Shadow Slave

Sunny remained silent for a long time, looking at Noctis with a grim expression. Finally, he shifted and drew several runes, the onyx claw of his armored gauntlet moving through the ash with swift precision:

"Fortress. Danger. Inside?"

The sorcerer laughed.

"Danger… of course there is danger. But don't worry. It is nothing that you won't be able to handle. Uh… I think. Believe, even! Regardless, there's no one in the entire Kingdom of Hope better suited for this task thank you, Sunless. So… hurry up. Time's a wasting…"

Sunny scowled, unamused by the fact that Noctis avoided the question. Unwilling to let go, he growled and pointed to the runes again.

The sorcerer sighed wistfully.

"It's not that I don't want to tell you, Sunless. It's just that there's no point. You won't remember, anyway… but this will benefit us both, trust me. This fortress once belonged to a friend of mine. He was one of Hope's shackles, just like me, and a shadow, just like you. Do you see now why I think that fate itself has brought us together?"

Sunny held his breath.

'So, I was right. Noctis is indeed one of the immortals.'

And, more than that, one of the original seven had been a follower of Shadow God. Only five wardens were still alive, and none of them held dominion over the south… so, it was safe to assume that this Shadow Lord was dead. Suddenly, the sorcerer's comment about this island being someone's resting place made more sense.

If so… maybe there were some relics that the Transcendent of Shadows left behind in the fortress?

That changed things... a little...

Sunny hesitate for a while, and then gestured to his chest.

Noctis smiled.

"What? Surely, you are not doubting my skill! Rest assured, Sunless, I'll create a wonderful new heart for you. I'll even replace the fingers you seem to be missing, as a bonus. Unless not having fingers is your preference, of course..."

few minutes, then sighed and stood up. Picking up a bunch of grapes, he glanced at the

it, anyway… I wonder what

***

more of these flowers there were. Despite the fact that

appeared on

'These flowers…'

a hint of where he might have seen them. After

covered by a vast and beautiful field of such white flowers. Everyone, even the most competent cohorts of Awakened and

kinds, hidden beneath the delicate white petals. As soon as a person stepped on the surface of

they succumbed to that desire, none ever woke

Sunny silently cursed.

bastard trying to kill

him dead. A Saint had far easier ways to kill an Awakened, let alone someone as tired and weakened as him. There

must have been true, or at least close to it. He believed that Sunny was uniquely suited for the task and had a good chance

was so special about Sunny? What could he do that even a

he was connected to Shadow God, as the previous

thoughts, he crested another hill and saw the familiar silhouette of the

better condition than it had been in the future. In fact, it almost looked whole… if not for the moss covering its walls, the lack of lights, and the

tall walls built of grey stone rose high into the night sky, and the massive gates were closed shut. The ancient fortress was bathed in the pale moonlight,

Sunny grimaced.

'...Not ominous at all.'

Its walls had not crumbled yet, so the

compared to the great wall of the Dark City… getting to the top was not going to

he wasn't even human. He was a demon,

courtyard. Here, the signs of abandonment were more pronounced — there were dust and dirt everywhere, with weeds growing

away to explore the stronghold. If there was indeed a powerful

in tense anticipation. The shadows glided through the empty corridors and halls of the abandoned stronghold, through its towers and dungeons. However, no matter where they looked,

did find, however, were