Shadow Slave

"Dusk... Sybil of the Fallen Grace."

Sunny shivered.

Of course, he remembered who Dusk was. He was wearing a tunic called Shroud of Graceless Dusk, after all - the Transcendent Memory of the Sixth Tier he had received for slaying the Terror of LO49.

...That damned horror.

If he were to try and assign numbers to the enemies he had faced in Antarctica based on how many mental scars they left him with, the beautiful flower of floating white silk would be squarely placed second, right behind the Winter Beast. Even Goliath, who had literally killed him, did not leave as harrowing of an impression.

Of course, Dusk was most likely neither dead nor corrupted yet in the Nightmare. She was still a human, and seemed to be ruling a place called Fallen Grace. Since Sunny and Nephis wanted to reach the civilization of the Great River and find the sybils, this destination was perfect.

...It was a little bit too perfect, even.

Ananke had answered one of the most important questions they had. The improbable coincidence of them finding her ketch just when they needed it was no coincidence at all. She had come knowingly, expecting to find them.

But who was it that had instructed her where to find them? In her dreams, no less?

Who was pulling the strings of this Nightmare behind the scenes?

'Is it, perhaps, the last sybil herself?'

Sunny frowned, knowing that he would not find the answer any time soon. The earliest opportunity was probably going to be when he came face-to-face with the Sybil of the Fallen Grace... again.

He sighed.

"...Fallen Grace? How far is that?"

Old Ananke hesitated for a few moments.

is far. Very, very far. So far that I won't be able to guide you all

closing slightly. It almost seemed as though she

old woman shook

go, my Lord and Lady. Ah... you see, we daemon followers weren't welcome here, in Ariel's Tomb, either. They chased us away, and we traveled upstream for a long time before settling down and

Nephis looked at each

there some kind of internal strife between the locals of the Great River? Would it be dangerous

mean, that Weave only used

Nephis spoke cautiously:

wouldn't want to put you in

The old woman smiled.

Lady. Do not worry about me... I

It was obvious

to have understood that,

raised

in bewilderment as a whirlwind of white sparks appeared

is... she is summoning a

infinitely strange and out of place when performed by one of the ancient humans. It was the ability of those infected by the Spell, after all,

box appeared on the deck in front of them. Ananke opened it with shaking hands and took out several

rising from its spout, two small cups, and two plates -

looked freshly cooked. The items were simple and

delicious smell spread

tablecloth and offered the food to

be tired after braving the horrors of the future.

and walked back to the helmsman's bench with effort. Sitting down on it, the old woman tiredly lowered her

next moment, the ketch

by themselves and billowed in the wind, while the steering oar swayed, turning the bow of the boat downstream.

Both of them were completely exhausted and incredibly hungry,