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

me. I just need to place a tether

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 more inconvenienced in

so doing it in the middle of a battle was usually impossible. Any

a spot on

.

long decided to stay and try to

He looked at Naeve.

don't need one. But

members of his cohort. Naeve looked at them,

His face fell.

a few moments, then

the crew. I will give you those. Beyond that, however… I can 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 come at the expense of civilians with

paused, and then

to make it quick. This is going to

mesh barrier suddenly slid into the ground with a metallic screech. The soldiers started checking the IDs and letting people pass through

froze for a moment. His

'So…'

His heart grew heavy.

what it

civilians who had a spot in the

around, looking at them. Kim,

was he supposed

'Curse it all…'

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

the giant man looked at Sunny and slightly

were no words spoken. And yet, for a moment, Sunny felt as though

met his gaze, and

frightened refugees crowding behind the line of the barrier,

He sighed.

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

straightened his back

Professor Obel. You go in

a startled glance, but the old man gently pushed her forward. They moved past

did, Professor Obel silently

not too gentle. The two stumbled past Naeve, ending up on the

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

Samara, Dorn, and Belle remained

and Beth were on the