Shadow Slave

1519 Reverse Scale

The floor of the floating fortress was tilted, and Sunny could hear the sound of water rushing into the breaches. His sight was obstructed by the cloud of dust, so he closed his eyes and sensed a massive figure stirring in the darkness.

He grinned, forgetting about how torn and battered his body was.

Looking up, Sunny saw two cold silver stars burning in the darkness high above him — the eyes of the murderous dragon, gazing down upon him.

The dragon moved, and at the same time, the shadows moved, as well.

The drowning fortress shuddered.

***

Slumped near a puddle of water, Kai gasped for air. He was suffering from terrible pain and struggling to breathe… that blow Sunny had delivered him before was not a light one. He suspected that several of his ribs had been cracked or broken. His muscles were torn, as well, so drawing the bow was a torment.

'This… really is a Nightmare.'

More than anything, Kai felt lost and confused.

The battle the government forces were supposed to observe had already been a disaster. The terrible journey through the merciless white desert was like a feverish dream. Before he knew it, they were standing in front of a towering block of black stone, preparing to enter a Seed of Nightmare.

Kai had thought that he had prepared himself mentally for the dreadful trial of the Spell, but he had been wrong. Coming to his senses in the dim throne room of a mysterious palace was unlike anything he had ever expected... and much more terrible.

Sunny was there, pulling him away from the falling debris. He heard some outlandish things about an evil dragon, who was also his twin,and an army of alien warriors that were supposed to help the cohort. A few moments later, the dark dragon was in front of them, commanding them to kneel.

Kai knew that Sunny never lied, of course. But hearing that voice and feeling the irresistible authority contained within it, he fully realized that it was all true…

The abominable dragon was, indeed, a copy of him. A much more powerful, vile, and Corrupted version of Kai, who had betrayed his friends and was now trying to kill them.

How could he turn on Sunny, Effie, Cassie, Nephis, and Colonel Jet?

Kai did not know, but the truth was undeniable.

Learning that truth hurt much more than having his ribs broken.

opportunity to process the bitter revelations and make sense of what

friend somehow become a Saint, already? Kai did

to stay away?

of it, the situation was clear — the cohort was up against a

Kai tried to help Sunny fight the

a vast island, illuminated by the light of seven rising suns. The streets of the city were flooded with people. Those people were

engrossed by the

some reason, shifting between the forms of various harrowing creatures. Consumed by fury, he wasn't able to differentiate between friend and foe. That was how Kai ended up being battered and

he had, he wouldn't have left Sunny to fight against the abominable dragon

them ended up away from the city, across the vast expanse of water littered with dreadful corpses, in the ruins of a fallen fortress. There was a bright flash, and the deafening roar of a

water was

'Ah…'

darkness. He could also see through the billowing dust, and even through the

shadows were surging, turning into numerous dark hands. Those hands, each possessing seven fingers, tore at the dreadful dragon with sharp claws. At the same time, Sunny was trying to

stones, partially buried in rubble, and so destroyed the giant ruthlessly,

though he did

consumed by the strange derangement,

have to

all weak. He was an Ascended, too… he had led soldiers into battle and killed dreadful Nightmare Creatures, survived impossible

dragon's flame, and lived

Kai could not

do things he never wanted to do. Simply resisting that call was taking all of his strength… and that was with the dragon not paying him any attention,

thoughts were not

into an abomination…

his head, but the whispers only

Flaw, Kai knew that it was all true. He — the other he — had indeed been betrayed, corrupted, used, and abandoned. By none other than Sunny, the person he trusted the most... the other Sunny, perhaps. At least that was what the

him… take his hope away… take his will away… TAKE

gritted his teeth, refusing to

knew himself very well.

That wasn't them.

turn its gaze at

water and looked at