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.

a resplendent 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 was growing,

in repairing the ancient vessel

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 ship seemed

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

the sight of it. It was hard to

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

more, then slowed down, and landed

a solid surface under his feet, Sunny swayed a little and looked at the Fire Keepers that

fell down, instantly

month he had,

***

under the branches of the young tree, a soft pillow under his head and a warm

of it, the healer

am actually alive. What

was swiftly flying through

the Undying Chain and studied his chest, where the terrible wound had already closed, be it just barely. Now that he was conscious, he would be able to stitch it

noticing Cassie sleeping nearby. Her face was calm and

adventure seemed to be over. Of course, in the future, he was going to have to

at least they were free of the damned Night

'What a fiasco…'

didn't get to dwell on his frustration for long, however, because a delicious smell suddenly reached his nostrils, and a few moments later, Effie

eyes glistened, and his

grinned and

go, doofus. Welcome

a smile, and then attacked the food like a ravenous beast. Effie sat down on the

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

done with his meal and pushed the

proposal of

She scoffed.

"Pfft! You wish."

then glanced into the darkness that surrounded