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

first. It was Mordret, instead. He is older than us by four or five years, and

said with

mother died. Oh… your mother is fine, by

hint of emotion appeared on Neph's face, she lowered

"...Thank you."

for a

me where the Divine Memory in

Sunny smiled darkly.

the cathedral in the Dark City, on an ancient corpse that turned to

tilted her

you mind telling me what

He laughed.

tell you... it can

a hint of longing

you want to take it from me? All you have to do is to say the word.

a long time, then silently turned away and did not say

Sunny's grin turned somber.

Mask does not nullify the Flaw, it 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. Right now,

silent, and

is… too powerful to be used lightly. At least by the likes

for a few moments, then gritted her

liberated from my Flaw. I don't need a powerful Memory to uplift me. I…

her,

that two year of despair would have made you a

silent for a while, and

however, her eyes remained calm and

No… I've been desperate for much longer than

a long sigh,

Vale. They are your next targets, aren't

silently, prompting him to

told me once that just knowing these words can get a person killed. However, I went ahead and did some digging of my own. Aster, Song and Vale are

nodded again, looking at him