Shadow Slave

Sunny and Nephis had learned a few things about navigating the endlessly flowing waters of the Great River, but they were still unsure what distance separated each of the Seven Houses from each other. Nevertheless, they quickly understood that something was wrong by looking at Ananke's face.

The young priestess was almost always either calm or smiling. At some point, however, a deep frown twisted her soft adolescent face, and a dark shadow was cast onto her vibrant azure eyes.

Sunny was the first to notice. He studied the teenage girl in front of them, then asked:

"What's wrong?"

Ananke lingered for a few moments.

"We should have reached the Third House by now, my Lord."

There were seven artificial islands where the children of Weave spent their childhood, and although the swift ketch was supposed to reach the fifth one, they were actually numbered in reverse order - starting with the House of Birth far downstream and ending with the House of Youth. So, the Third House would have been the fifth they saw. However...

It seemed to have disappeared.

The young priestess studied the vast expanse of the Great River, then mumbled with uncertainty:

"I guess... the mechanisms of the island could have broken down, sending it adrift. I haven't visited here in a long while. Still, the deterioration shouldn't have reached that stage already..."

Sunny and Nephis exchanged glances. Rising to her feet, Nephis looked north.

"Could it have been destroyed by an abomination?"

Ananke did not answer for a while. Eventually, she sighed.

"It's unlikely, but not impossible. Maybe that is what happened, indeed."

of a powerful Nightmare Creature stalking the waters

'Damnation...'

the remaining two of the Seven Houses, but he was concerned about the lower House of Parting -

vessel in order to return to Weave. There were supposed to be other boats moored

'It's not too bad...'

furthest island-ship of Weave might not have been destroyed. Even if it was... Sunny could assume the form of the river serpent again, continuing to travel downstream without the ketch. With the Crown of

though... perhaps he and Nephis would be

was nothing to do for now. First, they needed to reach the House of Parting and see

The seven suns had already plunged into the Great River, suffusing it with a

later, he pointed

"I see something. There."

oar, guiding the

shape became visible in the iridescent glow of the flowing water. It was massive and strangely shaped, rising above the surface of the

to say anything, Nephis and Sunny summoned their weapons. Ananke called upon her harpoon,

weren't

the ominous shape, they saw it

upon the frame of some leviathan's bones was sticking out of the water, tilted and half-drowned. They first saw one of its sides, overgrown by seaweed and barnacles. It took Sunny some time to realize that he was looking at the bottom of

into sight, motionless and broken, hanging high in the air. Finally, they went around the edge of the drowning island and saw the side of it that was supposed to be

had mostly collapsed into piles of rubble. The gardens had been destroyed, and the tidy streets had turned into a labyrinth of ruins. The tall windcatchers had been shattered, their blades sticking out of the river

what remained

at the scene of violent devastation, Sunny felt a cold shiver run

destroyed it

as though a frenzied titan had been let loose on the

of her sword tighter. Her face was motionless, but white sparks were dancing

"An abomination?"

remained silent, studying the ruins with a