Shadow Slave: Foreign shadow

Sunny stood at the very edge of the jagged reef. The sun had just risen, and the air still carried the heavy, briny scent of the sea. Below him stretched a breathtaking yet chilling panorama: a vast, incredibly intricate labyrinth of crimson coral.

​However, this breathtaking landscape was also crawling with a hostile fauna of Nightmare Creatures ready to devour them alive. If they wanted to move before the sun died on the horizon and the dark waters returned, they had to do it now.

​"What do you want first? The good news or the bad news?" Sunny asked, turning to face Cassie and Thene, who were standing right behind him.

​Myriad Shade merely tilted her head slightly, blinking slowly in a profound silence that somehow said everything while explaining absolutely nothing.

​The blind seer sighed, pulling the crimson cloak tighter around her fragile frame, opting to swallow the bitter pill first. "Let's hear the bad one."

​Sunny began ticking things off on his fingers.

"Alright, for starters, the dark sea has receded, which means we are officially stranded in an unmapped, unknown death zone. Below us is a labyrinth of crimson coral so vast and intricate that anyone entering it is practically destined to get lost and become fish food for the abominations infesting it. There isn't a citadel in sight for miles, nor the faintest trace of a Gateway.

Based on how the sea vanished the moment the sun came up, I'm safely deducing we only have a limited window of time to find another high peak before we end up neck-deep in water again. The ground down there is muddy and swampy. And lastly, we absolutely cannot light a fire to warm up, because we'd risk attracting the attention of the giant crabs I just saw scuttling around down there.

I think that covers it."

​He concluded, offering a mockingly elegant bow to wrap up his grim presentation.

​Cassie remained silent, carefully digesting his words. Considering what they had barely survived last night, she had already braced herself for the reality that they had been dropped into a remote, uncharted region of the Dream Realm.

​By all logic, she should be paralyzed with terror right now. Yet, the casual nonchalance in Sunny's tone, coupled with his steady presence, provided her with an inexplicable sense of comfort and security.

​"And the good news?" Cassie asked, a sliver of hope in her voice.

​"We're standing close enough to kiss," he replied, flashing a goofy, shit-eating grin.

​At those words, the blind seer immediately flushed crimson, steam practically rolling off her cheeks. "S-S-Sunny, be serious!" she stammered, flustered.

​Sunny laughed heartily, thoroughly pleased with himself for successfully breaking the heavy tension. "Hahaha! I'm joking, I'm joking!" he said, raising his hands in surrender as he watched her adorably pout.

​"The actual good news is that we have an Ascended with us who can easily clear the path ahead. If we pool our capabilities, the tools we have at our disposal, and our respective Aspects... we might actually make it out of here in one piece."

​Cassie, her face still burning brightly from beneath the red hood of her cloak, blinked blindly in his direction. She then turned her head slightly to the right, facing the spot where she could sense his Echo standing—if Echo was even the right word for Thene. Then, she turned back to Sunny.

​"Sunny... do you really think we can pull this off?"

​"Of course we can," Sunny replied with a firm nod. "Why would I ever lie to you? Let me remind you, I am the most honest person in the world—two worlds, even."

​Hearing that, Cassie couldn't help but laugh. She quickly brought both hands up to cover her mouth, trying to muffle her giggles as her slender frame shook visibly with mirth.

​"Okay," she finally agreed, a determined smile gracing her lips as she raised her small hands, balling them into resolved fists beneath her chin. "In that case, I'll do my best."

​"Good," Sunny nodded in approval.

​Following that, the two sat down to exchange crucial information regarding their respective Aspects and the Memories they had at their disposal.

Cassie explained her Dormant ability to see the runes of others—though she could only read their Attributes—as well as her occasional, unpredictable visions of the past or future. As for her Memories, she possessed a flask that provided an infinite supply of fresh drinking water, a wooden staff capable of generating gusts of wind, and a mystic rope that could extend indefinitely.

​'So far, nothing has changed,' Sunny noted to himself, listening to her intently.

​Then, it was his turn. Sunny detailed his ability to perceive the world through shadows, and how he could manipulate his own shadow to scout ahead or physically augment his own body. He listed his Memories and explained that Thene was much more than a standard Echo, briefly going over her formidable capabilities.

​Obviously, he didn't omit his most glaring handicap: his inability to absorb soul shards. He explained that he could only grow stronger by absorbing the shadow fragments of the enemies he personally killed. Consequently, whenever reasonably possible, they couldn't afford to completely avoid combat with Nightmare Creatures.

​With all their cards on the table, they quickly formulated a plan of action.

​"Alright, let's recap!" Sunny said, sitting cross-legged across from Cassie, who had mirrored his seated posture.

​"First, we send my shadow out to scout. It'll act as our eyes in advance, mapping out the safest routes and alerting us to the layout of the terrain."

​Hearing its name, his shadow, Gloomy, triumphantly raised a hand from the rock face, dramatically emphasizing its crucial importance in their current predicament.

​"After that, with Thene taking point as our primary vanguard, we'll push forward. We avoid any dense swarms of Nightmare Creatures, strictly limiting our engagements to isolated groups. Is everything clear?"

​"Yes," Cassie nodded, having listened to his every word. She found no flaws in the tactical framework they had pieced together.

​"Perfect!" Sunny grinned. "In that case, let's move out."

​He stood up, offering a hand to help her to her feet. Then, sending his shadow out ahead of them, Sunny and Cassie—guided firmly by the protective presence of Myriad Shade—finally began their descent down the steep, jagged reef.

***

Sunny and Cassie leaned over the edge of the jagged reef, pausing for a moment to observe the scarlet, swampy terrain directly below them. Right at the base of the rock prowled a creature that looked like a grotesque cross between a giant crab and a horse. It possessed a vaguely humanoid torso and two massive pincers that could easily shred the steel plating of an APC.

"What do you think?" Sunny asked, turning toward her, hoping she might have some insight into its attributes.

Hearing him, Cassie shrugged. "What am I supposed to think, Sunny? I'm blind," she said deadpan, waving a hand in front of her face while pulling the red mantle—the [Crimson Cloak]—tighter around herself, wearing it like a makeshift dress.

'Ah, right. How the hell did I forget that?'

"Ahem... cough, cough." He cleared his throat awkwardly into his fist, trying to mask his sudden embarrassment.

Thene stood right behind them, her weapon drawn and ready, patiently awaiting a command to descend.

"I was talking about the giant crab-centaur thing currently pacing directly below us. Can you see anything with your [Insight]?" Sunny quickly clarified.

The blind seer shook her head slightly. "No, I'm sorry. We're too far away from it up here. I can't read its attributes," she replied, sounding genuinely mortified that she couldn't help.

"I see," he muttered, dropping into a low crouch with one knee resting on the rock. He leaned his arm against his raised leg, drumming his fingers thoughtfully against his thigh.

A brief silence fell over them, the cool morning breeze whistling through their hair as they weighed their options.

"If you wanted to," Cassie chimed in after a moment, a wide, smug grin spreading across her face. "You could always summon a God again and ask them to deal with it for you. Not a bad plan, don't you think?"

She didn't let it show too much, but beneath the surface, the blind seer was practically crying with laughter, freely teasing him about his completely 'factual' exploits.

Sunny chuckled, firmly planting his fists on his hips and puffing out his chest with unwavering pride. "Well, I certainly could do that. The problem is, I'd need the temple of a long-forgotten God to pull it off. I normally carry one on me, but unfortunately, I left it at the top of a snowy mountain."

Which, technically, was true. As Sunless, he was the rightful owner of the Nameless Temple, being the only living soul in tens of thousands of years to cross its arcane threshold and leave an offering upon its sacred altar. Moreover, its ancient guardian was waiting for him right there, even if their very first meeting had technically taken place within the world of a nightmare.

Cassie couldn't help but press both hands tightly against her mouth to muffle her laughter, making sure not to alert the armored creature prowling below them.

"Pfft—ahaha!"

Her cheerful, carefree laughter, as melodious as a ringing chime, was an absolute joy to witness amidst the bleakness of the Dream Realm.

"Anyway!" Sunny added, drawing her attention back to the present reality. "I suppose I'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way."

He stood up, turning to Thene. "Keep an eye on her, please." He then looked at Cassie. "Stay right here. I'll be right back."

And before the blind seer could utter a single word of protest or caution, Sunny began his descent.

Hearing his fading footsteps, Cassie turned her face toward the empty space he had just occupied, desperately hoping for his swift return. 'Please be careful, Sunny,' she thought, clasping her hands anxiously against her chest.

She shouldn't be too worried about him. If even half the tall tales he told were true, taking down a single beast would be a walk in the park. Yet, the blind girl couldn't completely shake her anxiety.

Sunny descended the steep cliff calmly and meticulously, sliding his feet from one foothold to the next as easily as walking down a flight of stairs. Thanks to his very nature as a [Shadowspawn], his body felt very light, and his footsteps didn't make a single sound against the stone. Sending Gloomy ahead, he kept a watchful eye on both his immediate surroundings and the Carapace Scavenger roaming below. No other abominations seemed to be in sight.

Finally, he reached the muddy terrain, landing completely unseen. The Scavenger had its armored head turned in the opposite direction, trudging slowly through the crimson mud as it scoured the area for its next meal. Seeing this, Sunny slowed his breathing and crouched low.

He had already faced Nightmare Creatures during his First Nightmare. However, back on the snowy mountain, the eternal night had been heavily in his favor, the enemies had been tearing each other apart, and all he had to do was sneak up and deliver a lethal, opportunistic strike. This was the very first time he was actively engaging an Awakened creature in open combat.

His [Child of War] Attribute instantly flared to life. It brought a diamond-sharp clarity to his mind, instinctively dictating his next moves as if opening a vast, innate martial manual right inside his brain.

Silently, Sunny advanced, meticulously placing one foot in front of the other. His breathing was shallow; his heartbeat, perfectly steady. The Carapace Scavenger moved at a constant pace, shifting its many legs as it circled the base of the tall reef where he and Cassie had spent the night.

'Its carapace is way too hard. I need to aim for the joints and the softer underbelly.'

He analyzed his target in a split second, feeling a chilling rush of adrenaline surge through his veins as he closed the distance.

Once he was only a few steps away, Sunny extended his arm. Serpent, currently resting as an intricate dark tattoo on his skin, slithered rapidly down his limb, materializing into his grasp as a long, heavy, pitch-black halberd.

Sunny took a deep breath and raised the dark weapon high above his head. Then, trapping the air in his lungs, with a perfectly steady hand and an unyielding gaze, he struck.

Slash.

"Kryaaaaah!"

The sweeping cut landed squarely on the joint of its back right leg, severing the heavy limb cleanly. The Carapace Scavenger immediately unleashed a piercing shriek. Collapsing into the mud from the crippling wound, it furiously whipped its torso around to face its attacker, but found absolutely no one there. Sunny had already repositioned.

Slash.

Another leg flew through the air, inexorably anchoring the beast to the ground. Missing two crucial limbs, it was completely unable to find its footing in the slippery, swampy terrain. Sunny didn't hesitate for a microsecond.

Seizing the opening, he dashed behind the thrashing creature and vaulted onto its back. Mentally commanding Serpent to shift from a halberd into a dark, razor-sharp spear, he sprinted up its armored spine.

The Scavenger thrashed wildly, desperately snapping its massive pincers backward to rip him off, but its reach fell agonizingly short. Sunny was faster. His mind was utterly tranquil. Reaching the base of its humanoid torso, he leaped straight onto its head and drove the tip of the spear deep into its skull with every ounce of his strength.

"KRYAAAAAH!"

Black, putrid blood—smelling exactly like stagnant latrine water—gushed from the fatal wound. The Carapace Scavenger let out one final, desperate, gargling shriek before completely collapsing lifelessly to the muddy ground. Its humanoid torso remained pinned upright only by the vicious spear impaled entirely through its thick skull.

Then, the Spell whispered.

[You have slain an Awakened Beast: Carapace Scavenger.]

[Your Shadow grows stronger.]

"Phew. Not a bad baptism of fire," Sunny exhaled loudly, addressing no one in particular.

He pulled his weapon free with a wet squelch, dismissed it back into a tattoo, and turned back toward the cliff. It was time to retrieve Cassie and officially begin their journey.