Shadow Slave

Sunny stared at the terrifying fiend for a few moments, then suddenly grimaced, clutched his chest, and fell to one knee.

A bestial growl escaped through his sharp fangs.

'Argh!'

His heart was beating wildly, sending waves of pain rolling through his exhausted body. He felt weak and light-headed, beads of sweat glistening on his obsidian skin. This condition was only worsened by the usual sense of frailty that came from utterly depleting reserves of essence.

Sunny felt… infirm.

'God… damn it! Am I… am I having a heart attack?'

He groaned, remained motionless for a bit, and then slowly stood up. Still clutching his chest, he hunched awkwardly and looked around, trying to determine which island he had found himself on, and what wicked creature might have kept the Corrupted monstrosity at bay.

His pupils widened slightly.

'No way…'

The night was slowly advancing, and the island was drowned by the dimming resplendence of a beautiful crimson sunset. Despite only having been here once, Sunny recognized the place… the vastness of the island, the emerald grass that veiled its surface like a soft carpet, the rolling hills, the moss-covered ruins…

He had reached the Southern island, where the crumbling fortress lay at the estuary of the Great Chain, one of the anchors which connected the Isles to the mainland of the Dream Realm far below.

Well… the fortress had been ruined in the future. Currently, it might have been still standing.

'...Such luck.'

Sunny was glad to learn that he had arrived at the southernmost point of the Chained Isles during his mad escape from the Black Tar fiend. However, he was still uneasy about the fact that the abomination refused to approach it.

fight anything, let

choice was

toward the center of the island. The choices, really, were simple: he could either jump back on the heavenly chain and try his luck in a battle against the Black Tar fiend, or remain on the island and

bit… and then started limping away

was familiar… but who knew, maybe

horror was going to turn out

Statistically speaking, a thing like that is bound to happen…

***

world, and a full moon was climbing up the velvet surface of the starlit sky. The hills became shrouded in darkness, which hid and protected him, and

pain in his chest had subsided somewhat, but Sunny still

to take a look at the current status of the boundary fortress, and studied his surroundings carefully in search of any sign of danger.

shimmering white light that danced

'What… what is this?'

slide off from his body and get closer to the source

the shadow

Sunny blinked.

for?! Get down there! You can run away if things go

look, then shook its head resentfully, and timidly glided

saw a

his face obscured by the falling hair. He was naked above the waist, his pale skin covered

of him, a diamond

half washed in the cold pale moonlight, was eerie and strangely beautiful. Sunny found himself slightly hypnotized by

while, the man let

spoke in a bright and melodious

the shadows? Don't be so timid, friend… come out. Share the warmth of this fire with me, if you wish. The night is cold and