Shadow Slave

Sleep was avoiding Sunny. For a while, he sat silently in the darkness, listening to the calming rumbling of the waves. In this rare moment of respite, memories of the past few days came flooding into his mind. However, he was too tired to seriously think about anything. He was warm, full, and relatively safe. For now, that was more than enough.

Soon, the rhythm of Cassia’s breathing changed, indicating that she fell asleep. Nephis was guarding the camp, motionless and, as always, a bit distant. With her silver hair and fair skin, she looked like an alabaster statue.

Sunny sighed. He struggled for a bit, and then said quietly:

“Hey. Can I ask you a question?”

Nephis glanced at him and shrugged. The lack of an audible response clearly indicated that she remembered about his ability to see in the dark.

“Sure.”

‘Would it be too personal?’

Sunny hesitated.

“I thought you Legacies come into the Spell with a whole inherited arsenal of Memories. I mean, that’s supposed to be your main advantage. How come you only had three?”

Nephis was silent for a few moments.

“Actually, I only had two. The rope came from Cassie.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Oh. I see.”

Realizing that her answer wasn’t really an answer, Nephis thought for a while and added:

“We lost most of our Memories when my father passed away. The ones that remained were sold one by one over the years, to keep the family afloat. This sword and armor came from my First Nightmare.”

So that’s how it was. Sunny realized that the fall of the Immortal Flame clan might have been more thorough than he had thought. Still, something about it didn’t make sense.

“Surely, with your clan’s reputation and standing, there were other ways to make money.”

Without any strong reaction, Nephis simply said:

“There were other reasons.”

Then, she unexpectedly turned her head in his direction.

“Can I ask you a question in return?”

Sunny swallowed.

“Yeah, go ahead.”

Nephis tilted her head.

“How did you know that I’m a Legacy?”

‘What? That’s it?’

“Simple. I heard Caster mention it. He was scolding other Sleepers to make them treat you with respect.”

She gave him a nod and turned away. What thoughts were hidden behind her calm grey eyes, Sunny did not know.

Some time had passed before he gathered enough courage to ask the question that he really wanted to ask. Before doing it, though, he made sure that Cassie was sound asleep and lowered his voice.

I ask another

negative response,

are you burdening yourself

of Changing Star’s mouth

“Why? Wouldn’t you?”

his teeth, feeling the Flaw pushing the truthful answer out of his

“No.”

to the last moment that the answer would be “yes”. But one of the things

didn’t want to help her. It’s just that he knew with certainty that it was simply not something he could do. He was barely able to save himself, let alone carry a helpless person across the Dream Realm. If he tried, they

be a little disappointed in

him. She showed no

“Because I want to.”

‘Because… she wants to?’

was not the response Sunny expected to hear. He was pretty sure that she would either lecture him about virtue and compassion or disclose some obscure way to make Cassie’s seemingly weak

him to believe that she was putting her life in danger, to the point of sacrificing an awakened armor-type Memory, because that was something she

‘Ridiculous!’

as a non-answer. But the more

it was actually

he was doing them because he needed to. It was never a question of “want”… it was always

weren’t as ample as he had imagined. She had no wealth and no arsenal of relics to empower her.

wasn’t impossible for her to have the audacity to disregard need in favor of something

simply because that was what

the greatest advantage

barrier that separated Legacies

to think about. However, before

“My turn.”

her turn

what she meant. Changing Star once again turned to Sunny and, after

the legend of

what… who? What sort of a

shook his head. Then, remembering that she couldn’t see him, he

“No.”

A few moments

powers akin to the Awakened. Achilles with an Aspect of indestructible body, Diomedes that was so ferocious even the God of War was wary of him, Ajax who was as strong as a giant. Odysseus was not the strongest, and not the bravest.

staring at

Where did this come from? Why is she suddenly so

Meanwhile, Nephis continued:

cursed him to endlessly wander the seas, never to return. Over the years, he survived

darkness, creating an

in harmony. The island was like a paradise, filled with all kinds of wonders, delicacies and delights. As long as loving Calypso was by his side, Odysseus was even immortal. But… the longer he stayed, the more time he spent

Nephis smiled.

makeshift boat and abandoned the island, leaving all its delights, the beautiful fairy, and even his immortality behind. So, my question

Sunny blinked.

‘What?’

mocking him, but it didn’t seem to be the case. It looked

‘Weirdo!’

and then said

because he was far away from

fleeting smile appeared on

from home. Hm.