Shadow Slave: Endless Souls

With a whistling sound, Nephis's sword cuts through the air and finishes off her enemy, the ugly crap-like Nightmare Creature called Carapace Scavenger.

[You have slain an awakened beast, Carapace Scavenger.]

She looks at the silver longsword in her hand and tightens her grip over it. She couldn't help but think of Edward when he held her neck trying to kill her even if he himself was in a worse situation. Perhaps it was his Aspect Ability that gave him an edge over that situation perhaps he was desperate but there was something he never tried to hide in him. Pure and wild killing intent as if it's his second nature.

She almost used her Aspect Ability to end him right there, right at that moment but luckily she held herself back there was a chance that they had been planning this waiting for her to make a mistake. Perhaps there is a second one that was sent to kill her and waiting for a chance to end her. Many what-ifs were causing her to endure the pain of her throat being crushed and her insides burning with pain for air.

Suddenly she felt a tug from one of her hands making her return to the present, she looked at her hand which was now wearing wearing bracelet made of golden rope. She looked back and saw Cassie the blind girl tugging the golden rope with an uneasy look on her face.

"N-Nephis? Did the fight end?"

Her timid yet melodic voice made her calm down a little and tug the rope back in return signaling her that the fight had ended and she could come closer. She looked delicate and fragile, with blond hair and cerulean, aimless eyes. She was dressed in a simple tunic, with leather sandals on her feet and a cloak the color of sea waves draped around her shoulders.

'It suits her better than me.'

Just as she was considering returning to their temporary shelter, she heard a sound, the sound of a beast roaring. It is roar was loud shaking the ground, it was near and angry, at least upset enough to let out a furious roar.

"W-what was that?"

Cassie asked her as she held tightly of her staff, Nephis didn't answer her holding her silver longsword tightly and preparing herself to fight. She doesn't know what it is but she knows she must be careful after all she can't afford to get hit by it. Her crudely made black seaweed clothes weren't exactly meant to take blows from Nightmare Creatures.

"Silent."

Nephis told Cassie as she prepared to face the incoming creature, from behind the wall of red corals she noticed a huge figure looming through its opening. It was about four meters in height and built like a humanoid lizard-fish hybrid. It was scaled like a lizard, its obsidian black scales shine brightly under the sun's pale light with a metallic luster. A pair of pale gray eyes with big yellow glowing pupils in each, clawed hands yet behind it spiky bone dorsal fin was visible actually several of them.

Spiky scaled tail with caudal fin in the end, it looked so unnatural, a strange abomination just like any other Nightmare Creatures. It stared at her with her burning yellow eyes as if the master chef trying to measure their ingredients before making their meal.

'What rank is it? Awakened? Fallen? No... what class is it? Monster? Possibly devil?'

She was ready, the moment it got closer to her by breaking through the crimson coral wall in front of it she was ready to blind it with her flame and then disable its Ability to move by cutting its tendons. It's humanoid so the basic body structure must be at least similar to the human body.

As she was repeating her battle strategy in her mind unexpected situation happened, it spat out a mouthful of dark blood, fainting the crimson wall in front of it in a darker shade of gray before collapsing on the ground.

"Seriously? If you were going to run why the hell did you scream like going into your second phase?"

Nephis's face stiffened as she heard a familiar voice that she only heard in a monotone and was filled with various other emotions. From behind the monster's corpse, a man dressed in dark gray armament walks out, his hat and scarf hide most of his face but the moment Nephis lands her eyes on the man she knows who he is.

'Did he kill this monster? On his own?' 

Perhaps she used her flame while ignoring the agonizing pain perhaps she could have done too but she saw no discomfort on his face as if it was something so trivial it wasn't worth mentioning. Edward now standing on the top of the creature after noticing them said in a cheerful tone.

"Hello there ladies~"

"This voice, is it Edward?"

Cassie asked their newly arrived fellow Sleeper with a hopeful tone in her voice. After all, she too wanna meet perhaps the only friend she made at the Academy again in this ruthless Dream Realm.

"One and only. It's nice to see you again Cassie."

His eyes then landed on Nephis, she couldn't help but shudder. Those eyes once empty as an abyss were now gleaming with emotion. Which makes it even more terrifying as if the dark abyss is revealing the hidden abominations that were lurking behind it.

With a smile on his face, he summoned [Storm Spear] a beautiful spear with a blue gem carved in it connecting a bronze long handle and a silver long blade. It was beautiful, almost artistic, from time to time sparks of electricity jumped out from it. He then stabs it into the creature's lower back savaging through its inside he pulls the spear out and then puts his hand in it pulling out three small soul shards.

He then swings his spear a few times cutting a hole into the crimson wall of the labyrinth just enough to fit in before coming in front of them. He then handed the three soul shards to the silver-haired girl before looking at Cassie taking off his hat and doing a little dramatic bow.

"Sorry, I didn't think I would you ladies so didn't bring much of a gift."

He puts his back on and then looks at Cassie who looks almost rather more surprised than anything. After all current him was just way too different from his completely blank self.

"You sounds... strange?"

Edward tilted his head, Nephis was still holding her silver longsword ready to behead him if she found anything wrong with him.

"Am I?"

Cassie nodded her head rather curious using her staff as a guide she came in front of him reaching her hand towards trying to reach towards Edward. Who walked closer to her making her reach her hold his face.

"Yeah, you seem more cheerful and happy. You sound more human I guess."

There was a soft fabric scarf between his face and her hand but Cassie could feel the warmth of his body, with a gentle delicate smile on her face she said:

"I think that suits you more than the one in the real world."