Shadow Slave

Sunny and Nephis remained motionless for a while, carried by the indifferent, inevitable current of the Great River. His heart was heavy... too heavy to bear. It was in so much pain that the suffering felt almost physical. Or maybe it was.

Eventually, the pain turned dull. But the unbearable weight remained.

Slowly raising his hand, Sunny tightly gripped one of Neph's arms. She was still hugging him from behind, so he couldn't see her face. She couldn't see his, either... which was perhaps for the best.

When Sunny spoke, his even voice was low and full of torment:

"Neph..."

He raised his eyes to the distant blue sky.

"Why can't we protect anyone?"

...There was no answer for a while. Eventually, Nephis let out a quiet sigh.

"Because that is not the world we were born into."

She lingered for a moment, her body still pressed against his. Then, she added:

"You and I, and everyone we know... we were born to destroy things, not save them."

Sunny lowered his head, thinking that maybe she was right. The world they lived in - both of the worlds, really - needed killers more than it needed builders. That was the sign of the dire times they belonged to.

But what was the point of slaying Nightmare Creatures and conquering the trials of the Spell if there was nothing to return to except regret and ruin?

A few moments later, he heard Neph's voice again. Holding him, she said in a hesitant tone:

"I don't know if it helps... but Ananke never intended to return to Weave. She knew that she wouldn't be coming back all along."

Sunny's eyes trembled. Shifting slightly, he turned his head and finally looked at Neph.

"What?"

She sighed.

"What kind of future would it have been, to return and spend the rest of her limitless life alone in the graveyard of everything she loved? She had only held out for that long because of a dream about the Children of Weaver... us... needing her help. Once we were gone, her last reason to remain would have been gone, too."

Nephis looked away.

"That was why the supplies we gathered in Weave were only meant for two people, not three. And why she wanted to tell us about its past so much."

Her voice grew forced and heavy.

"...That was why she took us to the House of Parting, as well. Where the Riverborn come to leave on their last journey. To have a feast with their loved ones before saying farewell."

contorted slightly. She remained silent for a moment, then said

the way. The order of things might have been wrong... but at least she wasn't alone at

lowered his

'The supplies...'

the things they had gathered in Weave were meant for the two of them, and not Ananke herself? How could he not

just closed his eyes to it, not wanting to bear its weight, and found solace in convincing himself that they would think of something

Ananke was gone.

the real Ananke. Of course, it didn't help. He told himself that everything had happened according to her wishes... that disappearing in the embrace of the Children of

it didn't help,

was only one way to lessen the burden

was to turn the

Ananke back... but he could exact bloody vengeance

'The Mad Prince...'

in front of his eyes. Sunny's face hardened, and his hands slowly

might still be out there,

gleamed with

reminded himself who the Six Plagues were. Or rather, who he thought

while, and

I saw the Mad Prince

allowing Sunny to turn around

for a few moments, then forced himself

us... they're us from the future. Cassie, Effie, Kai, Jet, Mordret, and I... all the members of the cohort.

remembered the dream where the vestige of the Defiled madman had attacked him.

'Murderer...'

eyes for a moment, he

you. You can't be Corrupted, and so, we

thought he was scared to admit to himself, said

to keep his emotions suppressed and looked at Nephis,

could usually read the true emotions hiding

confused? Unbelieving?

for a

looked him in the eyes

"That's great, then."

Sunny blinked.

was not the reaction

asked, making sure that he had

"...Great?"

as if confirming something

know all about them. We know all their

out of the

having to face them before, but if what you said is true... well, then it changes things. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of