Shadow Slave

As Sunny and Kai moved toward the wreck of the ancient ship, the heavenly chains suddenly rattled deafeningly, and the whole island quaked once more as it shifted higher. Turning back, they saw that the steel colossus was gone from the edge. Effie was nowhere in sight, as well.

Sunny stared at the empty space where the giant had been kneeling not too long ago, then gritted his teeth and looked away.

Effie knew what she was doing… no one was more motivated to survive the Nightmare and return to the waking world alive. Not even Sunny. She would not have done anything that would leave her no chance to escape.

In any case, every one of them was in terrible danger. If Solvane managed to defeat Noctis, she would be coming for them next. And Cassie could have been dying or dead already, somewhere in the wreckage.

There was no time to waste on unnecessary thoughts.

Sunny dragged Kai forward, lamenting the fact that the archer was coming back to his senses so slowly. His incredible sight would have been very useful right about now…

His four shadows flew toward the wreck, gliding between the debris in search of the young woman. However, it was hard to make out anything in the chaotic mess of splintered wood, upturned soil, and shredded sails.

And then, finally, he thought that he noticed weak movement under a pile of debris.

With his two hearts beating wildly, Sunny rushed forward, then threw a piece of the ship's hull aside and bent down, digging through the soil. Soon, he saw a piece of black fabric, and then removed some more dirt to reveal Cassie's pale face.

She struggled to sit, and then coughed violently.

The blind young woman seemed to be… fine. The piece of cloth covering her eyes had slid down, revealing two empty eye sockets, and her dress was soaked with blood from the arrow wound on her shoulder, but other than that, there were only mild scratches and lacerations on her body.

Miraculously, Cassie was alive.

Sunny stared at her with wide eyes, a sense of profound relief slowly spreading through his chest. The young woman coughed some more, wiped the dirt off her face, then turned her head slightly with an uncertain and vulnerable expression.

"Who... who is there? Sunny?"

sit down, then

me. But

Cassie grimaced.

run out of soul

escaped

concerned with? You damned fool… what the hell

to him with a confused expression on her beautiful

it hit the Prince, of course.

face with a hand and let out a

me… only a madman would call ramming a flying ship into an immortal steel giant at full speed not

his spine, Sunny

proving that

tried to stand up, fell back, then remained motionless for a

"What is happening?"

Sunny grimaced.

Sun Prince. Kai is here, but he had the wind knocked out of him. Noctis… is also on the

shadows returned, wrapping themselves around his body and bringing with them vast

lingered for a moment, and

for

and pulled it up, covering the empty

"W—where are you going?"

for a few moments,

just going

quite

desperation, the life of a dear friend…