Shadow Slave

Sunny and Nephis climbed back into the familiar fissure only after the seven suns plunged into the waters of the Great River. They hungrily consumed the last few ration packs from the Covetous Coffer, and then settled on the weathered rock to sleep.

Saint was standing guard above the fissure, and Nightmare was near to protect their dreams. So, they decided not to alternate and let themselves rest through the whole night.

The world was swiftly enveloped in darkness. The nocturnal glow of the Great River did not reach the depths of the fissure, and there were no stars or the moon in the sky. The world was entirely black, as if they had plunged into an endless void.

Listening to the soft sounds of Neph's breath, Sunny let the sense of fatigue overwhelm him.

He was tired. However, it was not the cruel, chilling exhaustion he had suffered often in the past months... instead, this fatigue was of a satisfying and pleasurable kind. Something he had not felt in a while.

Sunny had learned a lot during their training today. They had practiced together until the sunset, and in the process, both had done their best to make the opponent sweat. He had not held back much, and neither had Nephis.

In the end, Sunny found himself lacking. Even after all this time, she was still like a distant star... one he could see, but never touch. At least in terms of swordsmanship and mastery of battle.

It should have been disheartening, but he found it strangely encouraging instead. Sunny felt as though he had been shown a new horizon... something to strive for, as well as a clear direction to reach for the stars.

He also realized that there were still flaws in his mastery of Shadow Dance. That was a valuable revelation in and of itself... armed with it, he could refine and perfect his formless style, bringing it closer to the next step.

That said... Sunny felt very strange right now.

It was because he had realized that, currently, he was more powerful than Nephis.

Yes, she was a better fighter than him. However, Sunny had so many tools at his disposal. He also had two Transcendent Devils and an Awakened Terror on his side. If the two of them were to battle seriously... he wasn't entirely sure who would be left standing at the end, but he knew that his odds were much higher than hers.

It was a... vast, tumultuous, and deeply unsettling emotion.

What surprised him the most, however, was how weak of a reaction it aroused in him. There had been a time when becoming more powerful than Nephis was all he ever thought about. But now... he felt almost indifferent.

It was what it was. There was no point in racing to the finish line, anyway. That line would not change.

It did not matter which one of them became a Terror first, because sooner or later, both of them would end up as Titans. It did not matter that Sunny was ahead for the first time - her Ascended Ability was not of a kind that added to one's power, that was all.

They were in the same boat, anyway.

Perhaps he could allow himself to feel that way because he was more secure about the Shadow Bond, and the power she held over him. Nephis had proven that she had no intention of ever using it... and he had grown more confident in his ability to make one or both of them die even if she did.

'How romantic...'

sighed, feeling calm and cozy in the

a while, Sunny

are

of silence

"No."

the darkness, he

is the sleeping bag? Is it

one. Sadly, he had ripped through one of them when the azure serpent first made the dark island quake, so

Luckily, the Great

problem letting Nephis use

he wouldn't tease her

came from the

am warm. It is of high

on Sunny's

too thick to be

moments later,

want me to hand it over? It is your sleeping bag... it would only be right for

Sunny flinched.

not what

'Gods, she's hopeless...'

Then, Neph's voice came from the darkness

see. You want

Sunny's entire

at all! Who do you take

Turning his head, Sunny saw Neph covering her mouth

His eyes widened.

tease? I've been

ached. How

for a few moments, then laid down and looked back at the jagged line of the distant black sky. A moment

is just too

then asked in an amused

"What is?"