Shadow Slave

The giant Great Beast was growing smaller and smaller as Sunny rose higher into the sky. The winds were howling, and he was slowly starting to feel apprehensive about how long it would take him to fall back down. The view was simply breathtaking... but even from such a high vantage point, Sunny could not see a single piece of land.

There were no islands, no continents, and no ships. There was not even another piece of flotsam.

He sighed.

'What a predicament.'

"Enjoying the view?"

Sunny flinched and craned his neck, looking at the Sin of Solace.

His identical copy was calmly standing on thin air, looking down at him. The wind was playing with the apparition's long black hair.

Sunny frowned.

'I... really need to get a haircut.'

"You're ignoring me now? Ungrateful."

He glared at the apparition silently, then asked:

"How are you doing that? Why aren't you falling?"

A wicked smile appeared on the face of the cursed spirit.

"It's because, unlike you, I'm not weighed down by sin."

Sunny scoffed.

"Bastard... it's literally in your name..."

The two were silent for a few moments, giving him ample time to enjoy the fact of just how insane he had become. After a while, the Sin of Solace pointed down.

resisting? Here's an idea... just go jump into this beast's maw. Haven't you heard the stories about people traveling inside a

at the porcelain face of the

you die

Sin of Solace

more time in your company.

gritted his teeth,

just a part of me... since when

his back and turned into a blur. The shadows moved,

Sunny followed the current of the Great River as he glided forward. To his right, the world was painted in hues of lilac by the light of dawn. To his

across that sky, following him. His hands

something - anything - in this Nightmare. It can't just all

land. Otherwise, the trial was too unreasonable... anyone without Memories like the

from the nearest piece of land. That would not be the first time Sunny

was only one way to

the [Where is my eye?] enchantment for the third time. And he would, if there was no other

back into the water. However, its vast shadow remained, moving slowly just below the surface. It was keeping pace with the

Sunny's expression grew bleak.

to let

he offend the serpent's ancestors in

The sea serpent continued to follow Sunny, raising its head above the water from time to time to throw a chilling look in his direction.

happen - but if it did happen, he wanted to at least have the opportunity to dive back into the

he dared neither rise too high above the water nor get too

tense, somber... and a bit

really. What kind of messed-up situation

had turned into a

and pushed the black

And so it continued.

Great Beast stubbornly followed, always staying precisely below Sunny. The hours slowly went by. Sometimes, he would rise, and sometimes, he would descend. The Heavenly Burden continued to poke small holes

Sunny grew angry.

Then, he grew depressed.