Shadow Slave

1310 Forsaken

'A Corrupted Titan…'

Sunny's face grew dark. The memories of Falcon Scott flashed in his mind, bringing with them a bitter taste. It was another city that had been destroyed by a Corrupted Titan, even if the scale and swiftness of destruction was different.

He remained silent for a few moments, then asked quietly:

"Aren't Titans usually… huge?"

Ananke hesitated, then shrugged. Her azure eyes were crestfallen.

"Most are. But some aren't. More than that, the Defiled… they were humans once. Their path to profane power is unique."

He nodded, feeling a deep sense of unease. A Corrupted Titan… if one of these Six Plagues was indeed as powerful as the Winter Beast, then just how terrifying the Dread Lord would be?

Still, Sunny felt a dark and scathing desire to kill that Mad Prince.

It was strange, really… he had met all kinds of horrid Nightmare Creatures, but knowing that the mad butcher who destroyed Weave had been a human once filled him with dark wrath.

'Just how low can a person fall…'

Odious. The Mad Prince, whoever he had been before succumbing to Corruption, was simply odious. Such a vile creature had no right to exist.

Sunny gritted his teeth, thinking about how many of the abominations he had slain in the past were former humans as well. After thousands of years of Corruption, the distinction was all but erased, but... here in the Nightmare, it felt different.

Nephis, meanwhile, had another question. Looking at the forlorn vista of Weave with a frown, she hesitated for a few moments, then asked softly:

"Ananke… you said that the Outsiders were the most powerful warriors of your city. The Mad Prince easily killed them all. Wouldn't that mean that he could have killed all the Riverborn, as well? Why did he spare you?"

Sunny grimaced. He was asking himself the same questions, but didn't want to speak it aloud in fear of hurting the young priestess more than she had already been hurt.

Ananke remained silent for a while, her head lowered. Eventually, she took a breath and said quietly:

"Maybe he wanted us to suffer longer. Maybe he needed us to live some more, for whatever reason. Maybe he simply did not care. The Riverborn… he did kill some. However, then, he stayed his sword and kneeled in front of the girl he spared. She was a child who had just recently arrived from the House of Youth. He asked her a question, then left."

Sunny and Nephis looked at each other somberly. She asked:

the

lingered, then

burst into laughter, wiped his bloody sword on

'Insane bastard.'

remembering the piece of flotsam that he had drifted on for the first couple of days in the Nightmare. It was a tenuous connection at best… but why had the Mad Prince asked the girl what she wished? Was he, perhaps, the lunatic who had carved the frantic runes into the

flotsam had seemed like a fragment of a destroyed vessel, the Defiled Titan might have perished in a

to one of the Defiled from Verge. There were letters of the waking world alphabet among the runes,

'Damnation…'

all too

must have

have to

She nodded.

away from the

Weave. We

threw him a grateful glance over

her city, then it's the least we can do. I'll make sure to write a detailed research paper after returning to

Sunny smiled.

a well-respected

at him with a hint

"A… professor?"

He nodded.

survive and provide for themselves in the wilderness. At the most famous academy in the world, no less! However, our knowledge of the intricacies of surviving in marine environments is not that extensive. I am sure I will gain a

priestess seemed more confused

"What is it?"

shook her

nothing. But, my Lord… aren't you a food merchant in the future? How can you also be a

of Sunny's mouth twitched. He remained silent for a few moments, then answered

That's just how great I am. Respected academic, renowned warrior, accomplished military

with bright sparks in

"My Lord is amazing!"

grinned, Nephis added

"...And so very modest."

dimmed, but only for a

Nodding energetically, Sunny agreed.

that can be

across Weave to collect everything needed for the long journey ahead. Even after long years of being abandoned, the city still seemed to be in a relatively good shape. However, beneath the beautiful surface, it had already started