Shadow Slave

Projected onto the wall, a languid jade beauty with a slim waist and long eyelashes was traversing a labyrinth of crimson coral, her voluptuous figure barely covered by a flimsy seaweed attire. A teenage boy of about thirteen years of age was scurrying along as he shouted:

"...Are you crazy?!"

Sitting on the sofa near the real Changing Star, Rain felt like sinking into the earth. As the movie went by, her cheeks slowly turned bright red. The daughter of the Immortal Flame clan, on the contrary, became increasingly more deadpan and devoid of emotion. By now, her face was so still that it seemed paralyzed.

Rain awkwardly cleared her throat.

"Uh… come to think of it, the actress they chose does not look like you at all. You are much prettier!"

Nephis shifted and briefly glanced down. Then, she said evenly:

"Thank you."

After a while, she added:

"Why would they cast a child to play Sunny? What a strange decision. Only a complete fool could mistake him for a young boy."

Rain let out a nervous laugh.

"Yeah! Yeah… definitely…"

She looked away in utter embarrassment, and then forced out:

"And what is up with that stupid catchphrase? That does not sound like something Sunny would say at all!"

Changing Star moved, suddenly becoming a little more lively.

"Oh, no. That actually happened. A lot!"

the wilderness of the Forgotten Shore and eventually reached the Dark City. The brief moment of liveliness passed, and instead, Changing Star seemed to grow more rigid and cold with each scene. Rain felt so

of idiot directed

the screen. Rain glanced at Lady Nephis curiously, wondering how much of what was shown about her relationship with the heroic Han Li Caster was

relationship with Sunny fit

that there had been an

Changing Star's stoic face. The movie progressed, slowly reaching its

courage and passion. Holding the

me, my lady. My life does not matter… but yours does! Immortal Flame must never be extinguished! As long as it burns,

Rain shifted uncomfortably.

it me, or is

a single muscle moved on Changing Star's face. She looked

projection, however, suddenly

Rain frowned.

'Huh?'

that she smelled smoke. Turning around, the teenage girl noticed a thin stream of it rising from

'That's strange...'

opened her mouth to say something, but before

The projector suddenly exploded.

***

suddenly and violently interrupted, Rain only stayed for long enough to help Changing Star clean up the debris of

knew what was going to explode

and rummaged through Effie's closet. She had no clothes apart from the tracksuit that the Academy had issued to her, which was soaked with sweat after the night she had spent with

for the better part of the last three

of Effie's clothing did

again felt

trying to deal with the disturbing oddity

some time,