Shadow Slave

It was a hot, lazy summer day. The sun bathed the Northern Quadrant Siege Capital in heat and light, making people long for the cool shade of the ventilated buildings. The sky was clear and vast, without a single cloud in sight. Looking at its blue expanse, it was hard to believe that somewhere far away people were suffering in the darkness, assaulted by cold and dread.

The Chain of Nightmares that was raging in the Southern Quadrant seemed so distant here.

On that peaceful day, a young man in expensive clothes was sitting on a bench in a beautiful park. Located in one of the more affluent districts of the city, the park was full of vibrant greenery and pleasant shade. The filtered air was crisp and clean. Everything here looked spotless and new.

The young man was enjoying a cup of coffee as he watched children play on a nearby playground. There was an absent-minded smile on his handsome face. He seemed to be in a pleasant mood..

'How curious...'

The young man observed the children. They were so strange, so innocent. Fragile. It would take no effort at all to break them. ...But why would he? Watching the kids play was interesting and nice. And yet, he couldn't help but imagine what the playground would look like painted with their blood. Those images entered his mind on their own. The images were interesting and nice, too.

'Are all human children like that?'

The young man had been a child himself, once, but he did not really remember much about that time. He knew that he had been a timid kid who did not start to speak until he was four - others made sure that he knew that. At some point, the old man came to claim him.

The rest of his childhood had been spent in the Dream Realm. It was only much later, after the old man had discarded him, that he returned to the waking world. The waking world had felt alien then, and felt a bit alien still. But really, it was the young man who was the alien.

'Am I the strange one? Huh.'

It might have been an easy conclusion to draw, but it was not so easy for the young man. He had trouble imagining that others were different from him. It took a conscious effort to remember.

At some point, there was a slight disturbance. One of the kids kicked a ball too hard, and it flew toward the young man, almost making him spill his coffee.

The young man looked at the ball with displeasure. The culprit of his displeasure ran over and stopped a couple of steps away, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Oh! S-sorry, mister..."

The kid was tiny and cute. He was maybe five years old, with blonde hair, smooth skin, and blue eyes. He also had short legs, which made his run look rather comical. His neck seemed very thin and malleable.

The young man smiled.

"No problem. Ah, you speak so well. I couldn't speak that well at your age."

beamed with a

to classes! Mommy takes me. I know

man

your mom

The kid nodded enthusiastically.

"She's over there!"

complicated expression appeared on his

you mom here too,

man stared at the kid

I'm here

looked at him

I'm sorry.

man's smile

never sad. I

kid stared at him awkwardly, failing to

can I have my ball

young man leaned

a question. That game you

The child seemed surprised.

mister... that's football. Have

man lingered for a

been great at football, though. Ah... maybe I should become a kid and play some

if he was genuinely

smiled, thinking that it was a joke. The young man smiled, too, then pushed the ball toward the child, glanced at him

up the

"Thank you, mister!"

that, he turned around and ran back

man did not

did

closed, as though he was enjoying a

mothers left,