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?

own stalwart blade. That Memory was the reason why Changing Star had ventured on this

at Nephis,

headband… what is it called? No, actually,

looked at him and didn't answer.

Sunny grinned.

of secrets, are

of some deep, sharp emotion appeared in her cold grey eyes. A few moments later, she

the one who made it clear that you don't want to be a true member of this cohort? You chose to be a hired blade yourself… did you not?

silent for a bit, then

you have no good reason to share anything

Suddenly, Nephis smiled.

If you

her for a

How exactly is that

for a bit, then simply

"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

then, something about the

'W—what…'

times, then slowly lowered his gaze and

on the

he saw left

complicated

Much, much brighter.

almost as intense as of those inside the black

An Ascended Memory.

'What the hell?'

on the thread tied around his neck, Sunny fished out the Blood Blossom from under his armor

Sunny had the ability to peer

around it. The area of effect of

'...You don't say!'

describe the effect