Shadow Slave: Back in time

Sunny woke up with something soft and warm in his embrace. What is it? He thought still half-asleep.

He regained the memories of the previous night and blushed slightly. He enjoyed the feeling for a few moments, then shook her slowly. Nephis stirred, and sat without notice, her forehead hitting something hard.

A pained yelp resounded in the room.

She looked at Sunny for a second, confused, her cheeks gaining a bit of colour.

"Sorry."

He just smiled at her, holding his nose.

Her hands moved to his face.

"Don't."

"What."

"Don't heal me. It will disappear in a second."

She reluctantly nodded.

He gave her a quick kiss.

"Say my True Name."

She violently shook her head.

"No. If we have the bond between us, we can't…" She got a little red. "You had reasons to want to be free, even if you knew I would never use my power over you."

"Don't worry. It's different."

She didn't ask anything else.

"I love you, Lost From Light."

Something changed inside her. She felt… complete, in a way. And she thought she couldn't feel more complete than she felt while kissing Sunny.

She opened her runes.

Companion: Sunless

"What did you do?"

"My Innate Ability is different: it gives me an equal."

They could still augment themselves.

Uh, maybe I could progress with Shadow Dance like this.

"What?"

Sunny looked confused.

"What what?"

"You said something about Shadow Dance."

"What? No, I didn't, I just t—"

Try talking to me without speaking.

Nephis flinched.

"Are you talking in my mind?"

Yes.

Sunny concentrated and sent an image of her sleeping next to him.

She stared at him, he smiled sheepishly in return.

You just sent me an image and a feeling of affection.

He hadn't meant to do that.

"It's similar to "

"the Shroud of Graceless Dusk."

"Cassie's Ability."

They concluded at the same time.

Sunny scratched his head.

"Can Cassie transmit emotions and images, too?"

"Huh, no. You're right, it's more akin to your Memory."

Sunny glanced at the clock.

"You should go to your room. It would be… rather strange if someone saw you exiting my room in the morning, wouldn't it?" He teased with a smirk.

In response, she concentrated on when he'd dismissed the Mantle before their swim, and she had been able to feel all of his desire for her unobscured.. That shut Sunny's mouth.

He gave her a quick kiss and she left.

The following days passed in a blur.

He would study about some ancient cultures and the beasts more likely to populate the regions he would probably be brought to, as well as their abilities and weaknesses.

'The regions you're more likely to find yourself in. Yeah, sure.' Sunny had thought when he heard Teacher Julius, but made no remarks about it.

During the combat lessons, he would fight clumsy, not standing out for his skill, but rather for his lack of it, and analysed the other Sleepers' styles through the eyes of his shadow.

He would reassure Cassie and build a strong bond with her. He'd decided to consider her as a new person, and not judge her for the things she had done.

All of his free time during the day was spent exercising with his sword and practicing Shadow Dance. He felt like he would break the first stages soon.

Every evening, Nephis snuck to his room, and they would talk.

Nephis shared her adventures during the four years in which she'd earned the admiration of both Valor's and Song's Domains, and how the cohort had been doing. He told her about his wandering in the Dream Realm, rarely mentioning his deeds in Antarctica.

They discussed hypothesis and discoveries, and Sunny explained the scrips he'd translated thoroughly.

Sometimes, they would just lie on the bed, enjoying each other's presence.

Sunny woke up, feeling sluggish and drowsy. He went to the bathroom to was himself, but it remained. Well, of course it remained. It was the Winter Solstice, after all. His last day on Earth, for at least a year, if everything went well.

He got ready and went to the cafeteria.

As soon as he entered, Nephis turned toward him, smiling.

Happy birthday.

Thank you. Uh, am I seventeen, a few thousands years old or twenty-seven?

Let's stick with both of us being seventeen, shall we?

Ok.

He filled his cup with coffee and his plate with lots of food.

When he'd first drunk it, he hadn't liked it. However, over time, he'd grown to appreciate it, and it had become a tradition.

The hall was silent, the chatters and laughs that usually resonated were absent. The mood was grin and nobody was touching their food.

He sat next to the oracle. Her blind eyes were suddenly staring at him.

"What is it?"

She seemed hesitant.

"Happy birthday."

He remained unnaturally calm.

"Thank you, Cassie."

When Cassie had been given her Flaw, she thought she was dead, or would be as soon as she entered the Dream Realm. She believed that her fellow Sleepers would avoid her, and with a reason: who would befriend a walking corpse like her? Instead, Sunny had approached her. He had been friendly and reassured her. Even if he was beyond strange, with all of these mysterious Attributes, she had begun to trust him, even if a little bit. He should have been a little more surprised, though.

After that, there wasn't much to do.

When the sun was close to setting, Awakened Rock led them to the medical center. He showed them the Hollow, and brought them to the Sleeping pods.

Cassia's eyes were shining with tears as she tried to prepare for her death. A reassuring weight was placed on her shoulder.

She turned toward Sunny.

"Don't worry Cassie, you're going to be fine."

Even if she knew she it was unreasonable, even if she knew she was trying to catch an inexistent dream, the small ember of Hope started burning, trembling, in her chest.

Sunny was in his room, staring at his shadow.

"Ready to go back in there?"

Gloomy nodded.

Same time same place?

Yes.

After Nephis' confirmation, he climbed in the Sleeping Pod.

In the vast echoing darkness, he heard:

[Welcome to the Dream Realm, Sunless!]

'More like welcome back…'