Shadow Slave

Rain stopped at a popular bakery and spent a good chunk of her coins on a set of delicious pastries. Her younger siblings were moody teenagers now, but... she still liked to pamper them, when she got the chance. Or at least try to.

Teenagers, sadly, were not easy to pamper.

‘They're probably off to school already...'

Letting out a sigh, Rain walked along the steep streets of Ravenheart while enjoying the weather. It was on the colder side today, but the air was crisp and clear, not at all like the stale air of NQSC. There was no ash falling from the sky, either, so the breathtaking vista of the sprawling vertical city was not obscured.

Across the great stone bridge, a lonely peak pierced the sky, its slopes covered in snow. The beautiful palace of the Queen was hidden by a blizzard, though, so Rain could not enjoy its dark awe and splendor.

Her thoughts slowly drifted to the Awakened Nightmare Creature she was meant to find and slay. What Class would it be? How long would the preparations take her? What strategies would she employ, and what contingencies should she put in place?

Would she even survive that fight?

Thinking about that somberly, she ascended rather high, Now, she only had to get closer to the Bridge, and she would be home.

But before Rain reached the neighborhood where her parents lived, she noticed a crowd of people gathered on one of the scenic observation platforms. She stopped to listen to what they were talking about, curious to find out what the matter was.

Their voices sounded excited:

"Are you sure that he is coming back today?"

"I'm sure! He already delivered the last of this year's Sleepers to the cities in the south. There's nothing left for him to do but return."

"I'm so excited! I missed the day he departed, so I didn't see!"

"I saw. I want to see it again, though..."

her head,

were they

teacher suddenly mumbled

is it

it, or did his voice

could ask, though, a swift shadow

a wondrous creature sailing through the sky. The weather was clear, so she could witness it even from a

It was a dragon.

was flying above Ravenheart. Its somber scales were the color of the midnight sky, and with sparks of sunlight reflecting on them, the great beast was like

volces washed

"It's him!"

"Night Singer!"

"Nightingale!"

"The Dragon Slayer!"

weeks ago and then left to search for Sleepers scattered across the Song Domain during the winter solstice.

across the great bridge and landed gracefully in front of the obscured palace. Soon, its great body disappeared into

sigh, feeling a strange mix

she actually knew Saint

give her a few archery lessons. Later when he Transcended and became one of the pillars of the

he was one of the senior government liaisons in Ravenheart. His work was administrative and mostly had to do with logistics, but still, that meant meeting exalted figures quite

with Saint Jet that

to think of

she knew? Rain had even spent some time with Lady Changing Star herself! Of course, she was most comfortable with Effie... Saint Raised

their time in the waking world, and when they came to the Dream Realm, each was assigned to a specific region. Effie was far away, in Bastion, so they had

both of whom had been kind

Of course...