Shadow Slave/// Oldest Dream

Klaus sat comfortably in his office chair, a pleasant smile plastered on his face. It was the kind of smile you wear when you're bored out of your mind but still have to act polite. Klaus, of course, wasn't his real name — After all, Icarus couldn't exactly go around using his true identity these days.

He was here to interview the latest batch of survivors dragged back from that godforsaken hellhole — the Forgotten Shore. A gentle knock came, and the first one entered. A young woman, nervous but eager to talk. The whole thing was routine at this point: she recounted her struggles, her moments of terror, her time spent in the Bright Castle, and of course, the inevitable story about how Changing Star saved the day.

Klaus resisted the urge to groan. For some reason, everyone was obsessed with Nephis. They spoke her name like she was some comic book superhero. It was exhausting. Were they all brainwashed? Maybe if he smacked them over the head, some sense would return. Gods, he was tired of this cult-like nonsense.

After half an hour of forced smiles and stifled yawns, the door opened again — and this time, his interest stirred.

A Song of the Fallen.

Lady Cassia.

Klaus waved his hand dismissively, already bracing for another glowing sermon about Nephis.

"Please, have a seat, my fair lady. And if you mention Changing Star's heroic tales, I'll personally make sure the survivors of the Forgotten Shore don't remain survivors much longer."

Cassia furrowed her brows, confused but still polite as she took her seat. What was wrong with this guy?!

Klaus leaned back, studying her. Blind, yet she found her way without hesitation. Awakened senses? Possible — but even for Awakened, there was something too natural about it. His mind, sharp as ever, processed the clues and arrived at the answer within seconds.

"Thank you," she said softly. "And don't worry, no stories about Nephis… Mr.?"

He smiled, shaking his head at her subtle lie. She knew exactly who he was. Her posture, her breathing — all slightly forced. She was hiding something. Perhaps her aspect gave her insight? Could she see runes? Interesting.

"Klaus," he said smoothly. "Mr. Klaus, at your service."

She returned the smile, polite but cautious. Klaus let his expression soften, turning the room's atmosphere from interrogation to conversation.

"So," he began, "what can you tell me about your experiences? We can skip the usual nonsense — I've heard enough about the Forgotten Shore to write a novel. Relax. This isn't a government interrogation."

Cassia's brow twitched, suspicious.

"You're not with the government?"

He chuckled. "No, they just borrow me sometimes. Let's call it… outsourcing. Certain skills I possess make me useful. That's all. So speak freely, keep your secrets if you want — I'm not here to pry where it hurts. Everyone's got wounds they'd rather leave untouched."

She hesitated, then exhaled quietly. "I gained a True Name. Song of the Fallen. My aspect revolves around prophecies. Maybe that's the only reason we escaped."

Icarus tilted his head. "Most likely. But why do you sound so bitter about it?"

Her smile faltered into something brittle. "I thought my power was useless. It crippled me—"

He cut her off, voice suddenly colder. "There's no such thing as a useless aspect — only useless users. Every aspect excels at something. Even the weakest, most ridiculous ones have their place if you're clever enough. It's not about raw strength. It's how you use it."

She blinked, surprised by his intensity. If someone had told her that back in the beginning, maybe her path would've been different. Maybe she wouldn't have stumbled through the Dream Realm, half-blind and full of doubt.

"Thank you, Mr. Klaus," she said quietly. "Truly."

He shrugged, lighting a cigarette and yawning. "Don't mention it. Just my opinion — take it or leave it. You can go now. I doubt you're ready to spill all your secrets, so I'll just cook up a report from the other sob stories I've heard."

Her nose wrinkled slightly at the smoke. "Are you even allowed to smoke in here?"

He grinned. "Not at all. But do I look like I care?"

Cassia lingered for a second longer, then stood. There was something off about this man — something wrong. The government had asked for his help, but he wasn't government's agent. He wasn't even supposed to be here — Sarah was supposed to handle these interviews. The future she'd seen had shifted. Why?

As she left, his amused smile widened.

"Let's see… Prophetic abilities. Possible ability to see runes. Blindness caused by her First Nightmare. Her flaw. But she's too at ease now — way too smooth for someone blind. Definitely compensating with her aspect. A Seer, huh? Burdened by knowledge. How quaint."

He leaned back, exhaling smoke toward the ceiling.

"Interesting."

___

After the interviews were over, Klaus appeared behind the young man and Jet, a sly grin spreading across his face. Suddenly, a high-pitched, girlish voice rang out.

"KIAAHH!"

The young man nearly summoned his weapon, startled by the noise, while Jet just rolled her eyes. Klaus burst out laughing, slapping his lap with glee.

"Seriously, stop teleporting behind people. You're like a creepy pervert!"

Klaus shrugged, still grinning mischievously, and took a long drag from his cigarette.

"Yeah, yeah. But anyway, who's this young guy?" he asked, his voice almost sing-song.

Jet sighed in exasperation. Why couldn't this guy act like a normal human being for once? She was genuinely curious about it.

"This is Sunless. He's from the outskirts, like me. Sunny, meet Klaus... That's it."

Meanwhile, Klaus was already puffing out rings of smoke, his expression satisfied, as if he had just solved the world's greatest mystery.

Sunny looked at him, utterly dumbfounded. Was this guy an imbecile? A total idiot? Did he have some sort of mental illness? He stared, trying to wrap his mind around it all. And teleporting? That made sense now. He didn't walk to him, he just appeared out of thin air. It was like his shadow step ability, mobility-focused. But... Why was he so pretty!? The thought left his face twisting in bitter confusion.

Klaus ruffled his hair, grinning even wider, which made Sunny look at him like he might actually slit his throat. Then Klaus's question made his blood run cold.

"Hey, don't you think Jet's boobs are really big, Sunny? Like, you just wanna bury your face in them... Ugh, I've given them so many admiring looks, but she's just so cold... My heart is absolutely broken..."

Both Jet and Sunny stared at him, completely stunned. Sunny, whose flaw made him incapable of lying, had no choice but to answer honestly.

"Uh, yeah. They're big..."

Klaus's grin grew even wider as he turned to Jet, but her expression immediately froze him in his tracks. She was glaring at him as if she was about to chop him into pieces. Why were people from the outskirts so cold-blooded?! Klaus coughed awkwardly, putting on his best innocent smile.

"Uh... Sorry, my bad, Jet... But your ass is great, too. Seriously... top-tier material."

There was a long pause. Both Jet and Sunny gave him the most disgusted looks imaginable, making Klaus shift uncomfortably on the spot.

"… I'm just gonna go over there now, I'll just be over here, okay?"

The awkward silence stretched on, the only sound coming from the faint puff of smoke escaping his lips.

The three of them found a spot to sit, and after what felt like an eternity of awkward silence, Jet finally spoke up.

"Alright, listen up, Sunny. You've got a lot of options moving forward. You could join the government, but let's be honest — that's probably the last thing you want. I wouldn't recommend it either. The other choice is the great clans. They're all practically drooling over you and the other survivors right now. They'll try to tie you down — contracts, blood oaths, even marriage proposals. They're relentless."

She jabbed her thumb toward Icarus, who was casually blowing smoke rings into the air.

"And this idiot right here? Believe it or not, even he got offers like that. Repeatedly."

Sunny blinked, then glanced at Klaus with a mix of disbelief and curiosity. So this lunatic was that strong and valuable, huh? It was hard to picture, given his behavior so far. Still, Sunny already knew — both the government and the clans left a bitter taste in his mouth. He wanted nothing to do with either of them.

"I think I'll stay independent," Sunny said after a moment of thought. Then, unable to resist his curiosity, he asked, "But why'd you turn them all down, Mr. Klaus?"

Klaus leaned back, his grin widening as if the question tickled him. For a second, he looked like his usual carefree idiot self — but as he exhaled another stream of smoke, his expression shifted. The playful gleam in his eyes dulled, replaced by something colder.

"Why?" he repeated softly. "Because I hate being leashed. I do what I want, when I want — no contracts, no elders breathing down my neck. Sure, joining a great clan comes with perks, but all that 'prestige' isn't worth the price. I'd rather die standing on my own than live kneeling at someone else's feet."

He flicked the ash from his cigarette, his voice calm but carrying an edge sharp enough to cut glass.

"Just the thought of taking orders makes me want to vomit."

For a few moments, nobody spoke. Even Jet gave him a sidelong glance, surprised at how serious he sounded.

Then, just as the mood was getting too heavy, Klaus grinned again, this time with his usual troublemaker charm.

"Plus, I like to flirt with pretty girls from every faction. Can't do that if I'm stuck representing one clan, right?"

Jet groaned, Sunny sighed, and just like that — the serious atmosphere shattered into tiny pieces.