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.

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

and

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

him, lingered for

you. You helped me a lot,

uncomfortable. Then, he looked away in embarrassment and cleared his

you have not received counseling already? I mean, that doesn't sound like you. Very… uh… enlightened. Anyway… you're welcome,

and did

a bit,

spent a lot of time staring at your runes,

looked at the

isolation like you. Well… except for a short stretch of falling into a bottomless abyss all alone, I guess. But, the point is… to be 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

and then glanced at

catch up to you. Every time, I fell short. It did not feel nice at all. But

his face for a few

though I am still ahead, I suspect that

Sunny smiled.

matters. In the end, a person is either strong, or they are

looked down, then

how you got there doesn't. Every victory you achieve teaches you a lesson. Every defeat

Sunny grimaced.

Can you