Shadow Slave

Eventually, Sunny climbed out of the sleeping niche and went about the business of managing the caravan. They had made it far into the mountains and were already moving north, toward their true goal.

The blizzard was still raging, reducing visibility to almost zero. The landscape was as grim and foreboding as ever.

Surrounding areas needed to be scouted, maps needed to be updated, reports needed to be received, and a hundred other things demanded his attention.

Before getting down to it, Sunny spared a few moments to stare at the grey fabric and lusterless black leather of the Puppeteer's Shroud.

Who could have thought that he would be reduced to seriously using it again, after all that time?

'It sure is much more comfortable than walking around in a full plate of steel armor. Ah, the old me had it good...'

Actually, not really.

Sunny was ready to climb to the roof of the Rhino when he noticed Beth staring at him with a strange expression. He lingered for a moment.

"What?"

She blinked a couple of times, then pulled her gaze away.

"No, no... nothing..."

Sunny frowned.

"Just say it, will you?"

Beth remained silent for a second, then asked hesitantly:

"Are you... uh... are you wearing makeup?"

was his

No! Why would you think

him a dubious look

look a

Sunny grinned.

complexion of a marble statue, no

away with a sigh

how is

shadows and appeared on top

he was not that cold. His passive resistance

summoned the Memory of Ice, and wrapped the shadow he kept with himself around his body, simultaneously

in no way bothersome. Additionally, the winds were powerless against him. It was as

Huh.

Warbow, he sat down on the roof and

can get used to

of the Antarctic Center was still hard and dangerous, but with Naeve assisting Sunny

other, communicating mostly over the chain of relays in the military vehicles. Sunny was stationed at the head of the column,

threat demanded both of them to fight side by side to vanquish it. Going

'Ah. Finally, a professional...'

a

obvious that he was not entirely comfortable fighting on land, and his Aspect powers seemed to be under severe restriction, though, so the scion of the House of

more than

the two of them. It was understandable... after all, the Nightwalker had a family to come back to. He carried more than one

made him think about things that he

Field survivors joining it. By then, Sunny was secretly starting to thank the gods that Naeve's ship had suffered catastrophic damage. Without the additional supplies looted from its holds, he would have

he had enough to feed everyone and arm

Beth who showed any reaction was Kim. At some point, she gave him a very weird look and hastily turned