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,

worry, though… he is indeed terrifying,

pair of Sailor Dolls were standing guard outside, their indifferent faces staring at them with hollow stillness. Noticing Sunny, one of them moved aside and knocked on the door, which then opened

two of them entered and froze, unsure how to

"What the hell…"

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

and yawned, causing all the amphoras to fall down and shatter, sending drops of wine flying everywhere

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

them 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 small table, picked up a fresh apple, and glanced at his guests

you

wait, wasn't it supposed to be the other way

at the immortal sorcerer with an inexorable expression

remember the friends I told

couple of times, then took a bite out of the

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

Sunny smiled.

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

spared him a sidelong glance, then bowed slightly

to meet

sorcerer shuddered and looked right and left, then

creatures again, even in jest. Angels are not something to be called upon,

of

one of your friends. Have the two of you discussed my

hesitated for a

have not. We still need to find two

sorcerer's help and his knowledge to find and