Shadow Slave

There was a long bout of silence. Then, Rain exhaled lightly and smiled.

Turning to Sunny, she shrugged.

”Well, it isn’t the first time. You left to challenge the Second Nightmare, then to fight the Chain of Nightmares. You always return, though, don’t you?”

Rain paused for a moment, and then added sullenly:

“Even if, sometimes, you do stuff like erasing yourself from everyone’s memory and getting into my good graces again by pretending to be an eccentric immortal... who just happened to decide to become my teacher because of a fortuitous encounter...”

Her teasing was meant to lighten the mood, but Sunny did not respond.

Instead, he simply looked at her for a few long moments.

”I do tend to return. But, Rain... this time is different.”

Her smile faltered.

Sunny looked down, brushing his fingers against the warm cup, then looked at the mighty tree Rain was leaning on. Finally, he spoke:

”I am going to be gone for a long while this time. But that... that is not all of it. The Fifth Nightmare is different from all the rest. Apotheosis is different from all other steps on the Path of Ascension. So, even if I do return... I might not be the same.”

He felt something then. The painful sensation in his chest, grasping his heart like a vice — the undeniable reality that no matter what happened in the Nightmare, he was going to lose a part of himself. Perhaps an insignificant one... maybe a precious one, instead.

The person he had been all his life would be gone, replaced by a strange god.

Sunny inhaled deeply and looked at Rain.

‘Time really flies, doesn’t it? But it also crawls like a snail.’

She wasn’t the sweet toddler who used to follow him around their tiny apartment anymore. She wasn’t an awkward teenager, either, or even a young woman tentatively coming to terms with her budding adulthood. Rain was in her mid-twenties now, having already become a Master. The little girl he remembered had blossomed into a real adult...

Somewhere in the middle of the apocalypse, Rain had outgrown his image of her. Having experienced both war and peace, she was now tall and strong — just like the tree behind her.

She was thriving.

Sunny smiled.

Rain didn’t need to depend on him anymore. So, even if he was gone... even if he didn’t return, or returned so direly changed that they would not recognize each other... she would be alright.

...That was a little painful, too.

He cradled the teacup in his hands.

”But it has to be done. What can I do? Your brother is just too awesome. So, there’s no one else who can fill my shoes.”

Rain tried to smile, but her eyes betrayed an inner turmoil.

She looked away, remained silent for a short while, and then spoke in a tone tinged with emotion.

“We keep missing each other, don’t we?”

She took a deep breath.

”In this life... we were meant to spend it together, but instead, we spent most of it apart. And now, we are parting again. How is this fair?”

Sunny couldn’t help but chuckle.

“There’s no such thing as fair, so who knows?”

He paused for a moment.

”This world is so vast. It is so harsh, too. So many forces pulled us in different directions, but in the end, we still found each other, didn’t we? Over and over again. To me... those times we spent together were more precious than you can ever imagine, Rain. And they always will be.”

He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

”So, I want you to know that even if I seem odd after I return... even if I am not who I used to be or treat you differently... I will always look over you. You say that we have spent most of our lives apart, but Awakened have long lives, Rain. There are countless years ahead of us. And yes, I might not be able to spend them all by your side, but I will always be there, somewhere. Thinking of you.”

Sunny scratched the back of his head and added awkwardly:

”Well, unless I die, of course. But you know me — your brother is not easily killed. In fact, I pity the fool who tries to kill me.”

Rain couldn’t help but chuckle.

Afterward, she fell silent again and looked at him with a wry, bitter emotion hidden in her eyes.

She did not speak for a while, then asked:

”So, what? This is a goodbye?”

Sunny shook his head slightly.

“This... is a picnic. And a see you later — in a few years, hopefully. Before the world ends.”

He reached forward and poured more tea into her cup.

His voice turned lower.

“Take care of yourself, Rain. Things are going to get worse before they get better. You are a Master now, but I know that you won’t remain one for long... that means that in the years to come, you will be at the forefront of humanity’s struggle to survive. I know that you will do well — that you will be exceptional. But, please, put yourself first. Remember that somewhere out there, someone is fighting to get back to you. So, for their sake as well, please put yourself above all else.”

He looked at her and smiled.

”Oh... and this is for you.”

Rain frowned in confusion.

“What is?”

Sunny gestured to the courtyard around them.

“This. The Nameless Temple — I am leaving it to you. Revel will take care of it until you become Transcendent, but it’s all yours. This courtyard, this tree, the Citadel behind us. This, too, is your legacy.”

He hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward and put a hand on her shoulder.

A spark of energy passed from his soul into hers, and the Nightmare Spell announced that he lost a Memory.

Sunny cleared his throat.

“And a small parting gift, as well.”

Rain raised an eyebrow, then summoned the Memory and stared at it for a while.

Then, she asked in an incredulous tone:

“Your parting gift... is an ordinary rock?”

Sunny laughed.

“Believe me, there is nothing ordinary about it. It is a Memory that can record sounds. So... I left a few recordings for you to remember me by. If you ever feel like you miss me, you can summon this Memory and listen to one or two.”

He paused for a moment, and then added:

“Then, you’ll remember how obnoxious I was, and stop missing me immediately.”

Looking at the Extraordinary Rock, Rain let out a quiet laugh.

”I see. Indeed. Okay then... thank you for the thoughtful gift, Brother.”

She fell silent, stayed motionless for a while, and then gripped the rock tightly.

Raising her head, Rain looked Sunny in the eye and said:

”You... take care of yourself too, Sunny. I don’t care what happens to you or how much you change. If becoming a god gives you a big head and you forget how to be human... how to be my brother... then I’ll just remind you. I’ll keep reminding you until you remember, so if you want to save yourself the trouble, come back whole.”

Sunny met her gaze, lingered for a few moments, and then nodded.

There was nothing left to say.

”Goodbye, Rain.”

The branches of the tree swayed above them, rustling under a lightless sky.

Just like the two of them, the tree had been born in the outskirts of NQSC. And just like the two of them, it was uprooted and thrown into a wide, perilous world. However, the tree did not perish — instead, it adapted. Now, against all odds, it was thriving in a land where there was no sun, offering its company to the ancient walls of a forgotten temple.

Its roots were robust and strong, penetrating deep into an unforgiving soil. There were three scars on its bark, left by a mischievous youth.

That youth was a man now, and he was leaving to face his Nightmare.

He was leaving many precious things behind in this pursuit, as well... things he was not willing to part with.

But he knew that he had to let them go if he wanted to protect them.

Maybe that was the difference between a youth and a man.