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

appeared from below the water one after another. Soon, the western horizon was once again

it was

serpent into a pincushion. Even if the might of his arrows was not enough to pierce the azure scales of the creature, he was sure

Sunny be the

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

teeth, Sunny steeled his will and continued

by. Then, one

were too bizarre and unreliable to use them for measuring the time. He just guessed how much of it had passed based on intuition, but

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

am really

suddenly froze and looked at a

had finally

'Land?'

beneath the surface of the water right below him. Then, he changed the direction of his

finding a place to land would save him from the great abomination. But

in Sunny's ears as he glided along the current of the

grew larger, and he was able to

a dark island. The island was not very large - no more than a kilometer across - and consisted entirely of black, weathered rock. It had steep slopes,

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

a bit of

If the abomination wanted to follow Sunny to the

serpent would not climb out of

even if it did, it would be out of its element. With Sunny, Saint, Nightmare, Imp, and the five shadows...

of Solace must have grown much stronger, as well. After all, the [Hideous Truth] enchantment of the jade blade promised immense power to those who succumbed to its madness... and, judging by