Shadow Slave

It took some time for the members of the cohort to digest Neph's story. Sunny, especially, felt like she did not tell them even a fraction of what had happened to her.

But then again, was it even possible to describe two years of neverending struggle for survival with just a few words? Not even considering the things that Changing Star might have wished to keep to herself — and he was sure that there were plenty — she would have had trouble describing even the things that she wanted to share.

It was going to take time.

As for the actual secrets… while he was dismayed and uneasy, Sunny himself was known to keep a lot of things close to his chest. More than that, they all had to be cautious about what they said. The room provided to Nephis by the Academy might have been safe, but that did not mean that it was not monitored.

That was the reason why both Effie and Kai remained mostly silent despite the fact that they clearly had a lot of questions. Unlike Sunny, they did not possess a good understanding of Changing Star's Aspect and current Class. All they knew was that she possessed a Divine Aspect, just like Sunny and Mordret did.

Eventually, Cassie broke the silence:

"It is fine. Now that you are back, everything is going to be fine."

She paused, and then added somberly:

"However… our current situation is very delicate."

Nephis looked at her and frowned, the white sparks in her eyes becoming a little brighter.

"Were there any… complications after you returned from the Forgotten Shore?"

She was alluding to Caster, the great clans, and the Sovereigns that wished her dead, of course.

Sunny finally spoke:

"Not immediately. But we ran into some trouble not long before venturing into the Second Nightmare."

Changing Star's frown deepened.

you tell me what exactly

He shrugged.

can. But we'll get you up to speed later, in a more private setting. For now, let's just say that there

for a

to know are… let me think, actually. Uh… I am a renowned academic and an instructor at the Academy now. Cassie leads the Fire Keepers. Oh, Fire Keepers are the Forgotten Shore survivors whom you saw outside. They are basically your groupies. Right, you are famous now! Very, very famous. There is even a movie about

Finally, she

Wait… what? Kai, is

at

That is

looked down

separate ways. It is for the best. My status as a Master

Nephis blinked.

"A… a dragon?"

Sunny grinned.

a couple of Saints, too. I even killed the same one

raised her second

Wait, can

suddenly appeared on her

you say something about a movie? With a… romantic subplot?

***

bit of fun filling Nephis in on what had been going on with the four of them, and the waking world, during her absence. There was a lot of ground to cover, but he

dead demon, being burned by divine flames, and discovering an ancient tower left

that Effie was confined to a wheelchair in the waking world,

hands on a shipwrecked flying vessel

two Saints obliterate an entire island as

list went on and

while, Neph weakly waved her

Can

then, it was already late into the night. It was dark outside the window, with only pale moonlight and powerful beams of defense