Shadow Slave

As the last spark of light disappeared, Nephis tilted her head to the side and remained silent for a few moments. Then, she lowered her gaze and said, addressing the First Lord:

"Thank you."

She hesitated, as though wishing to say more, but eventually just took a step back.

Kai, however, wasn't that reserved. Bowing deeply, he remained with his head down for a while, then straightened his back, looked at the skeleton, and voiced something that a few of them must have been thinking:

"Thank you. We will… we will finish what you started."

His words echoed above the cold water, eventually disappearing into the darkness. A heavy silence settled above the shore of the underground river.

A few seconds later, the charming archer turned to the rest of them and asked with uncertainty:

"I think… should we bury him?"

The members of the cohort looked at each other. Before anyone could voice their opinion, though, Sunny suddenly spoke:

"No. Just leave him as he is. He wanted to be closer to his friends when he died, so… just don't touch him."

With that, he turned his head and looked away.

Since the First Lord died outside of the terrible maze, his shadow was gone, too. Now it was just dumb and empty, like most shadows cast by inanimate objects. He had not shared in the harrowing fate of his companions, which meant that Sunny couldn't help him reunite with them… even slightly.

Neither could they bring the remains of the First Lord back outside, to bury him near the girl who had died in the quarry.

It was better to just leave him be.

'Forget about it. Think of something else.'

Sunny had other matters to consider, anyway.

That strange Memory that Nephis had absorbed… he had never even heard of a Memory that could exist outside of someone's soul. Had the First Lord somehow relinquished the ownership of it, or was this a quality that all Shard Memories possessed?

blade. That Memory was the reason why Changing Star had ventured on this expedition, to begin

at

what is it called? No, actually, let me guess. Dawn Shard? Dusk

and didn't answer. Her ivory face was calm

Sunny grinned.

of secrets, are

appeared in her cold grey eyes. A few moments

it clear that you don't want to be a true member of this cohort? You chose to be

remained silent for

I did, and you have no good

Suddenly, Nephis smiled.

If you do,

for a while, then

question, though. How exactly is that thing supposed

Star lingered for a bit, then

"See for yourself."

later, the headband left behind by the First Lord weaved itself from sparks of light on her forehead. The bright gemstone in its center

about the world around Sunny

'W—what…'

times, then slowly lowered his gaze and looked

rather, on the

he saw

served as nexuses for the complicated pattern of ethereal strings permeating the

Much, much brighter.

of those inside the

An Ascended Memory.

'What the hell?'

out the Blood Blossom from under his armor and stared at it, perplexed. The two embers inside the intricate pendant had become much

peer into the inner weave

but also singularly powerful enchantment. It empowers all Memories around it. The area of effect of the enchantment is very large… but the enhancement

'...You don't say!'

Memories, Sunny felt as though he was on the verge of being dumbstruck. Singular was the right word to describe the effect of the Dawn Shard. He had never heard of a Memory being capable