Shadow Slave

There was a rustle, and a gentle breeze caressed Sunny's face. He awoke slowly, allowing himself to enjoy the sweet moments of comfort and peace that dwelled on the edge between dream and wakefulness. His bed was soft, warm, and cozy… today, it was especially hard to abandon its familiar embrace.

After a while, he sighed and opened his eyes.

The sun was yet to rise, but the sky outside his window had already started to brighten. The wind blowing from the lake made the curtains flutter, filling the modest bedroom with the delightful smell of freshness. Even after all these years, Sunny was still sometimes startled at how clean and pure the air of the Dream Realm was.

He took a few deep breaths, rubbed his face, and rose from the bed.

His room was not very large and not very luxurious. However, it was very cozy. There was a bed, a nightstand, a case with various books crowding the shelves, a writing desk, and a simple dresser. The furniture was made out of natural wood, crafted with affection and care. There were a few decorations added here and there, as well as plenty of signs of the room being well lived-in.

Well, of course it was. He had been spending his nights here for a long time, after all..

Putting on simple clothes and summoning the Nebulous Mantle, Sunny yawned, tied his hair back, and left the bedroom. He splashed some water in his face, then went to the kitchen and brewed himself a large cup of strong, fragrant coffee.

Finally, holding the steaming mug, he left the house and sat down on the porch, intending to enjoy his coffee while watching the sun rise.

It was rather hard to get his hands on coffee beans in the Dream Realm, but today, Sunny wanted to pamper himself. It was his birthday, after all.

He was turning twenty-six.

…Of course, no one in the world knew that.

Taking the first sip of his coffee, Sunny smiled slightly and looked up. A few of the brightest stars could still be seen, shining in the pale lavender expanse of the morning sky. Just at that moment, the gentle sun finally crested the dark line of the distant horizon, imbuing the sky with a beautiful golden radiance. The soft twilight of dawn was imbued with a hint of bright daylight.

rise

the beautiful sight, Sunny felt a bit of melancholy. He looked down with

than mom was

a child, his mother was the definition of an adult to him, and adults were magical creatures who possessed wondrous and incredible powers. But now, he was

was gone, but both her children were alive and doing well. There was precious

about doing well. During these last four years, he had gone through a long rough patch… and

was able to enjoy

reached the lake and reflected on its clear surface. The lake was vast

flags fluttering on its many towers. It almost seemed too beautiful to be real, like something from a

white stone was Bastion, the Great Citadel of Clan Valor, where the King of Swords held his court. It was also the heart of a populous

had revealed themselves, most of the remaining civilian population of the Southern Quadrant — around two hundred million people — was evacuated directly to the Dream Realm, divided between Bastion and Ravenheart, and gradually funneled into lesser Citadels.

from the fringes of society — people who did not possess citizenship, and therefore did not receive their share

He had no doubt that, sooner or later, everyone would leave… if they were given enough time. As the years passed, the situation in the waking world would gradually turn worse and worse. There

humanity was growing stronger,

like a turning point in history. Before, the number of Awakened in the world was relatively

than a million Awakened out there, with several thousands of Masters and more than a hundred Saints guiding them all to fight against the Nightmare Creatures. The balance of power that had been maintained for decades was finally

three Great Citadels, but most had settled across the lesser Citadels

becoming accustomed to this new, harsh reality. But since most of them were either refugees or from the outskirts of the overcrowded siege capitals, they were no strangers to discomfort. Instead, the

without risking their lives. The moment a mundane human entered the Dream Realm, a Seed of Nightmare was planted into their soul. However, that seed would not bloom, summoning

their loyalty. As long as the Sovereigns willed it, their mundane subjects were protected from the

reason why the number of Awakened had increased so much in the last four years. Those who wished to challenge the First Nightmare could simply request it from the great clans instead of waiting to

took another sip of coffee and turned his head, looking at the

to a vast human hive like NQSC. However, there was still a startling amount of people here, at least a dozen million of them or so. Another