Shadow Slave

In the end, Sunny had once again drawn the map of Aletheia's Island on the ground. Only, this time, it was much more detailed. He also knew where most of the truly dangerous Nightmare Creatures would be at any given point... his time map was complete.

The members of the cohort studied it for a while, listening to his explanations. Sunny described the prisoners of the nightmarish island in as much detail as he could, sometimes relying on Cassie to provide the most crucial pieces of information. As the two of them spoke in turns, the faces of their companions grew more and more somber.

Eventually, Sunny looked at the map with a dark expression and fell silent for a few moments. When he spoke again, his voice was even:

"Destroying the loop will not be easy. However... it is what comes after we destroy it that is truly dangerous."

He pointed to the map.

"We will still be trapped on the island after the loop is broken. And... the rest of its prisoners will be, as well. These terrible Nightmare Creatures, as well as Undying Slaughter and Devouring Beast. But this time, none of us will be revived by the loop, should we die."

Sunny looked at his companions.

"Which means that we will have only one attempt to escape this hell alive."

Despite his solemn tone, Effie suddenly chuckled. He threw her an annoyed glance at her, then asked:

"What's so funny?"

She shook her head.

"No, nothing. Sorry... but that's how it usually goes, isn't it? If you die, you die. Cassie and you might have been living by a different set of rules recently, but for the rest of us, everything is pretty much how it has always been."

He sighed.

'Well... she's not wrong.'

No matter how much he tried to avoid it, the loop had messed with his perception of life and death. But for Effie, Jet, and Nephis... what he had warned them about was already perfectly natural.

Sunny shrugged.

"Well, good. Keep that attitude. In any case, what I meant is that there can't be any mistakes. We will have one day to destroy the loop. On that day, three things need to happen."

the Sin of Solace traced a few marks on

on the bottom of the lake before

His voice grew somber:

we won't know where the Nightmare Creatures are anymore - once the loop is broken, most of the knowledge Cassie and I have so painstakingly gathered will become worthless. Returning to the Chain Breaker

Sunny grimaced.

at least I think we did - I wouldn't know,

of them studied the map somberly.

to the Chain Breaker straight away, do

appeared on

it.

tower with his

will continue killing each other... or, at least, Undying Slaughter and Devouring Beast will continue killing to satiate their Flaws. So,

Finally, Sunny grinned.

before the dust settles, we can slip away, board the Chain Breaker,

at him with a complicated

moments of silence, she

"Or... we don't escape."

a moment, there

looked at

"What do you mean?"

course, he knew exactly what she meant. He had considered this course of action himself, despite how risky

Nephis shrugged.

Plagues are right here, on the island. Why

Jet smiled darkly.

get rid of Undying Slaughter. But, Nephis... you haven't seen that thing. You haven't fought

was Effie, not Neph, who answered. Looking up from where she sat on the ground, the huntress

know their weaknesses. We can exploit those weaknesses -

She smiled.

Flaws, don't we? I mean that we should wait for them to grow weak from hunger, then finish the wretches off to make sure that they don't get a chance

her,

away, her smile dimming. After

useful member of the cohort currently,