Shadow Slave

Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then looked at Kai and said with determination.

"Let's go."

Kai nodded and followed the four-armed demon, pushing forward his bandaged body with visible effort. Seeing his friend's suffering, Sunny gritted his teeth.

The archer, meanwhile, glanced at him with a grim expression, and then said in his new, unfamiliar and ugly voice:

"Sunny… I have one question. Can you answer it?"

Sunny slowed down and turned to him, a deep scowl contorting the bestial lines of his face.

"Of course. What is it?"

Kai remained silent for a bit, then asked cautiously:

"Uh… where, exactly, are we going?"

Sunny blinked a couple of times, then tilted his head a little.

"Oh, right. Where else? We are going to talk to Noctis!"

With that, he turned around and continued walking toward the immortal sorcerer's residence.

The archer hurried to catch up, then said in a stifled tone:

"Ah… that Noctis? The immortal Transcendent? Blessed of the Moon, Crimson Beast of Twilight, Chain Lord of the Kingdom of Hope, and all that?"

glanced at him, then

that Noctis. Don't worry, though… he is

were standing guard outside, their indifferent faces staring at them with hollow stillness. Noticing Sunny, one of them moved

of them entered and froze, unsure

"What the hell…"

and his eyes closed. He might have seemed like a wise sage in the middle of a deep meditation, if not for dozens of empty amphoras

opened one eye and stared at Sunny, then at Kai. Finally, he landed on the floor and yawned, causing all the amphoras to fall down and shatter, sending drops of wine flying everywhere and

a nice surprise, to see you so soon. And… uh… you brought someone with you? What a hideous creature… wait, did I say that out loud? No, surely not… I am too wise and courteous to make a rude remark like that, of course… nice

shudder and the shards of the amphoras to disappear without a trace.

what do you owe the

it supposed

an inexorable expression on his burned, disfigured face. Finally, he cleared his throat

some good news. Do you remember the friends I told you about? Well, this is one of them. And…

sorcerer stared at Kai, blinked a couple of times, then

not knowing how they look, where they are, and what they are called? He just happened

Sunny smiled.

man with a voice of an angel,

spared him a sidelong glance, then bowed slightly and forced out a grating, creaky

is… nice to meet you, Lord

and looked right

mention those creatures again, even in jest. Angels are not something to be called upon, whether by name or

he briefly touched the symbol of the moon on his forehead

have found one of your friends.

a

need to find

that the luxury of having a choice was looking more and more distant by the day. But he needed the sorcerer's help and his knowledge to find and retrieve Effie