Shadow Slave

Going straight to the tower might have saved Sunny and Cassie a lot of time, but it was also the most dangerous direction. Not only was Undying Slaughter prowling somewhere in the mist, but Devouring Beast was also not far away.

There were other horrors waiting for them in the forest, as well.

Luckily, there might not have been a more elusive duo than Sunny and Cassie in two worlds. With the blind girl riding Nightmare, they could move swiftly in the darkness. Since she was sharing his senses, they did not need to carry a source of light with them, thus avoiding unnecessary attention.

Sunny could detect most dangers far in advance, and Cassie's supernatural intuition warned them about those threats that could not be perceived that easily. Added to the extensive knowledge of the island, that allowed them to avoid confrontations with its prisoners and advance inland stealthily.

Of course, it would not have been possible without the Fragment of the Shadow Realm. The silent understanding they shared also played a large role.

At some point, Cassie patted Nightmare on the shoulder. The black stallion slowed down and then halted, standing motionlessly in the flowing mist. Sunny leaned against the trunk of an ancient pine and listened to the muffled sounds of the forest, focused and calm.

"Do you sense a threat?"

Cassie nodded.

"Something is approaching."

He swiped the surrounding woods with shadow sense, but did not find anything. Nevertheless... the forest suddenly seemed more eerie than it had been before. Sunny frowned, contemplating which of the horrors of misty island could be lurking nearby.

His expression dimmed.

"Can we evade it?"

The blind girl frowned, then hesitantly shook her head.

"I don't think we can. There is not enough time."

Sunny sighed and raised the Sin of Solace.

"We fight, then."

It was a shame... he really thought that they would be able to reach the Seeker's Tower alive.

Before Sunny could prepare himself for the inevitable - and most likely fatal - clash, Cassie was suddenly surrounded by a whirlwind of sparks. Even the familiar motes of light seemed dimmer in the darkness of the Fragment.

for a few moments, focusing on something, then

can't evade it, but we can try

into the mist, intentionally producing a lot of noise. Cassie pointed in a different

"Let's go!"

the unseen danger as possible. Sunny kept tracing the Echo with

mannequin suddenly halted. Its steel body convulsed, and then slowly rose above the ground, thrashing wildly. One of its arms fell into the moss, shattered and torn. Then, another... this

rained from somewhere very high above. Sunny could not

It was simply gone.

few seconds later, Cassie

Spell just announced that he is

the poor Echo had bought them enough time to slip away from... from whatever it was that

but longer route. Perhaps he had been hasty in his decision to waste

reach the tower alive. Cassie had to sacrifice the sybil Echo, as well, but they made it to the heart of the island in one piece. Standing between the ancient pines at the edge of the killing field that surrounded the black

of the long tendrils descending from

do we avoid being noticed

to. The bridge seemed to be the only way, but even then... they would be in the

'Or we can swim.'

suddenly felt a chill running down his spine.

a

us from the... the Harvester. We should be

tilted her

we cross the

figures of the frozen Nightmare Creatures suggested

silhouettes with a grim

into

then Cassie was the only one who could decipher it. Sunny knew a bit of runic sorcery, as well, but his

not answer for a while, thinking. Eventually, Cassie

a part of the inscription from here. Does it encircle the

Sunny nodded.

past, and every time,

for

We should circle the tower

the forest, Sunny and Cassie slowly moved around the black cliff. A few times, they had to retreat and hide - especially so when the familiar sounds of snapping trees resounded from the

the caverns alive. The two of them must have managed to slay the Corrupted Terror, after all. Judging by how bloodied their armor was, the battle had been a terrible one. Nevertheless,