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

a negative

are you burdening yourself with

Changing Star’s mouth

“Why? Wouldn’t you?”

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

“No.”

believe to the last moment that the answer would be “yes”. But one of the things he had lost after the Nightmare

he knew with certainty that it was simply not something he could do. He was barely able to

he couldn’t help but be a little

seem to judge him. She showed no reaction

“Because I want to.”

‘Because… she wants to?’

would either lecture him about virtue and compassion

believe that she was putting her life in danger, to

‘Ridiculous!’

response as a non-answer. But the more he thought about it, the

maybe, it was actually the

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

as ample as he had imagined. She had no

to have the audacity to disregard need in favor of something as frivolous as desire, and do

because that was what

was the

the real barrier that separated Legacies from the rest

However, before Sunny could gather

“My turn.”

she mean it’s her turn to ask a

meant. Changing Star once again turned to Sunny and, after a long

know the legend

What sort of a

Sunny shook his head. Then, remembering

“No.”

away. A few moments later, she

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

blinked, staring at the

did this come from?

Meanwhile, Nephis continued:

home. However, the gods cursed him to endlessly wander the seas, never to return. Over the years, he survived one horror after another and lost all of

Star’s ethereal, strangely wistful voice resounded in the darkness, creating an enthralling

delights. As long as loving Calypso was by

Nephis smiled.

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

Sunny blinked.

‘What?’

that? He even considered that Nephis was mocking him, but it didn’t seem to be the case. It looked like she was sincerely interested

‘Weirdo!’

for a bit, and then

he was far away

fleeting smile appeared

away… from home.