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

Noctis. Don't worry, though… he is indeed terrifying, but not

the Sanctuary and approached the beautifully engraved wooden door. A pair of Sailor Dolls were standing guard outside, their indifferent faces

them entered and froze, unsure how to

"What the hell…"

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

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

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

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

do you owe

wasn't it supposed to

staring at the immortal sorcerer with an inexorable expression on his burned, disfigured face. Finally,

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

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

visiting an island that doesn't exist, despite not knowing how they look, where they are, and what they are called? He

Sunny smiled.

dear friend. A man with a voice of an angel, and

him a sidelong glance, then bowed slightly and forced

to meet

sorcerer shuddered and looked right and left,

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

touched the symbol of the moon

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

a bit, then answered

to find two more friends for that.

the day. But he needed the sorcerer's help