Shadow Slave

Nephis changed from her torn clothes and was now wearing a white tunic with its hems embroidered in intricate red patterns. The tunic was somewhat similar to Sunny's Shroud of Dusk, but also different - it seemed like a single sheet of light fabric that had been elaborately tied at the shoulders, and thus had no sleeves. Loosely fastened at the waist and with high slits, it seemed like something that could afford one a high degree of freedom of movement.

Still, Sunny was slightly surprised to see what Neph had chosen to summon. She gave him a strange look.

"What?"

He shrugged.

"I just imagined that you would select a suit of steel armor, or at least something that offers more protection. There has to be a Memory like that among those that Summer Knight gave you, right?"

Nephis shook her head.

"There is. But what does it matter here? No matter how powerful of an armor Memory I use, it will still break after brushing against a great abomination once. So, I might as well go for something light and offering good utility. This tunic might not protect me well, but it enhances my senses. For now, that is more important. Best of all..."

She slightly pursed her lips and added with a hint of frustration in her voice:

"...It won't burn."

Sunny suppressed a chuckle.

"Alright. Suit yourself."

It was not like he had anything to complain about. That tunic of hers was rather beautiful... plus, he wasn't one to talk, considering what he himself was wearing.

Sunny pulled his gaze away from Neph's slender figure and stared at the Memories that were laying on the ground between them. These were all the ones in their possession that mentioned Ariel, his Tomb, the Great River, or an estuary of any kind.

There was no real need to summon them, since both Sunny and Nephis could see each other's runes. However, having something to look at was more convenient.

They were:

A beautifully engraved chalice of white stone full of black liquid.

A hand mirror of dark silver that gave off an ominous feeling.

A graceful jian with a long and slender blade of pristine white jade.

A necklace of engraved black metal that resembled a collar.

elegant mallet with a hammerhead made of perfectly black

steel with a

Cusp, the Mirror of Truth, the Sin of Solace,

had spent more time in Antarctica,

of Graceless Dusk, but Sunny did not feel like undressing... although it might have been only fair for him to do

'Nevermind.'

while, sometimes glancing at the shimmering runes in front of him. Eventually, Sunny

to draw any conclusions, let's go over what we

Nephis nodded.

a

Ariel stands somewhere in the Nightmare Desert - however,

silent for a moment,

us entered a Seed of Nightmare that seemed to have originated from the Tomb of Ariel. However, instead of being transported into the past of the Nightmare Desert, we somehow ended up in the middle of a strange and boundless

was not certain that the Great River was boundless - Sunny had not tried to reach its

He frowned.

of time and flow endlessly from the future into the past... whatever that

lingered a bit, and then

want

Nephis nodded.

The vision of the reversed time was interrupted. Additionally, there are supposed to be millions of challengers within

strange sky of the Great River, where dawn coexisted with dusk and day, and at the seven suns bathing the world

like a

Sunny's eyes glistened.

what I thought, as

dagger forged out of

in his hand, Sunny glanced at its complicated

Memory: [Falling Ash].Memory Rank...

and then tentatively picked up the Mirror of Truth. She glanced at her reflection, shivered, then turned

side to side, most likely reading the runes that described the meeting

contemplative expression appeared on

and purpose of the

the Mirror of Truth aside and reached out for

of

read the description of