Shadow Slave

Sunny slowly rolled on his stomach, then rose to his knees. He was breathing heavily, and his whole body felt as if it had just gone through a meat grinder. Master Roan, on the other hand, looked almost unperturbed.

The rider was already on his feet, tying the blue scarf around his neck with a relaxed expression on his face.

The forest around them let out an almost human sigh of relief. The ancient trees creaked and cracked, rising their brancher back toward the sun. Those that had broken remained on the ground, adding to the nearly impenetrable layer of deadfall.

Sunny glanced at the older man with a bit of envy, then stood up and tried to shake off his exhaustion. After spending a few minutes resting and drinking greedily from the Endless Spring, he almost felt alive again. Glancing at the tall man, he asked:

"How are you able to fly up there on your griffin? I mean… no offense, but that seems like something only a crazy person would do."

Roan laughed.

"I don't rise too high unless I really have to. Usually, you can fly above the descending islands without experiencing too much pressure. After a while, you develop a sense of how much your body can handle, and for how long."

He massaged his broad shoulders and added, a note of pride in his voice:

"Plus, I am a Master, after all. I can withstand much more than an Awakened would. You did exceptionally well, however. To be honest, I was pretty sure that I would have to abandon my patrol to bring your bleeding body back to the Sanctuary at full speed, then throw it into the Gateway. I guess it's true what they say about you Forgotten Shore kids."

Sunny blinked a couple of times and asked cautiously:

"...What do they say?"

The older man smiled.

almost scary. Scary children, that

a few moments, then

fear? What nonsense. I pride myself on being a coward — as one should. What's wrong with being a coward? Fear keeps people alive, while bravery gets them killed. As for pain, no thank you. I have been beaten, burned, crushed, drowned, cut, stabbed,

Roan gave him a strange look, Sunny

"Uh… what?"

tall man shook his head, then scratched his chin and said in

then what are you doing here on the Chaines Isles? Shouldn't you be having a nice

away in embarrassment, then

are several reasons for that,

then lowered his voice and said

Dream Realm. And since the Chained Isles are largely unexplored, they pay me premium

with an incredulous expression. After a

are a strange fellow, you

Sunny shrugged.

think. Anyway… don't tell anyone about

man blinked a couple of times, then

back to the

for a bit,

I'll be back before morning and go straight back to the real world. I have business

patted Sunny on the

If you need anything

The winged beast towered above Sunny like a gargantuan mix between a lion,