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 indeed terrifying, but not

the beautifully engraved wooden door. A pair of Sailor Dolls were standing guard outside, their indifferent faces staring at them with hollow stillness. Noticing

and froze, unsure how to

"What the hell…"

his legs crossed 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 of wine that floated all around him. The terrifying Chain Lord, Blessed of the Moon, the Crimson Beast of Twilight… was

landed on the floor and yawned, causing all the amphoras to fall down and shatter, sending drops of wine flying everywhere and staining

that out loud? No, surely not… I am too wise and courteous to make a rude remark like that, of course… nice to meet you,

to disappear without a trace. Then, Noctis walked over to a small table, picked up a fresh apple, and glanced

what do you owe the

do we owe… wait, wasn't it supposed

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

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

couple of times, then took a bite

of the friends that you were supposed to find after visiting an island that doesn't exist, despite not knowing

Sunny smiled.

man with a voice of an angel,

bowed slightly and forced

nice to meet you,

right and left, then shook his

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

the symbol of the moon

you have found one of your friends.

hesitated for a bit, then

still need to find

was looking more and more distant by the day. But he needed the sorcerer's help and his knowledge to find and