Shadow Slave

A tense silence settled in the opulent residence of the mad sorcerer… who, meanwhile, was staring at Sunny with an indescribable expression on his pale, beautiful face. Noctis didn't seem happy at all despite finally learning the secret that he had been searching for all this time.

In that silence, Kai's hoarse voice suddenly resounded, full of polite curiosity:

"I am very sorry… but that glass knife you are talking about… why exactly do we need it?"

Both Sunny and Noctis turned to him. After an awkward pause, the immortal scratched the back of his head and answered:

"Ah… that thing, you see, is the only thing that can kill Sevras, the blessed of the Sun. And I really, really want to kill him."

Noticing a slight confusion on the archer's face, he thought for a moment, and then added:

"Right, these days people call him Sevirax, the Ivory Lord. You have heard of him, yes?"

Kai lingered for a bit, then looked down at his bandaged hands and said evenly:

"...Yes. You might say that I have."

He closed his eyes for a moment, and then smiled.

"In that case, we must retrieve the Glass Knife. And our friend. Lord Noctis… surely, there is something that we can do? You know a lot about that sect of theirs. Is there a way for you to enter the Temple of the Chalice, find both the knife and our friend, and bring them back to the Sanctuary?"

Noctis stared at him for a while, then shook his head.

"No, there is no way for me to invade the Temple. At least not without destroying it completely, which would doom that friend of yours along with the rest of the sect… sadly, that is also one of the places I can't infiltrate in disguise… uh, infiltrate it again, I mean…"

Sunny and Kai glanced at each other, and then, the archer cautiously asked:

"If that is the case… what if we infiltrate it, instead?"

at them with surprise, and then

Nightingale… what a strange pair you are! Do you not know fear? I have just told you how frightening the War

fangs, and then shrugged. Kai shook his head and answered for both of them, saving him from having to

contrary. Both of us are actually very cowardly. But, Lord Noctis… you might

dubious look, and then

believe it. But no, no, it doesn't matter! Even if you are willing, you can't get into the Temple of the Chalice. Only women are allowed inside, and not any women at that. They will only give passage to female warriors of utmost skill, those who are veiled in dread and the smell of numerous bloody battlefields…

hesitated for a few moments, then sighed deeply

won't

and looked at him

"Uh… how so? Sunless…"

look, and then asked with

I don't

glanced at him darkly, scowled, and answered in a sharp

not what I meant. I just have a female warrior of dreadful skill... at

ruby flames ignited in the depths of his shadow, and then the taciturn demon stepped out of it, wreathed in darkness. Her graceful figure appeared in the middle of the sorcerer's

at her, his eyes widening. His lips

"That… that…"

forward, his expression frozen, and then suddenly

The design! The fit! Oh, gods… who forged that masterpiece?! Sunless,

little, while Sunny and Kai stared at the immortal Transcendent with inexorable expressions. After a few moments of dead silence, Sunny

Prince of the Underworld, I think. Wait, haven't you seen me wearing a

at him with confusion, then waved a

however… so it was Hope's little brother,

the sorcerer became aware of his surroundings and moved his gaze up, staring right into Saint's ruby eyes. His smile widened, but then grew rather strange. He glanced at

this sublime creature from the Shadow Lord? That rogue… he had been hiding such a treasure from me all that

strong impulse to wipe the lecherous smile off the immortal's face… which would not have been very

He gritted his teeth.