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 asked

first Awakened Demon you

spoke in a

impregnable steel armor, with claws strong enough to

Was such a creature really worth feeling

did you

Her teacher laughed.

a Corrupted Devil and pitted them against each other. At least I think it was a Corrupted

for a moment, and then added

then I acted as bait while my partner finished the wounded

stunned. She wasn't even sure what shocked her more the fact that her teacher had apparently been able to summon Corrupted Devils before Awakening, or that he used to

with that insufferable bastard? Were

hesitated for a moment, then asked

your partner

darkness remained silent for a while, this

said in a

beautiful heavenly palace, looking down

tone was carefree, but for the first time, Rain could feel a hint of a

What did he mean?

his partner be a celestial deity? No - gods were

was his partner dead? Was that what

once admitted to being thousands of years old, so anyone who had

suddenly feeling pity for her poor teacher. Wishing to distract

to summon a Terror to

He chuckled.

demon's boss on fire. Now, enough

boss? Do demons have

Rain let out a long sigh and

under her,

into the embrace of sleep,

killed that demon with a partner... then why the hell

anxious dreams were

***

Rain untied the rope fastening her to the branch and carefully climbed down. Soon enough, she reached the ground,

dark line on the horizon. There was no ash around, and although the frozen ground was covered in frost,