Shadow Slave

After Imp developed the [Greater Steel Body], there was no reason for them to remain on the Shipwreck Island. He had already absorbed everything he could from the body of the Sun Prince, so devouring the rest of the colossus was of no benefit. The need to visit the Iron Hand Island had disappeared, as well.

Their vacation was slowly coming to an end. They still had a few days left, though, as well as plans to visit a few more isles.

The flying ship cut across the starlit sky, moving east.

Their first destination was the Temple of the Chalice. The ancient ruin was just like the last time Sunny had visited it - forlorn and empty. Even the wrathful specters that had populated the temple were gone. Of course, he knew more about how the maiden priestesses had perished now..

Standing in the central chamber, Sunny looked at the shattered remains of the stone chalice and the bones littering the floor. The walls of the sacred hall had collapsed, the stone plates were cracked by a devastating explosion. After thousands of years, nothing but dust and desolation remained.

He wondered about fate and the past. In the Nightmare, he had been the one to destroy the Chalice and slay the warmaidens... however, even without Sunny, their end had been the same.

Who had killed the priestesses of the Red Sect in real past? Was it Noctis himself, or someone else? What had happened to the child whose body Effie inhabited in the Nightmare? Had the little girl been slain in the massacre, too?

As usual, there were no answers.

Effie herself wandered the ruins alone, her face uncharacteristically somber. The swords she had thrust into the ground once were all gone. The memories she carried, however, remained.

Eventually, the huntress sighed and shook her head in dejection.

"All that cruelty was pointless, in the end. What... what a waste."

Sunny remained silent, consumed by his own thoughts.

special meaning to him, too. This was where he had become a Demon. It had only happened a couple of years ago,

because of the Nightmare or because of

Temple of the Chalice behind and ventured to their next

found Nightmare - the real Nightmare. Or rather, what was

appeared and instantly attacked him, burning with murderous madness and frenzy. It could have been dangerous for anyone else, but Sunny had too much experience fighting dreams. Nightmare the

battled the frenzied wraith and vanquished

died. After waking up from the slumber, Sunny explored the island of flowers and found the remains

island and how it had died. Had it succumbed to

he knew was that the white flowers grew where

bones for a while, then blew the air

this trip, but the dark steed seemed to have subjugated a powerful nightmare, adding it

last stop they made was on the island where the creature of the lake had once

to cross it, they always stuck to the

it had been because the abomination living in the lake was too powerful, or because Saint Tyris had chosen to keep it there to

calmly landed the flying ship on the tranquil surface of the lake and let go of the steering oars. When Sunny gave her a questioning look

be safe until the Crushing

some point, Cassie unsheathed the Quiet Dance, gently touched its blade, and

into the water, straining

Cassie lowered her

"...It's empty. It's gone."

from under the clear water and flew up with a flourish, sparkling brightly as the sunlight reflected from the drops covering its