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

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

said

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

on Neph's face,

"...Thank you."

she lingered for a

where the Divine Memory in

Sunny smiled darkly.

anyway… I found it below the cathedral in the Dark City, on an ancient corpse that turned to dust as soon as I

Star tilted her head a

mind telling me what

He laughed.

tell you... it can reverse one's

dark chamber. Nephis looked at him, a

to take it from me? All you have to do is to say the word. It's not like I

then silently turned away

Sunny's grin turned somber.

should have a good sense about such things… chances are, the new curse would be more terrible than the old. Right now, you have to burn yourself alive every time you

silent,

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

a few moments, then

fine. I don't need to be liberated from my Flaw. I don't need

stared at her,

change at all. I thought that two year of despair would have made you a little smarter. But you are still clinging to your

remained silent for a while, and then smiled with

the smile, however, her eyes

years? No… I've been desperate for much longer

let out a long sigh, then

Song, Vale. They are your next targets, aren't

silently, prompting

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 Asterion, Ki Song, and Anvil of

at him intensely.