Shadow Slave

Wind Flower remained silent for a while, seated comfortably on her opulent bed. Eventually, she sighed.

"We made a deal, he and I. I never thought that I would make a deal with a Defiled abomination one day, but then again... I never thought that I'd be imprisoned in a whirlpool of time, forever, either."

Sunny grew tense, staring at the beautiful Saint with a grim expression. The news of her making deals with one of the Six Plagues did not bode well for the cohort...

Noticing his reaction, she chuckled.

"Don't look so worried, Sunless. I did not sell my soul, corrupted as it may be. The Mad Prince... he only wanted to know about Aletheia's Island, and especially about how my father had managed to kill that Great Tyrant in the tower. The creature remains dead no matter how many times the loop resets, which seemed to be of great interest to him. I, on the other hand... wanted to know what had happened to Twilight and the other human cities on the Great River. And how it was that he appeared wearing my father's crown."

Her gaze once again brushed across the Crown of Twilight. She smiled softly.

"Now, I know."

Sunny lingered for a few moments. There were a lot of things he wanted to ask about, but it did not seem wise to press Wind Flower for answers... too much.

The Mirror of Truth was safely hidden in his sleeve, ready to grant him Neph's [Longing] Ability at any moment. Eventually, he asked:

"How did Daeron make that Tyrant stay dead?"

Wind Flower tilted her head a little.

"...You want to know, as well? It was with the help of a very special Memory. A Legacy Relic left behind by a dear friend. It's gone now, of course. Just like everything else is gone."

'Why was the Mad Prince so interested in the dead Tyrant, though? Unlike me, he did not have to destroy the loop to escape the island. What did he want?'

Sunny tried to understand the motives of his future Defiled version, but failed. It wasn't a good idea to try understanding madmen, anyway.

"How did you know that one of my companions has the Guiding Light, then?"

The beautiful Saint chuckled.

"How else? The madman told me that you would."

Sunny froze.

His eyes narrowed.

'Wait...'

forward, he pierced Wind Flower with an intense

that the Mad Prince knew that we would arrive here

She simply nodded.

seemed quite certain. But why are you surprised... you are the same person,

out a

if the Mad Prince was the future version of him, then the bastard would

something about it

memories of meeting Wind Flower and learning about the island from her, like Sunny was currently learning, then

the time the Mad Prince

any sense at

Jet existing at the same time did not make sense. The same

though, the new revelation made it seem as though the Six Plagues were somehow alien to this timeline... more alien than

at hand. How

teeth, remained silent for a few

how do I destroy

He suddenly hesitated.

raised a hand

destroy the loop... you will die, won't

Saint simply looked at him

is why she is here on Aletheia's Island, after all... this is the

the loop, Sunny would be... he

him for a bit, then shook

Flower of the Twilight Sea... will indeed cease to exist if the cycle of time is broken. However, I won't die. No, what waits for me is

The

why we are going to make

her heavy

might that

Flower stared at him for

really. I will teach you how to break the cycle of time. In return, Sunless... you will kill

expression cracked for