Shadow Slave

At that point, Sunny and Cassie weren't too far away from the gate chamber, where they had made a morbid discovery soon after escaping from the cage. Back then, the heavy gates had been closed and sealed… now, however, it seemed that they were finally opened.

Saint Cormac had returned from his expedition to the Hollow Mountains a few days sooner than expected.

For a moment, Sunny was overcome by fierce joy…

Then, however, the cold and rational part of his mind took over.

Yes, the arrival of the Saint created a path of escape, and was bound to solve their Mordret problem… most likely.

But who was to say that the Transcendent warrior would not turn out to be an even deadlier threat?

The first thing Saint Cormac was going to see after entering the Citadel was a pile of mutilated corpses. After that, he would most likely kill anyone who appears in his way. After all, any survivor would either be a potential vessel of the banished prince… or a witness.

Sunny gritted his teeth, then rose to his feet and pulled Cassie into a side corridor. There, they hid in the shadows, wrapped her cloak around themselves, and waited. He didn't dare to extend his shadow sense toward the gates or send his shadows forward to scout, fearful to draw the Saint's attention, so neither of them knew what was going on.

A few seconds passed in terrifying silence, and then, Sunny heard something rustle through the corridor they had just left. A gust of wind blew past them, as if left behind by something moving at incredible speed.

A moment later, they heard a distant impact, and the Night Temple trembled once again.

It seemed that Saint Cormac had already found Mordret.

Sunny pushed Cassie to her feet and hissed:

"Hurry! To the gate!"

air mixing with the terrible smell of the rotting corpses. The gates of the Night Temple stood wide

doorway seemed like a portal into the

the cursed cathedral. After a month of suffering, bloodshed, and harrowing dread they had experienced in this ghastly stone trap, the air of

Temple shuddered once again, dust falling from its ancient walls. Far below, the bells rang somberly,

Nothing, the whole

It's not

them dashed across the rickety bridge that swayed above the chasm of the Sky Below

that one wrong step can potentially cost them their lives. But Sunny was unwilling to slow down. They had to reach the surface, cross the island, traverse the heavenly chain… all before

is taking too

moment, then summoned

"Climb onto my back!"

did as she was told. He drove the black needle between the plates of the Undying Chain, cursed, and then threw his hand forward, the triangular blade of the Prowling Thorn shooting into the overhanging stone

blind girl's weight added to his own, the speed of their ascent wasn't too fast. However, with the help of the kunai and its invisible string, Sunny was able to increase

winds threatening to either crush them

torturous minutes — or maybe an eternity — they still managed to reach the surface of the island,

wheezing sounds coming out of his lungs with each breath. He lay motionless for

need to move. It's not time

mist was flowing down their slopes, and there was something white dancing in the

cold spreading across his burning

His heart contracted painfully.

'Snow… it's snowing…'

Or did the first snowfall arrive ahead