Shadow Slave - After the Third Nightmare - A different Story

Transcendent Idyll

Some philosophy schools are centered around the idea that we, humans, have a problem with overthinking things. Many things would be simpler if we could get rid of all expectations, desires, hopes, and give up to whatever reality is, according to the vision of particular conception, of course. The point is we ourselves might be perfect, and the world, social relations, and anything else is just an unnecessary detail.

There are also those who like to say such things only because it's convenient to use it as an explanation why they should do that or something else. Those... there's quite a lot of such people. They think some phrases about looking into oneself, and cutting oneself off being present in the world, can explain how life should be, or there's some wisdom in not trying to expect anything, desire anything, or that some categories conjured from the dictionary can explain what drives people to be better or happier.

'Bullshit. They can't.'

It was late night. In the quiet of a cozy farmhouse, sitting on an armchair a young, vibrant woman was reading a book she recently bought. She was tall, she couldn't bend knees enough without making sitting mildly uncomfortable. She had long brown hair, and dewy olive skin. Next to her there was an elegant bed in which a few months old child was sleeping sweetly.

That child was the main reason why she was reading the book. The child was in fact a Saint, probably first, and the only child to become a Saint in the history. Despite all the implications it was one of the happiest days in her life. Not only she has become a mother, but also has become a mother to the strongest child ever.

Not only that. She's got a great husband, whose name she can't remember, but that doesn't matter. The love can be true even if you don't know the name of the other, right?

Yes, it can be. The husband was Sleeper, and recently Awakened. What a day it was when he returned to her, and revealed that the thought about her was actually keeping him alive. Not only that. He could leave her under the pretext he's unable to take care of such a child. Well, she probably wouldn't let him abandon it anyway. If that was necessary she would drag him with her, and make him take the responsibility for what they have done.

Thankfully such measures weren't necessary. The Awakened in question had a great resolve, and he's doing whatever he can to bring happiness to both her, and her child. The proof of that was all around her. He built the house they're living in. He's growing his own food to provide good, and healthy feed for both of them. At the other night he entertained her a lot. She was pretty convinced that no men could do better than him.

But he was only an Awakened, and there was only so much he could do. The child was much stronger than him, and her appetite... is simply endless. He could work all day, and by the end of day end up tired, and that still wouldn't be enough. The best husband couldn't feed her. It was a cruelty of her flaw. She had to get food for herself by herself. Similarly because only she could, she was the one to take responsibility for raising her child, and teaching it to be good. She had to pour into him both wisdom, and sense.

Currently she was making sure her little Dumpling is getting some sleep, and she killed her time... by reading books. If Saint Athena learned from her husband something like this could happen she would not believe.

Nobilified by the purpose she urgently needed both wisdom, a sense for that was what she's lacking! After all she's Raised by Wolves. Where the wisdom comes from? Books! That's how people like Nephis, Cassie, and... what was she thinking about? It doesn't matter. The track of things is that wise people find themselves immersed in the process of studying.

So she procured some books. Mostly coaching stuff, but there were also many older. She stumbled across 'Machiavelli for moms'. She read it quickly as it was rather a light literature, and she wanted to know something more about machiavellism. Because of that she boldly put her hand on a book titled 'Prince'. The result was... really disappointing. She found out there's no good analogy between the two. The first was about how to control children, just few children in a situation of divorce. The second was about how to rule the state just to keep the power by taking taking people's freedom, turning them against each other, betraying your friends, and appearing to be benevolent before your people.

It wasn't clear, but soon she realized she indeed wants to control her child, but not to take his freedom, and indeed she wants to be a benevolent mother, not a mother that fakes her benevolence. So the wisdom of the book was not really from Machiavelli, just from the twists made by the mother from the title, who had work to do, but also children who can pour water on her electronics.

Many things were like this. There were some coaches who said something, but soon it appeared to be a distorted version of some philosophy. There was Marcus Aurelius who had written down some of his thoughts, but she found it to be nonsense on too many levels. Some thoughts contradicted each other, especially about natural law. What's good about nature when so many things are corrupted, and nature itself is ruined? But when she read that the soul according to Aurelius is untouchable... she understood that guy was living in a totally different world that knew hunger, but not a ruined soul. Thoughts concerned people who feared that they would eventually die of old age, and were thinking that life doesn't have that much to offer, so they have to really concentrate on whatever good they can take from it.

Which is somewhat good, but for her... the Dream Realm is already a paradise. Her real problem is how to not get lost in this paradise, not how to live despite it's not one. She's not getting closer to death with each day. Gods... In her case things are the opposite. She extended her lifespan at least four times. She's greedy for more. Those 'Meditations' are way too random, often right, but also often just wrong.

"Damn this thing! I don't feel any wiser. I rather feel like I'm gonna die of foolishness."

She finished the book, and turned to her other problems. While the time was running, and she needed answers concerning what, and how she can teach her son, that could wait till she'll rest from her recent lectures.

She stood up, and gently put the book on the shelf, trying to do it as gently as possible to not use her immense power. Her experience she doesn't even remember told her she has to feel the weight behind her movements. One jump could put a nasty hole in the roof like the things she did to...

Normal cradles for children fall apart. As for wood from Bastion... it could do well for some time, but the problem is for how long it can withstand the might of a Saint. In more decent circumstances a Saint would at least control his power to the point when sleeping on a normal bed would not make a problem. One had just learn to control his body while sleeping, which was way easier than it sounds. But when a Saint is a few months-old child that may not be taught yet.

'And then I thought that being pregnant in the Nightmare is bad... But look at his sweet face...'