Shadow Slave

Sunny did not guide Nightmare directly back to the Chain Breaker. He had managed to follow Jet's bloody trail, after all, so Undying Slaughter would most likely be able to, as well. Since Sunny did not want to lead her to Nephis and Cassie, he had to cover their tracks first.

The problem was, he didn't really know how to do it. Tracking was one of the basic skills taught during the Wilderness Survival course, which obviously covered covering the tracks as well. But... he needed to know the capabilities of the enemy to know how to hide from them, and Undying Slaughter was still largely a mystery.

Remembering the line of footprints leading to the edge of the island, Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then turned his steed to the left. They were still moving in the general direction of the cliffs, but to a point far removed from the stone steps.

With winds whistling in his ears, Sunny raised his voice slightly:

"Where's Effie?"

There was a lot he had to ask and tell Jet, but this question was the most important. He both dreaded and couldn't wait to hear the answer.

She remained silent for a moment, probably wondering how he knew that the two of them had been together, then said in a stifled tone:

"...I'm not sure. We were separated in the vortex."

Sunny's expression fell. He gritted his teeth, then forced himself to calm down.

'It's alright.'

It was better than alright, really. Judging from Jet's words, Effie was most likely still alive. The loop had even conveniently solved the dire problem of her Flaw. Here on Wind Flower, he would never starve to death.

Sunny hesitated for a moment.

'...Can this be why Undying Slaughter is here, too?'

order to survive. That might have been fine back when the forces of the Defilement were besieging the cities of the sybils. But now that these cities were

warn you.

was pained and hoarse. The corner of his mouth

talk later... for now, hold on

Nightmare reached the border of the forest. Escaping the line of tall trees, the black stallion rushed across the narrow strip of empty land between the forest and the edge of the cliffs. His hooves left a line of

accelerated even more... and leapt forward, soaring

out a

momentum of Nightmare's leap fully dissipated, the translucent cloak manifested on his back and turned

his arm, which supported Jet's back, become soaked in blood. His expression darkened. He had not

pain, and then

really know how to make a

a moment, mortified. A terrible despair grasped his heart

no... it

He knew this feeling.

too much time with

by that vulgar,

'Damn it all!'

adjusted the direction of their flight and answered

"I... guess."

pained expression, Soul Reaper let

it. Sunny had to approach the cliffs and push them up a few times, afraid that they'll fall beneath the

put Jet down and supported her. His

"Can you walk?"

She nodded.

get