Shadow Slaves
Chapter 18: The Absence of Light
Sunny was enjoying a hot bath. After their brief conversation, Master Jet sent him to clean himself up, saying that he “smells Nightmare”. An unnatural sleep spell would slow down the body's metabolism, and the medical equipment that bound him was supposed to take care of the rest, but he was still asleep for three whole days.
Although it was only psychological, the scent of bloodshed and despair remained all around him.
“Ah, I'm in heaven,” thought Sunny, willingly forgetting the disastrous disability that threatened for a while.
He was alone in the bathroom of the police station, relaxing under the stream of hot water. After a bit of time passed, Sunny reluctantly turned off the tap and walked over to the towel rack. Coincidentally, he saw himself reflected in the mirror.
Physical changes are subtle, but noticeable. Her pale skin looked a little healthier, her muscles were a little more prominent. He looked slender and thin instead of thin and fragile, just like he had done before. There was a hint of luster in his black hair and luster in his eyes.
However, he is still a bit small. Not a picture of masculine good looks, to say the least.
‘Flower, yes?’ Thought Sunny, full of bitterness.
Then he suddenly froze, noticing something strange. As he looked at himself in the mirror, the reflection of his reflection seemed to move. It was as if the shadow had lowered its head and was silently clapping.
Sunny quickly turned around, piercing her shadow with a nervous look. But everything seems normal. The shadow did what it was supposed to do, repeating its every move.
“I obviously saw you move,” he said, feeling a bit strange. “You just moved by yourself, right?!”
Sunny glared at the shadow, which obediently glared back.
“Are you moving or not?”
The shadow enthusiastically shook his head.
‘What?’
“What do you mean, ‘not’?! You just moved your head! Do you think I'm stupid?”
The shadow seemed to think for a while and then shrugged.
Sunny was left with a mouth open.
“Your view is more independent than most people. It was a priceless helper,” he murmured finally.
Is correct. This was how the Spell described his Aspect Ability.
But what exactly can his shadow do?
He decided to experiment a little.
“Hey, you. Tell me what you can do.”
The shadow was still and not moving.
‘True. It has no vocal cords.’
As if it makes sense! The shadow also should not have muscles, but it knows how to move.
“Eh ... show me?”
There was no reaction. It seemed that the shadow was content to pretend to be an ordinary, lifeless blob of darkness.
Sunny sighed.
‘I made this mistake.’
Independent or not, the shadow remains a part of him. It was a manifestation of his Aspect Ability. So, instead of asking the shadow, he should have asked himself.
“Will not talk, right?”
Sunny closed her eyes and directed her perception inside, exploring herself for the first time since returning to the real world. He felt his heartbeat, his chest rising steadily, the slight coldness of the bathroom. He heard water droplets falling on the ceramic floor. Feeling the movement of the filtered air in his skin.
And there, on the verge of his consciousness, something new.
A completely new feeling.
Sunny concentrates on him, and suddenly an entire other world opens up to him. It is difficult to explain in words, just as one would have difficulty explaining what it feels like to hear or touch.
It was as if he was able to communicate with the large forms that were clustered around him and receive an understanding of their own form and the surrounding space, he said, guided by the different levels of pressure they put on his mind and each other.
That understanding comes naturally and instantly, like instinct.
These shapes are shadows. And among them, one is not the greatest, but the deepest does not feel like an external entity. It was like a part of his soul.
As soon as Sunny understood his feelings, she could feel the shadow like she was feeling his limbs. The only thing was that his limbs were made of flesh, and his shadow was made of the absence of light.
Sunny opened her eyes and looked at the shadow. Then, with a thought, he asked her to raise her hand.
The shadow raised his hand.
He wanted her to sit, stand, turn, kick. Then he wanted it to change shape, turn into a circle, then a line, then a monster. And finally, back to his own silhouette. The shadow was agile and liquid, like water. The only constant is its size.
“Ha! How about that?”
The shadow pouted, then reluctantly raised its thumb.
“But how are you useful?”
He willed the shadow to hit the towel rack. It obediently moved and gave a powerful kick. Of course, since it was only a shadow, his feet passed through the towel harmlessly, not even causing them to sway a little.
“Is that ... what you can do?”
In his mind, the image of the shadow tentacles that tore apart the mighty tyrant into tiny pieces broke apart and shattered mercilessly. It seemed like he would not compete with the Shadow God any time soon.
How sorry.
The shadow looked at him with disdain. Then he shrugged and stopped moving at all, clearly offended.
Sunny sighed and took the towel off the shelf.
“Good. I'll investigate later.”
***
“Please.”
Sunny glanced at the cheap porridge, which was not much different from the food he used to consume on the outskirts, and sighed. Somehow, he expected his first meal after becoming a Sleepyman to be even more luxurious.
Still, it was food.
He sat down and began to devour the porridge greedily. He's very, very hungry.
In the process, his mind began to wander. Sunny steals a look at Jet and wonders. The spell tells him to find the master, and the next thing he knows there is a woman who calls herself the Master right in front of him. He tried to imagine being an obedient slave to someone like him.
Strange thoughts began to appear in his mind …
‘You know, Sunny,’ he thought with a dark irony. ‘Knowing your luck, this will be a good time for him to ask’
“What do you think?”
Sunny chokes on the porridge. He felt his mouth begin to open, and put all his desire to remain silent. A second passed without him saying anything. Then a strange pressure appeared in his mind, which immediately turned into a blinding pain. He held it for a few more seconds before giving up.
“I thought this would be a good time for you to ask about what I was thinking,” he finally said.
Jet gave him a strange look.
“Good. Are you almost done with your meal?”
Sunny nodded.
“Then I will start. As per protocol, I am obliged to tell you about some things. It's mostly just a formality. First of all, about Your Nightmare”
He glanced at her and sighed.
“You are eligible to receive free psychological counseling. No matter what traumatic experience you have, there is no harm in asking for help. Your Mind is just as important as your body – is just right to keep it healthy. Are you interested?”
Sunny shook her head. Jet shrugged and continued:
“Terasu. You can also talk to me. Is it very difficult?”
How could he answer?
“It was simultaneously much worse than I expected and as bad as I expected.”
He nodded, satisfied with the explanation.
“That's a good attitude. I won't dig any further. We fringe rats are much tougher than people think.”
Sunny looked at him in wonder.
“Master Jet you grew up in the suburbs?”
He grins.
“What? You don't know because of my excellent attitude and my delicate outer appearance?”
He blinked a few times, surprised.
“I don't know at all.”
After thinking for a moment, he added:
“Are there many people like us among the Risen One?”
Jet's smile disappeared.
“No. There aren't. It can even be counted with one hand.”
As expected. The odds are really stacked against people like them. That makes the three stars in the Jet emblem even more remarkable.
‘One day, I will become a Master as well.’
If he can do it, why can't I?
“So...what's going on now? What else do you have to tell me?”
Sunny had no idea what she should do after leaving the police station. The winter solstice is just a few weeks away.
Jet leaned back and replied:
“Basically so. There are a few extra hurdles to overcome, most of which have to do with your family, but well. I've read your file, so I know it doesn't happen. The only thing left is to decide how you will prepare for your first trip to the Dream Realm.”
He looked at his communicator and grimaced.
“I have to stay, your luck is very bad. There's not much time at all. First of all: You are free to do what you want. No one is forcing you to make certain decisions. That is, you can choose to prepare yourself, or not prepare at all. Party until lights go out.”
Sunny's not good at partying.
“However, I would advise against it. As a Sleeper, you are also eligible to enroll in Awakened Academy. You will be provided with food, lodging, and a wide selection of preparatory classes. At the end of this year, you won ‘ I can't learn much. But it's better than nothing.”
He remained silent for a few seconds, then added:
“More importantly, you will get acquainted with most of the people who will enter the Dream Realm with you. Some of them may be your lifelong friends.”
“And some may try to end that life once we are inside the Spell,” added Sunny, reading what is implied from what Master Jet said.
“So, what do you think? Do you want me to take you to the Academy?”
Sunny thought. Surprisingly, his flaw was silent, not forcing him to answer one way or another.
‘Is it because I haven't made up my mind?’
Finally, he looked down, to his empty tray, and made a decision.
Lodging and free food, you say?
“Yes. I want to go to Academy.”