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,

he is indeed

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

two of them entered and froze, unsure

"What the hell…"

of a deep meditation, if not for dozens of empty amphoras of wine that floated all around him. The terrifying

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

What 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,

a radiant smile, then 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

you owe

wait, wasn't it supposed to be

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

told you about? Well, this is one of

sorcerer stared at Kai, blinked a couple of times,

island that doesn't exist, despite not knowing how they look, where they are, and what they are called? He just happened to be here, in my Sanctuary?

Sunny smiled.

a voice of an angel, and a face to go along with

a sidelong glance, then bowed slightly

to

shuddered and looked right and

not ever mention those creatures again, even in jest. Angels are not

touched the symbol of the moon on his forehead and

glad that you have found one of

hesitated for a

We still need to find two more

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… in that particular matter,