Shadow Slave

Raising his hand, Sunny gave Aiko and Stev a signal to remain quiet. Then, with a frown, he commanded the shadow to abandon its hiding spot and find the Guards.

'They can't be near us… I would have heard them.'

Then where did the bastards go?

Soon, he had his answer.

The three Guards were in the corridor a hundred or so steps from Sunny's current position, just behind a corner. In a place where they shouldn't have been, since it was way off their previous route.

They were also dead.

Two had their skulls smashed in. Sunny did not know what weapon, tool, or limb was used to kill them, because their Memory armors had already disappeared. It had to have been something capable of piercing through steel, though, because the Guards had been wearing helmets the last time he saw them.

The third was even worse. His throat was torn, seemingly with terribly sharp fangs… to such degree that the young man's head was almost separated from his body. One would expect a sea of blood to come out of such a terrible wound, but in fact, there was surprisingly little of it on the floor.

However, the corpse of the Guard was unnaturally pale, as if devoid of blood completely.

'Curses…'

Sunny felt a cold shiver run through his body.

The shadow cautiously looked around, but didn't notice anyone else present on the scene of the gruesome slaughter.

Aiko and Stev were staring at Sunny with alarmed expressions. After waiting for several minutes, he finally relaxed a little and motioned for them to follow.

"What happened?"

He hesitated for a few seconds, then said in an even tone:

"The Blood Lord has just been here."

Their eyes widened.

"That fiend?! Then why aren't we running?!"

Sunny glanced at them with a calm expression.

worry, it's already

he was anything but

necesarrily something he would be scared of. One that managed to get past his shadow and slaughter them just a hundred steps away without making enough noise

what kind of an

had to pass the place where the Guards had been killed to reach their

Guards looked even more gruesome in person. Sunny frowned slightly, while Aiko and Stev had to struggle to keep

"Gods… poor bastards…"

around with a dark expression. He was hoping to notice something that his shadow

the three

bother you, but I… I mean, Stev seems to be really

hesitated for a little, then

noticed something glint in the pool of blood. The shadow had not noticed it earlier because there was nothing to shine on the small object and make it reflect

picked up the bloodied piece of metal,

silver earring in the shape of a flower blossom. It wasn't a charm

that thing

a confused scowl, he lingered for a few moments

out

***

of Changing Star's territory. The Sleepers standing watch were surprised to see Sunny come back with two strangers,

Aiko raised an eyebrow.

inspect us? What

at each other, and then one of

we would. But

petite young

Is he in very

watchman gave a strange look, then coughed

starting a conversation with him is, uh… well,

at him with an offended

supposed

hurriedly shook his

I need to inspect the

that, he made

him out of

away and led the two newcomers