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.

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

because

Temple of the Chalice behind and ventured to

island covered by white flowers, Sunny found Nightmare - the real Nightmare. Or rather, what was left of

In the dream he was pulled into, a shapeless wraith appeared and instantly attacked him, burning with murderous madness and frenzy. It could have

frenzied wraith and vanquished

where he had died. After waking up from the slumber, Sunny explored the island of flowers and found the remains of an enormous horse in its center, beautiful blossoms covering the

it had died. Had

white flowers grew where Nightmare's blood had been

for a while, then blew the air out of his large nostrils loudly and turned away

gained much from this trip, but the dark steed seemed to have subjugated a powerful nightmare,

creature of the lake had once bestowed the Ruby Knife

cross it, they always stuck to the edge of the isle, never approaching the tranquil lake

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

the lake and let go of the steering oars. When Sunny gave her a questioning look and an awkward cough, the blind girl

safe until the Crushing

the deck and watched the calm water. At some point, Cassie unsheathed the Quiet Dance, gently touched its blade, and

the water,

Cassie lowered her head and let out a heavy

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

and flew up with a flourish,