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, he

you burdening yourself

corner of Changing Star’s mouth curled up

“Why? Wouldn’t you?”

teeth, feeling the Flaw pushing the truthful

“No.”

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

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 would just

couldn’t help but be a

to judge him. She showed no reaction at all. After

“Because I want to.”

‘Because… she wants to?’

He was pretty sure that she would either lecture him about virtue and compassion

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

‘Ridiculous!’

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

was actually the

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

in her upbringing, but they weren’t as ample as he had imagined. She had no wealth and no arsenal of relics

her to have the audacity to disregard need in favor of something as frivolous as desire, and do things that a normal person like Sunny

because that was what Nephis wanted to

was the

that

was a lot to think about. However, before Sunny could gather

“My turn.”

she mean it’s her turn

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

the legend

sort of a weird question

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

“No.”

A few moments later,

was a hero 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

staring at

Where did this come from?

Meanwhile, Nephis continued:

never to return. Over the years, he survived one horror

creating an enthralling atmosphere.

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

Nephis smiled.

its delights, the beautiful fairy, and even his immortality

Sunny blinked.

‘What?’

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

‘Weirdo!’

bit, and

it was because he was

smile appeared on Nephis’s

away… from home. Hm.