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

getting a negative response,

burdening

Star’s mouth curled up

“Why? Wouldn’t you?”

Flaw pushing the truthful

“No.”

that the answer would be “yes”. But one of the things he had lost after the Nightmare was the ability to lie to himself. Truth was

girl or didn’t want to help her. It’s just that he knew with certainty that it was simply not something he could

he couldn’t help but be a

showed no reaction at all. After a few moments, she

“Because I want to.”

‘Because… she wants to?’

would either lecture him about virtue and compassion or disclose some obscure way to

her life in danger, to the point of sacrificing an awakened

‘Ridiculous!’

her response as a non-answer. But the more he

was

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

but they weren’t as ample as he had imagined. She had no wealth and

favor of something as frivolous as desire,

a blind girl simply because that

the greatest advantage of

that separated Legacies from the rest of

before

“My turn.”

she mean it’s her turn

was what she meant. Changing Star once again

know the legend of

of a weird

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

“No.”

away. A

in an ancient war. In the legends, some humans back then had 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

staring at

did this come from? Why is she suddenly

Meanwhile, Nephis continued:

and he prepared to sail 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 his companions. Then, shipwrecked, he found himself on an island where the

wistful voice resounded in the darkness, creating an enthralling

harmony. The island was like a paradise, filled with all kinds of wonders, delicacies and delights. As long as

Nephis smiled.

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

Sunny blinked.

‘What?’

but it didn’t seem to be the case. It looked like she was sincerely interested

‘Weirdo!’

for a bit, and then said without

he was

fleeting smile appeared on Nephis’s

away… from