Shadow Slave

As Sunny was standing still, petrified by what he saw, Noctis finished brewing the tea and poured the amber liquid into a beautiful porcelain cup. Then, the sorcerer raised it to his face, inhaled the fragrant steam, and let out a satisfied sigh.

Then, noticing an unexpected guest, he glanced at Sunny and smiled:

"Sunless! What a nice surprise. Wait… did something about you change?"

The sorcerer tilted his head with a confused expression, studied the towering figure of the shadow devil for a few moments, and then suddenly brightened up.

"Oh! It's your horn! When did you break it?"

'Really? That is what he noticed?!'

Sunny stared at the cup in the immortal's hands, then grasped the Extraordinary Rock. He didn't really have to hold the Memory to make use of it, but at the moment, Sunny was experiencing a desperate need to hold on to something… anything.

Taking a careful breath, he gripped the Roack and said hoarsely:

"...Back in the Temple of the Chalice. You… you are drinking tea?"

Noctis lingered for a bit, glanced at his cup, and then smiled.

"What a prudent observation. Come… let's not let this nice tea get cold."

With that, the sorcerer turned around and headed deeper into his residence, gesturing for Sunny to follow. The teapot flew into the air and hovered above the immortal's shoulder, as well.

As soon as Sunny made a step forward, however, Noctis suddenly turned, looked at him with a strange expression, and said:

"That, uh… try not to step on anything that seems to be… actually, just don't move at all! We don't want for anything to happen, right?"

At that moment, the chamber trembled again, and more cracks appeared on its stone floor. Sunny stared down with a somber expression, then sighed and used Shadow Step to appear near the sorcerer.

"Why? What's under there?"

Noctis smiled.

a memento from an old

flood of soul essence that the sorcerer saturated it with, the pool of blood that the ancient stones had absorbed

followed Noctis to the stone stairs situated on the

ascended to the top of the ring of giant menhirs and sat down at an elegant wooden table. The sorcerer leaned back in his chair, gazed upon the breathtaking vista of the Kingdom of Hope,

a few moments, giving Noctis time to enjoy himself, and

has begun, hasn't it? The other Chain Lords, they are

took another sip, sighed, and

their herald will arrive in a few days. So… you might want to relax for a bit. Enjoy the tea. This will probably be the last moment of peace you will have for

he simply shook his head, chased them away, and poured some tea into a delicate cup that stood on the table, as

enjoying the fragrant drink and the beautiful sight of the

tranquil and warm

and said in a

to miss

glanced at Sunny and asked with a hint of curiosity

me would want to free Hope. But what would compel a shadow like you to attempt it, as well?

for a few moments,

really know. I used to know, or at least think that I knew. I had lofty desires. To grow stronger than others, to break free from the chains of fate. And maybe… maybe I harbor those desires still. But after coming to this cursed land

looked down, and then

just me who is lacking. And

a sip of

you are

build inside his soul for a

know? If I had an answer for that, I wouldn't be feeling

chuckled, and

the legend

blinked a couple of times, then shook

legend, really? Huh. Strange that some third-rate hero I don't even