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?"

thought for a few moments, then

where we were given a space to establish a base. We were forbidden from entering the temple

then added in a darker

Inner Sanctum. One time, while we were entering the Gateway, I felt the doors of the

The blind girl shivered.

people. But they weren't. They

Sunny scowled.

'What the hell?'

enough, but many? What exactly were

Valor could keep its secrets. He

altar? Have you perceived an ivory knife

a few moments,

to activate it. So I've only felt the altar from afar… it is indeed cut from a slab of

sighed, a bit

matter. I'm sure it's there… the problem is to convince the representatives of clan Valor to let me approach

to

but there was

a problem. Although I wasn't able to help Saint Cormac a lot, we parted on good terms. However… that whole place is very mysterious. I am reasonably sure that they will at least allow

like the sound of

"But what?"

Cassie sighed.

in case, we should be prepared — the day we leave the Sanctuary might

Sunny grimaced.

was right. It was best to prepare for the worst… he had a few things to

two days.

and fell

noisily devouring the leftovers of their recent dinner. Noticing that he was

guys were busy,

a moment, then shook his