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.

this beast's maw. Haven't you heard the stories about

stared at the porcelain face of the

die, you die

of

more time in your company. Have you ever

gritted his teeth, then looked

he's just a part of me... since when am I this

cloak appeared on his back and turned into a blur.

the light of dawn. To his left, the water was like a sea of burning blood because of the crimson dusk. All around him, the blue sky was suffused with the bright radiance of

that sky,

anything - in this Nightmare. It can't just

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

might have been sent thousands of kilometers away from the nearest piece of land. That

was only one way

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

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

Sunny's expression grew bleak.

willing to

the serpent's

to follow Sunny, raising its head above the water from time to time to throw a chilling look in his direction. At some point, Sunny removed the black needle from his forearm and allowed himself

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

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

somber... and a

What kind of messed-up situation

had turned

winced and pushed the black

And so it continued.

The hours slowly went by. Sometimes, he would rise, and sometimes, he would descend. The Heavenly Burden continued to poke small holes in

Sunny grew angry.

Then, he grew depressed.