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

fool… the vast circle of runes, the torrential flood of soul essence that the sorcerer saturated it with, the pool of blood that the ancient stones had absorbed — all of it pointed to something dreadful being imprisoned, or maybe created, there in the darkness of

thought better of asking any questions and simply followed Noctis to the stone stairs situated on

The sorcerer leaned back in his chair, gazed upon the

lingered for a few moments, giving Noctis time to enjoy himself, and then

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

and then

might want to relax for a bit. Enjoy the tea. This will probably be the last moment of peace you will have

his mind. But then, he simply shook his

while, enjoying the fragrant drink and the beautiful sight of the flying islands

approaching doom, the world felt tranquil and warm here, on the parapet

a while, Noctis sighed and said in

am going to

he glanced at Sunny and asked with a hint

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

a

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 and being ground into dust by it… now, everything is so unclear. And my ardent

looked down, and then added

maybe it's just me who is lacking. And

of tea, and

it that you think you are lacking? And from what are

letting the pressure of the Flaw build inside his soul for a few

I know? If I had an answer for that,

chuckled, and

you heard the legend of a hero named

a couple of times, then

of that guy. A legend, really? Huh. Strange that some third-rate hero I don't even know got to have