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?"

time, it was his

Why would you

woman gave him a dubious look and shook her

just look a little different, that's

Sunny grinned.

complexion of a marble statue, no makeup involved. Didn't you

with a sigh and mumbled under her

Awakened... how is

into the shadows and appeared on top of the

was not that cold. His passive resistance

time, Sunny made himself heavier for better stability, summoned the Memory of Ice, and wrapped the shadow he kept with himself around his body, simultaneously circulating essence to double the

but it was in no

Huh.

sat down on the roof and closed his

get

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

in the military vehicles. Sunny was stationed at the head of the column, while Naeve stayed in the rear to provide the best possible

especially dire threat demanded both of them to

'Ah. Finally, a professional...'

using a long bone harpoon and a net woven out of unnaturally durable threads

powers seemed to be under severe restriction, though, so the scion of the House of Night mostly supported Sunny and made it

was more than

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

made him think about things that he had never considered

grow, several more groups of Erebus 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

and arm those who could and knew how to

other than Beth who showed any reaction was