Shadow Slave

Soon, they slowed down and entered one of the canals. Ananke whispered a few words, and the sails lowered themselves. Summoning her long harpoon, she stood up and used it as a pole to push the ketch forward. As it traveled deeper into the heart of the city, Sunny and Nephis silently watched the districts that floated past. Indeed, there were no living beings here - at least none that they could see.

Nephis shifted slightly.

"You said that Weave was devastated by a Defiled. Is that сÐуфегÐу still here?"

Ananke slowly shook her head.

"No. But... I've been absent for a long time. An abomination or two could have crawled out of the River to make a nest among the ruins. It is better to be careful."

Sunny and Nephis glanced at each other and silently summoned their weapons.

'Just what the hell... has happened here?'

Eventually, the ketch reached an intersection of two wide canals. Ananke allowed it to drift for a dozen meters, then stopped at a small platform. There were stone steps leading from the platform to one of the central districts of the city, and after roping the ketch to a post, she lightly jumped down.

Together, the three of them ascended the stairs and entered a wide plaza. It was desolate and partially submerged in water, with scars on the collapsed buildings hinting at a fearsome battle that must have taken place here a long time ago.

Ananke, who had been strangely reluctant to answer their questions before, finally sighed and turned to face them.

"The Defiled that destroyed Weave... visited us almost half a century ago. However, the city did not die until a few decades after that."

Both Sunny and Nephis looked at her in confusion. How could a city be destroyed decades after it was attacked?

The young priestess remained silent for a while, then gestured to the drowned plaza.

"This is where the battle ended, and the slaughter started. I've told you before that Outsiders are vital to the existence of the River People. They are the oldest and most powerful among us. They are also the only ones who can travel unimpeded across the River. Without them, the cities would become completely isolated from each other... well, that doesn't really apply to this city of exiles, since we were always on our own."

She looked down.

desolate future, we had to constantly defend ourselves from powerful Corrupted. The elders were the only ones who could pursue and eradicate them - otherwise, those horrid creatures could come and go as they pleased, retreating when wounded to attack again... and again, and again. So, that was how

gazed at the drowned plaza with a grim

Corrupted, some succumbed to sorrow and despair. The less of us there were, the harder it

young priestess took a deep breath and turned to them

and the buildings remain, but without the people, they are just

a deep

we must come here to gather supplies, but that was not entirely true. To be honest... I just wanted you to see Weave, at least once. So that someone would remember it -

his chest becoming heavy, but Nephis seemed to be affected more. Her face was motionless as usual, but there was a hint of darkness in her eyes. Taking a step forward, she placed her hand on Ananke's shoulder and gently squeezed

have seen herself in

have carried incredible weight. It was very likely that Ananke had suddenly become the ruler

fought to save it... just like Nephis had watched the village she built be swallowed by

Neph's

it happened a long

of Sunny's mouth twitched. Looking away, he asked in

among you, then not just any creature could have killed them all. Still... just in case I

to kill

young woman lingered for a while,

just any Defiled, indeed. The one who came to Weave is

He frowned.

"The Mad Prince?"

Ananke nodded.

called Mad Prince, or the Prince of Madness. That fiend is one of the

away, as if

and loathsome. Mad Prince, Soul Stealer, Undying Slaughter, Torment, Devouring Beast, and the most harrowing of them all... the Dread Lord. Everyone on the Great River has heard their names. They are also

The young priestess frowned.