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 time, it

would not be over until Sunny fulfilled

his face, he gritted

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

shadows. Past the lumbering shape of the Mountain King, past the formless shadow of the loathsome Thieving Bird's spawn, past the gargantuan figure of the Fallen Titan

so many more, Nightmare Creatures and humans

with sharp, fierce features, who wore an archaic

was Daeron of the Twilight Sea, the

standing near him, as beautiful as she had been in the dream, but now motionless and lifeless...

that seeing them together would sooth his heart, perhaps. But it did

to look anymore, he turned away and gritted his

Curse it

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

of Fate,

he took a few breaths, and then summoned the

of them at the end of the list

Memory: [Dream Flower].

Memory Rank: Transcendent.

Memory Tier: I.

Soon, a beautiful azure flower appeared in the darkness in front of him, its petals still covered by dew. It was exactly

Sunny sighed.

the gift Wind Flower had given him was not a simple memento. He should

heart, he turned back to

contained within this blossom. It was a

Memory Enchantment: [Given Promise].

hopes, crush my dreams. Crush my

description was short, poignant, and

the runes for a long while, his face motionless. Then, he dismissed them and looked at

purpose of this Memory was, nor did he know how Wind Flower had ensured that he would receive

one thing he knew, however, it was that this gift embodied

her most precious, most

a sigh, Sunny reached forward, grasped

And crushed it.

into blinding light, illuminating the vast darkness of his soul. The pure light reflected in the still waters... drowning

that