Shadow Slave

NQSC was still shivering in the embrace of winter, but the smell of spring was in the air. The deserted alleys of the outskirts were drowning in dirty snow and deep shadows, with no one to clean the former and no lights to dispel the latter. Many of the decrepit human hives stood empty, their tall walls forming lightless wells.

The people who used to populate the hives had long abandoned the cradle of humanity for the vast and dreadful expanse of the Dream Realm.

Sunny was leaning against a wall in one of the alleys. He was clad in the fearsome carapace of the Onyx Mantle, hiding his face behind a mask — not exactly a suitable attire for the waking world. His appearance would have probably frightened the mundane passersby, if there were any. Granted, he was standing in the shadows, so no mundane human could see him anyway.

«Feels so strange. I can barely recognize the place.»

The outskirts of today were too different from the overpopulated, suffocating slums where he had grown up. Times were changing, and NQSC was changing with them.

Sunny had believed that the world was unchanging, once upon a time. The great upheavals of history — the decimating wars, the descent of the Nightmare Spell, the legendary achievements of the First Generation — had happened long before, reshaping the ways of humanity. But by the time he was born, everything seemed lasting and stable, and so, he simply took that stability for granted.

It was a strange feeling, to realize that he was living in the very thick of history instead. Who knew that there had never been any stability, and that the reality he knew was fleeting like a mirage?

He sighed and touched his mask briefly.

The mask he wore was the Memory he had created, [Definitely Not Me]. Unlike Weaver's Mask, which resembled the ferocious face of a demon, this one was quite human, and entirely expressionless. With impenetrable darkness nestling in its eyes, the emotionless mask was quite eerie.

It was also not as comfortable as Weaver's Mask, which hurt his craftsman's pride a little.

He sighed.

«That lazy guy in Bastion is really worthless.»

Calling himself names was perhaps not very healthy, but certainly amusing.

Sunny looked down.

Many things were happening at the same time. Nephis had received the orders of the Clan Valor elders and was supposed to meet him today to relay their will. In the distant Song Domain, Rain had made her way to the roving camp of the road construction crew and was hired as a laborer. The guy in Bastion… truth be told, there was no time to be lazy.

From playing the role of the Memory Purveyor for the Fire Keepers to preparing to forge a sword for Nephis, that incarnation of his was the busiest right now. Not to mention that he had to craft a few Memories for Rain in advance of her Awakening.

The war was drawing closer, and time was running out.

…Nephis, meanwhile, was running late.

Sunny was growing bored. To dispel the boredom, he sent some essence into the Handy Bracelet and summoned the runes.

He studied them for a while, went over his Memories, and finally settled his gaze on the list of his Shadows.

the runes describing the Soul Serpent

Shadow: Soul Serpent.

Shadow Rank: Transcendent.

Shadow Class: Terror.

Shadow Description:

was the last of the gods to be destroyed. Many have resented him for creating death, but in the

gaze lingered on the

a long, long time ago. Back then, it all seemed so strange and mysterious. Now, however… although

the last great mysteries that Sunny still could

daemons had started, and why. But how did it end? How were the gods destroyed? What could have killed the

now, there was

little, Sunny continued

Guide], [Soul

first enhanced Sunny's essence control when Serpent was in its tattoo form, the second allowed Serpent to become a

and the [Soul Companion] Attributes

He concentrated on them.

Attribute: Spirit Guide.

[Spirit Guide] Attribute Description:

at which

if this new power of Serpent's was a separate Attribute or an evolution

the [Spirit Guide] did not. Whether it was the tattoo, the Soul Weapon, or the Soul Beast forms, spirit essence at least that of shadows seemed more active around Serpent, and

was something else to that Attribute, but he did not know. In any case,

likewise, included some guessing on Sunny's part. He had assumed that it was an evolution of the [Serpentine Steel]

Attribute: Soul Companion.

Description: «Soul Serpent can fuse with its master's Shadow

what he did know was that just like Serpent could augment his body as a tattoo, it could also enhance his Shadow Shell. The Abilities that the Shell could channel were [Soul

And speaking of Abilities…

while, then continued to read the

[Soul Reaver], [Grace of Shadows], [Formless], [Mark of Shadows],

portion of essence of those slain by its Soul Weapon or Soul Beast forms, the third allowed Sunny to bestow Serpent on someone else, and the fourth allowed Serpent to assume the forms of shadows

the sixth

Sunny knew the least about, since there was no good opportunity to experiment

Ability: Mark of Shadows.

of Shadows]

the Lord of Shadows

how it worked, exactly, so he had allowed himself a few liberties when composing that description. He had been able to find out that Serpent could… create lesser versions of itself, for lack of better word. Theoretically, Sunny could place a serpent tattoo on someone, after which a little soul