Shadow Slave

As the Dreamer Army was drowning in the rising waters of the cursed sea and the insatiable tide of monsters, Sunny approached the crimson tower.

Far away from the rest of them, completely alone, submerged in roaring darkness, he struggled against the seething mass of black waves and the hurricane winds to cross the last few meters that separated him from the shining star sigil engraved into its gates.

Finally, his hand touched the cold surface of the ancient stone. Wiping the rainwater off his pale face, Sunny stared at the radiant shapes of the seven stars.

'This better work…'

Summoning the first of the Oauth Keys, he lingered for a moment, and then carefully inserted it into the black chasm of the keyhole.

***

Separated from him by the vast expanse of the swelling sea of darkness, the surviving Sleepers desperately fought the advancing horde of monsters. The black water had already reached their waists, making it hard to move. The army was trying to retreat up the slope of the crimson coral, but the pursuing sea was much faster than them.

Changing Star was still slaying one monster after another, her radiance only growing brighter in the tenebrous hell of the furious storm. Raindrops were evaporating as they touched her brilliant skin, its incandescence making even arching bolts of lightning seem pale and bleak.

…Suddenly, an almost imperceptible ripple ran across the surface of the black water. A gust of cold wind blew over the Forgotten Shore, sending a shiver running through the hearts of countless creatures.

***

Moving on to the next star, Sunny summoned the second key and put it into the lock. Nothing terrible happened, so he struggled through the water to reach the third one.

'Terrible… what would that even look like? What can be more terrible than my current situation?'

As if to answer his question, somewhere behind him, a black tentacle suddenly rose out of the seething waves and blindly whipped through the air. Crashing into a mount of coral, it easily shattered it. A rain of debris fell into the water.

Just a moment later, countless others followed the first one.

this new development through the eyes of his

and my big damn

of the seven golems he had slain. But as the sea rose, they

key, Sunny dashed to the fourth

strong gust of wind hit Sunny in the back, almost

into the keyhole, the tentacles were

'Curse it all!'

Oath Key into the lock and dove into the

before the mass of twisting tentacles descended on him, he found the last shining star and drove the seventh key

Suddenly, the world shuddered.

***

whole Forgotten Shore

second, startled by the sudden

of rain stopped.

have ended as suddenly as

Creatures attacking them stumbled and paused for a moment, staring at the

veil of clouds was broken by a blindingly bright ray

happened, the restless black water

sea was

***

"Crap!"

lock, the whole Crimson Spire shuddered. An

giant slabs of ancient stone moved for the

dragging him through the mass of black water with terrible speed. The unexpected blow threw him off his feet and almost caused him to

gate brought him away from the damned

thrown onto the slope of a tall coral mound. Coughing a few times, he