Shadow Slave

By the time the three of them reached the line of footsteps in the sand, Sunny had formulated a rough plan of what he had to do during this particular revolution.

Well... it wasn't much of a plan. There were too many paths he could take, so he simply chose one that was the closest. Jet was not that far, and had to know more about what was happening on the island than he did. So, Sunny was determined to find her before Undying Slaughter did.

He was not enthused about the idea of fighting the dreadful wraith again so soon. Luckily, there was a high possibility that he could snatch Jet and escape without exchanging a single blow with the Defiled.

'What I need right now is not strength, but speed.'

Sunny glanced at Nephis and Cassie.

He would have to share his knowledge with his companions sooner or later, without a doubt. Just imagining that conversation made him uncomfortable, though.

It was a rather bizarre thing to say to someone, that they had been living the same hour over and over again without ever realizing it.

'I'll tell them the next time... hopefully, there will be a next time.'

Sunny suspected that the loop was endless - it should have existed for as long as the colossal whirlpool existed, which had already been hundreds of years - but he couldn't be sure. So, for now, he had to treat each revolution as if it was the last one.

'I'll tell them after I'm back, then.'

Sadly, he had already wasted a lot of time coming to this realization, so there was none of it left for lengthy explanations.

Noticing his intense gaze, Nephis looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

Sunny hesitated for a few moments, considering his words carefully, then opened his mouth and said just three of them:

"Aster, Song, Vale."

Her expression changed slightly, becoming darker and more intense. It was not exactly the same murderous reaction as she had showed on the Ashen Barrow, but Sunny still felt a little uncomfortable.

Nephis frowned.

"Why..."

She paused for a moment, then took a deep breath.

"Are we under a mind hex again?"

Sunny shook his head.

Right now, I need you two to not ask questions and do what I tell you. Can you

appearing on her face. She remained

him for a few long moments,

"Alright."

sighed with relief. He knew that she trusted him... but blindly trusting

of

out a

Then return to the ship and

indeed safe... but it was the best temporary solution he could come

to Cassie, he

"I'll need Nightmare."

dismounted, allowing him to hop into the saddle. Looking down, Sunny lingered for a moment,

later, he was galloping

not need his combat Shadows. If he still ended up facing the mist wraith, summoning them to him

'Faster!'

as well as that of his

sent all five shadows

two of them flew along the line of lonesome footprints, swiftly approaching the wall of black cliffs. The black stallion scaled the stone steps without ever slowing down, his adamantine hooves sending sparks flying from the black rock, the melodious staccato traveling through the mist like the

entered the

have entered the clearing yet, so she could be anywhere. That

'Quite a predicament...'

point Jet in his direction... the problem was that Undying Slaughter would recognize its ringing as well. Not to mention that there were most likely other deadly creatures on

shame that the Guiding Light pointed to Effie, but not Jet. Otherwise, Sunny would have taken it with

the last two times - or however many times it really was

from the direction of the beach, so the most logical choice is

everything, making the world appear only a

'Damn it!'

at any moment... however, he could also stumble

shadow in all directions, after all,

The stench of blood.

Sunny looked around, inhaling the wisps of

pine reached further than he could see, but there, on its bark, was a spot much darker than the rest of it. A bloody handprint, as if

spun in the saddle and finally noticed another bloody

a direction to