Shadow Slave

For the next few days, Sunny's life became rather monotonous. He would meditate while circulating the shadow essence through the coils of the Soul Serpent to enhance the speed of its recovery, pour it into the obsidian arch… and repeat the process.

With each cycle, the runes surrounding the portal became brighter and brighter. The portal was slowly coming to life, feeling Sunny with hope so intense that he struggled to contain it. He had no doubt that he would be able to activate the arch.

And then… he would go to the Ivory Tower, find a way to descend back to the Chained Isles, somehow, and return to the real word.

And by a new refrigerator.

'And stock it with all kinds of food!'

Sitting on the stone floor of the highest level of the Ebony Tower, Sunny looked at the Covetous Coffer, which stood nearby, with a resentful expression. He knew full well that there was no meat left there, or any other kind of food.

Who knew he would miss the vile flesh of the Mordant Mimic one day?

'I guess one should never say never…'

Sunny was close to fully replenishing the shadow essence, so his thoughts began to wander.

Out of boredom, he dove into the Soul Sea, stared at the shadows for some time, then paced around, then summoned some of his Memories and read their descriptions for the hundredth time, then stared at the looming black suns of his Shadow Cores, then paced some more, the summoned a few other Memories.

'Boring… so boring…'

After a while, something finally attracted his attention.

The runes of Weaver's Mask... had apparently changed a little.

Before, there was a [???] in place of the name of its third enchantment. After Sunny had activated that enchantment… almost frying his brain in the process… the name changed, however.

He blinked a few times, then looked at the runes again.

'Did I... did I read it right?'

enchantments were just as before, [Mantle of Lies] and [Simple Trick]. The third one, however, now had

[Where

the wielder peer into the tapestry of

a deadpan expression for a few moments, and then

where is

was done laughing at Weaver's strange naming sensibility, the cycle of restoring

head, smiled, then stood up

of runes was burning with a furious white radiance, turning the somber black hall into a stark tapestry of darkness

it with the tip of the silver spear. Once again,

time, however, only half of it was

the eyes, he took an involuntary step back and raised a

Life.

his eyes adjusted to the brightness, Sunnyslowly lowered his hand and looked at the arch with a

a rift in reality appeared inside the Ebony

it had been — dark, somber, cut from lusterless

of

ground. A beautiful green meadow continued from where the obsidian floor ended, full of vibrancy and life. A shadow of a tall tree shaded the proximity of the portal, and there was a path of white stone

the portal. Surrounded but the blue skies, clouds, and vibrant green grass, it seemed to be the epitome of beauty and

whole sight was like

He swallowed.

Tower. Mordret was

how lazily the branches of the tree moved, the

at least, it was

'Yes!'

was already growing dimmer. The portal was burning through the meager amount of divine flame Sunny had been able to charge it within these past

"Curses!"

given the circumstances. There was not much to be done here, to begin with.

had

shadows around his body… and

don't be an