Shadow Slave

Cassie chose her next words carefully:

"Despite the fact that the Hollow Mountains were designated as a Death Zone, it seems that clan Valor still has ambitions of exploring them. Perhaps that is why Night Temple exists, and why a Saint is stationed there."

Sunny frowned. Even Kai and Effie seemed to be perplexed.

"...I thought Sky Tide was the only Saint on the Chained Isles."

The blind girl shook her head.

"No, there is another. Saint Cormac. He oversees the Citadel and ventures into the mist of the Hollow Mountains from time to time... as though searching for something. In fact, that was how I was able to receive permission to anchor myself and my cohort in the Night Temple. In exchange, I was meant to use my Aspect to aid him in the exploration. But nothing much came of it."

Sunny thought for a bit, then said:

"So far, everything sounds reasonable?"

Cassie nodded, then shifted uncomfortably.

"Yeah. But there are just too many strange things about that Citadel, ones that have nothing to do with the Saint and his mission. For one, there are just too many Awakened there — around a hundred, I think. That is much more than is needed to support one Saint. However, the most eerie part is not their number, but who those Awakened are."

She hesitated, then said somberly:

"With the exception of two Masters who serve as Saint Cormac's lieutenants, all of them are… Lost."

Sunny perked up.

What Cassie had told them was, indeed, strange… and more than a little bit disturbing. There weren't that many Lost among the Awakened, so why would a hundred of them be gathered together in a remote and isolated Citadel?

But that wasn't the reason why Sunny was suddenly excited. Leaning forward a bit, he asked:

"Oh, yeah? Is there one called Mordret?"

few moments, then shook

ring is where we were given a

fell silent, and then added

to enter. The Inner Sanctum. One time,

The blind girl shivered.

seemed like people. But they weren't.

Sunny scowled.

'What the hell?'

was creepy enough, but many? What exactly were

important. Clan Valor could keep its secrets. He just needed to get the knife from the

you perceived

lingered for a few

the one in the Sanctuary. You don't need to touch the altar to activate it. So I've only felt the altar from afar… it is indeed cut from a slab of black stone, from what others told me. There is a statue of a veiled woman holding a star and a bolt of lightning

a

Valor to let

think you'll be able to convince them

but there was a bit of

help Saint Cormac a lot, we parted on good terms. However… that whole place is very mysterious. I am

like the sound

"But what?"

Cassie sighed.

that this will happen, but just in case, we should be prepared — the day we leave the Sanctuary might be the last time we'll have access

Sunny grimaced.

It was best to prepare for the worst…

leave in two days. Make your preparations, and I will

and

that silence, a strange sound could be heard. Sunny turned around and saw Effie noisily devouring the leftovers of their recent

You guys were busy,

his eyes for a moment, then shook his