Shadow Slave

East Antarctica was many times larger than the Antarctic Center, both in terms of territory and population. Its landscape was also much more varied, with vast plains, long mountain chains, and numerous lakes that ranged from relatively small to those that were as large as seas.

Somewhere out there, in that cold expanse, twenty-one siege capitals were currently enduring the onslaught of Nightmare Creatures. Each of them was comparable to Falcon Scott in size, and there were close to nine hundred million people protected by their walls.

Sunny was looking into the distance, feeling a bit uncomfortable. In front of him was a vast plain that stretched all the way to the horizon, covered in snow. It was littered by giant boulders that stood like solemn monuments to the ancient past, and cut by countless deep canyons. Here and there, hordes of abominations could be seen, flowing across the plain like dark rivers.

After months spent in the mountainous Antarctic Center, it was strange to be able to see that far. The world was broad and shrouded in dim twilight, looking quite surreal. Sunny felt... exposed.

"What a bleak sight."

It was still better than the poisoned wilderness of the other continents. He could freely breathe here, at least. There were also much fewer scars left by the destructive wars of the Dark Times here, although there were some. He could see the skeletal remains of massive war machines and the ruins of destroyed towns far in the distance, all covered with snow.

With a sigh, Sunny turned around. Behind him was a slope leading to the ocean shore. Jet had just finished climbing the slope and stopped near him, breathing heavily. She still looked like a dead woman walking... but at least she was breathing again. That alone made her less unnerving.

Soul Reaper remained silent for a few moments, then cursed quietly.

"There are still Gates near us."

Indeed, the Call was still too strong for them to escape into the Dream Realm. She studied the plain before looking at him.

"Do you have a working communicator?"

Sunny shifted awkwardly, then gestured to the Graceless Dusk.

"This is a Transcendent armor, you know. It has many wonderful enchantments. Sadly... one thing it doesn't have is pockets. I used to carry a few useful items inside a spatial storage Memory, but those were all destroyed by the Heart of Darkness. So, no. I don't have a communicator on me."

Indeed, the Covetous Coffer was more or less empty now. Sunny had spent most of his supplies during the escape to Falcon Scott, and what little remained was then obliterated by the dark beetles. The only thing they had not been able to destroy were the spools of diamond thread from the Ebony Tower.

Jet sighed.

"Pity. Mine was frozen solid. We can't even contact Army Command, then."

Sunny watched the distant hordes of Nightmare Creatures for a while.

"Well, then we just have to keep moving deeper inland until we find a safe spot to use our anchors."

state. She

easy. This place is in a much better state than the Antarctic Center was, but that's just inside the siege capitals. Out here in the wilderness, the Nightmare Creatures still reign unopposed.

Sunny smiled darkly.

there's not even a

snorted, ominous red flames burning in his eyes. The stallion's adamantine horns

it on the black courser. As he did, Jet looked

a while,

hell did you end up being Mongrel?

paused, and then shook her

scratch that. In retrospect, it makes too much sense. We even met once, when that Gate manifested in NQSC... ah. I

Sunny coughed.

peacefully in the Dreamscape. Who knew people would make such a ruckus about me learning a few battle styles? This whole thing went out of control really fast. Ugh... believe it or not, I actually wanted to use the Mongrel persona to

laughed, her voice sounding hoarse

under the radar? You call challenging Morgan of Valor staying under

He winced.

have gotten a little greedy. Once or twice. But hey, at least I got a very good bow out of it. It's still my best ranged Memory - those Valor forgemasters really know what

shook

rare Aspects that allow Awakened to

into sorcery with Jet - they had already learned a lot of each other's secrets, so one more wasn't going

his Aspect, but rather from an Attribute,

anyway... or anyone else, for that matter. As far as Sunny knew, his ability to see

at Jet and

Morgan, anyway?

Soul Reaper sighed.

that there are Masters, and then there are Masters, Sunny. Legacies are trained from childhood to be monstrous fighters. And that's just those from lesser clans. Those from the great clans - well, you can imagine. Morgan is not just any member of clan Valor, either. She is their princess. You should know by now who

with the saddle and crossed his

about you, then? Are you stronger

at him with her hollow, dead eyes. A corner of her

Morgan has the vast resources of Valor behind her. Memories, Echoes, soul shards... you can't imagine how much power the

He scoffed.

a stretch to call us friends. And I think you are selling yourself short. I fought a couple of Masters

Soul Reaper grinned.

ended up stuck in the waking world for half a year,