Shadow Slave

Sunny watched the sun appear over the eastern horizon, his hearts growing cold. His vertical pupils narrowed, and his fists clenched.

The night… was over? Had it been that long, already?

He had lost the track of time during the vicious battle in the skies, but it seemed as though their desperate assault on the flying fleet had only taken a second.

But in reality, of course, it had not.

He slowly turned to Noctis, whose battered face had almost healed and was now calm and carefree again. The sorcerer was looking at the sky with a strangely neutral expression.

"Remind me… wasn't the plan to defeat Sevirax before dawn, when he was devoid of his vast and terrifying powers?"

The immortal sighed.

"Well, it's good to have a plan. However, plans rarely go as you want them to go."

Sunny gritted his teeth.

"So… what happens now? How are you going to deal with the dragon?"

Noctis shrugged.

"He must be really, really angry right now. After all, we just killed his brother — the only person Sevras still cares about in this world. Congratulations, by the way! I really did not expect you…"

Sunny interrupted him with a low growl.

"Get to the point! Now that the sun is rising, your powers will be diminished, while his will reach their peak. How are we going to survive?!"

The sorcerer remained silent for a few moments, then scratched the back of his head.

"I, uh… will come up with something?"

Sunny stared at him in disbelief.

"You are joking, right? Come on… you must have some devious trick up your sleeve! You have an incredible advantage, after all! You have the knife that can make him mortal, while he doesn't have yours. Should I give you the knives? You have never asked me for the damned knives! Wasn't that the reason you befriended me, in the first place?!"

at him for a while, then simply shook his

or not. Either I subdue him and we can use the knife to finish the job, or he subdues me, and then there's no point. And... I really

smiled, and then

"Ah, except one."

Sunny exhaled with relief.

"Finally! What is it?"

to him

Of course. Did I not say that fate brought us together for a

at him, his expression slowly

the hell do

looked away, at the beautiful silhouette of the flying city. After

it will end near the Ivory Tower. One of us will fall… maybe it will be him, and maybe it will be me. However, that doesn't

then glanced at

of us dies, there will be only one chain left. It won't hold Hope for long. So, Sunless, my dear

for a

lose... I want you to kill me. That is

the smile disappearing from

is the fate I spoke about. You

suddenly cleared his throat and

of course! Don't, uh… don't kill me by mistake if I win. That would be very inconvenient… a bit funny,

at him for a while,

you'd

***

Noctis and the members

had just accomplished something truly impossible — they had battled an army and

And the five of them,

them felt relieved or

was rising like the blade of a guillotine, ready

sorcerer was sitting on the grass with his eyes closed, gathering his strength for the approaching fight with the Ivory Dragon and trying

on the ground, too battered and tired to move. Cassie was

was grimly counting the arrows he had managed to gather. His charred mask

that lay

wielding a spear in one hand and gripping a human heart in the other, her nakedness covered only by a beast hide tied around her thighs, her