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?

simply shook her

I was... just suddenly reminded of an old fairy tale I

her a

is that fairy

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

ran away from home. Every time the doll lied, 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 to

that? And why would a doll be alive? Was it actually an Echo? Or a Nightmare

He frowned.

it, though, not that I have any problems with the length of my nose.

for

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

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

What happens to the

and shrugged with an indifferent

with a hammer, then gets hanged from a tree

Sunny's eyes twitched.

'What the hell?'

himself to the ground,

wood? Why would he die after being hanged from a tree? Ridiculous... not to mention that a talking wooden

ridiculous that conversation was. Sunny cleared his

Nightmare. I have a couple of ideas why, but am not certain yet. So, that peculiar enchantment has become more annoying, too. I

glance at the Sin of Solace

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

raised an eyebrow. Neph, meanwhile, frowned slightly and

the side

Sunny froze.

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

silent before asking

there are two Sunnys here

nodded with a bit of

One is just a foul-mouthed

at him for a while with

tilted her

at him some

felt a bit weird

Why are you looking at

the depths of

took a deep breath, and

It is tied to Ariel - and, therefore, to the Tomb of Ariel. Even though the pyramid doesn't seem

Sunny slowly exhaled.

"Right."

had access to the list of his Memories, so she would know about the Sin

But that reminded him...

Sunny said in a somber