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..."

tilted her head,

they

mumbled

it

imagine it, or did

ask, though, a swift shadow

through the

It was a dragon.

were the color of the midnight sky, and with sparks of sunlight reflecting on them, the great beast was like a plece of starlit night that moved

chorus of excited volces washed over her a

"It's him!"

"Night Singer!"

"Nightingale!"

"The Dragon Slayer!"

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

the great bridge and landed gracefully in front of the obscured palace. Soon, its great

a quiet sigh,

actually knew

back then had graciously agreed to give her a

was one of the senior government liaisons in Ravenheart. His

with Saint Jet that way,

to think of

had even spent some time with Lady Changing Star herself! Of course, she was most comfortable with Effie... Saint Raised by Wolves... who for some reason used to live just a couple of houses down the street, back

the government Saints spent most of their time in the waking world, and when they came to the Dream Realm, each was assigned to a specific region. Effie was

Lady Nephis and Lady Cassia, both

Of course...