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.

heard the stories about people traveling inside a sea creature's belly?

the porcelain

die, you die too,

Sin of Solace

more time

gritted his teeth,

of me... since when am I

he summoned the Dark Wing. Soon, a translucent cloak appeared on his back and turned into a

painted in hues of lilac by the light of dawn. To his

Solace calmly walked across that sky, following him.

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

be some place where he could land. Otherwise, the trial was too unreasonable... anyone without Memories like the Essence Pearl and the Nimble Catch would be

might have been sent thousands of kilometers away from the nearest piece of land. That would not be the first time Sunny found himself on the

only one way to find

He could try surviving the [Where is my eye?] enchantment for the third time. And he would, if there was

cloudy eyes, and then dove back into the water. However, its vast shadow remained, moving

Sunny's expression grew bleak.

to let go,

he offend the serpent's ancestors in his

chilling look in his direction. At some point, Sunny removed the black needle from his forearm and allowed himself to glide down for

in the river... and if there was one below, there could easily be one above. Being attacked by a flying abomination was the last thing Sunny wanted to happen - but if it did happen, he wanted to at least have the opportunity to dive back into the water and try his luck in the depths. Maybe the two abominations would fight with each other

he dared neither rise too high

tense, somber...

really. What kind of messed-up

turned

and pushed

And so it continued.

went by. Sometimes, he would rise, and sometimes, he would descend. The Heavenly Burden continued to poke small holes in his skin, which then immediately healed thanks to the

Sunny grew angry.

Then, he grew depressed.