Shadow Slave: Kindness

Getting flowers and chocolate for Cassie—that was the important thing Sunny had decided to accomplish before the induction ceremony.

He had plucked the flowers from the Academy garden, spending quite a bit of time searching for the ones that smelled the nicest. Then, using the small amount of credits he'd received from the government, he went and bought something called "chocolate," which, according to social media, girls seemed to like a lot.

He'd gotten the whole idea from scrolling through communicator posts—along with something else called "pickup lines," apparently things boys were supposed to say when giving flowers and chocolate to girls.

He had even picked one out and practiced it earnestly in the shower.

Apparently, that hadn't been enough.

He'd ignored the part about not being nervous—or about acting confident. In his head, he had the flowers, the line, the timing—everything had been perfectly planned.

Well… he had messed up his lines, forgot to actually hand her the flowers, and she ended up taking them from his lap herself.

And she seemed really upset.

Guess he'd failed.

Except… Cassie had accepted the flowers and chocolate.

So… maybe she wasn't actually angry?

Besides, she said "thank you."

That had to mean something. However small it might be—it still meant something.

Maybe… just maybe… Sunny had succeeded in reaching out to her. Even if only a little.

Sunny wanted to talk to her a bit more, but they were interrupted by someone arriving in the hall.

Feeling slightly on edge, he turned his attention outward, taking in the rest of the hall.

Now, for the first time, he began to truly notice how the small groups of Sleepers had arranged themselves.

There weren't many people in the hall yet—just scattered pockets of students. But even in such a sparse crowd, the lines of distance and social division were clear.

At one end, a few well-dressed kids stood in relaxed circles, chatting softly. They looked confident in their polished uniforms and stylish accessories. Sunny didn't need to guess twice—these were the children of wealth and high status, likely trained by hired Awakened instructors before they ever came here.

Next to them were others with more modest appearances—nervous but determined, clearly trying to steady themselves for what was to come. They looked like they came from typical backgrounds, maybe with just enough resources to prepare, but not much more.

And then, at the farthest end of the hall—furthest from the center of activity—were those like him and Cassie.

The unwelcomed ones.

The ones no one stood near.

The invisible divide was undeniable.

Even now, he could feel it. The way his presence made people shift subtly away. And Cassie… she sat in the very corner, alone, draped in that eerie silence—still and unreadable, yet exuding an aura that repelled others like a dark tide.

Sleepers might not have been superstitious, but that subtle aura around her made their instincts scream.

Death.

Something in her presence made people uneasy. Not afraid… just deeply, almost primally uncomfortable.

Sunny glanced again at the room. Even Jack and Jill—who had been friendly the day before—were surrounded by a small group now, deep in cheerful conversation. They hadn't noticed him.

He didn't blame them.

No one wanted to stand in a shadow, not when there were warm lights nearby.

And yet… he had walked right into the gloom. Sat down beside it. Reached out.

And maybe, just maybe, she'd reached back.

'Still…' he thought bitterly, 'this is how it is.'

The hierarchy had already begun.

A quiet, invisible sorting of who would rise, and who would be left behind.

Even now, before the ceremony had even started.

But regardless of their group and level of training, everyone was already tired of waiting.

"When will the damn induction ceremony start?" Sunny thought, irritated.

As though answering his thoughts, a tall man in a dark blue uniform appeared on the stage. Not only was he tall—he was actually almost a giant. Sunny even wondered if the man's mother had sinned with a bear…

Of course, it was impossible. Bears had gone extinct long before the Spell even appeared. But he had once seen pictures in a book, and they looked sort of similar.

A bear-like Nightmare Creature, then.

The giant man had wide shoulders, an athletic build, and a gorgeous brown beard. His eyes were calm and serious. After reaching the center of the stage, he gave the Sleepers a long look. When his gaze reached the deserted corner, Sunny suddenly felt nervous.

"Uh… I sure hope he doesn't have a telepathic Ability. Otherwise, he might separate me from a limb or two on behalf of his mother."

The man didn't pay Sunny much attention and returned his gaze to the front rows of the crowd. Finally, he spoke in a deep, reverberating voice:

"I am Awakened Rock. Sleepers, welcome to the Academy."

Everyone listened in complete silence.

"In less than 2 months, you will be summoned to the Dream Realm. Some of you might think that you are well-prepared. You're wrong. The Spell is merciless and cunning. The moment Awakened begin to think too much of themselves, they die. I've seen countless Sleepers like you lose their lives. I've also seen experienced Masters lose theirs. Even Saints are not assured to survive."

"Thanks for the encouragement," Sunny thought sarcastically.

"In the following eight weeks, we will do everything in our power to increase your chances of survival. You will receive training from the best instructors in the world. However, don't be misled by their fame: in the end, whether you return from the Dream Realm alive depends only on one person—you. The responsibility to survive is yours, and yours alone."

Except for the Legacies, the Sleepers were now glancing at one another with growing fear in their eyes.

Awakened Rock continued:

"You are not children anymore. It's a shame, because you ought to be. But the Spell has decided otherwise. You have been to the First Nightmare, so you already know what it's like. Your parents, your teachers, and your friends can't help you anymore…"

"have been aware of that since a long time..." Sunny thought.

While listening to Rock's speech, Sunny couldn't help but feel a little excluded. It was all old news to him. However, he understood the instructor's purpose: he had to make young Sleepers afraid, because fear was the only thing that would keep them alive.

Finally, the speech reached the important part. Awakened Rock paused, giving the kids a few moments to digest his words. Then, with a short nod, he continued:

"Now we will talk about the difference between Nightmares and the Dream Realm…"