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,

worry, though… he is

were standing guard outside, their indifferent faces staring at them

of them entered and

"What the hell…"

meditation, if not for dozens of empty amphoras of wine that

then at Kai. Finally, he landed on the floor and yawned, causing all

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…

waved a hand, causing the whole residence to shudder and the shards of the amphoras to disappear without a trace. Then, Noctis walked over to a small table, picked up a fresh apple, and glanced at his guests

what do you owe the

what do we owe… wait, wasn't it supposed to

staring at the immortal sorcerer with an inexorable

deliver some good news. Do you remember the friends I told you about? Well,

sorcerer stared at Kai, blinked a couple of times, then took a bite out of

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

Sunny smiled.

my dear friend. A man with a voice of an angel, and a face to go

a sidelong glance, then bowed slightly

is… nice to meet you,

and looked right

ever mention those creatures again, even in jest. Angels are not something to be called

of

that you have found one of your friends. Have the two

a

need to find two

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 from the mysterious Temple of the Chalice…