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.

remained. The wondrous tree which kept the ancient ship afloat in the sky had come from that grove, once. The sapling will grow

then turned to the

the Bright Castle. Shakti is gifted with an Aspect that helps plants thrive, and was Kido's apprentice. Kaor is an Awakened carpenter. We have more people on the way to the Chained Isles,

remained silent for a

a long time. From before he had come to invite her to challenge the Second Nightmare with him… was it a coincidence? They were going to have to brave the Sky Below to get to the Seed, after all, and here was Cassie, conveniently planning

did she really

if hearing his thoughts, Cassie turned to him. Her face suddenly turned

we might be able to cross the Hollow

the familiar girl — Shakti — said in a

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

resolute in their desire

what about Sunny

Well… things were complicated.

He sighed.

you might be able to repair it. But 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 can hold on

each other

a few moments, and

are going to kill it the old-fashioned way. Use someone

Sunny rubbed his face.

I am

girl smiled,

are the bait. You are the blade that

solemn and sort of grand, but she immediately ruined the moment by

If it doesn't, then… well, you know. Kill

exactly the icon of eloquence, are

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,

he infused the [Dark Mirror] enchantment with divine flame. Yes, Sunny couldn't burn the ship itself, but that didn't mean that he couldn't deliver once surgical, immolating strike to the main body of the monster. The bastard was weak

to keep the monster preoccupied long enough for Sunny to

at them gravely, and

are you all so sure that I

of the Fire