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, Sunny shook

just need to place a tether

retreat into the Dream 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 were no Saints on the Ivory Island, so Sunny was a bit

course, leaving the waking 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

a spot on a ship

.

decided to stay and try

He looked at Naeve.

need one. But

members of his

His face fell.

Nightwalker hesitated for a few moments, then

of your cohort 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 with officially issued tickets. So… it's

paused, and then added

is

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

moment. His face

'So…'

His heart grew heavy.

what

to displace civilians who had a spot in

said. Sunny turned around, looking at

he supposed

'Curse it all…'

the faces of his soldiers, Belle, Dorn, and Samara briefly glanced at each

man looked at Sunny and slightly shook his

yet, for a moment, Sunny felt as though

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

the mob of frightened refugees crowding behind the line of the

He sighed.

did I want to be an officer? Gods… no

straightened his back and

Professor Obel. You go in

gently pushed her

as she did, Professor

not too gentle. The two

with a screech, and a wall of alloy mesh cut off

Obel, Samara, Dorn, and Belle

Luster, and Beth were on the