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 indeed terrifying, but

they crossed the garden of the Sanctuary and approached 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, one of them

two of them entered and froze, unsure

"What the hell…"

legs crossed and his 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

lazily opened one eye and stared at Sunny, then at Kai. Finally, he landed on the floor and yawned, causing all the amphoras

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

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

do you owe

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

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

friends I told you

a couple of times,

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? He just happened to be

Sunny smiled.

with a voice of

a sidelong glance, then bowed slightly and

is… nice to meet you, Lord

shuddered and looked right and left, then shook

do not ever mention those creatures again, even in jest. Angels are not something to be called upon, whether by name or

of the moon on

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

hesitated for a bit,

We still need to

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