Shadow Slave

Climbing out of the fissure, the two of them - and the ominous figure of the Sin of Solace - studied the calm surface of the Great River. By now, it seemed like a sea of blood. The patch of red water surrounding the dead behemoth was growing larger as it was slowly washed away.

Just then, an ominous shadow moved through the blood, and a giant, cloudy eye rose from the red liquid to stare at them with hatred and burning malice. Sunny shivered and felt the desire to take a step back.

Nephis remained unmoved.

After a while, she spoke in a somber tone:

"...Strong."

He sighed.

"It is a Great Beast. Of course, it's strong."

At that moment, the Sin of Solace smiled.

As they escaped the suffocating gaze of the azure serpent by jumping back into the fissure, the sword wraith spoke:

"But... isn't it just a Great Beast? Where is your fighting spirit, Sunny? Go! Kill it! Like you always do..."

Sunny threw an irritated glance at him and thought:

'Shut the hell up.'

The apparition laughed.

"Why? Can't I make a joke? Of course, a pathetic waste of a Divine Aspect like you has no hope of surviving a fight with this creature."

It grinned and added:

"That is why it's funny."

Sunny frowned and glared at the Sin of Solace, then started to think of a response. However, at that moment, Neph's voice distracted him from the conversation:

"Sunny? Who are you talking to?"

Startled, he flinched slightly and turned to her. His face grew slightly more pale than usual.

"You... you heard that? I spoke it aloud?"

She lingered for a moment, then nodded.

Sunny let out a small laugh and scratched his head, feigning embarrassment. In truth, he was a little frightened - it seems that the effect of the Sin of Solace on his mind was not as tame as he had thought.

'Damn it.'

"That... my primary weapon Memory has a peculiar enchantment. Basically, it's a voice that doesn't miss a chance to explain how wrong everything I do is. Right... something like that."

Nephis stared at him for a while, and then a hint of a smile appeared on her face.

"Oh."

Sunny frowned.

you

simply shook her

suddenly reminded of

her a dubious

is that fairy

as if trying

lied, his nose would grow bigger. And there was a

weird story was that? And

He frowned.

fairy tale. I do see why you would remember it, though, not that I have any

for

good boy and returns home with

little better about himself after hearing that. Curious, he

happens to the doll in the

down and shrugged with an indifferent

cricket with a hammer, then gets hanged from

Sunny's eyes twitched.

'What the hell?'

the

made of wood? Why would he die after being hanged from a tree? Ridiculous... not to mention that a talking wooden doll would have been at least

and abruptly realized how ridiculous that conversation

couple of ideas why, but am not certain yet. So, that peculiar enchantment has become more annoying, too. I guess what I am

at the Sin of Solace and add with a bit of

fairy tale... now that we established that the doll wouldn't have died from hanging, I must admit - I wouldn't mind smashing that annoying cricket with

mockingly raised an eyebrow. Neph, meanwhile,

keep looking to the side when talking about

Sunny froze.

now there's an illusory figure following me, too. In fact, it looks

silent before asking in

there are two Sunnys

grimaced, then nodded with

a sense. One is just a

a while with

tilted

at him

a bit

at me like that?

hidden in the depths of her calm grey eyes?

breath,

crazy. That Memory should be the Sin of Solace, right? It is tied to Ariel - and, therefore, to the Tomb of Ariel. Even though the pyramid doesn't seem to

Sunny slowly exhaled.

"Right."

Memories, so she would know about the Sin of

But that reminded him...

Sunny said