Shadow Slave

"You've finally arrived."

Three groups of people stared at Mordret with different expressions.

First were the emissaries of Valor. Morgan and Madoc kept their emotions in check, while Sky Tide and Summer Knight seemed grim. Nephis was her usual indifferent self, but there was a hint of curiosity hidden in the depths of her calm grey eyes.

The emissaries of Song were less reserved. Beastmaster was looking at Mordret with barely contained anger, as were Dire Fang and Silent Stalker - the first was just as he had been, somber and savage-looking, while the latter was an unassuming and elegant woman in black leather armor. Her beautiful face was inexpressive, but there was deep contempt in her strange feline eyes. Seishan was the calmest of them. She wasn't even looking at Mordret, instead studying the faces of the champions of Valor. Jet was standing behind her quietly.

Lastly, there were the representatives of the government.

Sunny shifted uncomfortably.

'What? What the hell are they doing here?'

Saint Cor was, of course, leading the small delegation, but there were two familiar figures behind him. Kai and Effie had somehow ended up as the escorts of the government Transcendent, and were now looking at the Prince of Nothing darkly. They had never met Mordret, but the echoes of his actions had impacted them, both before the Second Nightmare and within it.

There were a couple more government Masters with Wake of Ruins, as well, but Sunny did not know them.

'Why did he have to bring those two here...'

Sunny frowned, then silently separated from the Valor emissaries and went to stand behind Saint Cor, shoulder to shoulder with Kai. Jet did the same, taking a place beside Effie.

In the silence that followed, Mordret's words hung in the cold air. The Prince of Nothing lingered for a few moments, and then looked at Morgan with those strange, mirror-like eyes.

"...Sister."

Sunny had long noticed that Morgan never used the word "brother" when speaking about Mordret. In fact, when the Reflection addressed her as "sister", she seemed to have been enraged.

a similar reaction this time, too, but instead, Morgan

you would dare to face me with your

raised his head and

day that I get to meet my family. I thought that if I was

head

think of it, how did Mordret's own body end up here? His original one had been destroyed by Clan Valor, but the Spell had to have created a new one for him after the Second Nightmare.

'Unless...'

survive while his soul was wandering someplace else, he could have just stored it somewhere and then retrieved it at the right moment. He could have even carried it with him using a special Memory... or maybe an unknown facet of

felt a cold chill running

he carried around in some strange

exactly like something the madman would

thinking, Beastmaster suddenly spoke, her voice so

the risk of sounding petty, could I maybe receive some explanations? Prince Mordret, if I may... why couldn't you just follow the damned plan? Don't tell me that you've been secretly working for your father this whole time.

glanced at

the battle to conquer Black Skull, the warriors of Valor became suspicious of my identity. So,

not like anyone could

so would have

Mordret sighed.

intention is and always has been to help your mother achieve victory over Clan Valor. My family has to pay for what they've done to me. There's no one - no one! - who wants to see them fall more than me. I would have followed the plan if there was the smallest chance of success, but now... well... all I could do is

turned to face Morgan

it to cut

and sincere. It was so compelling, actually, that Sunny almost believed

he knew better than to trust a single word coming

Morgan scoffed.

What can you