Shadow Slave

While the people of the convoy were settling in to rest, Sunny observed them with a dark expression on his pale face. Finally, he winced and headed back into the Rhino.

There, the Irregulars were waiting, unsure what to do. It was not like he had answers, either, but Sunny had to decide what their next steps would be.

He hesitated for a few moments.

"Luster, Samara, and Dorn. Go to sleep and report our situation. Perhaps Army Command has some. idea about what we are dealing with here."

Despite the ominous nature of the dark tunnel, things weren't as bleak as they seemed. The convoy was cut off from the First Evacuation Army in terms of actual support, but information still flowed between the cohort and their superiors.

Somewhere in the government databases, there had to be a hint on how to escape the endless darkness. Even if no one had ever encountermi its source before, people would have clashed against something similar in the past.

...If not, Sunny would venture into the Dream Realm himself and seek out Cassie. With her powerful divination abilities, she was his best bet. More than that, he could transport food and other resources from the Ivory Tower with the help of the Covetous Coffer, so his people were not going to starve.

For now, time was not their enemy. They just had to find a way to solve the puzzle, and escape.

He sighed.

'Unless something changes for the worse...'

to any case, there was no point in panicking yet. Sunny watched as three of his soldiers climbed into the sleeping pods, then sent the rest to keep watch over the refugees.

The oppressive veil of darkness that muted his senses was still there, grinding on Sunny's nerves. He was tired, too.

'At least there is no Call here.'

time in a long while when Sunny did not hear the Call at all. Everywhere else in the Antarctic Center, it kept whispering quietly into

'We'll see soon.'

Things were going to get better after he slept... if nothing else, his reserves of essence would be somewhat replenished.

***

that he had crawled into after being gutted by the Forsaken Knight, and of cold, overflowing darkness. That was an unpleasant surprise, since he had grown accustomed to sleeping peacefully - ever since the Kingdom of Hope, his dreams were usually guarded by Nightmare. If a bad dream appeared, it was promptly destroyed or subjugated by

slumbering after receiving wounds, Sunny was

'...Too bad.'

Sunny went to the command suite of the Rhine and studied the monitors to get a glimpse of the convoy's camp. Everything

some coffee. Some time later, carrying a steaming cup, Sunny returned to the living area and leaned

Awakened he had sent to the Dream Realm were

panels slid away, revealing the insides of the pod. There, Luster slowly opened his eyes and looked directly at

flinched back with a startled expression on

What are you

cup to his

coffee, fool. What does it look like l'm

closed it He seemed

mean, what are you doing in my Citadel? How did you

he was

is not

frowned, studying the

think that you are inside

a

things work, right? You go to sleep in the real

Realm."

'Don't tell me...'