Shadow Slave

1020 The Fall of Falcon Scott (38)

Sunny had never even thought about using that deadly enchantment after the first time. Back then, moments before falling into the Sky Below, he had activated it out of sheer desperation.

His gamble had paid off, but it almost cost him his life.

[Where is my eye?) allowed the wearer of the mask to gaze upon the tapestry of fate in all its harrowing glory. The endless, beautiful eternity of twisting threads transfixed all existence, stretching infinitely in every direction, as well as into the past, present, and future. It connected everyone and everything like an inconceivable, unknowable web.

Weaver might have been capable of witnessing the great tapestry... but mere mortals like Sunny were not.

A single moment of looking at fate had almost caused his mind to collapse. If his essence had not run out after that single moment, he would certainly have been killed, his head exploding in the most violent fashion. Luckily, he had gotten off easy by only experiencing unimaginable pain and pure agony, the memory of which still made him shudder.

...The Terror was very welcome to try doing the same.

As the last of Sunny's essence was disappearing, causing him to experience painful backlash, the inconceivable sight of the great tapestry of fate superimposed itself through and above the world. It was as stunning, breathtaking, and utterly overwhelming as he had remembered... however, funnily enough, Sunny saw the beautiful threads differently this time.

To him, they seemed like nothing but chains now.

Granted, he did not linger trying to look, only catching a small glimpse of the cosmic tapestry. Prepared for what was to come, Sunny used a little, but rather devious trick.

His consciousness was still split between reality and the illusion of the endless expanse of billowing white silk that the Terror had created to mesmerize its prey. So, Sunny made himself blind to the actual world, concentrating entirely on the illusory realm of pure whiteness.

and was now looking upon the world through his eyes, was the only one to gaze upon

white silk enveloping him quiver, as if the

one short glimpse of the Strings of Fate, his weak smile finally turned into a real

'...Look well, wretch."

the deadly enchantment deactivated. The tapestry of fate disappeared, and Sunny suddenly found himself freed from the alien presence devouring his mind... or rather, it was still there, but now stunned and writhing in

his body had come

that slack to thrust his hand forward. The tip of the Sin of Solace pierced the wall of the cloth prison, and then moved upward, cutting a vertical

and burst into the dark water, incredibly happy to be in the oppressive embrace

his surroundings, knowing that he did not

it would kill a Corrupted Terror — if that was truly what the dreadful flower of silk

to be seizing, its petals contorting in grotesque convulsions. The graceful harmony of their eerily beautiful dance had

appeared to be pained

consuming the abominable creature, Sunny became even more convinced that fate was something that only gods were meant to see... or maybe no one at all. If even a Corrupted abomination of great and terrible power was

to be showing signs of life, but had not even begun trying to

finish

propelled himself forward. He fought against the weakness that had been left behind by draining all of his essence, pushing his body through the water as

Catch had turned into a useless piece of net, its active enchantment silent. Luckily, the enchantment of the Essence Pearl was a passive one, so he could still

burning by the time he reached the white flower. It had only been a dozen seconds or so, but the convulsions of the billowing petals were already growing

gritted his teeth

shape hidden in the center of

the dancing swathes of white cloth, Sunny could not shake the feeling that he would be caught again at any moment. That his mind would be devoured, and his will would be replaced by something alien