Shadow Slave

Trying to gather his courage, Sunny looked into the distance and said in a raspy voice:

"You've seen the creatures that dwell under these waves. Do you really want to swim across them?"

Changing Star was silent for a few seconds, then sighed.

"We are damned either way, Sunny. What do we have to lose?"

She fell silent for a moment and grimaced, pale flames dancing in her eyes. Then, in a quiet voice, she added:

"We will not light any fires, relying on your eyes to guide us west. We will hope that Cassie's armor will protect us. Maybe it will be enough."

Sunny glanced at Neph and asked:

"What's so special about Cassie's armor?"

She hesitated for a moment, then answered without looking at him:

"It's a tier six awakened Memory. One of its traits is to make the wearer less likely to draw the enemy's attention."

While Sunny was digesting this information, Nephis suddenly trembled. Closing her eyes, she said through gritted teeth:

"I am at my limit. My mind is… fading. If you have any questions left… better… ask them fast."

He blinked, startled. Then, knowing that there was not much time left, Sunny asked the first thing that came to his mind:

"Do you even know how to build a boat?"

Changing Star simply nodded, letting him know that she did. Her expression was slowly turning lost and dull again.

Racing against time, Sunny frantically thought of another question.

leave the island once

him, struggling to hold onto the last shreds of lucidity. For a moment, her eyes became clear again. White flames ignited in their depths, illuminating her pale,

words to me, and I

grip on her thoughts, she turned away and added after a short pause,

happens, take Cassie and flee.

light in her eyes slowly dimmed, and soon, Changing Star was staring

time, waiting. After a

"Hey, Neph."

him, her face bleak and full of

when did

"A while ago."

said in

ask you something? Do you know how

***

by his question, but eventually agreed to help him. Sunny didn't tell her why exactly he wanted to build a boat, dodging the questions with practiced finesse. His

have taken too much time. Not to mention that he wasn't sure that

left. With every hour,

intact. Every time he felt that his mind was beginning to slip, he had to inflict pain on himself to get a few moments of reprieve. Even so, his thoughts were slow and fragile. Keeping them together

was determined to be ready

pained expression on his face, Sunny bit his hand once again. Feeling the bitter taste of blood on his tongue, he let the wave of pain clear his mind and blinked, amused at the irony

to prevent himself from being eaten. What a

bleeding hand behind his back, Sunny

we going to make

thought about it for

dead demon's carapace. We can strip several armor plates of suitable shape and tie

Sunny raised his eyebrows:

It's made out of some strange steel.

at

you're displacing more water than the weight of the floating

He blinked.