Shadow Slave

Soon, two bowls of delicious steaming ramen were on the table in front of them. Sunny had never invited anyone to taste his ramen, but he was quite pleased with the result.

His past of only eating synthpaste seemed so distant that he did not even want to remember it.

Both dug in and finished their portions in record time. Sunny drank the last of the fragrant broth and let out a delighted sigh. Nephis acted more reserved, but he could feel that she was very satisfied, too.

Putting the bowl away, Changing Star smiled slightly and looked at him. A hesitant expression appeared on her face.

A few moments later, she suddenly said:

"Be that as it may… while I was lost and wandering the Dream Realm, slowly forgetting what it felt like to be human… there was one thing I clung to that reminded me that all my prior life had not been just a dream. Do you know what it was?"

Sunny thought for a bit, then shrugged.

"I don't know. A Memory? Your sword, Dreamblade?"

She lingered for a few moments, then slowly shook her head.

"No. It was… you."

Sunny froze and stared at her with surprise.

"Huh?"

Nephis smiled slightly.

still feel connected to you through the runes. I could see that you were still out there, alive, and doing incredible things. The new Memories you received told me a little about what kind of enemies you fought. The speed at which your Aspect Legacy progressed told me

and then

what exactly happened to give you a sudden influx of fragments, what the Nightmare Creature that gifted you a Memory looked like, how you defeated it. Things… things like that. Oh… and I was bored often. While my journey was often full of hardship and dread, it could also be terribly monotonous sometimes. So… that was pretty much the only way I

lingered for a moment, and

not really something that you did consciously. Still. I wanted to say… thank you. You

Then, he looked

have not received counseling already? I mean, that doesn't sound like you. Very…

and

for a bit, and then forced himself

time staring at your runes, as

at the

honest, I was... I am... unsatisfied with the fact that you are so far ahead of me. Every time you gained a soul fragment, it urged me to try and get two. The stronger you grew, the more I wanted to become stronger, as well. A large part of those things I gained… was because of you. I guess you, too, kept me going. In

silent, and then glanced at Nephis with

how hard I tried, I had never managed to catch up to you. Every time, I fell short. It did

for a few moments, and then shook her

to gain soul fragments. You know that. Even though I am still ahead, I suspect

Sunny smiled.

you get rewarded for the effort. Only the result matters. In the end, a person is either strong,

looked down, then slowly shook

achieve teaches you a lesson. Every defeat you suffer teaches you even more.

Sunny grimaced.

me ask you a question. Can you say that I am