Shadow Slave

As they walked toward the gates, Sunny asked quietly:

"So… what happens now, exactly?"

Cassie thought for a few moments before answering.

"I am not sure. That depends on whether Saint Cormac is inside the Citadel or out exploring the Hollow Mountains. In any case, my standing should be good enough to at least get an audience with one of the Masters overseeing the Temple in his absence."

She hesitated, then added:

"If we are allowed inside, there are several rules you must follow. Outsiders aren't allowed to summon any Memories or Echoes inside the Citadel. We can only go into the allowed areas, unless a Master is escorting us. We may not speak with the inhabitants of the temple unless they address us first… additionally, all items we bring inside have to be inspected."

Sunny frowned. The rules were not only strange, but also strict and would put him at a disadvantage should anything happen. However, he remembered Sky Tide's warning… she told him not to break any rules inside Night Temple.

'Alright… I won't do anything risky unless absolutely necessary. Let's see how this plays out first.'

As they approached the ornate gates, two figures became visible standing on both sides of it. One was a man, and the other was a woman. Both sentinels were in their thirties and had calm, cold, dangerous eyes.

'So… these are the Lost.'

It was Sunny's first time meeting their kind. In truth, there was not much difference between them and those Awakened who had not lost their physical bodies.

…That was not to say that the sentinels were ordinary.

Both radiated an imposing, overbearing aura. Just from how the Lost held themselves, Sunny could tell that they were extremely experienced and fearsome warriors. Their armors were perfectly crafted, and their weapons had a dangerous luster, all clearly of a high Rank.

The pressure these sentinels exerted reminded him of the oldest and most deadly hunters of the Dark City, those who had survived long years of bloody battles in the hell of the Forgotten Shore. If he was honest, he had to admit that most Awakened anchored at the Sanctuary of Noctis seemed like children when compared to the two Lost.

These people were no joke. And there were a hundred more inside the cathedral, if what Cassie had told him was true. If all of them were the same as the sentinels…

Sunny suppressed a shiver.

He might have vastly underestimated the scale of the force that clan Valor had stationed at the precipice of the Hollow Mountains. The somber cathedral hid an entire army.

What purpose could it serve? The mystery

hand, commanding them to stop. He studied both Sunny

what a nice surprise to see you again. I hope that the other

did not match the friendly

girl simply

good health, anchored at

second sentinel raised an eyebrow

What prompted you to make the long journey and return to our modest Citadel, then? In a company

at Sunny and

a stranger. In fact, he is a dear friend of mine and one of the few people in this world I would trust with

Sunny almost choked.

'Such smooth lies… admirable!'

lingered for a

have an audience with

making Sunny feel a bit nervous. Finally,

is carrying out one of his missions.

skipping a bit, she said, her

Pierce or

at each other. After a while, one of them

"Wait here."

and Cassie under the heavy gaze

tell the difference. She looked just like a normal Awakened would in the Dream Realm… well, it made sense. Her spirit

was also shaped

are you staring

smiled. For a moment, he was very tempted to

ma'am. It seems like a

sentinel snarled and didn't

some time, the second one returned and beckoned them

two sets of simple garments made out of crude cloth, then locked inside. Sunny stared

is that

her belt, then dismissed the Quiet Dancer and placed its empty scabbard on

or Echoes