Shadow Slave

Sunny and Nephis shared the desserts and enjoyed the tea. Their conversation flowed easily. Time passed slowly, but eventually, she rose and went to check on Jet and Cassie. Soon, the sound of her light steps faded away, and Sunny was left alone.

He leaned on the trunk of the sacred tree, looking into the fog.

His heart felt warm and at peace.

But at the same time...

Sunny could not throw what Neph had said out of his head.

'Do something that I never dared to do before...'

There were a few things he could think of.

He sighed and stared into the distance.

Sunny... had complicated relationships with his closest companions, to say the least. Nephis, Cassie, and he - there was a mess of emotions trapped between the three of them. Most of the things they wanted to say to each other had been left unspoken for a long time.

Especially between Sunny and Nephis.

He hesitated.

At this point, he would have to be a complete fool to remain blind to how he felt. Sunny shifted uncomfortably and lowered his gaze. His heart suddenly felt stifled. He grimaced, then brushed his hand across the wooden deck.

'Just say it. Can't you even say it?'

If he couldn't even say it now, then when would he?

Wasn't he supposed to be the most honest person in two worlds? So why couldn't he even be honest with himself?

Sunny remained motionless for a while, then let out a heavy sigh.

'I... care about Nephis.'

No, that was not it. That was just being coy. He grimaced and looked up, at the swaying branches of the sacred tree.

Sunny remained motionless for a while. Then, he took a deep breath.

And thought:

'I love Nephis.'

His expression collapsed.

It was true. It had been, for a long time. Sunny was not the most emotionally intelligent person, or at least he had not been before. If anything, his emotional development had been stunted - first by the rough life in the outskirts, then by the ruthless reality of the Nightmare Spell.

Who had time to think about emotions when every day was a lethal battle for survival?

felt for Nephis ever since the

weaker despite their many bitter disagreements. In fact, they were the reason why Sunny

had not faded or disappeared despite the long period of separation, either. If anything, they only grew more

free of

claimed,

maddening fury he had felt when she unanimously decided to join Valor. The deathly terror he had felt when the Skinwalker

now, there was no denying

was... his person.

More than that...

neither of them had ever dared to say

that

a reason why both of them

his head and closed his eyes

about such things. Emotions were terribly messy, and that was just on

goals were directly opposed to each other. Her pursuit of revenge against the Spell left no space for something as frivolous as

As for him...

his reasons to stay

maybe... maybe here in the loop, he

"How sweet."

and

in the

each other fearfully for so long that it makes me sick to simply remember. At least you idiot finally

Sunny looked away.

"Shut up."

energy in

Sin of Solace

do now? Gather

a sharp gaze at

if

The apparition laugh.

I wish you luck. Oh, there's just one problem... she's going to forget everything, isn't she? How cowardly of you.

Sunny gritted his teeth.

as he hated to admit it, the wraith was

He hesitated, then spat:

we escape the loop. Why, you think I

him for a while, then sighed. Shaking his head, the sword wraith

forgetting something

answer. However, the apparition did it in his

think is possible between the two

Angered, he looked away and uttered

never use

Sin of

into Corrupted monsters, going around slaughtering people. Even you are no different! Have you ever expected that Jet would brutally murder you one day? Or that Effie would satiate

The wraith leaned closer: