Shadow Slave

Right now, that obstacle was looking down, avoiding Sunny’s gaze. His hand was resting on the sword handle. As always, the young slave had no idea about what was going on inside Hero’s perfectly shaped head.

The uncertainty was making him nervous.

Finally, after some time had passed, the soldier spoke:

“I have only one question.”

Both Sunny and Scholar stared at him while holding their breaths.

“Yes?”

“You said that one of us must be sacrificed to save the other two. Why him? From what I see, you are far closer to the grave.”

‘A great question! I was just about to ask it myself.’

Sunny turned to the older slave, trying very hard to suppress a mocking grin. But to his dismay, Scholar had an answer ready.

“Before the first attack, he was already bleeding because of your senior’s whip. During the attack, he was drenched in the blood of a fellow slave. His cloak, too, was soaked in it when the previous owner died. The boy already reeks of blood. Keeping him alive will put us in danger. That’s why he is the best choice.”

The grin died before reaching Sunny’s face.

‘Curse you and your big brain!’

Scholar’s reasoning was appallingly solid. Hero listened, his expression growing darker with each word. Finally, he looked at Sunny, a dangerous light shining in his eyes.

“That is true.”

Sunny felt his mouth getting dry. Cold sweat was running down his spine. He tensed, ready to act…

But at that moment, Hero smiled.

“Your logic is almost unassailable,” he said, unsheathing the sword. “However, you failed to account for one thing.”

eyebrow, trying to hide

“What might that be?”

from his face. Now, he was

I also know what you’ve done, and how you ended up a salve. Just one of the revolting crimes you have committed would be enough to make me want to kill you. So if there is someone among us who deserves to be

Scholar’s eyes widened.

the

about it. I’ll make you bleed enough to overpower whatever residual scent the

shrieking on the ground, his leg broken with one strike from the flat side of the

that, Scholar was

of Hero’s actions was in such stark contrast with his usually graceful demeanor that Sunny felt blood turning to ice in his veins. This

a calm look and

“Wait for me here.”

dragged him down the path, soon disappearing behind a rock outcropping. After a few minutes, terrible screams could be heard echoing

was left alone,

is… this is too

demise came to be. And how

time later, Hero was back, acting as though nothing had happened. But it was exactly that

sorting through the contents of Scholar’s rucksack and throwing most of the firewood out, the young soldier put it over his shoulder and nonchalantly turned to the

go. We need to

to say, Sunny gave him a nod and

were only two

stupid, but Sunny suddenly

He even had time for unnecessary thoughts. A strange feeling of melancholy descended on Sunny… somehow, he began to feel that the end of this nightmare, whatever it

walked in silence for some time

happened. It’s not your

young soldier was a few steps ahead, so Sunny couldn’t

Just

wonder which one of us feels

an illusion of righteousness

getting an