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.

Below as though on water. Its sails were pristine white, and around the main mast, a young

had succeeded in repairing the ancient vessel after

swift, its hull devoid of the cracks and breaches that had marred its surface before. A patchwork of replacement boards still stood out on the polished wood, and here and there, the structure of the

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

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

repaired, it looked almost the same as on the golden coins he had sacrificed to the altar of

slowed down, and landed on

Sunny swayed a little and looked

and fell down,

day… no, a terrible month he had, some rest

***

to his senses. 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 still felt terrible, but mostly due to the soul damage Mordret

Sunny was out of it, the healer of the Fire Keepers,

alive.

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

state, Sunny looked around, noticing Cassie sleeping

their harrowing adventure seemed to be over. Of course, in the future,

were free of the

'What a fiasco…'

long, however, because a delicious smell suddenly reached his nostrils, and a few moments

and his

huntress grinned and

go, doofus. Welcome

sat down on the deck and placed the second

energetic chewing.

Sunny was done with his meal and pushed

of yours… I might have changed my

She scoffed.

"Pfft! You wish."

chuckled, then glanced into the darkness that surrounded them from