Shadow Slave

Two days later, they entered the Dark City once again.

Nephis was right — no one from the Castle was there to ambush them. Gunlaug seemed to be content letting them come to him instead, so his Hunters and the dreadful hunchback were nowhere to be seen.

Just as well.

The cohort scaled the impregnable grey wall late in the evening and spent the night in one of its towers — almost like how Sunny, Neph, and Cassie had done all that time ago.

When the morning came, they headed toward the ruined cathedral.

The ruined streets of the cursed city surrounded them once more. After months spent in the Labyrinth, their monotone colors seemed strange and bizarre. There was nothing but dark stone and dust around, with rare islands of crimson leaves and moss growing through the rubble.

And swarms of terrifying Fallen Creatures, of course.

…It was nice to be home.

Sunny caught himself thinking that and blinked. He had never thought that one day he would feel sentimental about returning to this cursed, ancient prison. And yet, there was a strange feeling of comfort deep in his heart now. It had been there ever since they had crested the city wall.

'What weird creatures we humans are. Truly, there is nothing we can't get used to.'

Glancing at his companions, he noticed that they were feeling the same way — especially Effie, who had spent years surviving, hunting, and even thriving on the streets of the Dark City.

She even called it a paradise once.

…The only kind that humans deserved.

Sunny sighed. Regardless of the strange ideas the huntress had, he believed that humans weren't meant to live in a paradise.

If they were to ever find one, they would quickly turn it into hell.

…Just like what the humans trapped on the Forgotten Shore were doing right now.

***

the ancient temple with dark expressions. The journey through the Dark City had turned out to be uneventful thanks to Effie's masterful guidance and the

the end of the path,

days teaching the rest of the group everything that he knew about how the Black Devil fought, what his habits were, and how they had to approach the upcoming battle. They were as ready as they were ever going to

he lingered for a

to deal the

a

devil, Sunny? Won't it be better to leave that creature be? I just don't understand this

Sunny smiled.

I don't mean

The charming archer shivered.

"Uh… no. Were you?"

disappeared

That bastard over there cut me open with his big sharp sword and left me bleeding to death in a ditch. So… it's only fair that I do something

you announced to the world that anyone could stomp on you with impunity. After that, it was a short road to the grave… or

were very

Black Knight was not really a person. But the same principle

stared at him with a complicated

Then… how did

turned away and moved

good Attributes and powerful Memories. That's how I survived. Well… most

that, he shook his head and gritted his teeth

know the plan… so let's get it over

reach the pinnacle of his hunter

to

***

darkness reigned unopposed. It drowned the vast hall, clinging to its walls and tall columns. The rare beams of light falling through the narrow windows only served to make it

humans entered the temple, the light of their lantern Memories failing to pierce

there was utter silence. And then, a sudden