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.

a few moments of awkward silence,

just need to place a tether

Realm whenever they wished. Even if their tether remained in the Antarctic Center, a Saint would then be able to bring them back to the waking world, to a safer region. Granted, there

world was not an instantaneous process. It required some time and absolute concentration, so doing it in the middle of a battle was usually impossible. Any Ascended that remained in the city would have to travel to the Dream Realm before the

spot on a ship would be a

.

decided to stay and try to stall the titan,

He looked at Naeve.

need one. But my

and the members of his cohort. Naeve looked at them,

His face fell.

hesitated for a few moments, then said

get the rest of your cohort onboard, too. Members of the First Army have a priority right to be evacuated. But those additional spots, they will

and then added

quick. This is going to be the last

into the ground with a metallic screech. The soldiers started checking the IDs and letting people

a moment. His face

'So…'

His heart grew heavy.

what it

displace civilians who had a spot

turned around, looking at them.

was he

'Curse it all…'

faces of his soldiers, Belle,

looked at Sunny and

no words spoken. And yet, for a moment, Sunny felt as though his heart was

lowered his head, then looked at Professor Obel. The old man met his gaze, and the two of them remained motionless for several

at the mob of frightened refugees crowding behind

He sighed.

did I want to be an officer? Gods… no amount of the damned contribution

his back and

Professor Obel. You go in

gently pushed her forward. They moved past Naeve, the young woman crossing the

she did, Professor Obel silently took

Kim and Luster. His push, though, was not too gentle. The two stumbled

the barrier rose with a screech, and a wall of alloy mesh cut off the pier from the rest of

Professor Obel, Samara, Dorn, and Belle remained on

and Beth were on