Shadow Slave

Eventually, Sunny and Nephis ended up in his underground dojo. Changing Star looked around, her gaze lingering on the racks of training weapons and the deactivated sleeping pod that stood forlornly in its alcove, all but forgotten by its former occupant.

After a few moments of silence, she asked:

"Do you make use of all these weapons?"

Sunny glanced at the training equipment, lingered for a moment, then shook his head.

"Yes and no. In the past two years, I did expand my repertoire to include all kinds of sharp implements. But I practice with something better."

He was still most confident when wielding swords akin to Azure Blade, Midnight Shard, and his serpentine odachi. His proficiency with spears was also quite high, and he was steadily improving his archery skill. However, while Sunny had learned enough to feel comfortable with other types of weapons as well, he had a long way to go before truly mastering them.

Nephis nodded thoughtfully.

"Do you use the... Soul Serpent?"

Sunny stared at her for a moment, then looked away.

"Yes."

He was reminded of the Shadow Bond that connected them. Beyond its main function, it also allowed Sunny to peer into some of Changing Star's secrets. However, she was able to learn a lot of his, as well.

Sunny had suspected that this was the case from the very start, but now those suspicions were confirmed.

He remained silent for a few moments, then suddenly grinned.

"Were you surprised?"

Nephis looked at him, hesitated for a moment, and said:

"I was. Very... very much."

She sighed, sat down on the floor, and crossed her legs.

"I always knew that you were extraordinary. I just didn't… didn't think that you possessed a Divine Aspect, too. To be honest, I thought that I was the first."

her and shook his

four or five years, and had his

said with a bitter

think of it, he probably became a Sleeper around the time my mother died. Oh… your mother is fine, by the

a hint of emotion appeared on

"...Thank you."

she lingered for a moment

where the Divine Memory in your possession came from?

Sunny smiled darkly.

Dark City, on an ancient corpse that turned

Star tilted her head a

you mind telling me what

He laughed.

you... it can

him, a hint of longing

from me? All you have to do is to say

him for a long time, then silently turned away

Sunny's grin turned somber.

just reverses it. No matter what, the Flaw is still a curse. By now, we both should have a good sense about such things… chances are, the new curse would be more terrible than the old.

grew silent, and

in many other ways. It is… too powerful to be used lightly. At least by the likes of

few moments, then

liberated from my Flaw. I

her, then shook

of despair would have made you a little smarter. But you are still clinging to

while,

her eyes

years? No… I've been desperate for much longer than that, Sunny. Why would I change

long sigh, then

They are your next

prompting him

I went ahead and did some digging of my own.

looking at him intensely.