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?"

a few

the Night Temple. You see, the whole Citadel is separated into three areas. The outward ring is where we were given a space to establish a base. We

and then added in

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

The blind girl shivered.

least, they seemed like people. But they

Sunny scowled.

'What the hell?'

but many? What exactly

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

altar? Have you perceived an ivory knife lying

a

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

sighed, a bit

sure it's there… the problem is to convince the representatives of clan Valor to let me approach the altar. Or even sneak to it

you think you'll be able to convince them

there was

that whole place is very mysterious. I am reasonably sure that they will at least allow us to anchor

the

"But what?"

Cassie sighed.

that this will happen, but just in case, we should be prepared — the day we leave the Sanctuary might be

Sunny grimaced.

best to prepare for the worst… he had a few things to do in the next few days,

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

nodded and

devouring the leftovers of their recent dinner.

guys were busy, and I was

his eyes for a moment,