Shadow Slave

Soon, he was able to make out the silhouettes of seven people walking across the chain. They were led by a delicate beauty in a light polished armor, her pale blond hair dancing in the wind. Cassie walked with her eyes covered by the silver half-mask, her hand resting on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer. If Sunny didn't know that she was blind, he would have not suspected it.

…The Fire Keepers had returned from their lengthy expedition to the Desecrated Grove.

In the end, it took them almost two months to find the… whatever they had been searching for on that remote and ghastly island. And now, it was time for Sunny to join them in the assault on the ancient shipwreck.

He grimaced.

After two months spent without returning to the real world, members of Cassie's cohort looked weathered and exhausted. They were covered in dirt and dust, and their armor bore marks of countless battles. However, these young men and women seemed to be healthy and in good mood. There was a spring to their steps, and as they got closer, Sunny could see smiles on their lips.

Two of them were carefully carrying a large box fashioned out of crude wooden boards. He assumed that it contained the thing Cassie had spent two months looking for.

Sunny tilted his head, curious.

'What might it be, I wonder?'

Eventually, they noticed him, too.

Cassie slowed down a little, and in the next moment, the Fire Keeper walking behind her gently touched her on the shoulder and said something. Then, he gestured toward Sunny and waved a hand.

Sunny sighed and dismissed the Memory of Fire.

'Ugh… people…'

In the six months spent on the Chained Isles, he had gotten accustomed to only dealing with other Awakened in small doses. Knowing that he was going to have to be in the company of relative strangers for a while and fight with them side by side did not make Sunny happy.

In that regard, Mordret had been a perfect companion. He only appeared once every few days for a short while, helped Sunny with advice, and then disappeared without a trace, not asking for anything in return.

If only all relationships could be so simple…

Sadly, the mysterious prince was still nowhere to be found. Sunny had not heard from him ever since returning from the Ivory Tower, almost making him think that he had simply imagined the whole thing.

The mirror shard he kept in the Covetous Coffer reminded him that he had not, though.

Sunny forced a smile to appear on his face, and waved at the Fire Keepers in return.

"Welcome back, guys! It's good to see you... sort of..."

***

time to clean themself up and fill their stomachs, they gathered in a spacious room provided to them by the White Feather clan.

own quarters so tiny? Even if his True Name remained a secret, Sunny was still an

seven Awakened gathered around a table. He

Sunny! How

moments, then said in a neutral

"...Busy. Really busy."

man who had asked him the

What's keeping

and glanced at a particular

It read:

Shadow Fragments: [1936/2000].

He sighed.

of things. Haven't you heard? I am the most indispensable shopkeeper on the Chained Isles. By the way, if any of you want to purchase something, just let me know. Toothpaste, spices, underpants… we have

gave him strange looks,

funny? That's a

was placed, with possible routes to the Shipwreck Island marked on it. From the

expression appeared

are actually planning to attack

gave him a

"Indeed."

He sighed.

you

fell silent without finishing the question

The blind girl frowned.

"Are you alright?"

Sunny waved a hand.

uh… oh right, you haven't been back to the real world in a couple of

Fire Keepers raised an eyebrow,

is

him with an unreadable

anyway, let's get back to the Corrupted Monster. How much do you guys know

for a few moments,

White Feather clan had shared with us.