Shadow Slave

Sunny considered Kai's words. An ability that allowed the Awakened to fly was not unheard of, but it was rather rare. And here on the Forgotten Shore, where a cursed flood of darkness devoured the world every night, it was nothing short of priceless.

Sunny couldn't even imagine how easier it would have been to traverse the Labyrinth with someone like Kai by his side.

Suddenly, it made a lot more sense why someone like him would possess a small fortune of soul shards. It also explained why his captors were so gentle in their attempts to force the Memories out of the young man. He was much more valuable alive.

Sunny remained motionless for some time, thinking things over. After a while, Kai spoke again, his pleasant voice tinted with a bit of apprehension:

"Well? Will you help me?"

Sunny sighed and walked back to the dark fissure of the well:

"Alright. I'll remove this grate, and you can fly out. However, I don't really need your shards. If you want to come out of there alive, you'll have to do something for me instead."

The prisoner of the well hesitated, then cautiously asked:

"What?"

Sunny smiled.

"I'll tell you when you need to know. Don't worry, it's nothing serious. I just need help completing a few errands inside the castle. So, do we have a deal or not? If not, I'll be on my way. I've wasted enough time here already."

Kai didn't have to think about it too long. Soon, his voice resounded from the darkness once again:

"We have a deal."

It sounded strangely relaxed, as though the young man had become resigned to fate.

Sunny slightly frowned and said:

"Great. One more thing: if you break our agreement and simply fly away, I will find and kill you. This is not a threat, just facts. Do you understand?"

Kai lingered for a bit before answering.

"Yeah, no problem."

Sunny gazed into the black cavern of the well and hesitated. He was more or less sure that Kai was human, but had to be prepared to act immediately in case he was not.

Following his silent command, the Stone Saint came out of the shadows and kneeled near the well, grasping the grate with her hands. The steel of her gauntlets scraped against the ornate iron, and with some visible effort, she slowly moved the heavy grate to the side.

of iron grinding against stone. The Midnight Shard appeared in his hands,

out of the well, he

each feeling like an eternity. Sunny was tensely staring into the circle of pure darkness in front of him, waiting to see if he

several more seconds

a few

Nothing happened.

'Uh…'

his head, then asked

going to come

delay, the charming voice

see, I just thought of

sighed and lowered his sword a

"What is it?"

some time, then

that this grate is so heavy that it wouldn't even budge when I tried to move it. It took all six of my captors to put it in place, actually. And they were

He hesitated.

human, and it's not that I doubt your honesty, but would you mind explaining to me how is it that you were

The honorifics were back.

breath. This guy was

left him with no other choice. Glancing at the

for me, too. But I was lucky enough to get a very strong

suddenly

That is indeed lucky! Very few people in the castle have an Echo. I

short pause, he

way, what is your

and said

"My name is Sunless."

what Kai was going to

man with a beautiful voice,

Meanwhile, Kai suddenly laughed.

only a soul-devouring demon would be called at all! Zero chance

this time with a hint of

More pleasant than his charming voice, even, but Sunny

'Goddammit!'

Why didn't anyone ever trust him? He was such an honest young man!

in

funny. Now, come out of that well before I change my

Kai stopped