Shadow Slave

After a long time spent in comfortable silence, Sunny glanced at Nephis, thought for a few moments, and asked:

"So, what do you make of this place?"

The other members of the cohort all had a deep connection to the Chained Isles. Sunny and Cassie had spent the most time here, but Effie and Kai were also deeply tied to the remains of the Kingdom of Hope. Their experiences in the Nightmare were not something one could ever forget. It was a place that had changed them.

Nephis, on the other hand, was a stranger here. She could look at the Chained Isles as an outsider. So, he was idly curious about her perspective..

Neph lingered for a while, then said quietly:

"It is as everywhere else. Broken."

Sunny smiled.

"I guess. The Chained Isles are more honest in that regard, aren't they? They don't hide their broken nature."

Indeed, the Dream Realm was a ruined world. ...The waking world was a ruin, too. And the young woman standing next to him was the Star of Ruin. A fitting name for someone born of two broken worlds.

He sighed.

"Still, I thought you would have more of an opinion. Don't you feel a connection to this land?"

Nephis glanced at him with a bit of confusion.

"Why would I?"

Sunny shrugged.

"Well, the Kingdom of Hope was destroyed by Sun God. He brought his fire down, and obliterated it. You are the inheritor of that fire, are you not? Sun God's blood is flowing through your veins. So, in a sense, you are the last descendant of the being who brought ruin to this land."

Nephis remained silent for a while, then smiled.

"I see. Yes, it would make sense for me to feel a connection to Sun God. But, actually... in this case, I feel more connected to Hope."

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"Hope? The wicked demon who spent a thousand years twisting the minds of everyone living in the ruins, driving them insane, and causing all kinds of unspeakable, abhorrent evil? The vile queen of madness, that Hope?"

tilted her head a little. She lingered for a few moments, and

Who remained chained for a thousand years, but never stopped trying to set herself free. Who

Sunny hid his smile.

if you put it like that... actually, I'm rather fond of Hope,

the first time in a long time, he saw Neph's usually calm expression crack a little. She looked

met Hope? The Demon

Sunny nodded.

of the Nightmare, I

for a few

gods. I'm not sure what she meant, though. I always assumed that

frowned, then turned away and

beings once, but then they were no more. It doesn't make a lot

silent for a while, then said

a price to use his power? Did he have to burn? Did he have to

at the distant stars with

gods could die, so they must have suffered,

sky. Then, slowly, a pale smile appeared on her

hope he suffered a

the twilight sky. The five of them gathered on the shore of the clear lake, in front of a bonfire, to enjoy their last meal before their return to the waking world. The

of Neph's cooking he would taste in a while as he studied the faces of his companions - Nephis, Cassie, Effie, Kai... the shadows moved

Sunny turned his head to look at the lake, where the flying ship swayed gently on the

come up with a name for that thing, have

looked at him with confusion. Then, their

"Oh!"

the first one to speak. He thought

"How about Sky Swimmer?"

him a measured look, making the handsome

"What?"

He shook his head.

no. Don't pay me any attention. I just think I

and

"What's wrong with Night&Gale?"

an

Sunny smiled crookedly.

There's nothing wrong with that name.