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.

very fast from that point, not giving him an opportunity to process the bitter revelations and make sense

his friend somehow become a Saint, already? Kai did

he have to stay away? He did

no real need to. At the core of it, the situation was clear — the cohort was up

why Kai tried to help Sunny fight the

of them rose into the sky,and he saw a strange city built on a vast island, illuminated by the light of seven rising suns. The streets of the

though, engrossed by the

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 suffering grievous wounds from his own friend… he should

had, he wouldn't have left Sunny to fight

water littered with dreadful corpses, in the ruins of a fallen fortress. There was a bright flash, and the deafening roar of a distant explosion. And now, Kai was surrounded by

was

'Ah…'

could also see through the billowing dust,

tore at the dreadful dragon with sharp claws. At the same time, Sunny was trying to build another giant around

on the cold stones, partially buried

but surely, Sunny's body became tattered and broken. Even though he did not bleed, Kai could

not seem to care, consumed by the strange derangement, but Kai

to

an Ascended, too… he had led soldiers into battle and killed

alive in the dragon's flame, and lived to slay

Kai could not

of the abominable dragon was forcing him to do things he never wanted to do. Simply resisting that call was taking all

were

you into an abomination…

and grabbed his head, but the

He — the other he — had indeed been betrayed, corrupted, used, and abandoned. By none other than Sunny,

hope away… take his will away…

teeth, refusing to

very well. That…

That wasn't them.

Sunny was attacking the dragon so fiercely that it had no time to turn its gaze at Kai. And so,

turned to the puddle of water and looked at