers in the employ of

of Valor

government agents couldn't contain herself and

how is she? Lady Changing Star is really