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

nothing. I was... just suddenly reminded of

her a

What is that fairy tale

a bit, as if trying to recall, then said with

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

And

He frowned.

strange fairy tale. I do see why you would remember it, though, not that I have any problems with the length of my nose. So... how

thought for

boy and returns home with the cricket? That is

little better about himself after hearing that. Curious, he raised

to the doll

down and shrugged with

with a hammer, then gets hanged from a tree and

Sunny's eyes twitched.

'What the hell?'

himself to the ground, he

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

that conversation

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

couldn't help but glance at the Sin of Solace and

I

apparition mockingly raised an eyebrow. Neph, meanwhile, frowned slightly

to the side

Sunny froze.

a voice. But now there's an illusory figure following me, too. In fact,

asking in

are two Sunnys here right

nodded with

a sense. One is just a

stared at him for a while

tilted

at him

bit weird under

at me like that?

what was it hidden in the depths of her calm grey eyes? Was it...

deep breath, and then shook her

and, therefore, to the Tomb

Sunny slowly exhaled.

"Right."

of his Memories, so she would know about the

But that reminded him...

serious, Sunny said in a