Shadow Slave: Monochrome

Name: Epsilon

True Name: —

Rank: Aspirant

Soul Core: Dormant

Memories: —

Echoes: —

Attributes: [Bond], [Yang], [Judgment]

Aspect: [The Sacrifice]

Aspect Description: [A sacrifice is one who doesn't just give up their life, but devotes everything they have, and everything they will be into one single thing. Whether it will be a god, or even an ideal.]

'...'

Nero couldn't believe it. The fact that this string in his chest was connected to his brother, the fact that he could see his current status, and the fact that he even had the same innate attribute as him.

His eyes then widened, as he recalled what the chilling voice of the nightmare spell whispered into his ears when he was sucked into this trial.

[Aspirants! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial...]

'Aspirants..'

It had told him. It had already said that he wasn't alone in this nightmare.

It was something so minor, a spelling mistake so simple; but the dread, terror and panic he was feeling when he found himself in that darkness, was all but enough for him to not pay enough attention to it.

Nero put the palm of his hand on his sweaty head, as he let out a quiet laugh.

'This.. is simply too hilarious. Nothing really can separate us, not even the nightmare spell.'

His brother was here. He was in this nightmare with him. He was not alone.

**

A couple minutes later, Nero was quietly whistling a giddy tune to himself. Despite the horrible situation he was in, everything felt like it would be ok. All he needed to do was figure out how to get to his brother somehow, and he was certain that they would be able to pass the trial.

'The thing is though, the nightmare spell is fair. If the both of us are in here, then I'm sure that this trial will be twice as hard.'

Before his thoughts could continue, he could hear the clanky armour of one of the knights approach his door. Usually they would just walk right past it, but this one stopped in front of his.

They harshly knocked the door three times, before sliding a tray of food through the small opening in the bottom of the steel door.

Nero quickly rushed over to it as he was feeling quite hungry. Even Synthpaste was starting to look appetizing in his mind, but this meal seemed even better.

Stale bread and a cup of clean water.

'No way! At least the spell can feed us properly, unlike those bastards up there.'

Nero greedily sunk his teeth into the bread hardened by time. The outer layer was rough and rubbery, making it a bit of a challenge to bite through. But once he got away at it, he felt a pleasure that he hadn't felt in a long time.

'Fluffy...'

The water too was unbelievable. He felt a strange coolness permeate his body, not too cold, but just enough to be in between heaven and hell.

'Refreshing.. and it isn't sour!'

He could almost cry.

Once he finished digging into the meal, he noticed that there was a strange letter folded on the tray. Curiously, he quickly opened it up, and was surprised to see the runic language of the nightmare spell written into it in ink.

Of course, the nightmare spell translated it for him.

[Dear Night Child,

The King Of The Dark has been growing ever more relentless in his experiments, and his seclusion is starting to make holes in this fortress. I can sense the weariness of the knights here too. They're growing tired, weak, and hopeless. Anyone would be with how dark it is in here, the sunlight is the source of joy after all.

I on the other hand, refuse to lose hope. They may have forgotten, I may have forgotten too, but that's why I will continue to dream.

We will return, and we will feel the sunlight once more. Regardless of what awaits outside.

—Sir Rodenaus]

'Night child? Is that the name of this body?'

This letter was definitely written by one of those knights, and it was hinting at a possible opportunity to escape from this place. If this was true, then it must mean he had an ally he could rely on.

And yet, this letter felt awfully daunting.

'The King Of The Dark.. what kind of a name is that? He must be an edgelord.'

He was certainly the leader of this fortress, as the letter described it. If that was true, then he must avoid this man at all costs.

'This body must've known Rodenaus before I took it over. They were planning to escape. Shit, I don't even know what he looks like.'

Anyhow, there was no point in trying to escape if he couldn't do it with Epsilon, wherever he was. If this Nightmare required both of them to clear it, then there was no point in him escaping by himself.

'I'll find Epsilon first, before figuring out who Rodenaus is.'

One of the knights on the other side then banged against the door, snapping Nero out of his chain of thoughts. Unfortunately, this voice wasn't the same one that had given him the tray initially.

"Give back your tray."

Nero kept the note to himself, but slided the tray and empty cup back through the small opening. He could see the hand of the knight pick it up, as he then walked away.

And once again, Nero was left alone, eternally in the dark.