Shadow Slave

This was the last secret about the fate of the lost expedition that Cassie had gleaned from her visions. But even then, the knowledge she had received was fragmented and incomplete.

All she could tell the members of the cohort was that, once they crossed the dark river and until reaching the next boundary, they had to keep their eyes closed at all cost, no matter what happened. No living thing could see what lay beyond these cold waters and remain... whole.

At least that was what she told them.

Cassie didn't really know herself what would happen if someone failed to follow that rule, but said that she had never felt more terror than in the short moment before the vision showing her the fate of the lost expedition had shattered and everything had grown dark.

This was telling a lot, considering what kinds of horrors the blind girl saw in her vision routinely.

…In any case, this was where Sunny came in.

While looking through the eyes of the shadow was still too dangerous, he could lead the cohort to their destination with the help of his ability to sense space through the shapes of shadows populating it.

At least in theory.

Standing on the shore of the dark river, six humans tied the golden rope around their waists. When everyone was ready, Nephis took out six strips of cloth and a block of wax. Lighting a small white flame on her palm, she sighed and turned to Effie.

"You're first."

The huntress made a complicated face, but then obediently approached their leader.

What followed next looked simultaneously intimate and disturbing. Using her flames to melt the wax, Changing Star gently took Effie's face in her hands and, after the huntress shut her eyes tightly, sealed them with melted wax. Then, she tied the strip of cloth around Effie's head to hold it in place.

after another, every member of the cohort went through the same procedure. When Sunny's turn came, he shifted slightly when

later,

is… is this how Cassie

he still had it better than the blind girl. His Shadow Sense was still working,

was where. This form of perception was vastly different from sight, but could serve the same purpose in a pinch, be it very poorly.

the past. This was how he had defeated the strange

humans to the graceful boat, he helped them to board it and untied the rope

cold mist

more it felt like they were leaving one world behind

more ancient, much

felt compelled to speak, so the silence was broken only by the murmur of rushing water and the creaking of the wooden

Yeah. I am not scared

with these silly thoughts, Sunny continued

thing kept

help but remember the harrowing encounter with the being that appeared in

this where

— Sunny suddenly sensed

drawing near to

of the boat scraped against stone, Sunny jumped to the pier and tied the

was a second boat here, presumably the

cohort, there had not been an oracle in their ranks. No one had

was the reason why none