Shadow slave: In The Eye of The Beholder

Silas gasped for breath, his limbs trembling from the effort of keeping up. The sharp sting of his muscles protesting with every movement was a sensation he had become far too familiar with. He barely managed to steady himself, the training sword feeling heavy in his grip, more of a burden that an actual weapon 

Nephis stood, her chest rising and falling in a controlled rhythm, far from the exhaustion that gripped him.

She wiped a small bead of sweat from her brow before fixing him with a piercing gaze, her eyes as cold and sharp as ever. "You've improved" she said, her voice calm despite the intensity of their duel.

Silas nodded, swallowing back the urge to say more. He didn't have the breath for it. Instead, he just muttered, "Thanks." His body groaned as he stood, limbs protesting the movement, but Nephis was already gone, slipping away from the courtyard like a shadow.

Letting out a sigh, followed by a painful groan, he trudged after her.

That woman really doesn't know how to talk to people, does she? Silas grumbled internally. After all this time of her wiping the floor with me in duels, she still has barely anything to say. He wiped sweat from his brow, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. It's hard enough getting any feedback as it is—sometimes trying to understand her is a puzzle all by itself.

Though, as he glanced down at his hand, it was clear how much had changed. The once smooth skin was now rough and covered in calluses. Even as he clenched his fist, his palm cried out in protest. Though she's not wrong, he admitted to himself, I've improved a lot.

For three weeks, in combat class, Nephis and Caster had been his duelling partners. Nephis offered only the bare minimum of guidance, her corrections sparse but brutal, while Caster had become the testing ground for any ideas or techniques Silas developed during practice.

His swordsmanship was basic, rough around the edges, but there was something there. What had once been aimless swinging was now slowly taking shape. It wasn't a refined style born from battling Nightmare Creatures—it was born from the constant back-and-forth with his two partners. An elusive style, moulded by his fights and shaped by [Beholder's Eye].

It felt natural, though far from complete. His style was rooted in unpredictability—counterattacks that flowed seamlessly into offense, strikes that pierced through defences already seen and predicted by his aspect. With [Guiding Tapestry] reinforcing his awareness, he aimed to dominate his opponent, forcing them into positions where they couldn't escape his gaze.

That was the dream, at least. For now, it was still an idea, a concept that would take months of refinement before becoming something tangible. But even recognizing the potential for his own unique style was a milestone. Despite the relentless duels, the gruelling literature in survival class, and the constant comparison to his legacy clan peers, he was... happy.

Surprisingly so.

Silas could think of a variety of reasons why he felt this sense of contentment, but what stood out most were the people he'd gotten to know during his stay at the academy. There weren't many, but the first was Sunny. Though he could be infuriating at times, there was a shared understanding between them—resentment toward the legacy clans and a mutual sense of being outsiders.

It surprised Silas to learn that Sunny was also from the outskirts. In hindsight, it made perfect sense, but until recently, Silas hadn't thought it possible for another kid from there to have made it out. He had assumed Sunny had a criminal record, been locked up, and eventually contracted the Spell. That seemed like the only explanation for how someone like him ended up at the academy, placed there in the hopes of being "rehabilitated" and reintegrated into society.

But getting to know Sunny better, it was clear that wasn't the case. He wasn't a criminal—at least not yet.

Though that might change soon enough, Silas thought wryly. Sunny didn't exactly behave like a law-abiding citizen. He still carried the rough edges of the outskirts with him, but in a different way than Silas did.

Sunny had been more of an alleyway kid, someone who had stolen from others to survive. Silas, on the other hand, had scavenged, too weak to steal from those who had so little.

His other companions had been nephis, who although was still aloof as ever, seemed to somewhat be ok with spending time with him, she at the moment felt more as a goal, something to eventually surpass, 'I was close a couple of times' Silas reminisced, although he lacked in certain aspects, [Beholders Eye] along with [Empowerment} was a powerful duo he had found times which he nearly managed to defeat her, normally in a sudden outburst he produced in the middle of battle, leaping into a furry as soon as he saw an opportunity presented by the golden strings.

There was also Cassie, he only saw her when going to the cafeteria, though she provided some conversations as well as insight, despite the fact she couldn't see of course. Silas liked these people's company, he had been alone for most of his life, the change was noticeable and beneficial, every day felt a little easier when he could talk with other people about it. 

Humans were social creatures and Silas was no different. 

But there had been some downsides to his interactions. 

[Flaw: Oathbound Conscientious].

[Debts]

[Nephis-██░░░░░░░░░]-17%

[Sunless-█░░░░░░░░░]-9%

With a troubled look Silas observed the runes. 

He had added to more debts thanks to his now subtle reliance on them, it was certainly manageable and had no real consequences yet, but these debts weren't just figurative; they were imprints left on his soul, ties that needed to be balanced lest they weigh him down in more ways than one

For now, he would just have to repay them in the dream realm, the deadline for entering the wilderness was tomorrow, so there wasn't much else he could do. 

Arriving at the cafeteria and filling his plate with as much food as he could manage, Silas made his way to his usual bench. Sunny, who had been eating, looked at him, raising an eyebrow for a second before smirking.

"Got beaten up again? Here's a suggestion: try avoiding getting smacked in the face repeatedly," Sunny suggested. Silas managed a deadpan look before responding.

"Sure, let's test your suggestion. Have a duel with me and see if you can heed your own advice."

Cassie, who had been listening, decided to speak up but immediately stopped when Sunny scoffed.

"Please, I killed an awakened tyrant by just bleeding a little. I can take a few punches from you easily!"

'And there he goes with his boasting,' Silas thought. 'I'm not sure if he enjoys it or if it's just a flaw in his brain that won't let him keep quiet about these "achievements." Either way, the banter is fun.'

Silas, with a smile, was ready to respond, but a familiar flat voice behind him made him stop.

"Can I sit here?"

He looked back in shock to find Nephis with a blank expression, holding her plate of food. She gave Silas an expectant look, but he could barely judge if she was annoyed at having to ask.

"... yeah, go ahead," he managed to say.

Nephis sat down without acknowledging any of the tablemates and began eating her food. Sunny and Cassie looked at the new visitor in shock. Sunny was wide-eyed and leaning slightly back, while Cassie was alert and shifting around more.

In the silence that followed the newcomer's arrival, Sunny scratched his head, trying to break the tension.

"So, Changing Star—or Nephis—why did you decide to grace us with your, uh, presence?" Sunny asked, an awkward laugh escaping at the end.

She gave him a blank look. Silas noticed her eyes shift towards the other sleepers, who were chatting loudly, before she looked back at her food.

"Reasons," she answered briefly, focusing on her meal again.

The silence returned, only to be broken by Cassie, who asked timidly, "Oh, well, either way, you can sit here again if you want. Any more company would be great."

Nephis looked at her for a second before responding, "Not necessary. The winter solstice is tomorrow."

Cassie flinched and glanced downward. "Oh, right… Sorry."

Nephis seemed to catch onto her reaction, her voice now filled with subtle emotion "Are you scared?"

Cassie immediately reacted and attempted to explain.

"No, I just-" Only to immediately cutoff by the silver haired girl.

"You shouldn't be, you seem to be blinded by your flaw, but the spell deals in both ways, if you were hindered by such a weakness then surely you have strength that is worth just as much or if not more, with a potent aspect at your hand, you can survive"

Silas and Sunny observed quietly, while cassies empty eyes seemed to spark a bit as she took in nephis's words, looking in the vague direction of nephis before nodding, her downdraught expression now wearing a small smile.

"...I guess. 

Silas expected more, but Nephis soon shifted back to her food. With no more words in the air, the rest of them decided to follow her example.

The tablemates continued this until they all eventually left for their own rooms, left to ponder Nephis proclamation. 

-------------------------------

Silas was huddled under the layers of his bed, comforted by the darkness. He reached out to the roof of his room.

'Tomorrow.'

Tomorrow would be the day he finally started realizing his will that had been burning inside him. He would use what he had learned to hunt down the most vicious nightmare creatures and arrogant legacies. By sword, arrow, or hand, he would slay them.

Silas soon found the spark inside him again. He reached toward it as memories played in his mind: the care of his mother, the guidance of his father, and the bond with the violet-eyed girl. He had more than just himself to fight for.

They had all sacrificed so much for him to get where he was.

It was time he proved their choices right, time he showed the world he was more than they could ever believe.

As the [Weaver of Rebellion],

He would start spinning his own fate.

The proclamation grew distant as sleep took him.

His consciousness darkened before he opened his eyes. Instead of being back in his room, he found himself floating in a dimly illuminated black void. No thoughts crossed his mind as he turned to see the darkness around him.

His eyes quickly caught onto the source that filled the darkness with its subtle shine.

A golden eye stretched beyond his sight, an abyssal black pupil staring directly at him. Endless golden strings wove around its brilliant form. The void around him seemed utterly compact and full compared to the depths of its iris.

When he looked further, the only words he could use to describe it were:

Pure emptiness.

It was the familiar yet distant divine observer.

It was the Beholder in all its glory.