Shadow Slave

"Hold on for a bit more!"

The archer strained a little, bearing their weight as he darted through the abyss, his flight swift and effortless. Illuminated by the paper lantern, the three of them traveled through the darkness like a small comet, moving faster and faster.

The wind whistled in Sunny's ears.

He remained silent for a bit, dumbfounded, then asked:

"Wait… was it you who brought Saint Tyris here?"

Kai smiled, looking somewhere far away.

"Of course! When you and Cassie didn't return to the real world, we knew that the negotiation with the representatives of clan Valor must have failed. But when you didn't arrive at Shipwreck Island by November, as the plan had been, it was clear that something went wrong. So, Effie and I waited for a bit, then went to the White Feather clan for help."

He paused for a moment, and then added:

"Eventually, we decided to come to the Night Temple ourselves. That was a week ago. We have just arrived yesterday."

'But the Citadel was sealed…'

Sunny frowned, suddenly catching an inconsistency in Kai's words.

"Wait… a week ago? How did you cross the Chained Isles so fast?"

The archer smiled brightly.

"...Look ahead!"

'What does he…'

Sunny glanced forward, and froze.

They were swiftly approaching another source of light, this one much, much larger. Or rather, it was moving in their direction, even faster than Kai was flying.

the darkness of the Sky Below as though on water.

repairing

still stood out on the polished wood, and here and there, the structure of the ship seemed rickety and slapdash — especially near the bow, which had been previously almost

a battery of light Memories illuminating the ship, an especially bright one burning at the tip of a long and sharp bowsprit. Human figures could be seen

by the sight of it. It was hard to believe that this had

same as on

more, then slowed down,

solid surface under his feet, Sunny swayed a

he sighed, and fell

terrible month

***

He was laying near the main mast of the ship, under the branches of the young tree, a soft pillow under his head and a warm blanket covering his body. He

it, the healer of the Fire Keepers,

alive. What a

and sat up, then stared into the darkness for a bit. The ancient vessel was swiftly

already closed, be it just barely. Now that he was conscious, he would be able to stitch it up, or at least cover the gash with a

Sunny looked around, noticing Cassie

with the fact that their harrowing adventure seemed to be over. Of course, in the future, he was going to have to deal with its consequences… and even before that, the Second

least they were free of the damned Night

'What a fiasco…'

smell suddenly reached his nostrils, and a

and his

huntress grinned and handed him a

you go, doofus.

Effie sat down on the deck

minutes were spent in silence, disturbed only by the sound of energetic chewing. At some point, Kai landed nearby and joined

with his meal and pushed

Effie. About that marriage proposal of yours…

She scoffed.

"Pfft! You wish."

chuckled, then glanced into the darkness that