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.

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 sapling will

turned to the

Bright Castle. Shakti is gifted with an Aspect that helps plants thrive, and was Kido's apprentice.

silent for

ancient wreck for 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 to claim and

did she

if hearing his thoughts, Cassie turned

be able to cross the Hollow Mountains. At

familiar girl — Shakti — said in

to try, no matter what. Going there on foot is

really resolute in their desire

what about

Well… things were complicated.

He sighed.

answers the question of why you want the ship, and how 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

other again. Finally, their mood

a few

someone as bait, and strike the monster down while it's

Sunny rubbed his face.

guess… I

smiled, then

We are the bait. You are the blade that will pierce the creature's heart

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

mean… uh… if it has a heart. If it doesn't, then… well, you know.

the icon of

Sunny frowned.

Neph was usually the bait. Actually, this plan sort of made sense. He

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 fire, so the result would probably be nothing short of

problem was… would the Fire Keepers be able to keep

at them

you all so sure that I can kill

of the