Shadow Slave

The journey back was, sadly, uneventful. Sunny had hoped that they would stumble upon a few Nightmare Creatures, but this close to the Sanctuary, there weren't many — except for those too powerful for the cohort to attack without a serious reason and thorough preparations.

Come to think, these powerful abominations were probably the reason why the weaker ones kept away. Perhaps that was why Noctis had not eradicated them.

Well… that, or he was simply too lazy.

They returned to the sorcerer's stronghold at dawn, and went to find him without wasting any time. However, Noctis was not at his residence, and the wooden door remained shut. Eventually, they located him at the far side of the island, where the immortal was… making a statue.

There were several giant slabs of marble laying on the ground, and a dozen or so chisels hacking at them without anyone's help. The sorcerer stood some distance away, his luscious black hair powdered by marble dust, and watched it all with a satisfied expression on his face while sipping from a glass of wine.

The first of the statues seemed to be close to completion, and resembled… something. It might have been a human, or a horse. Sunny found it hard to tell.

Noticing them, Noctis grinned.

"Oh, you're back!"

Then, he looked at the hideous stone abomination and raised his chin proudly.

"What do you think? Majestic, right?"

Sunny hesitated for a few moments, and then said cautiously:

"Uh… that is one word to describe it, without a doubt. But… what is it?"

The sorcerer frowned with confusion.

to grace the generations to come with a vision

glanced at the terrifying marble monster, scratched the

not too bad, but it is

at the hideous statue for a bit, quite sure that it looked more like a monstrous gargoyle than Noctis. Then, he shook his

Meanwhile, we have retrieved the Ruby Knife. So… what comes

silent for

it's time to take a break. Come, let's have something to eat… and drink, of course… and discuss

***

shade of the ancient tree that grew in the heart of the Sanctuary. Noctis poured himself some wine, then offered them a polite

must be curious about

at each

of the One in the North would have distracted them for a bit, but at the same time, it would have made my actions

a sip of wine and

Sevras into one room is not an easy task. It will take them some time to come together. After that, predictably, they will send a herald to give me some sort of an ultimatum. And only then, after their polite request is denied, will they act, joining forces to

his

the other hand, shivered and

something to laugh about? How are we going to repel an attack of three

grew silent, then shook

Simple,

looked up, at the flying ship that hovered

We will

their stunned gazes,

learned by now that having more power doesn't always mean achieving victory. The three Lords that oppose us are very

paused, and then looked at them, his eyes