Shadow Slave novel Chapter 1937

Chapter 1937: Her Last Trace

Orum spent several weeks after the solstice feeling numb. There was little to do at the Academy now that the students were away, and he did not want to keep vigil next to their sleeping pods, like some other instructors did in secret.

So, he returned home, spending time with his sister and her children during the day and concentrating on taking care of his Citadel at night.

But even when Orum was with other people, he remained quiet and detached, his expression subdued. His mind was far away.

He was thinking about Ravenheart, his heart full of anguish and regret.

Death was an old friend to the original Awakened like himself, and he had lost many friends and comrades to its clutches. And yet, her death wounded him much deeper than anything had in the past.

lt was bitterly ironic, in hindsight. Orum had lived a long life, and the time the two of them had spent together was not that long. The last time he had seen her was more than a decade ago. And yet... now that Ravenheart was gone, he realized that the great volume of space she inhabited in his heart was incomparable to the fleeting brevity of the few short months they had spent as companions.

But there was nothing he could do, anymore. He could never see her again, and he would never be able to repay his debt to her. It was too late. Ravenheart had died alone, far away, with no one standing by her side.

Now, her presence in his heart was replaced with a hollow absence, and all he was left with was regret.

The only trace of her that remained was her daughter.

"Orie, are you alright?"

He glanced at his sister, hearing concern in her voice, and smiled gently.

"Sure. Don't worry."

Orum hesitated for a few moments, then asked suddenly:

"Do you remember Ravenheart?"

Seeing confusion in her eyes, he corrected himself.

"Jiwon. Do you remember her?"

His sister frowned, started to shake her head, but then brightened.

"Ah! Auntie Jiwon? She was with us when we arrived at NQSC, right? Sure, I remember... she was very kind. Why are you asking?"

Orum looked away.

"...It's nothing. I met her daughter at the Academy recently, so I was just thinking about the past."

His sister smiled.

"Her daughter? Then you have to take good care of her! Oh, and protect her well from the male students... if she's as pretty as her mother, then they'll be making trouble!"

Orum forced out another smile and nodded.

"Sure. I will."

Soon enough, he found himself back at the Academy. By then, many of the Sleepers had undergone the Awakening and returned from the Dream Realm. A particular grey-eyes, brazen youth had even managed to earn himself a True Name on his first visit to the Dream Realm, and was now known as... Broken Sword? Orum would have to check the records again to be sure.

Ki Song was the last of the four front-runners to come back.

He found her in the dormitory cafeteria, eating a light meal in solitude. The Awakening had made the young woman even more beautiful, earning her quite a few stares, but he couldn't see her as anything but a child...

Even though he knew that she was not — not anymore, and not by a long shot. "Uncle Orie."

He sat down across from her and looked at her silently, not knowing what to say.

Was he supposed to offer her condolences? Beg her for forgiveness? Promise her that everything will be fine?

All these words sounded hypocritical and hollow in his mind.

Eventually, Orum said:

"I heard that you ended up south of Bastion."

Ki Song nodded slowly.

"Yes. I was sent to the shores of the Stormsea. It took me some time to make it all the way to Rivergate."

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