Shadow Slave novel Chapter 3190

The shadow showed the transient soul the rest of his silent city. However, she grew much quieter after learning the nature of the shades that surrounded them. He did not have much to say, anyway — most of his memories of this place belonged to a time when the city was a makeshift settlement, and its people were no more than hunters and gatherers who barely knew how to farm land.

Tatal, Stone Hand, and their children... he remembered them well, but he knew very little about the people who had become his shades.

Of course, if he wanted to, he could peer into each of the shadows that dwelled within his soul and glean their past. The strings of their fates all ended in a single point, after all — in him. So, it was easy to learn about them. He had already glimpsed some of it when creating his kingdom, though, and had no desire to delve deeper into the mess of human lives.

Eventually, the two of them reached a solemn square with a monument towering above its center. The monument depicted a lone human figure facing a great wyrm.

The shadow studied the monument for a while, then said in an aloof tone:

“This is a statue to the Great Shaman who saved the people of this land from a terrible monster. There were no Transcendents among humans back then, so a Transcendent Devil was like a world-ending calamity. The shaman was a mere Master, but she faced the berserk creature alone. In the end, she defeated it."

Snuggle studied the monument for a long while.

Eventually, she asked:

“And what happened to her after that? Is she somewhere here, among these shades?"

The shadow shook his head.

"She lived a long and fulfilling life and eventually died of old age, surrounded by people who loved her. It was a... a good end.

The little doll remained silent for a few moments, then sighed.

"Mere Ascended facing a world-ending calamity alone... such a familiar story. Sadly, the heroes of the story I know did not win. They did not get their happily ever after, either."

She paused for a moment, then glanced at the shadow. Her perpetually downturned mouth twisted into a little grin.

"Not yet, at least!"

He lingered for a bit, not sure what she meant, then nodded.

“This concludes the tour of my kingdom. As you can see, it is not at all a hell.”

Snuggle chuckled weakly.

“Indeed. It is more of a Limbo... or a purgatory, perhaps. If its master has any mercy."

She glanced at the shadow, hesitated a little, then asked:

"Can I ask you a question?"

The shadow stared at the tattered doll, impassive.

"You can."

She turned to face the silent shades, observing their meticulous pretense of life.

"Why did you kill all these people?"

The shadow straightened and glanced away. He did not say anything for a long while, then uttered in a cold tone:

"Because I was angry. Because it was easy."

The shadow paused, imagining what his kingdom looked like to the transient soul. Trying to see the world from a different point of view was not easy for him — it was a skill that he had seemingly possessed once, but lost somewhere along the way.

Eventually, he added:

“Even if I never wanted it, these people treated me like a deity. They prospered under my accidental protection, spared from the countless cruelties of this vast world. There was only one commandment I ever gave them — it was to never sacrifice a human life to me. I warned them that if they ever did, I would erase their tribe from existence.”

The shadow fell silent.

After a while, he spoke again, his voice sounding a little quieter:

"But they didn't listen. Human memory is short."

Snuggle studied the silent shades.

After a while, she sighed.

“This is all new to me. Life has spoiled me, you see... I am used to Nightmare Creatures slaughtering innocent people, but I never really faced the malice of those who are free of Corruption. I am quite fortunate, don't you think? To have only ever fought monsters."

The shadow glanced at her with surprise.

“What are you talking about, silly doll? Humans are the most monstrous creatures of them all."

He turned his gaze to his silent kingdom, populated by the shadows of those he had slain.

“Because only humans have a choice. The Creatures of Corruption know nothing but agony and the desire to consume the Flame — they simply act according to their nature. But every human who commits an act of evil does so by choice."

Snuggle stared at him for a moment, then asked:

“Doesn't that make you a human, Lord Titan? After all, you committed this evil act by choice, as well."

The shadow tilted his head a little, feeling vague memories rise from the depths of his mind at the sound of her words.

Choice...

He felt like he had fought desperately for the right to have a choice, a long time ago. He must have won that desperate struggle... and for what?

Was he making good choices? What had he done with the privilege of being able to choose, to have chosen?

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