Shadow Slave

Sunny was enjoying a hot shower. After their short conversation, Master Jet had sent him to clean himself, saying that he “reeked of Nightmare”. The unnatural slumber of the Spell would slow down the body’s metabolism, and the medical apparatus he had been strapped into was supposed to take care of the rest, but he was still asleep for three whole days.

Even if only psychological, the scent of bloodshed and despair lingered around him.

‘Ah, I’m in heaven,’ Sunny thought, willing himself to temporarily forget about the looming disaster of the Flaw.

He was alone in the police station’s showers, relaxing under the streams of hot water. After a bit of time had passed, Sunny reluctantly turned the tap off and walked over to the towel rack. Coincidentally, he saw himself reflecting in the mirror.

The changes in his physique were subtle, but noticeable. His pale skin seemed a little healthier, his muscles a bit more pronounced. He looked slender and lean instead of emaciated and frail, as he did before. There was a slight luster to his dark hair and a shine to his eyes.

However, he was still rather diminutive. Not exactly a picture of masculine handsomeness, to say the least.

‘Flower boy, huh?’ Sunny thought, full of bitterness.

Then he suddenly froze, noticing something strange. As he was looking at himself in the mirror, the reflection of his shadow seemed to move. It was as though the shadow lowered its head and quietly facepalmed.

Sunny quickly turned around, piercing his shadow with a nervous look. However, everything seemed normal. The shadow was doing exactly what it was supposed to do, repeating his every motion.

“I clearly saw you move,” he said, feeling a bit strange. “You have just moved on your own, right?!”

Sunny glared at the shadow, which obediently glared back.

“Did you move or not?”

The shadow enthusiastically shook its head.

‘What the?!’

“What do you mean, “no”?! You’ve just moved your head! Do you think I’m a fool?”

The shadow seemed to think for a bit and then shrugged.

Sunny was left with his mouth agape.

“Your shadow is more independent than most. It is an invaluable helper,” he muttered finally.

Right. This was how the Spell had described his Aspect Ability.

But what exactly could his shadow do?

He decided to experiment a little.

“Hey, you. Tell me what you can do.”

The shadow was silent and motionless.

‘Right. It doesn’t have vocal cords.’

As though that made any sense! Shadows were not supposed to have muscles either, and yet it knew how to move.

“Uh… show me?”

No reaction. It seems the shadow was content pretending to be an ordinary, lifeless blob of darkness.

Sunny sighed.

‘I’m doing this wrong.’

part of him. It was a manifestation of his Aspect Ability. So instead of asking the shadow, he really should have been asking

going to talk,

his perception within, exploring himself for the first time since returning to the real world. He felt the beating of his heart, the steady rising of his chest, the slight chill of the shower room. He heard droplets of water falling on the tiled floor. Felt the

verge of his consciousness,

A completely new sense.

hard to describe with words, just like one would have trouble explaining how hearing or

him and receive an understanding of both their own shape and the surrounding space, guided by the different degrees of pressure they exerted on his mind

came naturally and instantaneously,

largest one, but the deepest — didn’t

only thing was that his limbs were made out

shadow. Then, with a thought, he willed it

shadow raised

turn around, kick. Then he willed it to change shape, turning into a circle, then a line, then a monster. And finally, back to his own silhouette. The shadow was mercurial and fluid, like

“Ha! How about that?”

shadow pouted, then reluctantly raised its

are

willed the shadow to strike the towel rack. It obediently moved and delivered a powerful kick. Of course, since it

that… all you

image of shadow tentacles tearing the mighty tyrant into little pieces cracked and shattered mercilessly. It seemed he would not be competing with

How regretful.

at him with disdain. Then it shrugged and stopped moving altogether, clearly

sighed and took a towel off the

will explore

***

minutes after that, he was wearing a clean police-issued tracksuit and heading for the cafeteria. Master Jet was waiting for him at one of

“Help yourself.”

different from the stuff he used to consume in the outskirts, and sighed. Somehow,

Still, it was food.

down and began to wolf down

to find a master, and the next thing he knew there was a woman calling herself Master right

to

he thought with dark irony. ‘Knowing your luck, this would be a perfect moment for her to

you

silent. A second passed without him saying anything. Then

thinking that it would be a perfect moment for you to ask me about what I

him a weird

Are you almost finished with your

Sunny nodded.

of a few things. It

glanced at

experience you have encountered, there is no shame in asking for help. Your mind is as important as your body — it’s only right

head. Jet shrugged

you wish. You can also talk to

How could he answer?

worse than I expected and exactly as bad

nodded, satisfied