Shadow Slave

Standing on the battlement and peering into the cold darkness beyond, Sunny had a contemplative expression on his face. The wind smelled of snow as it played with his black hair, which had grown a bit too long by now. Pale moonlight permeated the air, failing to reach the ravaged land.

Winter and Dale were sitting nearby, leaning on alloy parapet of the wall and sharing a flask. The two captains seemed calm — one in her usual relaxed manner, the other solemn and staid. As the contents of the flask ran out, Winter sighed and looked at Sunny.

"You seem terribly serious today."

He lingered for a moment, then shrugged.

"Just thinking about stuff."

She did not press, content to rest with her eyes hidden behind the cracked sunglasses.

Sunny felt strangely thoughtful after his conversation with Saint Tyris.

He was not sure that he agreed with her uncompromising views, but there was one thing Sky Tide had said that was unquestionably true.

Life was, indeed, unpredictable.

Take his own relationship with the steely Saint… Sunny did not know Saint Tyris very well, or share any of her principles, but he found himself respecting the stern Transcendent a great deal. He liked Master Roan, too. The three of them even shared some history.

Several years ago, Sunny had held nothing but contempt toward Legacies. He had regarded them as arrogant, dangerous, and hateful people, someone who did not deserve the unfair privileges bestowed upon them by nothing except for birthright. Who would have thought that he would come to value and admire some of them, one day?

Take Cassie, too…

When she surrendered his secret to Nephis on the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had thought that it was the darkest moment of his life. And yet, if she had not made that choice, he would have stayed behind a Sleeper. Sunny had no way of knowing if he would have survived the same journey Changing Star had.

for his return. If Sunny had not been there to hold back the tide of Nightmare Creature advancing on her school, his sister would have been

too many instances like

and no one could predict the twists and turns of fate… except for Weaver, perhaps. Even oracles like Cassie could only see glimpses of it,

did it

where I started,

fool struggling against something he

at least, was

sigh, Sunny moved strands of hair away from his eyes and sat down near Winter and Dale. His hands were aching for a

do we have

with a smile so faint

be regretting that this calm did not last

bit strange, sticking painstakingly to the better illuminated parts of

He frowned.

"What's up with them?"

turned her head

you heard

for a moment, then shook

"What rumors?"

The Ascended archer chuckled.

are a lot of scary stories spreading among the refugees these days, one more nonsensical than the other. The latest story is that there is a

then added in a more

are not usually easily spooked, but

million, there were bound to be some disappearances… especially with the Nightmare Spell infecting people left and right. However, he

number of disappearances. The Terror of LO49 was known to start its meals in just