Shadow Slave

Climbing out of the fissure, the two of them - and the ominous figure of the Sin of Solace - studied the calm surface of the Great River. By now, it seemed like a sea of blood. The patch of red water surrounding the dead behemoth was growing larger as it was slowly washed away.

Just then, an ominous shadow moved through the blood, and a giant, cloudy eye rose from the red liquid to stare at them with hatred and burning malice. Sunny shivered and felt the desire to take a step back.

Nephis remained unmoved.

After a while, she spoke in a somber tone:

"...Strong."

He sighed.

"It is a Great Beast. Of course, it's strong."

At that moment, the Sin of Solace smiled.

As they escaped the suffocating gaze of the azure serpent by jumping back into the fissure, the sword wraith spoke:

"But... isn't it just a Great Beast? Where is your fighting spirit, Sunny? Go! Kill it! Like you always do..."

Sunny threw an irritated glance at him and thought:

'Shut the hell up.'

The apparition laughed.

"Why? Can't I make a joke? Of course, a pathetic waste of a Divine Aspect like you has no hope of surviving a fight with this creature."

It grinned and added:

"That is why it's funny."

Sunny frowned and glared at the Sin of Solace, then started to think of a response. However, at that moment, Neph's voice distracted him from the conversation:

"Sunny? Who are you talking to?"

Startled, he flinched slightly and turned to her. His face grew slightly more pale than usual.

"You... you heard that? I spoke it aloud?"

She lingered for a moment, then nodded.

Sunny let out a small laugh and scratched his head, feigning embarrassment. In truth, he was a little frightened - it seems that the effect of the Sin of Solace on his mind was not as tame as he had thought.

'Damn it.'

"That... my primary weapon Memory has a peculiar enchantment. Basically, it's a voice that doesn't miss a chance to explain how wrong everything I do is. Right... something like that."

Nephis stared at him for a while, and then a hint of a smile appeared on her face.

"Oh."

Sunny frowned.

why are you smiling? It's

simply shook her

nothing. I was... just suddenly reminded of

her

that

as if trying to recall, then

nose would grow bigger. And there was a cricket who followed the wooden boy around, trying to explain what is right and what is

times, perplexed. What kind of weird story was that? And why would a doll be alive? Was it actually an Echo?

He frowned.

you would remember it, though, not that I have any

thought for

a good boy and returns home with the cricket? That is not the

about himself after hearing that. Curious, he raised an eyebrow

to the doll

down and shrugged with an indifferent

a hammer, then gets hanged from

Sunny's eyes twitched.

'What the hell?'

himself to the

even make sense. Isn't that doll made of wood? Why would he die after being hanged from a tree? Ridiculous... not to mention that a

Nephis and abruptly realized how ridiculous that conversation was. Sunny cleared his

couple of ideas why, but am not certain yet. So,

Solace and add with a bit

for the fairy tale... now that we established that the doll wouldn't have died from hanging, I must admit - I wouldn't mind

apparition mockingly raised an eyebrow. Neph, meanwhile, frowned

do you keep looking to the side when talking

Sunny froze.

an illusory figure following me, too. In fact, it looks

remained silent before asking in

two Sunnys

then nodded with a bit

One is just

for a while

she tilted

at him

suddenly felt a bit weird

are you looking at me like that? I'm

it hidden in the depths of her calm grey

suddenly took a deep breath, and then

Sin of Solace, right? It is tied to Ariel - and, therefore, to

Sunny slowly exhaled.

"Right."

list of his Memories, so she would

But that reminded him...

serious, Sunny said in a somber