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.

very far. So far that I won't

grew silent, her eyes closing slightly. It almost

woman shook

chased us away, and we traveled upstream for a long time before settling down and building Weave. Weave... it's one of the human cities on the Great River,

Nephis looked at each

of internal strife between the locals of the Great River? Would it be dangerous for

she mean, that Weave only

Nephis spoke cautiously:

wouldn't want to put you in danger,

The old woman smiled.

both my wish and privilege, my Lady. Do not worry about me... I am... of the Great

was slowing down, and her words became slurred. It was obvious that the old woman

seemed to have

Ananke raised her hands. In

in bewilderment as a whirlwind of

she is summoning

ancient humans. It was the ability of those infected by the Spell, after all, and

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 - one full of ripe fruits, the other full of small savory

and the pies looked freshly cooked. The items were simple and modest, even worn out a little,

spread through the

placed everything on the tablecloth and offered the food to Sunny

the horrors of the future. Please,

with effort. Sitting down on

the next moment, the ketch

rose by themselves and billowed in the wind, while the steering oar swayed, turning the bow

hesitated for a bit. Both of them were completely exhausted and incredibly hungry, but... they still did not trust