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

shook

of an old fairy tale I

gave her

is that

if trying to

home. Every time the doll lied, his nose would grow bigger. And there was a cricket who followed the wooden boy around, trying to

weird story was that? And

He frowned.

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

for

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

about himself after hearing that. Curious, he

to the

shrugged with

a hammer, then gets hanged from

Sunny's eyes twitched.

'What the hell?'

to the ground, he

being hanged from a tree? Ridiculous... not to mention that a talking wooden doll would have been at least a Demon. There's no way a

realized how ridiculous that

entered the Nightmare. I have a couple of ideas why, but am not

he couldn't help but glance at the Sin of Solace and add with a

hanging, I must admit - I wouldn't mind

mockingly raised an eyebrow.

you keep looking to the side when talking

Sunny froze.

figure following me, too. In fact, it looks exactly like me, and uses my own voice to berate me. It's fine, though.

silent before asking in an

there are two Sunnys here right

with a bit of

a sense. One is just a foul-mouthed hallucination,

him for a while with a

tilted her

at

felt a bit weird

at me like that? I'm

hidden in the depths of her calm

a deep breath, and then shook her

and, therefore, to

Sunny slowly exhaled.

"Right."

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

But that reminded him...

serious, Sunny said in a