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

simply shook

reminded of

gave her a dubious

What is that

pondered for a bit, as if trying to recall, then said

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

perplexed. What kind of weird story was that? And why would a doll be alive? Was it

He frowned.

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

thought for

to be a good boy and returns home with the cricket? That is

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

the doll in the original,

shrugged with an

kills the cricket with a hammer, then gets hanged from a tree

Sunny's eyes twitched.

'What the hell?'

himself to the

from a tree? Ridiculous... not to

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

why, but am not certain yet. So, that peculiar enchantment has become more annoying, too. I guess what I am trying

glance at the Sin of Solace and add

from hanging, I must admit - I wouldn't mind smashing that

eyebrow. Neph, meanwhile,

to the side when talking

Sunny froze.

an illusory figure following me, too. In fact, it looks exactly like me, and uses my

before asking in

there are two Sunnys

grimaced, then nodded with a bit of

One is just a foul-mouthed

for a while with a funny

she tilted her

stared at him some

bit weird under

you looking at

the depths of

took a deep breath, and

should be the Sin of Solace, right? It is tied to Ariel - and, therefore, to the Tomb of Ariel. Even

Sunny slowly exhaled.

"Right."

to the list of his Memories, so she

But that reminded him...

said in a