Shadow Slave

Sunny glided through the dark sky above the luminous expanse of softly shining water. The wind was caressing his skin, and tranquil silence ruled the world. If not for the need to pierce himself with the sharp needle over and over again, he would have found the situation relaxing.

Of course, there was also the monstrous sea serpent that patiently pursued him, staring at the perfectly black canvas of the night sky with cloudy eyes.

He also had to constantly remain on high alert - there was no telling what else could attack him from above.

After a while, Sunny let out a sigh.

'How tiresome.'

He was starting to miss the days of plummeting into the Sky Below. At least he had the dead mimic to sit on back then. Now, there was nowhere for him to rest - Sunny continued to fly forward, surrounded by nothing except empty air.

He had the Sin of Solace with him instead of Mordret, too. It was really hard to tell which one of them was worse company.

"What? Have you lost... I strongly protest against this comparison!"

The apparition glanced at him with contempt, then looked away.

Sunny sighed again.

"Yeah, yeah... you are way more handsome than that guy. Sorry. I went too far."

The Sin of Solace scoffed, and they continued forward in silence.

After a long while, the faint radiance of the flowing water grew a little dimmer. The eastern horizon brightened, and then, the first of the suns appeared from below in a crown of lilac hues.

day was

slowly dissipated, and the seven suns appeared from below the water one after another. Soon, the western horizon was once again wreathed in

it was bright

a pincushion. Even if the might of his arrows was not enough to pierce the azure scales

the only

consume his essence. He wasn't willing to waste it needlessly in a situation where it was impossible to tell what

Sunny steeled his will and continued flying above

by.

too bizarre and unreliable to use them for measuring the time. He just guessed how much of it had passed

time flowed past him. Or was it Sunny who was flowing through time? Questions

really

froze and looked at a certain spot on the

a black dot had finally appeared atop the sparkling water. His heart skipped a

'Land?'

the surface of the water right below him. Then,

him from the

the current of the

able to see a few details

was not very large - no more than a kilometer across - and consisted entirely of black, weathered rock.

green moss scattered across the surface of the island, as well as towering outcroppings of something that resembled tarnished silver. The glistening edges were

felt a

was not large, but it was large enough to pose an obstacle for the sea monster. If the abomination wanted to follow Sunny to the surface, it would have to leave the water entirely - and

the ancient serpent would not climb out of the river at

Sunny, Saint, Nightmare, Imp, and the

well. After all, the [Hideous Truth] enchantment of the jade blade promised immense power to those who succumbed to its madness...