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?"

at him,

though… he

crossed the garden of the Sanctuary and approached 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

"What the hell…"

might have seemed like a wise sage in the middle of a deep meditation, if not for dozens of

landed on the floor and yawned, causing all the amphoras to fall down and shatter, sending

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 to meet you, whoever you are! Welcome… ah, to

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

do you owe

wasn't it supposed to be the other way

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

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

couple of times, then took a

supposed to find after visiting an island that doesn't exist, despite not knowing how they look, where they are,

Sunny smiled.

with a voice of an angel, and

sidelong glance, then bowed slightly

nice to meet you,

shuddered and looked right and left, then

even in jest. Angels are not something to be called

touched the symbol of the moon

I am glad that you have found one of your friends. Have

hesitated for a bit,

still need to

sighed, knowing 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