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

But neither of us was the first. It was Mordret, instead. He is older than us by four or five years, and had his First Nightmare when he was twelve. So… he received a Divine Aspect when you were around eight, and I

paused, and said with

my mother died. Oh… your mother is fine, by the way. Cassie and I visited her

a hint of emotion appeared on

"...Thank you."

she lingered for a

Memory in your

Sunny smiled darkly.

below the cathedral in the Dark City, on an ancient corpse that turned to dust as soon as I took the mask from

tilted her

mind telling me

He laughed.

you... it can

at him, a hint of longing

you have to do is to say the word. It's not like I can

long time, then silently turned away

Sunny's grin turned somber.

good sense about such things… chances are, the new curse would be more terrible than the old. Right now, you have to

grew silent, and

too powerful to be used lightly. At least

hesitated for a few moments, then gritted

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

stared at her, then shook his

of despair would have made you a little smarter. But you

while, and then smiled

smile, however, her eyes

for much longer than that, Sunny. Why would I change

a long sigh, then

Song, Vale. They

silently, prompting him

of my own.

at