Shadow Slave

A few days passed in tense anticipation. Sunny spent them doing the same things he had been doing before: training and preparing mentally for what was about to come.

He had a lot of things to do.

First came his technique, which was based on the flowing battle style that Nephis had taught him, with elements of Shadow Saint's grounded style added to its adaptive foundation. His skill was growing sharper and sharper, slowly being elevated and solidified at the level that his current understanding of combat allowed.

Sunny was not a novice anymore. He survived hundreds of deadly battles, and each left him stronger and more experienced than he had been before.

But perfecting his technique was still not easy, because he had to make himself indomitable first, and then turn that firmness into flexibility.

Now that Sunny finally had free time, he also used it to adapt his style to the new reality of his improved physical limits. Many things that had not been possible for him before the journey to the Hollow Mountains became possible now. The way he approached combat had to change, too.

All of it took effort and a lot of thought to achieve.

Second came the Shadow Dance. Sunny was still at the stage where he was slowly forming a practical set of moves to train in that elusive style. He felt as if he was now only one final step away from turning his vision of the Shadow Dance into reality. However, he seemed to be lacking some crucial ingredient. He needed one last push, one moment of inspiration to make that final step.

Still, his exercises weren't useless. Until that moment of inspiration came, they helped condition his body and mind, make them adaptable and malleable like shadows. When the last revelation appeared, they would be able to receive it.

After each intense training session, every muscle in his body ached, and a wave of mental fatigue washed over him.

Third came the most important task. He had to turn his mind and soul into a fortress that would withstand the shock of the future.

He had to achieve the type of clarity that would allow him to emerge victorious on the other end of it all, and for now, this task was turning out to be the most unattainable.

It was hard to shape one's body and mind into a perfect tool, but it was so much harder to do the same with one's soul. However, this was exactly the barrier he had to overcome.

Just like that, six days passed.

…On the seventh day after his departure, Kai finally returned. The charming young man seemed tired and ragged, his armor and clothes covered in dirt, dust, and dried blood. The quiver of arrows he had taken with him was now empty, and there were shallow cuts on the fabric of his jacket.

Sunny's shadow had kept watching the skies above the Bright Castle all this time, so he was one of the first to know.

By the time Sunny arrived at the small room that served as Neph's council chamber, Kai was already there, sitting by the fire and greedily drinking water from a crude clay cup. Effie was by his side, pushing a plate of food into his hands.

Noticing him, Kai smiled weakly.

"Hey, Sunny."

Sunny hesitated for a bit, then approached the beautiful young man and patted him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Kai. Welcome back."

Neither he nor Effie spoke after than, giving their friend an opportunity to catch his breath and waiting for the rest to come.

One after another, Cassie, Caster, and Seishan appeared in the room and greeted Kai. Nephis was the last to enter.

She glanced at everyone and then sat down near Kai. After hesitating for a few moments, she looked him in the eyes and asked:

"How many?"

Kai remained silent for a while, a solemn expression slowly appearing in his eyes. Finally, he turned away and sighed. One word escaped his lips:

"...None."

His voice echoed in the small room, making the faces of people gathered there darken.

"I scoured the Labyrinth, looking for any sign that a Sleeper passed there recently. But there were none. There was no one alive and no bodies, not even a single fresh bone that I could find. The Spell… it did not send anyone to this hell, not this year."

'And it won't the next one, too. Just as I thought.'

Sunny sighed. Sometimes, it was nice to be mistaken.

Fifteen years ago, the Spell had sent seven people to the Forgotten Shore. The next year, it had been twice as much, and then more and more. Eventually, hundreds of Sleepers had been arriving in the Dark City after each winter solstice… up until last year, when only four of them — Sunny, Nephis, Cassie, and Caster — had come.

Three more had perished in the Labyrinth without ever reaching the cursed ruins.

Because of that, inhabitants of the Bright Castle came up with a theory that the number of people sent to this region of the Dream Realm by the Spell followed a certain cycle. If they had been right, then at least fourteen Sleepers would have appeared somewhere in the Labyrinth a week ago.

But Sunny never believed in that theory.

In his mind, the four of them had never been meant to start a new cycle. He had always thought that, instead, they were meant to be the last.

The last chance the Spell had given to the people of the Forgotten Shore.

And now, he knew that he had been right.

With a sigh, Nephis slowly nodded and stared at the fire burning in the hearth for a bit. Everyone stood silently, waiting for her to make a decision.

Finally, she said without looking at them:

"...Tell everyone to gather in the throne room. I will speak to them."

Without wasting any time, Caster bowed slightly and left the room. Effie gave her a short look, and then followed him. So did the rest.

Sunny was the last one to leave, his heart beating like a drum.

'It is beginning!'