Shadow Slave

They stood silently under the tree for a while. Eventually, Nephis looked at him and said evenly:

"You did well."

Sunny glanced at her with a pale smile, then nodded.

"I guess I did, didn't I? My mom would have been very happy. If she was alive, that is. I am healthy, well-fed, and have a house in a good part of the city. I even found my… a student. These things might not sound like much to you, but to her, they would have been like a dream."

He turned to the tree and added after a short pause:

"I don't really remember my dad too well, because I was too little when he passed away. But my mom, I remember her perfectly. She was… like a ray of sunshine. The strangest thing, though, is that when I was a kid, she was the whole world to me. I thought that she knew everything, could do anything. But now, I realize that she was barely older than we are. She was more or less a kid herself."

Nephis looked at him and said:

"But we aren't kids."

Sunny tilted his head, then shrugged.

"That is true, I guess. We are adults, which is a strange thought. I don't really feel very different from how I was before, at least not in terms of being confident and knowing what the hell I am doing."

Changing Star sighed, then shook her head a little.

"That is because you have been an adult for a long time. People like us have to grow up early."

Sunny thought about it for a moment.

"I don't know. I have a suspicion that when I look back on today in a decade or so, I will be dismayed by how big of an idiot I was."

Nephis smiled with the corner of her mouth.

"...That has nothing to do with adulthood."

He spared her a short glance and scoffed.

where you were supposed to say that

stared at him with a deadpan expression, then said in

"I know."

couldn't help

I don't really understand why I wanted to come here. I guess I expected to feel something… and I do. It's just not what I thought I wouls

a few moments. Eventually, he said with

you maybe want to say something

while, then shook his

is the point? She is dead, and the dead can't hear anything. They are simply gone. They only exist in the

achieved many things that his mother would have wanted for him, it had not been without a cost. His house, his wealth, and the fridge full of food he had back home were only one side of his life. The other side

And Nephis.

with her was

not

but training and spending time with her. He had hidden his head in the sand and refused to

time was coming

was going to finally leave to face the Fire Keepers. About a week after that, they were going to accept

going to be

found himself standing at a crossroad, not knowing where any of the roads actually led. Even worse, he was not the only one making the decision on what turn

it

then walked over to the tree and touched it for a brief

doing well, I guess. Rain is well, too. She

moment, but at the same time, strangely soothed. He hesitated for a few seconds, and

really here. Oh… that young woman right there is Nephis. She is my… well… it's complicated. In any case, I think you would have liked her. I have several other friends, too. So I am

he stepped back, looked at the lonely tree one last time, and

"Let's go."

they walked away, Neph looked at him and

"Are you alright?"

smiled crookedly and

course. Why wouldn't

at that moment, several figures suddenly appeared from behind a corner, surrounding them. They were all dirty and disheveled, looking like typical