Shadow Slave

There had been a time when Sunny studied Changing Star's runes like a man obsessed. His whole life had been built around the desire to overtake her on the path to power.

He might have even done a few careless things in that pursuit.

At some point, however, Sunny had lost the desire to compare himself to Nephis, at least in this way. The first change had happened because of her return from the Dream Realm. The second... sometime in the Antarctic Center, he had lost the habit of summoning her runes every day.

Shadow fragments, soul fragments - those were not a true measure of strength, anyway. Sunny had seen countless mundane soldiers stand and fight against the Nightmare Creatures, never surrendering despite the dire disparity of power between them. If those people were weak, then he did not know whom to call strong.

And so, at some point, he had stopped paying constant attention to Neph's runes without even noticing it.

Now, however, Sunny had the Mirror of Truth. So, he decided that it was worth taking another look.

The familiar symbols shimmered, forming into strings:

Name: Nephis.True Name: Changing Star.Rank: Ascended.Class: Tyrant.Soul Cores: [5/7].

He stared at that number for a few moments.

After years of lagging behind, Sunny had finally caught up to her... wasn't it so very funny that he had only been able to do so after stopping caring about the race?

A light smile appeared on his face.

'Whatever... she still has more fragments than I do. She'll be a Terror sooner than me.'

But did it really matter? In the end, they would both be Titans. That day was not as far away as it had once seemed, now.

Sunny continued to read:

Soul Fragments: [2719/5000].

after being adopted by them. However, she could not reveal the fact

battle to another almost every day in the Antarctic Center, either, so

how many soul fragments she had received in the recent battle, then turned his attention

Blade], [Starlight Legion Armor], [Dawn Shard],

received while wandering the Dream Realm and challenging the Second Nightmare... in fact, Sunny could learn a few things about what kind of trial she had

himself back. Perhaps it was stupid,

wanted her to tell him herself. Sunny knew what a precious and fragile thing trust was... it had taken a lot for him to extend his own trust toward Effie and Kai. Before that, his friends had respected his desire to remain silent and did not push him to

clan Valor had provided to Neph. They were incredible Memories, indeed, no less

study their weaves. He just

off your armor? I need it for a couple of weeks... no, no I won't wear it... shut

it

image, Sunny continued to

of Divinity], [The Fire].[Dreamspawn] Attribute Description: "You are born of two worlds, belonging to both, but

creatures born of an unholy union between the divine and the profane. Nephilim were the most beautiful,

Description: "Your soul is aflame with the light of

"You have inherited

Attributes in the past years, but Nephis had not. Neither had she unlocked her Aspect Legacy...

most only accomplished that feat after becoming Saints, with an even smaller number doing

it was Sunny

sighed wistfully, thinking of Serpent, and turned back to the

doomed to exist in the

the soul essence of any Nightmare

soul burns with the purest of flames. That flame can both restore and destroy, and

first of Neph's three Aspect Abilities - it had grown slightly more versatile since the Forgotten Shore,

two Abilities - her Awakened and Ascended ones, respectively - were new.

Ability Description: "You can

her weapon. That fire did not have to be her own - although she could produce flames if there were none around at

Ability, on the other hand... was