Shadow Slave

After returning from Wind Flower's dream, Sunny did not linger for a long time before completing his grim task. Every minute he wasted was one minute more that she had to suffer resisting the inevitable spread of Corruption...

And so, with a heavy heart, he delivered the fatal strike to the beautiful Saint, as swift and merciful as he could make it. Then, Sunny used the divine flames of the Cruel Sight to ignite her body and stepped back, watching as fire spread across the wooden bed and devoured the silk canopy.

The floating lanterns that had illuminated the chamber dissolved into a rain of white sparks, drowning it in darkness. Standing at the edge between the darkness and the stark glow of the burial pyre, Sunny sighed and sat down on the stone floor.

He watched the fire dance in silence, his expression bleak.

It was then that the Spell finally whispered into his ear:

[You have slain a Transcendent human, Wind Flower of the Twilight Sea.]

[Your shadow grows stronger.]

It paused for a moment, and then added:

[...You have received a Memory.]

Sunny looked down, not even reacting to the last proclamation.

'Ah...'

He had not known Wind Flower for long. In fact, they had only spoken twice. And yet, a deep and heavy sorrow weighed on his heart.

Wasn't her fate just too bitter, unfair, and sad?

To be the last remnant of a destroyed world, and outlive everything that you ever knew or loved...

He hated it.

But at the same time, perhaps to her, death was a solace.

Closing his eyes, Sunny felt the heat of the blazing flame and remained motionless for a while.

Eventually, he whispered:

"Your nightmare is over."

It was.

at the same

would not be over until Sunny fulfilled his promise and ended

grimace contorted his face, he gritted his teeth and dove into the Soul

just like always. The legion of silent shadows stood motionlessly in the darkness, just like always. The lightless sea of his soul

motionless shadows. Past the lumbering shape of the Mountain King, past the formless

more, Nightmare Creatures and humans

he stopped near the shadow of a tall and imposing man with sharp, fierce features, who wore an archaic robe that seemed both simple

Daeron of the

dream, but now motionless and lifeless... just like the

heart, perhaps. But it did not. He still felt bitter

he turned away and gritted

it. Curse it

gods, curse their damned war, and curse the Nightmare Spell that devoured the few realms that had been

the Demon of

took a few breaths, and then summoned

them at the end of the list of his Memories. Concentrating, Sunny

Memory: [Dream Flower].

Memory Rank: Transcendent.

Memory Tier: I.

a beautiful azure flower appeared in the darkness in front of him, its petals still covered by dew. It was exactly the same as it had been when presented to him in the

Sunny sighed.

gift Wind Flower had given him was

pain in his heart, he turned back to the runes and

of Wind Flower of the Twilight Sea are contained within this blossom. It was a farewell gift to her killer,

Memory Enchantment: [Given Promise].

[Crush my hopes, crush my dreams. Crush

short, poignant,

stared at the runes for a long while, his face motionless. Then, he dismissed them and looked at the beautiful azure flower that hovered in the silent darkness in

this Memory was, nor did he know how Wind Flower had ensured that he

he knew, however, it was that this

of her most

forward, grasped

And crushed it.

darkness of his soul. The pure light reflected in the still

that something was