Shadow Slave

Sunny was at a loss for words.

Had he even heard it right?

"You are going to… repair… the ancient, broken, monster-infected ship?"

Well… it made a lot of sense, actually.

Cassie nodded.

"Yes. We are going to cleanse, repair, and make it fly again."

Oh, so it was a flying ship, too!

'Perfect!'

Honestly, Sunny shouldn't have been surprised. All the clues had been there for a long time.

He had already known that the ship depicted on the miraculous coins was, most likely, the very same that lay broken on the Shipwreck Island. The connection was pretty easy to make, considering that they looked alike, and that the coins had come from its treasury in the first place.

Sunny had also asked himself the question of what a sailing ship was doing in the middle of Chained Isles, which had no sea and no rivers for it to sail on. The thought that it had actually been designed to fly through the skies had crossed his mind, among other things.

And finally, on the coins, the ancient ship was shown as having a beautiful tree wrapped around its mast. It had also belonged to the enigmatic person called Noctis. Wasn't it too much of a coincidence, then, that Cassie had come to the Sanctuary of Noctis and ventured on a long expedition to a Desecrated Grove?

The word "desecrated" implied that the burned grove had been sacred once. After all, only sacred things could be desecrated. And a sacred tree sounded exactly like something capable of making a massive ship fly.

…Right?

Sunny stared at the large wooden box with a ponderous expression. After a while, he asked:

"So what's in the box?"

Cassie walked over and gently put a hand on its lid.

months searching for a living root in that ghastly place. And finally, deep underground, we found the only one that remained. The wondrous tree which kept the ancient ship afloat in the sky had come from that grove, once. The

sighed, and then turned to the Fire

that helps plants thrive, and was Kido's apprentice. Kaor

remained silent for a

Second Nightmare with him… was it a coincidence? They were going to have to brave the Sky Below

did she

hearing his thoughts, Cassie turned to him.

be able to cross the Hollow Mountains. At least…

while, the familiar girl — Shakti

no matter what. Going there on foot is suicide. Maybe flying

in their desire

what about

Well… things were complicated.

He sighed.

how are we going to defeat its current tenant without using fire? No offense, guys, but I really don't think that you can handle that fight. Maybe you

each other again. Finally, their

for a few moments, and

are going to kill it the old-fashioned way. Use someone as bait, and strike the monster down while

Sunny rubbed his face.

guess… I am

blind girl smiled, then shook her

You are the blade that will pierce the creature's heart

solemn and sort of grand, but she immediately ruined

a heart. If it doesn't, then…

the icon of eloquence,

Sunny frowned.

usually the bait. Actually, this plan sort of made sense. He already knew that he could survive in the poisonous miasma inside the ship, and that with enough augmentations, the Cruel

with divine flame. Yes, Sunny couldn't burn the ship itself, but that didn't mean that he couldn't

problem was… would the Fire Keepers be able to keep the monster preoccupied long enough for Sunny to achieve

looked at them gravely,

sure

the Fire Keepers