Shadow Slave

It took Sunny the rest of the night to compile all of the information he had gathered about the Forgotten Shore into a succinct, comprehensive report. Knowing how passionate Teacher Julius was about researching the Dream Realm, Sunny tried not to miss any important detail.

He had described the geography and environment of the region to the best of his ability, including all the notable landmarks he visited or heard about, as well as the peculiar nature of the dark sea and the Labyrinth. He also described most of the Nightmare Creatures he had seen, met, or fought, writing down everything he knew about their powers, behavior, and weaknesses, writing through the lens of his own experience where he could.

When possible, he included the information received directly from the Spell, complete with the descriptions of Memories and Echoes he knew about. Of course, he provided those texts both in the human tongue and in the runic language.

Lastly, he had written down the results of his exploration and studies into the history of the Forgotten Shore, describing in detail every engraving, every mosaic, and every mural he had seen. He also added his theories about what had happened to the ancient civilization, as well as his observations on how the ancient people of the Forgotten Shore had lived before the fall.

…Of course, there were things that he had kept to himself.

Sunny omitted anything having to do with the nest of the Vile Thieving Bird, the Weaver, and the underground chamber beneath the ruined cathedral. He did not mention the Stone Saint, firstly because he wanted to keep her existence a secret, and secondly because she was connected to the Unknown. He also avoided mentioning his battle against the coral golems and the banishment of the cursed sea, as well as the eventual fate of the Crimson Terror and the destruction of both the artificial sun and the Spire itself.

As far as everyone was concerned, Sunny had left through the Gateway with the rest of the Dreamers. No one had paid attention to his whereabouts in those last minutes, and he wanted to keep it that way. Well… no one except for Effie and Cassie, but he was reasonably sure that they would be discrete about certain things.

And even if they failed to keep their lips sealed, Sunny had ways to explain his actions without revealing the truth.

Finishing the report, Sunny leaned tiredly on the back of his chair and glanced at the screen. There, a long title was shown:

“Exploration Report on the Forgotten Shore, by: Awakened Sunless”

‘I think that’s good enough.’

Sunny had no idea how to write an academic paper… or a proper field report, for that matter. So he had written and structured this document in a way that would have been the most helpful for his younger self a year ago, when he had entered the Forgotten Shore without knowing anything about it.

A manual such as this would have made so many things easier.

With a sigh, Sunny sent the report to his communicator, then turned off the terminal and stood up.

Stretching his tired body, he swayed a little and yawned. It was already two days since his return to the real world, so the fatigue was slowly accumulating. Soon, he would have to start using the stimulants provided to him by Master Jet… but that moment had not come yet.

Sunny walked away from the table, then hesitated a little and came back. Picking up several books from the orderly pile, he returned them to the proper shelves.

After every book was back to its intended place, he nodded with satisfaction and finally left the library.

‘What a fascinating place. I like it there…’

Looking back at the unassuming building, Sunny breathed in the cold winter air and remembered the description of Weaver’s Mask:

‘Weaver believed that knowledge was the origin of power, and so always hid behind numerous lies…’

What would the Demon of Fate think about this place? It was, after all, a palace of knowledge.

Sunny remembered the deceptive pages that presented a washed, polished version of history and smiled.

‘Yeah… but it is also a palace of lies…’

***

It was weird returning to the Sleeper compound. The low, fortified building was much like he remembered, only weighed down by more snow. Sunny had not spent a lot of time here, but those days before the winter solstice were some of the most memorable in his life.

So much excitement, so much dread…

Who knew that he would not see it again for more than a year?

Entering the familiar hall, he looked around, half-expecting to see a crowd of nervous Sleepers. But, of course, there was no one around — everyone had already left for their first venture into the Dream Realm, and it was too early for the next year’s Dreamers to arrive.

Walking through the empty halls, he found his way to the lower levels of the compound and approached the Wilderness Survival classroom, which also served as Teacher Julius’s office. Opening the door, he saw the spacious and tastefully decorated room where he had spent most of his short stay at the Academy. Suddenly, Sunny was overwhelmed by a wave of nostalgia.

‘…Are you crazy? You’re too young to be nostalgic about the good old days!’

His mentor was not at his usual place, sitting behind the wide wooden desk. Instead, the old man was standing in front of a glass case, studying the skull of a ferocious creature stored inside and taking notes.

He hadn’t changed at all. Teacher Julius was still old, with messy grey hair, absentminded eyes, and a pair of bushy eyebrows that seemed to have a life of their own. His posture and expression were full of quiet melancholy.

…However, as soon as he heard someone entering the classroom, his face changed, becoming lively and curious once again.

Turning around, the old man stared at the visitor with confusion. Then, his face suddenly lit up with a bright, infectious smile.

“Sunny, my boy!”