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 moments, then shook her

interact with the Lost while living in 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 were forbidden from entering the temple itself, unless escorted by one of the Masters. That is where the Lost live and the

suddenly fell silent, and then added in

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

The blind girl shivered.

they seemed like people. But

Sunny scowled.

'What the hell?'

many? What

keep its secrets. He just needed

an altar? Have you perceived an ivory

lingered for a few moments,

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

sighed, a bit

matter. I'm 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 when no one

you'll be able to convince them to let me

there was a bit

that whole place is very mysterious. I am reasonably sure that they

the sound

"But what?"

Cassie sighed.

another matter entirely. They can also simply refuse to let us in. I doubt that this will happen, but just in case,

Sunny grimaced.

for the worst… he had a few things to do in

in two days. Make

nodded and

silence, a strange sound could be heard. Sunny turned around and saw Effie noisily devouring the leftovers of their recent dinner. Noticing that he was staring at her,

guys were busy, and I

covered his eyes for a moment,