Shadow Re: Slave

Nephis and Cassie reached the headless stone statue not long after Sunny disappeared into the dark. The surface of the sea behind them was calm once more — deceptively so. The waves carried no sign of him, no hint of battle. Just silence.

Cassie was still asleep, her head resting lightly against Nephis's shoulder. Nephis hadn't woken her. She didn't have the heart for it. Cassie wouldn't take it well, not after everything. Not after Sunny vanished without a word, not even a farewell.

But what choice had they had?

Nephis clenched her jaw, staring out into the horizon as if it might give her answers. Deep down, she knew she wasn't strong enough to face that creature — not without terrible cost. Not at night, when her Aspect would only serve to paint a target on their backs for every lurking horror in the Deep. So she let him go. She let him dive into the abyss alone.

To ensure their survival.

But it didn't sit right. It burned.

She had spent her whole life trying to become strong. Strong enough to never feel helpless again — not like she had when her father died, not like she had when the Immortal Flame Clan fell to ruin and she could do nothing to stop it.

And yet now, here she was again. Watching someone disappear into the dark while she stood back, unable to stop them. Unable to follow.

The helplessness had returned. Dressed in different clothes, but no less familiar.

And it made her furious.

Still, she hoped.

Even though everything in her told her that he wouldn't return… she hoped.

The way he'd spoken, the tone of his voice — it hadn't just been a warning. It had been a farewell. One he meant to give. One he had chosen to give.

And Nephis couldn't understand why.

Why would he sacrifice himself for her?

They had barely known each other a month ago. Since then, they had grown together… yes. The three of them had come to depend on each other in strange ways. But still — it hadn't been long, hadn't been deep. Not truly.

She and Cassie had grown close. That much was clear. But Sunny… Sunny had remained at a distance. Always watching. Always present, but never open. Never vulnerable.

At first, she'd thought he simply didn't want to be close. That maybe he didn't trust them. Or didn't care.

But after what he'd done — diving into the depths to face death without hesitation — she understood. It wasn't that he didn't care. It was that he didn't know how to show it.

He didn't know how to be close.

And even though he was technically younger than her, he treated them both like… children. Or siblings to be protected. Like they were fragile. And maybe, compared to him, they were. There was something about Sunny that felt… older. Worn. As though he carried burdens that didn't belong to someone his age.

Nephis knew the weight of burdens. She had carried her own for as long as she could remember — the crushing legacy of a broken clan, the silence that followed her father's death, the endless pressure to be more than she was. To be perfect. Untouchable.

But compared to his… her burdens felt light.

Whatever Sunny was hiding behind that quiet gaze, whatever had carved that cold resolve into his soul — it ran deeper than anything she had known. She wasn't like him.

At least… not yet.

Maybe it was because he came from the outskirts. Maybe it was because of his sister — the one he had spoken of that night, quietly, as if the words cost him something. For a moment, just one, he had let his guard down. He had shown her something real. And Nephis… hadn't known how to react.

The moment passed quickly. As they always did with him.

And now, he was gone.

And already, she found herself thinking about him.

But there was no time for that. They had to move forward.

When Cassie woke in the morning, Nephis expected tears. Panic. Grief. But instead… Cassie was strangely calm.

Even relieved.

Nephis frowned. "You… knew he would leave?"

Cassie looked at her, then slowly nodded. Her voice was quiet, but steady.

"Yes. And… if I'm being honest, I am relieved that he's gone. But not because of what happened. Not like this. I just— Neph, you've felt it too, haven't you?"

Nephis remained silent.

Cassie continued. "He's different from us. Even from you. I've seen what pain you can endure. But Sunny… Sunny is something else entirely. That night, when I woke up early — I felt it. The aura around him. The killing intent. It wasn't like anything I've ever felt before. It was… oppressive. Terrifying. And he was asleep."

She looked away, then added in a whisper, "No one should carry something like that in their heart."

There was a long pause before she spoke again.

"He's always been kind. Gentle, even. Especially with you. But that's what makes it worse. It's like… he's trying so hard to hide what he really is. And I've come to realize something, Neph — he knows us. Too well. In a way that doesn't feel natural. I don't think he means us harm, but I do think he's dangerous. So if you ever see him again…"

Cassie hesitated, then finished softly.

"Be careful."

Nephis didn't answer at first.

She had expected Cassie to be afraid or even to grieve because of his absence. But she hadn't expected this level of insight. This clarity.

Cassie had always seemed distant. Quiet. Passive. But Nephis had always known she was brilliant — frighteningly so. And everything she said… Nephis had felt it, too. Even if she hadn't wanted to admit it.

Sunny was different. He could be dangerous.

But then again… he had never shown them anything but kindness.

She remembered the night, the fight, the decisions he'd made.

"I don't know if we would've survived without him," Nephis said at last. Her voice was low. "Or… not with the ease we did. So it feels wrong to doubt him. To think like that."

Cassie gave her a sad smile.

"I know. But it's still the truth."

They didn't speak of that topic again. Nephis climbed down from the broken, headless stone statue, Cassie on her back. Together, they moved through the final stretch of the labyrinth until they reached the cold, imposing walls of the Dark City.

Without hesitation, Nephis scaled the wall, the golden rope slipping through her fingers as she pulled Cassie up behind her. They descended silently through one of the defense towers, hearts pounding in the heavy stillness.

Suddenly, a crunching sound sliced through the silence. They froze. Slowly, they crept toward the noise, every muscle tensed.

Then—without warning—a knife whistled through the air, aimed straight at Nephis's head.

She caught it just in time, the cold metal biting into her palm but never breaking skin. Her eyes locked onto the shadowy figure who had thrown it.

Emerging through a door was a tall and attractive young woman. Her hazel eyes gleamed with a mixture of amusement and challenge. Brown hair cascaded down her back, tied in a simple braid. Her build was extremely athletic, with lean muscles rippling under dewy olive skin with each movement. She wore a long knife at her side and a leather apron, both well-worn but functional. A radiant Memory shimmered faintly at her waist, and a large round shield was slung across her back.

"Nice catch," the woman said with a grin. "But you might want to be more careful next time."

Nephis studied her, sensing no immediate threat. "Who are you?"

"Effie," the woman replied, her tone casual yet carrying an edge. "And you are?"

"Nephis," she answered, still cautious but intrigued.

Effie nodded, her expression unreadable. "Well, Nephis, looks like you've got some skills. But this city… it's a different kind of beast. Stick with me, and I'll show you the ropes."

With that, she turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Nephis and Cassie alone. They had just met someone who could be an ally—or a formidable foe.