Shadow Slave

«Well done…»

Rain had just killed an Awakened Demon, but hearing her teacher's praise was strangely just as validating. Or rather, it made the act of slaying the Huntsman feel more meaningful… in any case, it was a nice feeling.

Too exhausted to move and hurt all over, she simply lay in the mud and rested. Her gaze was directed at the sky, which was as empty as her mind. Feeling too lazy to think, Rain simply stayed still and savored the moment, unbothered by the encroaching cold.

By then, the ghostly flames had been mostly extinguished, with only a few small tongues of fire dancing here and there above the ravaged swamp.

While she was spacing out, her teacher disappeared somewhere. Soon, he emerged from the shadows, carrying her bow, backpack, and other things she had left on the outskirts of the forest.

Placing most of it on the ground, her teacher then walked over and carefully covered her with her winter coat.

«Here, don't catch a cold.»

Rain smiled faintly, enjoying the warmth.

Her teacher, meanwhile, approached the corpse of the Huntsman, looked at it curiously, and gave it a little kick. Then, he circled it slowly, mumbling some nonsense in a hushed tone:

«Chalice Knights… Chalice Knights… wait, don't tell me. Were these the poor bastards who drank Jade Queen's nectar? Soon, there was nothing but bestial need left… huh, they might be. What fools! Even my little sister knows not to drink everything given to her by shady characters…»

«It's you… you're the shady character!»

Rain wanted to scoff, but then decided against it.

Instead, she asked:

«Teacher… can I Awaken now?»

She knew the answer, of course, but hearing it again would give her confidence.

He smiled.

«Well. You've already made great progress and learned how to sense your essence. I'm pretty sure that absorbing the soul shards of this demon will be the final straw and serve as a catalyst to make your essence Awaken. Of course, that alone won't make you an Awakened.»

Her teacher looked at the mud with a finicky expression, then reached into the shadows and pulled out an opulent wooden chair out of them. Placing it on the ground, he sat down and let out a satisfied sight.

«The problem is that there will be no vessel to store your essence, and no bridge between your soul and your body… at least that is how I understand it. However, you will be able to control your essence — and by controlling it, you will be able to create such a vessel, which is itself the bridge. A soul core. It will require time and effort, but with your level of enlightenment, I am sure that you will manage splendidly. When you do form a soul core… that is when you'll undergo a rebirth and become Awakened.»

Rain listened to his voice silently, then sighed.

«…How long will it take?»

Her teacher chuckled.

«I have no idea. That wholly depends on you… but, from what I am told, learning to control essence is the hard part. Forming a soul core is relatively easy, albeit tedious. So… a few months? A year? We'll have to wait and see.»

«I bet I can do it in a day.»

Rain didn't voice her defiant thoughts and smiled.

«What comes next?»

Sitting comfortably on his luxurious chair, her teacher smiled.

«Ascension is a step of rising above one's mortal nature. You will have to accumulate power by improving the quality of both your soul essence and your body. That can be achieved naturally, by slowly refining the essence, or by slaying powerful enemies. Once your essence reaches a qualitative change, the last step is to reform your soul core. That's… a bit tricky.»

He shook his head.

technique. In the past, many such techniques were known to us humans, but sadly, that legacy has been lost. These days, everyone simply

Rain raised an eyebrow.

what? I can't Ascend? Should I just go

furrowed his

one else has a soul refining technique doesn't mean

head and

one, or

She was not even an Awakened yet, so Ascension seemed

Even the Awakening…

Rain sighed.

still want to

prevent her from fantasizing

stared at her

«What? Why?»

She pursed her lips.

Awakened? What kind of Awakened doesn't have an Aspect? Not to mention… not to mention that I won't be able to receive any Memories from the Spell! All those Awakened in Ravenheart are walking around in suits of shiny armor and wielding

was too laborious without the Spell. Rain was willing to accept that finding her Aspect and Flaw would take her a long time,

simply not having to launder her clothes would

Her teacher suddenly laughed.

what it's about?

for a few moments, then gestured weakly

swamp water, mud, blood, and gods know what else! This is what I have to deal with after each hunt. There are no washing machines in Ravenheart, either! I'll need to wash it all by hand or pay a laundress… that's after I pay the healer to patch me up. And speaking of

teacher shook his head,

oh, I see. So it's not devastating enchantments and mystical

her mouth,

«That's not true!»

He smiled crookedly.

«It's not?»

Rain gritted her teeth.

to carry all

teacher leaned back and laughed

«Unbelievable…»

around, he picked up a

nail cut the wood like

satisfaction and tossed the piece of wood

«Here, catch.»

piece of wood, then hissed quietly when

«Ouch…»

Rain studied the letters carved on

They read:

have received a

She frowned.

«What's this?»

teacher shrugged with a

so he can make Memories just fine. Let's see… you killed an Awakened Demon this time, so

Rain blinked.

«You can make Memories?»

his chair

And, unlike the Spell, I'll even customize it to your liking. More than that… listen, I really don't want to badmouth the competition… but the Spell, it really has no imagination whatsoever. Why limit Memories to powerful weapons, enchanted armor, and mystical tools? There are so many mundane things that would make

at her with

can even make a roll of toilet paper into a Memory. If you don't go overboard,

is that bastard

her teacher for a while, then blinked a