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.

supposed to say that I am not an idiot, you

deadpan expression, then said in her usual

"I know."

help

why I wanted to come here. I guess I expected to feel something… and I do. It's just not what I

for a few moments. Eventually, he said with a

you maybe want to

lingered for a while, then shook his

is dead, and the dead can't hear anything. They are simply gone. They only

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

And Nephis.

with her was a dire thing,

not

company, doing nothing but training and spending time

pleasant time was

few days, Nephis was going to finally leave to face the Fire Keepers. About a week after that, they

to

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

walked over to the tree and touched it for

It's me. I am… doing well, I guess. Rain is well, too. She looks

felt rather stupid at that moment, but at the same time, strangely soothed. He hesitated for a

will be able to visit again for a long time. Not that you're really here. Oh… that young woman right there is Nephis. She is my… well… it's complicated.

looked at the lonely

"Let's go."

walked away, Neph looked

"Are you alright?"

smiled crookedly and

Why wouldn't

appeared from behind a corner, surrounding them. They were all dirty and disheveled, looking like typical outskirts thugs. The leader, a muscular man with a chemical scar