Shadow Slave: Regret Name

A scene unfolds, revealing a humble, simple house. Located on a greenbelt at the edge of a city.

The house was a home for orphans from across the city. Whether they lost their home due to a gate break-out or simply were too poor for their families to take care of them.

In this orphanage, the kids were all unique and cheerful. Playful and full of youth. A joy their families could not provide for them.

However, there were two children who differ from the others. They were biological siblings who could not be separated.

The rules of society and the cruelty of the world could have done nothing to break their bond, as if they were fated to stand by each other's side.

The kids were almost identical and wore the same cheerful attitude towards each-other. They enjoyed the other's company and shared this joy with the world.

Until one day, a tragedy befell on the orphanage.

A tragedy known as The Nightmare Spell.

Each and every child in the humble household fell ill for the ruthlessness of the tragedy, with fatigue and drowsiness filling the entire place.

A boy and a girl held no exception to this iron rule.

Holding each other in a captive room. Even in their slumber it was inevitable for them to be laid next to each other, as both were accompanied by their own twin.

A few days have passed. The boy woke up to the sight of the ceiling in a room that was not his own.

The girl, still lying asleep in her bed, peaceful and quiet, had not woken up yet.

The boy held no other desire but to sit by her side and wait for her to wake up as well.

He waited in anticipation, with hope in his heart. His heart held no doubt that his sister would survive and prevail just like him.

And just so, he sat down and waited.

He waited for a few minutes.

He waited for a couple of hours.

He waited for several days.

He waited for weeks, until one day…

A movement caught his attention. The delicate young girl showed signs of movement.

The boy held his hopes high, his doubts far, as he watched his sister finally wake up.

The movements turned into trembles and shakings. Veins of black were spreading across her body, and empty eyes were wide open.

The girl was falling into corruption, and with that, any hope for her return was lost.

The last thing the boy could see is their caretaker pulling him out of the room, and the awakened summoning a cloud of white sparks in his hand.

Eyes fill with tears. heart full of sorrow. The last segment of hope was lost forever.

The boy tried to fight against the invisible chasm distancing him farther and farther from his entire world.

A sword of brilliant steel appeared, crossing his view of his sister… and a door blocks his entire access.

***

Lyney woke up from her exhausted-induced slumber caused by the mental extraction.

A tear flows down her cheek as she finds herself under a familiar ceiling. A wave of unusual emotion flowed her mind.

The salt of tears reached her tongue with a hint of sadness and tragic sensation.

Raising herself from the position she found herself sleeping in, collapsed on the couch after overusing her unique attribute [Peace of Mind].

One of the few active-type attributes that could consume more essence in exchange for different scales of efficiency.

Looking around the room, Lyney could see it was early morning. Regret still unconscious and her part of the deal is done.

Trying to raise up on her feet, she could feel her head still ache with an unusual sense of… peace.

 As if she accepted a forgotten part of her past at last.

Last night she could not keep a cool mind after Regret used his Aspect. The excessive amount of emotion flooded her with her secondary attribute, enhancing it even further, resulting in her losing composure and confessing her guilt to Regret.

After changing her attire into new ones, she leaves the room.

***

Waking up with the sun shining bright at the sky, indicate the middle of the day.

Looking around the room with shallow consciousness still enveloping my mind.

The room seems plain like any dorm in the campus except a scent tingling the senses.

A gentle, sweet smell coming from a table standing in the kitchen with a tray of an appetizing pile of pancakes.

Waking me up once more into realization of the hunger contained within my rumbling stomach.

Without much thinking, I sat down to eat a fresh breakfast.

The food was the signature dish from the cafeteria. It was brought here recently, considering the food is still hot.

After satiating the hunger, replacing it with full stomach, the events of the past night flooded back at me.

Lyney put me to sleep and the next thing I know is waking up the next day.

Lyney betrayed me. Betrayed Lin.

She was siding with Valor and sold him out.

I need answers, but most of all, I need to make sure Lin is fine.

Rushing out of the room, I was running down the hallway and bursting straight into my dorm.

The place was a mess. The furniture is damaged, and the walls are tattered.

A fight was taking place and from the look of it, Lin was not winning.

The walls were scratched with marks of claws and tears were shown on the couch and mattresses.

Not letting panic and stress take over, I took a deep breath and relaxed my mind.

'Right now, it's best to look for clues that help me find him.'

Hours of searching did no good. The place did not seem to possess any clues or useful information about the results of the battle.

I wanted to blame someone; I needed to let out frustration somehow, but I know it's not going to help.

Lyney had the upper hand, about our aspects, the places we're in… even emotions.

Thinking back, Lyney told us quite a lot about her aspect.

For instance, she could share senses with other people, it could apply to Lin too.

If worse came to worse and Lin would get beaten up or tortured, maybe she'd have to suffer too.

Maybe there is a higher chance his current state is not as urgent as I might have feared.

'So, I just have to find Lyney to get some answers…'

That is to say, how do I start?

She must be around the academy somewhere. But after last night I'm not sure if I even have any advantage if she doesn't even have Regret Spirit anymore.

'I guess I'll have to start somewhere.

'The pancakes left in her dorm were, most likely, brought by her. I could try to ask around the cafeteria if anyone had seen her.'

Making my way to the cafeteria, I check out a particular rune.

[Pangs of Shattered Memories: Regrets exist to burden the soul. With each burden, your soul will grow heavier.] [2/50]

The Spell has so many ways to describe regrets. One of which is "burden".

However, a burden is not necessarily a bad thing in this situation.

It is true that it makes a sense of connection with the same regret a person could hold, thus giving a negative mental effect. But in this case, it states it exists to make the soul heavier.

A heavy weight could be used as a pillar that holds everything together, making the soul as solid and sturdy as a fortress and even enhancing resilience.

Walking down the halls and passages, I stopped briefly to dive into my Soul Sea.

My suspicions were right. One of the shining stars disappeared, indeed, however, the transparent sun standing tall is now looking a bit more solid. As if a transparency effect was running out.

With such positive effect, a flaw has been shown as well.

'It's dropping lower.'

That's right. With each burden the soul takes, the weight also increases and pulling down the core of my soul.

It is not ideal, but with carrying regrets comes a price someone must pay.

Leaving my Soul Sea, there is one more thing I have to check before conferencing with Lyney.

Activating my own ability, I summon forth two of my own Regret Spirits.

Standing in front of me, two familiar figures appeared. Both are shrouded in darkness with hollow smooth eyes.

They looked like creatures made with shadows yet resembled ghosts. Their figures were as clear as day unlike any other Regret Spirit I've seen.

One was a figure of my own. It was odd as if I'm looking in a mirror that perceives through a spirit realm.

The other one was one I knew very well. A delicate beautiful girl, petite and gentle.

No color could be resembled yet the same neutral expression and calm demeanor were all too familiar.

Lyney's Regret Spirit is now under my full control.

'Yeah. that could work.'