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 Defiled

young priestess lingered, then

Prince burst into laughter, wiped his bloody

'Insane bastard.'

tenuous connection at best… but why had the Mad Prince asked the girl what she

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

thing about connecting Sunny's improvised raft to one of the Defiled from Verge. There

'Damnation…'

was all too

that had taken place here must

to gather supplies,

She nodded.

the

around Weave. We

a little, while Nephis threw him a grateful glance

remember her city, then it's the least we can do. I'll make sure to write a detailed research paper after returning to NQSC, so that everyone in the waking

Sunny smiled.

I am a well-respected

with a hint of

"A… professor?"

He nodded.

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 lot from learning about Weave. Then, I'll be able to teach my students about it,

seemed more

"What is it?"

shook her head

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

corner of Sunny's mouth twitched. He remained silent

I am. Respected academic, renowned warrior, accomplished military commander, thriving

at him, then nodded with bright sparks in her azure

"My Lord is amazing!"

Nephis added under her

"...And so very modest."

grin dimmed, but

Nodding energetically, Sunny agreed.

a word that

long years of being abandoned, the city still seemed to be in a relatively good shape.