Shadow Slave

Well, actually, it was black. Shrouded in the darkness of the long night, Sunny rode north through the wailing hurricane of snow. To his eyes, which could see through any shadows, the snow appeared as light-grey, bordering on white.

The way back was not long enough to deal with thoughts and emotions raging in his heart, but luckily, Sunny had too many worries about the future to drown in the regrets of the past.

'...Doesn't matter, anyway.'

Verne was dead, and everyone else was also dead. None of the people Sunny had come to know in the past weeks survived. Now, all he could do was make sure that his soldiers, Professor Obel, and Beth did not share their fate.

That was not going to be an easy task.

Soon, the wreckage of the old war machine appeared in view. Sunny dismissed Nightmare, walked into the rusted metal frame and lingered for a few moments in front of the Rhino.

Then, he opened the hatch and climbed inside.

Quentin, Samara, and Belle were keeping watch, each of them tense and ready for battle. Noticing him, the Irregulars sighed with relief.

"Captain. You're back."

Sunny nodded.

"Did anything happen in my absence?"

Quentin shook his head.

"There were no Nightmare Creatures yet. Professor Obel and Miss Beth were both exhausted, so they're sleeping. We settled the Professor in your quarters. I hope you do not mind."

He remained silent for a moment, then added with a hint of melancholy in his voice:

them. In

particularly care about the accommodations at that moment, so he simply nodded.

'No Nightmare Creatures, yet..."

could change at

to sleep and leaving the Rhino, even if one

country now. Hordes of them moved through the mountains,

could have stumbled on the cohort's camp at any moment, so

was a thing of the

he had had choices that were safe, and choices that were dangerous. But after leaving the protection of LO49 and its thick walls,

then, with his [Fated] Attribute, such calculations were more or less

Sunny covered his face with a hand and then rubbed it. He was too tired

nap, then. Wake me up

was currently occupied by Professor Obel, Sunny climbed

risky was it to

plunge into the comfortable embrace of darkness, he summoned Saint and ordered her to guard the Rhino from the

was all Sunny could

***

same as it had been before. The raging blizzard enveloped

wall of the Rhino slid away, revealing a sleeping niche hidden behind it. Dorn's massive figure could be seen inside. The giant man had drawn a short straw when they were assigned the transport vehicle, since standard pods

did not

any threat, he left his niche. Soon, Luster and

Belle, Samara - you

so overwhelming that they did not even linger to listen to the report that their colleagues had brought

than they had yesterday. Even though one

broken instead of rested himself. However, that feeling would pass

"So?"