Shadow Slave

Soon enough, it was time to say goodbye again. Effie and Kai were returning to the government-controlled section of East Antarctica with Wake of Ruin and Saint Tyris, while Jet was leaving with the forces of Song.

The joint army had already withdrawn from the battlefield and traveled some distance away from it. Now, it was ready to break apart... before it did, however, Sunny managed to find an opportunity to talk with Soul Reaper in private.

The long column of vehicles had come to a stop, and they found each other among the busy chaos of imminent separation.

"How is living with the Song clan treating you?"

Jet smiled a little, then shrugged.

"It's treating me fine. I am often reminded of why was it exactly that I never wanted to be a part of a Legacy clan... but it's fine. Weirdly, I feel a bit of kinship with these women."

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"Kinship, really? Why?"

She lingered for a few moments.

"A thief knows a thief, as a wolf knows a wolf. It's just a vague feeling, but I think that their Flaws are similar to mine... not exactly the same, but similar. I have no solid proof, of course, but there are ways to tell. A thing like that influences you in many subtle ways."

Jet looked away and let out a wistful sigh.

"All of Ki Song's daughters are adopted, you know? Many of them were taken from the outskirts when they were very young. Who knows, in another life, I might have been a princess of a great clan, as well... wouldn't that be a sight?"

Sunny looked at her gloomily, trying to imagine Soul Reaper in the traditional wine-red attire of the Song clan. However, his imagination failed him.

...No matter how hard Sunny tried, he just couldn't imagine Jet wearing a dress.

He scoffed.

"I do know, and yes, that would be a sight. However, I like the current you much more."

Soul Reaper laughed.

but...

smile slowly disappeared from her face, and

know that things are about

nodded, prompting her to

you going to

remained silent for a few moments, then

stupid. But... not too

face for

in touch,

turned around and walked away, heading for the departing force of

clear of Mordret... as for informing Jet of the presence of his shadow, that would do neither of them any good.

unfold, for the both of us... one thing is

then went to

dismissed, and they were going to be traveling

possession of Echo mounts, and

catch a ride with the Fire Keepers, but before that, he sneaked into a small crevice that was drowned by deep shadows. There, he found a

seemed to have grown bigger. His belly had, at least - it protruded from the scrawny frame of the little fiend like a balloon, looking as if it was on the

Shadow turned

for a moment, then shook his

gluttonous little wretch.

at him lazily, and then answered in a grating,

"...Wretch!"

Sunny scowled.

are you calling a

the Shadow, sending the

have listened to me and only eaten those Nightmare Creatures that had to

crevice and walked over to one of the armored vehicles. There were already a few familiar faces inside - the members of Cassie's former cohort. The

Sunny, they

You were a real terror on the battlefield

did you become

to Ascend, too. Maybe