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.

anything, let alone

choice

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 risk meeting the

hesitated for a bit… and then started limping away from

an unknown danger was almost always worse than that which was familiar… but

horror was going

thing like

***

surface of the starlit sky. The hills became shrouded in darkness, which hid

in his chest had subsided somewhat, but

and studied his surroundings carefully in search of any sign of danger. If there was indeed a terrible

tall hill, Sunny suddenly froze, and then crouched down. Safely veiled by the shadows, he looked at a shimmering white light that danced some distance away, in the center of a small valley that was formed by the hill

'What… what is this?'

for a moment, then commanded the gloomy shadow to slide off from his body and get closer to the source of

shadow

Sunny blinked.

hell are you waiting for?! Get down

gave him a long look, then shook its head resentfully, and timidly glided

Sunny saw a strange

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

of him, a diamond sickle lay, its blade painted

by the warm light of the dancing flame, half washed in the cold pale moonlight, was eerie and strangely beautiful. Sunny found himself slightly hypnotized by the solemn mystery of it all, almost to the point of

while, the man let

spoke in a bright and

be so timid, friend… come out. Share the warmth of this fire with me, if you wish.