Shadow Slave

He looked around, studying the barrier and the crowded pier that could be seen through the mesh. Then, suddenly, Sunny heard a familiar voice:

"Move back, damn it! Don't push! If you have a spot in the queue, present an ID! If you are a member of the First Army, come that way! Get a hold of yourself and behave like people!"

He looked around and saw a tall, handsome man with indigo eyes and hair that seemed somewhere between black and blue standing in front of the barrier, struggling to hold back the panicked crowd.

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

Pushing closer to the man, he called out:

"Naeve? What the hell are you doing here?"

The man — it was indeed Master Naeve of the House of Night — blinked a couple of times, then looked in his direction with a confused expression.

"...Sunny? Gods, it's you! What are... ah, doesn't matter. I'm now in charge of boarding, I guess."

Sunny led his group to the barrier, stopping right in front of the Nightwalker. Naeve gestured for a nearby Awakened to assume his position and took a step to the side.

He gave Sunny a somber look.

"That ship over there is where I'm assigned to. We are going to leave once we're at capacity… actually, we are already over capacity. But a few more people can still be squeezed in, so..."

Sunny frowned.

"What about Bloodwave?"

The Nightwalker sighed.

"He led the other ship away a few hours ago, with Saint Tyris aboard. There will be more ships tomorrow, and more the day after that… if the Winter Beast does not arrive sooner. But Uncle won't be coming back. He'll guard the strait until the… until the relocation is over. And then, we will resume evacuating people over the ocean, to the Northern Quadrant."

Sunny nodded.

'Figures.'

"Listen…"

Naeve spoke first, interrupting him:

"Do you need to get on the ship?"

Sunny grew quiet, suddenly ashamed for no reason. Strangely, he felt thankful to the Nightwalker for not forcing him to say it aloud.

awkward silence, Sunny

I just need

then be able to bring them back to the waking world, to a safer region. Granted, there were no Saints on the Ivory Island, so Sunny was

a battle was usually impossible.

taking up a spot on a ship would

.

Sunny had long decided to stay and try to stall the titan,

He looked at Naeve.

don't need one. But my

glanced at Beth, Professor Obel, and the members of his cohort. Naeve looked

His face fell.

a few

onboard, too. Members of the First Army have a priority right to be evacuated. But those additional spots, they will come at the expense of civilians

paused, and

This is going to be the last batch we let

barrier suddenly slid into the ground with a metallic screech. The soldiers started

a moment.

'So…'

His heart grew heavy.

what it

having to displace civilians who had a spot in

heard what Naeve said. Sunny turned around, looking at them. Kim, Luster, Dorn, Samara,

he supposed to

'Curse it all…'

of his soldiers, Belle,

looked at Sunny and slightly shook his

words spoken. And yet, for a moment, Sunny felt as though his heart was pierced by

gaze, and the two of them remained motionless for several seconds, as if having

crowding behind the line

He sighed.

terrible. Why the hell did I want to be an officer? Gods… no

straightened his

You go

him a startled glance, but the old man gently pushed her forward. They moved past Naeve, the young woman crossing

she did, Professor Obel silently took

too gentle. The two stumbled past Naeve, ending up on the other side of the line,

people to be let through. A moment later, the barrier rose with a screech, and a wall

and Belle remained

Luster, and Beth