Shadow Slave

Sunny left the underground complex, breathed in the cold winter air, and limped toward the nearby army hospital. The walk was not too long, so he reached it within ten minutes.

Belle, Dorn, and Samara were in front of the building, and so was Abomination — the Echo was laying on the ground, shielding them from the wind with its massive body.

The hound had not participated in the recent battle, because it would have been destroyed too quickly by the black beetles. It had been very helpful to the cohort in the past two weeks, though.

It was strange… in the past, Abomination had mostly ignored Quentin's Echo, Blackie, who used to follow the larger beast around. But now that Blackie was gone, the monstrous hound always looked a bit forlorn.

Sparing the Echo a sad glance, Sunny approached his soldiers.

"Major! Gods… you look awful!"

Belle grinned, hiding hints of anguish that had taken root in his eyes.

Sunny forced out a smile, as well.

"You should have seen the other guy… ah, but you can't. I killed the other guy."

That produced a few chuckles. Sunny scoffed, too.

"Anyway. Take me to Luster… he's awake, right?"

They nodded. Dorn and Samara remained outside, while Belle guided him into the hospital.

"He woke up an hour or so ago. Uh… I think he's in good spirits, considering. That might be because of painkillers, though."

They walked through the white corridors, which were all crowded with hospital beds. An uncountable number of maimed and injured soldiers lay on them, some awake, some mercifully unconscious. The air was filled with the sickening smell of blood, burned flesh, misery, and despair. Doctors, nurses, and a few Awakened healers were hurriedly tending to the wounded, the bags under their eyes blacker than the bruises covering Sunny's body.

The sight of it was indescribably grim.

Sunny kept his face cool, projecting the image of an intrepid Ascended. On the inside, however…

'At least they'll survive.'

Modern medicine was very potent, and that was without even considering the Awakened wielding healing Aspects. If a soldier was delivered from the battlefield alive, there was very little chance of them dying. The only problem was the cost, but the First Army spared no expense, at least in that regard.

As an Awakened of somewhat exalted status, Luster was placed in a small room of his own. As they approached it, Sunny heard the young man's voice:

"Kim… Kimmy… stop it… I lost my legs, you know, not my hands! I am perfectly capable of feeding myself!"

saw a peculiar scene. Luster was laid on a bed, his stumps wrapped in regenerative bandage, while Kim was trying to push a spoonful of synthpaste porridge into his mouth. The young woman's usually

froze, then turned and gave Sunny an unexpectedly

08:01

That fool

Noticing Sunny, Luster grinned:

Thank the gods! Please,

turned and gave Sunny an unexpectedly fierce

That fool refuses to

for a couple

you want me to feed you, Luster? Because,

little, then hurriedly grabbed the spoon and swallowed the porridge in

No need to exert yourself,

closer, summoned his chair, and sat down near the bed. Then, he tried to say something, only to find out that

Eventually, he awkwardly asked:

"How are you doing?"

a bit,

I did tell you how my whole right arm was bitten off once, right? This is only a tiny bit worse… hell, if I lose my left arm as well, one day, I'll be able to brag about losing all my limbs to protect humanity. Girls can't resist a hero,

Sunny blinked.

he

He sighed.

and all of them are terribly busy. Once you get to Eastern Antarctica, and from there

smile suddenly dimmed. Looking away,

Once I'm back in

Sunny frowned a little.

of your head. You did more than enough. Very few people deserve to go home more than you… so, enjoy the cruise, and then make sure

paused, then

need you for, now? Keeping you would probably just be a waste of

Hearing that, Luster laughed.

see. When you put it that

He sighed.

I think that I don't deserve an early dispensation, sir. It's just

man briefly glanced at

sufficiently powerful healers were involved, but it took time, and a

He shook his head.

charm finally worked. If it wasn't for you, Kim would be dead… Dorn too, probably, and maybe even Belle and Samara. You did well, Luster. You served through the hardest part of the whole campaign…

at him, then