Shadow Slave: Reaction

There was a rustle, and a gentle breeze caressed Sunny's face. He awoke slowly, allowing himself to enjoy the sweet moments of comfort and peace that dwelled on the edge between dream and wakefulness.

'Master!?'

Rain's eyes opened as much as it could, nearly bulging out. Her mysterious, aloof and strange master was suddenly on the screen.

"Oh! It's master Sunless!"

Saint Athena remarked, getting the attention of everyone in the theater.

Many of the fire keepers and some like proffesor Julius, Researcher Beth, and many awakened such as Telle, daughter of saint Tyris, also recognized the man on the screen.

"Are you familiar with this figure?"

The soft yet alluring voice came from Saint Seishan of Ravenheart. No one made another question, agreeing with what she has just asked.

"He is the owner of the eye candy cafe."

Effie replied casually.

"A cafe? No, more importantly why are we reacting to a master? This is a waste of time then."

Said by a saint on Ravenheart's side.

Effie snorted

"How should I know? You can't deny him being an eye candy though! "

She exclaimed, followed by a loud laugh.

Various fire keepers nodded, and even Aiko did too. Although she sometimes is annoyed by her boss, she can't deny the guy's powerful appearance, a magnet for customers.

After a while, he sighed and opened his eyes.

The sun was yet to rise, but the sky outside his window had already started to brighten. The wind blowing from the lake made the curtains flutter, filling the modest bedroom with the delightful smell of freshness.

Even after all these years, Sunny was still sometimes startled at how clean and pure the air of the Dream Realm was.

"As much as we hate to accept this, the dream realm is getting more and more liveable than our own world."

The old and wise Wake of Ruin, Saint Cor said with a sad smile. Almost everyone understood what he meant. Meanwhile the people who lack the understanding and knowledge couldn't comprehend the message behind his words.

'If I remember correctly, teacher said something similar. That humanity might need to migrate to the Dream Realm!'

Rain pondered more about the old Saint's words but couldn't get into the right conclusion as she lacks the right knowledge.

'More importantly, when is this? Master couldn't be traveling while training me right? This might be the past, master, after all is always by my side.'

Putting on simple clothes and summoning the Nebulous Mantle, Sunny yawned, tied his hair back, and left the bedroom. He splashed some water in his face, then went to the kitchen and brewed himself a large cup of strong, fragrant coffee.

Almost everyone had ignore the memory except a single person. That person specifically can still see the unique way of how the memory was weaved in a very different way that he knows.

"Interesting... "

All eyes was on to him, revealing a beautiful man. His long hair tied stylishly making the people focus on the moon shaped mark on his forehead.

"Who might you be? "

Saint Cor asked, looking at the man on the very side of the theater.

Hearing the question, the man smiled and slowly stood up revealing his appearance to every person in the theater.

"Wait...? Noctis?"

The beautiful voice of Saint Kai echoed inside the room.

"As expected of me, even someone I'm not familiar with knows someone such as myself."

Noctis replied with a smile.

"Kai... do you know him?" It was Lady Changing Star who asked cautiously.

"He is someone I met inside my second nightmare. With Cassie and Effie."

Everyone realized how peculiar this situation is. You have met someone who you fought alongside and died with, yet that someone is clueless of who you are.

"Uhh... To explai-

"There is no need."

Noctis smiled at Kai

"This weird place have informed me about the spell."

Kai sighed in relief but then continued to ask.

"Sir Noctis... what do you think about this footage? What is interesting about it?"

Noctis laughed and replied.

"I... or rather 'we' call it 'sorcery'. It is a way of making, fixing and improving an item— those you people call memories."

A firekeeper who must've still not understood the situation spoke.

"Are you a saint before the spell appeared?"

"Quite obvious."

Noctis sighed and looked around the audiences before speaking again.

"That man's memory, the black mantle is special. It uses a different type of sorcery much superior of what I'm capable of."

"I see... Thank you for the information sir Noctis."

The Transcendent, saint Soul Reaper, Jet replied. After that, he looked at Kai who eventually nodded, showing the fact that Noctis has told them the truth.

All the crowd satisfied with the information went back on watching the strange screen infront of them.

Finally, holding the steaming mug, he left the house and sat down on the porch, intending to enjoy his coffee while watching the sun rise.

It was rather hard to get his hands on coffee beans in the Dream Realm, but today, Sunny wanted to pamper himself. It was his birthday, after all.

He was turning twenty-six.

...Of course, no one in the world knew that.

"No one? Sounds kinda ominous don't you think?" A firekeeper said whispery to his comrade beside him.

"Hey screen! when is this? Master Sunless' birthday is quite a mystery based on this footage. So can I know when is it?"

Some people in the audience, including Rain also wants to know but as expected the screen didn't answer. They are all getting used to the footage being shown but the mystery about this random master goes much deeper than they have thought.

'Master said that he is in his twenties. Is he telling the truth or this is a lie?'

Although Rain wanted to think about it more, she knew that the footage will show the answers to her questions and thinking about what bullshit her master spoke is a waste of time. He even said that Rain is his sister or something which is utterly outrageous.

Taking the first sip of his coffee, Sunny smiled slightly and looked up. A few of the brightest stars could still be seen, shining in the pale lavender expanse of the morning sky. Just at that moment, the gentle sun finally crested the dark line of the distant horizon, imbuing the sky with a beautiful golden radiance. The soft twilight of dawn was imbued with a hint of bright daylight.

He watched the sun rise while enjoying his coffee.

"Beautiful..."

Someone has muttered in the crowd which was heard by everyone.

"Indeed, but no matter how beautiful it is, the dangers of these lands are even more terrifying. "

Lady Changing Star spoke, reminding everyone here how strange and cruel the dream realm really is.

Despite the beautiful sight, Sunny felt a bit of melancholy. He looked down with a wistful smile.

..l am older than mom was when she passed now.

"Damn... what a smile. "

Effie muttered, admiring the master's facial features.

A smack came from behind as Jet reprimanded Effie.

"You are a married person dumbass."

"haha..."

It was a strange feeling. When Sunny was a child, his mother was the definition of an adult to him, and adults were magical creatures who possessed wondrous and incredible powers. But now, he was an adult himself, which was why he was able to realize.. that his mother had been a kid herself.

"It is surprising sometimes how fast time moves."

Saint Cor said with a smile.

"Why don't you retire already."

Jet Whispered at the old man, making him laugh.

She was gone, but both her children were alive and doing well. There was precious solace and consolation in that fact, so Sunny did not feel too sad.

'So master have a sister, and she's alive as well. She might be also very old. Do I have any resemblance of her that master jokes around about me being his sister?'

Rain pondered again but stopped immediately. She spun her head and saw the strange and dangerous saint, Mordret looking at her.

Mordret gave the girl a smile and continued to watch the footage.

Well, alive was a given, but he wasn't too sure about doing well. During these last four years, he had gone through a long rough patch... and had even done a few very stupid things. Still, it was looking better now.

"Haha, I can't imagine a gentle master like master Sunless do stupid things. That would be a very enjoyable seen."

Effie laughed, imagining how clumsy that would be.

Jet beside her replied.

"I agree, even though I'm not familiar with him, I could see him being similar to Lady Nephis, her doing stupid things would also be interesting. "

Both saints laughed with their jokes while Kai who's beside them just faced palmed.

'Stop talking behind someone's back!'

He couldn't help but sigh with disbelief.

This peaceful morning he was able to enjoy was proof.

Sipping on coffee, Sunny watched as sunlight finally reached the lake and reflected on its clear surface. The lake was vast and picturesque, so calm that its surface was like a mirror.

At the very side of the theater, a nerve bulged out of Mordret's forehead. He smiled and surpass his thoughts of murdering every Valor vessels here in this theater.

His gaze fell to a girl who's name is Rain. Her body language told him that this Sunny is someone related to her and some answers is just inside that littke head of hers.

'sadly, we can't use our aspects here'

He sighed and continued to watch

A grandiose, magnificent white castle rose from the lake, with vermilion flags fluttering on its many towers. It almost seemed too beautiful to be real, like something from a fairy tale. But, of course, it was truly there.

The beautiful castle of white stone was Bastion, the Great Citadel of Clan Valor, where the King of Swords held his court. It was also the heart of a populous city that had grown around the lake in the last four years.

In the middle of all the crowd inside the theater, A blind girl who have just received her eyesight back temporarily is shook about these events.

Cassie muttered silently, her body trembling with fear and confusion.

"S-Sunless..."