Shadow Slave

Sunny landed on the very edge of the island and froze there, looking forward with a dark expression on his bestial face. The others remained silent, too, feeling his unease and tension.

The land in front of them seemed tranquil… beautiful, even. There was an expanse of vibrant green grass, and some distance away, it made way for the calm waters of a vast lake. Its surface was perfectly still and reflective, making it seem as though a piece of the blue sky above had somehow gotten embedded into the ground.

A gentle wind caressed their faces, and nothing broke the peaceful silence except for the rustle of grass and the distant rattling of chains.

…And yet, Sunny couldn't help but feel a sense of imminent danger.

He sighed, and then glanced at his friends with uncertainty.

"...Should we summon our armor and weapons?"

Kai hesitated for a moment, then said:

"Wouldn't that be seen as a sign of distrust and hostility? Pure heart, pure thoughts… whatever that means… does not seem to fit with being armed and ready for a fight."

Sunny grimaced.

"Yeah… however, what if we do have to fight?"

Effie smiled.

"The four of us should be able to at least retreat safely, should things go wrong. I mean, how terrible can that thing be?"

Sunny shivered, then shook his head.

"Terrible enough for Saints to fear it. I've… I've been to this island a few times, in the future, but stuck to the edges, never approaching the lake. So I don't actually know what kind of a creature lives in its depths. However… I did see bones laying on the shore. And just those bones alone looked like they had belonged to things I would not want to meet."

He hesitated for a while, then glanced at Cassie.

"What do you think?"

The young woman tilted her head a little, then said calmly:

"I don't feel any danger. Maybe Noctis was honest, this time."

Sunny sighed. Cassie's intuition had guided each of them through countless dangers unscathed… if she felt that it was safe, there was a good reason to listen.

mean that he had to be happy about it,

armor, for

crossed the stretch of land between the edge of the island and the shore of the lake, stopping just a few steps away from the calm water. Because of how still and reflective it was, no one could peer beneath the surface… however, Sunny could feel

He shivered.

a bit, then cleared his throat and, feeling

retrieve the Ruby Knife.

gust of

all the things

few moments later,

I guess you are not pure, Sunny… who

gritted his teeth, then

try yourself,

girl shook her

has ever accused me of

for a bit,

am in the

climbed down from Sunny's shoulders, approached the water, and

please have the knife, uh… Aunty

again, nothing happened. Effie remained there for a few moments, then sighed and took a step

"...Figures."

of them turned

hesitated for a

Cassie

and Effie glanced at each other, a little surprised, then shrugged and made way for the blind girl to approach the water. There was no harm in trying,

for a few moments, then sighed and walked toward the shore. Stopping mere centimeters from the calm water, she lowered

for the

failed as well… but then, the young woman

ripple on the surface of the lake… and although the vast shadow hidden within it did not move, something suddenly appeared from beneath the

white hand that held a long knife, which

offered it to Cassie, who suddenly trembled with her whole body and took another step back, shaking

bloodless lips turned into a straight line, and, gritting her teeth, the young woman returned to the shore. There, she

let go of it easily and disappeared back into the water, and soon, nothing but a slowly dissipating ripple remained to remind

of

shadow

It slowly moved toward Cassie, then rose, and softly caressed her cheek. The young woman flinched when the black flesh touched