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,

Don't worry, though… he is indeed terrifying,

were standing guard outside, their indifferent faces staring

entered and froze, unsure how

"What the hell…"

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

and 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, 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 my

causing the whole residence to shudder and the shards of the amphoras to disappear without a trace. Then, Noctis walked over to

what do you owe the

we owe… wait, wasn't it

Kai, who was staring at the immortal sorcerer with an inexorable expression on his burned,

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

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

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

Sunny smiled.

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

a sidelong glance, then bowed slightly and forced out a grating,

to meet you, Lord

and looked right and left, then shook

even in jest. Angels are not

symbol of the moon on his

one of your friends. Have the

for a bit, then

we have not. We still need to find two more friends for that.

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