Shadow Slave

The colossus staggered back, swayed, and then moved his foot to balance himself. The island quaked once more, and the giant grew still, bent slightly and grasping the gaping wound with his one remaining hand. His head turned, staring at Noctis with the same empty, unmoving expression.

However, his polished steel eyes, which had been burning with the blinding reflections of the sun, became submerged in deep shadow.

For a moment, there was silence.

Sunny gritted his teeth, then slowly exhaled and raised a hand to wipe the sweat off his brow.

…After the initial panic of being sold out by Noctis, he had forced himself to calm down and think. It was then that Sunny had realized that they were not in real danger, and told his friends to stand down.

The immortal sorcerer was many things, including a liar and a cheat. Sunny did not doubt that Noctis had lied to him on many occasions, and about many things — sometimes for a specific purpose, and sometimes simply for the fun of it. However, one thing that Noctis was not… was a fool.

Sunny could imagine many situations in which the immortal would betray and damn him to death, but not without a good reason. And surrendering the cohort to Sun Prince was the opposite of what Noctis wanted to achieve — at best, it would have bought him some time, at the expense of losing the three knives to the other Chain Lords.

One thing that Sunny did not doubt was the sincerity of the sorcerer's desire to free Hope. And so, he had understood that the immortal's sudden betrayal was just another deception.

It had not been hard to guess what the purpose of the deception was, as well. After all, Sunny had already guessed the fateful meeting between rebellious Noctis and the herald of the Chain Lords was going to end, and how the Iron Hand island would get its name.

Sun Prince had walked right into the sorcerer's trap, and Sunny… Sunny had been used as bait.

Not for the first time, and probably not for the last...

So, he wasn't very shocked by the sight of the giant's missing arm and of the streams of molten steel that flowed out of it, slowly cooling on the broken stones… or at least he wasn't supposed to be.

so tremendous that it was

Still…

a moment, and then let out a low

warned me, you

sincere confusion.

last moment? Then, warning you would have made me a liar! I have a reputation to uphold,

then turned to

the smile slowly disappeared from the sorcerer's face, making way for something cold and frightening.

Madness.

spreading over

air suddenly seemed to smell of blood, the light of the sun appeared slightly dimmer, and in the echoing silence, they could almost

Sunny knew and somewhat trusted

focus of the immortal's furious gaze. Instead, it was aimed at

sorcerer grinned, revealing his canines, and spoke, his clear voice flowing across the island like a river of

my old friend… if I do,

forward, raising his hand. A toppled pillar than blocked his path

I intend to do. You, Sevras, Solvane… I'll kill you all,

then stopped,

take the knives, you'll have to take them off my

the sorcerer's laughter did not seem carefree and infectious… instead, it was chilling and full

looked at him from above, unmoving. His face was motionless and unexpressive, like that of a statue. However… it seemed as though

shook his head, and then said

Go back… go back and return with the Sun Legion, with the Dragon Sevirax, with the Warriors of the Red Colosseum, with Solvane. You know where to find me…