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.

wooden ship became visible, flowing through the darkness of the Sky Below as though on water. Its sails were pristine white, and around the main mast, a young tree

Keepers had succeeded in repairing the ancient vessel after all,

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

tip of a long and sharp bowsprit. Human figures could be seen on the deck, moving

swiftly approaching ship, stunned by the sight of it. It was

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

more, then slowed down,

surface under his feet, Sunny swayed a

fell down, instantly losing

a terrible month he had, some rest was

***

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 had dealt him — the physical wounds were not bothering him too much

out of it, the healer of the Fire Keepers, Shim,

am actually alive. What

swiftly flying through the abyss, descending into its depths. Due to that, his body felt

just barely. Now that he was conscious, he would be able to stitch it up, or at least cover the gash with a bandage… as well as properly take

state, Sunny looked around, noticing Cassie sleeping nearby. Her face was calm and

to be over. Of course, in the future, he was going to have to deal with its consequences… and even before that, the Second Nightmare awaited, perhaps much

were free

'What a fiasco…'

a delicious smell suddenly reached his nostrils, and a few moments later, Effie appeared nearby, carrying two plates of somewhat that seemed

and

huntress grinned and handed

you go, doofus.

ravenous beast. Effie sat down on the deck and

only by the sound of energetic chewing. At some point, Kai landed nearby and joined them, an

his meal and pushed the plate

Effie. About that marriage proposal of yours…

She scoffed.

"Pfft! You wish."

into the darkness that