Shadow Slave

The stars shone brightly in the cold black sky. Sitting on a wide tree branch, Rain studied them silently, surrounded by darkness.

'It's strange.’

Some of the stars looked familiar, but she couldn't recognize any constellations. The alien sky of the Dream Realm was different from that of Earth, but worse than that, it was both fickle and unreliable. The stars shining upon the Song Domain were different from those illuminating the Sword Domain, and even various regions of the two kingdoms did not share the same heaven.

Some places did not even have a sun, while others were bathed in the light of many moons.

Astronomers were probably going crazy...

"Why are you still awake? Sleep. You'll need all your strength tomorrow."

Her teacher's voice resounded softly from the darkness, making Rain sigh.

He was right. She had climbed the enormous tree and tied herself to the branch in order to rest, but now that there was nothing else left to do...

"I can't sleep."

Sleep was escaping her.

Her teacher chuckled.

"Nervous?”

Rain remained silent for a while. Was she nervous? She couldn't tell.

They had spent a lot of time preparing for this hunt. From searching for suitable prey and learning all that could be learned about it to coming up with plans and contingencies, studying the terrain, and preparing all the necessary equipment. The process was only different from all the previous hunts because it had been so extensive.

She was supposed to kill an Awakened Demon this time, after all.

So, Rain did feel a little nervous... frightened, even. But at the same time, she was a little excited. Not only because successfully slaying the demon would finally allow her to grasp the key of Awakening, which she had been trying to do for many years, but also because of the challenge itself.

She always felt a pleasant rush of adrenaline when facing appaling abominations in battle. To be strong, to be able to protect herself and other people - that was what she wanted, and why she had accepted the ominous shadow's offer to be her teacher.

Rain smiled.

"What is there to be nervous about? It's just an Awakened Demon."

Her teacher laughed in the darkness.

"Fair enough."

of silence, and then Rain

first Awakened Demon

spoke in

as a house, covered in a carapace of impregnable steel armor, with claws strong enough to crush diamonds and a pair of razor-sharp

a creature

how did you

Her teacher laughed.

my Awakening, when I was not much stronger than you. So I summoned a Corrupted Devil and pitted them against each other. At least I think it was a

and then

while my partner finished

that her teacher had apparently been able to summon Corrupted Devils before Awakening, or that he

that insufferable bastard? Were

a moment,

your partner now,

remained silent for a while,

said in a

beautiful heavenly palace, looking down upon us

first time, Rain could feel

What did he mean?

deity? No - gods were dead, as were all the lesser

dead? Was

once admitted to being thousands of years old, so anyone who had fought by his side before his Awakening would have been dead for a very,

pity for her poor teacher. Wishing to distract him from unpleasant memories,

you manage to summon a Terror

He chuckled.

setting the demon's boss on fire. Now, enough talking. Go to

the demon's boss? Do

let out a long

branch was swaying slightly under her, which was... a

sleep,

demon with a partner... then why the

anxious dreams were cold

***

fastening her to the branch and carefully climbed down. Soon enough, she reached the ground, standing on the outskirts of a

so far away that the mountain chain was merely a dark line on the horizon. There was