Shadow Slave

Sadly, the cohort did not get a lot of time to rest. Despite the fact that it wasn't even noon yet, they had a lot of ground to cover before sunset.

The plan they had made at the start of the day was to leave the Dark City from the south by climbing the wall near the grandiose Main Gates and then travel through the Labyrinth to the next safe height, which was about ten kilometers away.

However, due to the fact that they had ended up in the catacombs instead and had to escape through the chamber belonging to the Lord of the Dead, the party was now to the east of the ruins, near the beautiful statue of the faceless woman. Not only did they have to circle around the city now, but there was also less time to reach safety before the flood of darkness devoured the Forgotten Shore once again.

Standing up in a chorus of disappointed groans, the cohort assumed the marching formation and set out south. Walking through the mud of the colossal crater was not easy, but for the time being, they had no other choice… unless they wanted to scale the monumental stone wall and return to the Dark City, of course.

Luckily, with both Sunny's shadow and Kai scouting the way ahead, they didn't have to worry about being ambushed by monsters. So, for the time being, the only thing the party had to struggle with was moving their feet through the wet dirt.

The monotonous silence was broken only by laborious breathing and slurping of mud.

…A while later, the impregnable and seemingly endless grey wall that loomed some distance away and above them slowly twisted, drifting away from the edge of the crater.

They were finally leaving the cursed ruins behind.

Turning around, Sunny looked back and studied the sight of the city that had been his whole world for these past four… almost five months.

Far away, the floor of the gargantuan crater sharply rose, forming a tall slope. On it stood the unassailable wall of polished grey stone, firm and unyielding despite the thousands of years that had passed since the demise of its creators.

stood, Sunny could see the flood of crimson coral swelling at its base, sharp blades powerlessly scraping against the cold stone in hopeless attempts to find

what awaits inside, the Labyrinth would be trying to

lone human figure standing on the wall, watching them disappear into the distance. That figure was crooked and dark, emanating a cold feeling

later, it turned away and

had chosen to return

lingered for a few seconds, and then hurried to catch

were safe from him,

'For now.'

***

Only by looking far into the distance could one say that it was actually curved. Because of this, the cohort could have continued traveling through the crater for a long time without having to move farther away from the goal

but also because there was nothing to hide behind on this

of terrifying threats, at least offered some measure

party to the sharp slope of the crater, and the six of them climbed out of it. With the help of Kai and the trusty golden

Labyrinth proper, but then, finally, had to turn west and enter

familiar coral walls surrounded him once again. He didn't miss the first months of

not because of the damn

and vastly different from the region

been east of the gargantuan crater. However,