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

would you think

woman gave him a dubious look and shook her

look a little

Sunny grinned.

naturally have the complexion of a marble statue, no makeup

sigh

Awakened... how

into the shadows and appeared on top of

that cold. His passive resistance to the elements

stability, summoned the Memory of Ice, and wrapped the shadow he kept with himself around

but it was in no way bothersome. Additionally, the winds were powerless against him.

Huh.

he sat down on the roof and closed

can get

of the Antarctic Center was still hard and dangerous,

military vehicles. Sunny was stationed

the rare stops and when an especially dire threat demanded both of them to fight side by side to vanquish

'Ah. Finally, a professional...'

warrior, using a long bone harpoon and a net woven

restriction, though, so the scion of the House

more

but enough for Sunny to notice the difference between the two of

Sunny, and made him think about things that

The caravan continued to grow, several more groups of Erebus Field survivors joining it. By then, Sunny was secretly starting to thank the gods that Naeve's

was, though, he had enough to feed everyone and arm those who could and

else would notice his subtle change, but in the end, the only other person other than Beth who