shadow slave, Echoes of the forgotten

The late afternoon light filtered through the windows as Sunny sat motionless on his couch, mind wrestling with the impossible task ahead: how to tell Nephis the truth about who he really was. Effie had left earlier, following Kai and Cassie's departure, despite Sunny's invitation to stay. He'd hoped her presence might help him gather his thoughts, but fate had other plans trowing him in the conversation ASAP.

In the kitchen, Nephis moved with practiced efficiency, her hands working through familiar motions as she prepared their meal. Years of experience had made cooking second nature to her, each ingredient measured precisely, every seasoning added with expert care. Though the rich aroma of stew filled the entire house, her thoughts seemed elsewhere, her movements automatic rather than passionate.

When she began ladling the finished stew into bowls, Sunny rose silently to set the table. Neither had spoken since Effie's departure, and while the silence felt almost comfortable on the surface, Sunny could sense the questions building behind Nephis's composed exterior. He braced himself, knowing the conversation to come would shatter everything she thought she knew.

How does one explain being a time traveler? How do you tell someone you've witnessed the end of the world, only to find yourself inexplicably thrown back into the past? The weight of that knowledge, coupled with the uncertainty of whether his actions might somehow make things worse, pressed down on him like a physical burden.

They sat down to eat, and Nephis maintained her characteristic mask of indifference. But Sunny knew better – beneath that carefully constructed exterior was someone who had dedicated herself to saving humanity from the nightmare spell. Her apparent detachment was just that: apparent.

The meal passed in continued silence, though Sunny had expected Nephis to break it. When they finished, he guided her to the living room, where they faced the conspicuously empty wall where a television had once hung. The destroyed screen seemed an apt metaphor for how he was about to break her view of reality.

"Is there anything in particular you want to know, or can I just start?" Sunny's voice betrayed his anxiety and exhaustion.

Nephis turned to him, her face carefully neutral, though her shadow betrayed a tumult of emotions. When she spoke, her voice carried a measured calm. "How do you know about my plan?"

It was the perfect opening. "You told me," Sunny replied, "or rather, you will tell me. At a ball hosted by Valor."

Confusion flickered across Nephis's features. "A ball hosted by Valor? What are you talking about?"

"I know about it because I'll be there," he explained, a slight, bitter smile tugging at his lips. "They'll host it as part of their attempt to recruit you, to gain control over the fire keepers."

"Did Cassie share this vision with you?" Nephis asked, studying him carefully. "What is your relationship with her, anyway?"

"Cassie never shares her visions unless they serve her purposes," Sunny replied, his voice hardening. "I understand why she made her choices, but I don't think I'll ever forgive her. I tried to trust her, but she betrays and uses me during our third nightmare."

Nephis's carefully maintained composure finally cracked, genuine confusion washing over her face. "How could you possibly know about the third nightmare? What happened?" She leaned forward, intense focus in her eyes. "Tell me everything, from the beginning."

Nephis's voice wavered with confusion and wonder, her carefully maintained composure beginning to crack. Though his flaw meant he couldn't lie, the truth he spoke seemed impossible to accept.

"In our third nightmare, Cassie reveals a way to remove the shadow bond, promising me freedom," Sunny continued, his voice heavy with remembered betrayal. "But removing it also removes my fate – exactly what Cassie wanted. She planned to use me as a weapon against fate itself."

He drew a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before explaining further.

"Fate isn't just destiny – it's the invisible threads that connect all humans to each other and to certain creatures. When you lose your fate, you lose all those connections. Everyone forgets you ever existed."

Nephis leaned forward, her eyes intense. "So you lose your fate – but how do you know this will happen?"

"After being banished from both fate and the nightmare spell, I spent time trying to understand what had happened," Sunny explained. "When that proved futile, I traveled to Antarctica to kill a Corrupted Titan – one I had a particular grudge against."

Nephis's breath caught sharply. The casual way he mentioned slaying a Corrupted Titan – a feat that would challenge even a saint with extensive preparation – made her wonder just what kind of person sat before her.

"You killed a Corrupted Titan?" she asked, incredulous. "What grudge could warrant such an impossible task?"

"That Titan would have gone on to destroy millions of lives in Antarctica, including my entire cohort," Sunny replied, his voice hard with determination. "I couldn't let that happen. Not again."

He pressed on, each word making Nephis's eyes widen further. "Afterward, lonely and lost, I entered the dream realm. I decided to cross the Hollow Mountains to reach the Forgotten Shore. It nearly killed me daily, but I persisted."

Nephis couldn't maintain her composure any longer. "You... you did what? Are you insane? Do you have any idea how dangerous that journey is?"

"I do," Sunny replied quietly. "May I finish explaining?"

After a tense moment, he continued, "I spent nearly a year climbing those mountains before finding a temple hidden in a massive cave. Something drew me inside, where I discovered a strange altar. When a guardian appeared, I touched some runes I was trying to decipher. My essence flowed into them – they seemed hungry for it. The next thing I knew, I was back in the space where the spell evaluates performance during the second nightmare."

He paused, unable to meet Nephis's gaze or even look at her shadow, afraid of what he might see there.

"When I regained consciousness, I could use the spell again, but it was different – as if it rejected my very existence, making it difficult to control."

His voice carried a deep sadness now, tinged with an undercurrent of hatred that, though subtle, was impossible to miss.

"Why are you telling me all of this, Sunny?" Nephis asked softly. "Why me, of all people?"

"Because I trust you," Sunny said, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I don't know what else to do. Cassie will likely try to use me again – she probably already knows about this. And while Kai and Effie are strong and dependable, they wouldn't understand." His voice cracked as he added, "You're the only one who can truly understand me."

The desperation in his tone was unmistakable, as if his entire world was crumbling around him. When his body began to sway, Nephis moved quickly to steady him. The tears came then – deep, wracking sobs that spoke of months, of carrying this burden alone. How could one person bear such knowledge, such responsibility, without breaking?

Watching him break down stirred something in Nephis – guilt over the shadow bond she'd placed on him, even though she'd done it to protect him. Even though she'd been willing to sacrifice herself to ensure his survival.

She held him as he cried, grateful for this show of trust. She'd feared he would hate her for the bond, perhaps even try to kill her. Instead, here he was, showing her his most vulnerable self. His trust ran deeper than she'd imagined possible, and she found herself investing even more trust in him in return. He'd earned it, after all. A bitter irony struck her – without the shadow bond between them, she might have accepted his proposal.

Eventually, his sobs subsided, his breathing steadied, and his body went slack as exhaustion claimed him. Nephis carefully arranged his arm around her shoulders and half-carried him to his bedroom. With gentle movements, she wiped the tears and traces of grief from his face.

After tucking him under several blankets, she debated whether to stay. Deciding against it, she leaned close to check if he was truly asleep. As she turned to leave, a hand caught her wrist and pulled her back with surprising strength.

Her combat instincts flared, fist shocked, before she realized it was Sunny. He drew her into an embrace that left no room for escape, his shadows wrapping around his body and amplifying his strength fivefold.

Nephis found herself smiling as she surrendered to the inevitable, settling into his arms. The comfort she found there was unexpected, stirring something in her chest – a feeling both achingly familiar and frustratingly out of reach. As sleep claimed her, she allowed herself to drift away on pleasant thoughts.

***

Morning light filtered through the windows far too soon. Sunny woke first, finding himself at the edge of his bed, feeling unusually well-rested despite having no memory of going to sleep. As he oriented himself, his gaze fell on the woman beside him – her silver hair spread across his pillow, her usually guarded expression softened by sleep into something achingly vulnerable.

His heart stuttered to a stop, mind racing for explanations that wouldn't come. He lay back down, trying to steady his pulse and make sense of the situation. No matter how he turned it over in his thoughts, he couldn't shake the feeling that he must have done something inappropriate.

His attempts to slip away without disturbing her proved futile – she was already stirring, her eyes beginning to flutter open.

'What have I done?!' his mind screamed as he frantically scanned the room for clues. Everything seemed normal, save for the slightly open door, but that did nothing to calm his rising panic.

When Nephis finally opened her eyes and found Sunny watching her, she couldn't resist the mischievous impulse that struck her. "Good morning," she purred, voice deliberately soft. "You were wonderful yesterday."

The effect was instantaneous – Sunny's face went white, his breathing became labored, and in the next moment, he collapsed back onto the bed, unconscious. Nephis immediately regretted her teasing, rushing to check his pulse. Though elevated, it was steady enough. Still, she felt a twinge of guilt for the joke and decided to make amends with breakfast.

Hours later, Sunny awoke alone, relief washing over him despite his confusion about how he'd gotten to bed. After a quick shower and change of clothes, he ventured to the kitchen, hoping to avoid Nephis after what he assumed had been a vivid dream.

Instead, he found her waiting with a smile and an elaborate breakfast. The perfectly seared ribeye steak rested on a bed of garlic-butter mashed potatoes, accompanied by roasted vegetables and asparagus. A red wine reduction sauce draped elegantly over the meat, crowned with crispy fried onions, while warm crusty bread completed the presentation. It would have been perfect, except for one detail that made Sunny's face contort in disgust – HONEY-glazed carrots. His mortal enemy.

Nephis's eyes dimmed at his reaction, though he didn't notice. Without hesitation, he dumped the honey-contaminated vegetables in the trash and thoroughly washed his hands. Only then did he begin eating, unaware of the small smile playing at Nephis's lips as she watched him.

Having finished her own portion, she observed his meal in comfortable silence until his obvious anxiety finally broke through. "Hey," he ventured, uncertainty coloring his voice, "we didn't do anything weird yesterday, right?"

A mischievous grin spread across her face as she answered, using the very skills of deception he'd taught her. "We sure did." She paused, savoring his reaction. "We talked about your return to the past, then you collapsed in my arms. I had to do all the work."

His heartbeat thundered loud enough to echo through the walls, and she quickly relented. "Nothing happened," she clarified, her voice turning serious. "You fell asleep, I carried you to bed, and you pulled me into a hug while sleeping. That's all."

"Oh, thank the dead gods," he breathed, his vital signs gradually returning to normal.

After finishing his carefully honey-avoided breakfast, Sunny settled on the couch. He reached for his communicator, then smiled and set it aside. Instead, he called Nephis into the living room, his voice carrying an unusual nervousness – not the kind that came from facing deadly creatures, but the awkwardness of an unusual request.

"I wanted to ask you something," he began, pressing on without waiting for a response. "I have this shadow that grows stronger by eating. I was wondering if you might... let it have a bit of your flesh? To help it get stronger?"

Nephis's reply died in her throat as she gaped at the sight before her. A colossal figure, five meters tall, dominated the corner of the room. Its four massive arms extended from a body of polished black silver, its carapace riddled with jagged spikes like broken swords. Eyes burning with malevolent hunger stared out from its face, and each finger ended in glowing, flame-wreathed fangs. The creature's steel-like shell seemed to mock the very laws of nature with its impossible durability.

Fiend tried to smile, but it ended being crooked, Neph's body frozen before the mighty shadow.

"Hey DUMBASS. Stop that, sit down, Fiend."

The massive creature obeyed instantly, though even seated it towered above them by half a meter, two hands resting on its legs while the others pressed against the floor.

"Sunny," Nephis managed, her voice trembling, "how do you have such a powerful shadow? The spell doesn't show anything like this in your soul."

"He came back with me from the future," Sunny replied, clearly annoyed. "The spell only shows my soul's current state, not what it will become. So," he continued, his tone lightening, "I made this – it's not quite finished, but it's close."

As Sunny summoned a memory, something strange occurred – instead of manifesting in the usual sparks of light, it emerged from the shadows themselves. It was a peculiarity he couldn't explain, no matter how many times he attempted to alter the process.

The memory materialized as a bracelet, crafted from lightweight metal and adorned with metallic beads, each inscribed with intricate runes. It was a fifth-tier memory of awakened rank, its sole purpose being to reveal the current state of Sunny's soul to those who could read the roughly translated runes. The runes enhanced its visibility and served numerous other subtle functions.

Sunny channeled his essence into the bracelet, and suddenly both of them could see the mystical script detailing the nature of his soul. Nephis studied the runes intently, her eyes moving methodically across each symbol, ensuring she understood every nuance of what was written there.

After completing her careful examination, she made her decision. With unwavering resolve, she summoned her sword. In one fluid motion, she sliced off a piece of her own flesh and offered it to the towering shadow. Immediately afterward, her hand glowed with silver colored flames as she regenerated the missing tissue.

Fiend accepted the offering with evident pleasure, his massive form seeming to quiver with satisfaction. After consuming the flesh, he merged back into the shadows to begin his evolution – better to complete the process now than risk losing the opportunity forever.