Shadow Slave

1507 Twilight Throne

Sunny stared at the black throne. The grand hall of the Serpent King's palace was empty and dim, stone debris littering the floor and hanging in the air, dust particles frozen in the stark rays of light. Despite the cataclysmic battle happening outside, it was perfectly silent — except for the hoarse sounds of his breathing.

'Right. Let's do this…'

He felt a complicated mix of relief, anticipation, and dread. Relief and anticipation because he had made it in time, dread because the battle against the horde of the Defilement would resume the moment he accomplished his task.

The monstrous Soul Stealer, the harrowing Dread Lord… they were going to have to fight these beings. Sunny still remembered the terror of facing a Corrupted Titan in battle. The Winter Beast alone had been enough to wipe out the remains of the First Evacuation Army and the millions of refugees in Falcon Scott. The deathly frost of that dark day had seeped into his bones.

But today was going to be different.

All the members of the cohort were here. Mordret was here, too… and a vast army of warriors from a distant realm, all seasoned veterans of the Nightmare Spell.

Sunny had grown much stronger, as well.

'We'll kill them both.'

Shaking off the momentary hesitation, he walked toward the black throne.

As he did, Sunny noticed something behind the dais. The throne room was not entirely empty, after all… someone was standing there, frozen in the middle of looking up at the crumbling dome. A tall and elegant figure wearing ivory armor, which was tied at the waist with a burnt umber sash. Auburn hair, green eyes…

Sunny froze for a moment.

'Kai!'

So, this was where the Spell had sent his friend. Kai had been in the throne room all along, frozen in time and not even aware of what was happening around him. All the long months that had passed were like a moment to him.

Sunny did not even know whether to feel jealous or sad for his friend.

Looking away, he put his foot on the first step of the dais.

'Hang in there, buddy. I'll release you really soon…'

was

dais, Sunny stopped in front of the black throne, unsure what to do. The first idea that came to his mind was to sit on it, like Daeron must have done when he held court in the

did not like that idea. He never aspired to be a king of anything, let alone of a city whose former king he had killed. Magnificent thrones were not really

'Ah, whatever.'

sense of urgency, Sunny took a step closer and suddenly noticed a circular groove carved into the back of the throne. Its size and depth seemed

Aletheia's island by inserting the key into a slot carved into the Estuary fragment. Following an impulse, Sunny took off the Crown of Twilight and brought it to the circular

as he did, an invisible force pulled the band of dark metal out of his hand. The Crown fitted the groove perfectly, merging with the

vaster connection being established between his soul and something

breath, Sunny looked up

on that connection, giving a mental

in the name of Wind Flower of the Twilight Sea… and

of the palace

loud sound tore the silence apart. It was the sound of a shard of stone falling

and saw pieces of debris scattering across the marble tiles. His eyes widened when he realized the

through the world. The dust that had been hanging in the air, motionless, moved and danced in the rays of light. The shard of stone

of the disastrous battle seeped through the

actually

something struck the dome with a deafening noise, making the whole palace

of fear grasp his heart. Yes, he had indeed done it… and now, it was time to face

an evil dragon right above his head right

city, a dreadful Mirror Titan, and an army of eerie warriors whose loyalty had to be won,

But first…

the black throne, Sunny put it on his head and hurriedly dashed toward the lone figure standing beneath

now starting to move. He swayed a little and took a step back, stumbling over the first step of the dais.

archer looked

is happening? Are we

quake once again around them, Sunny cursed

There is an evil version of you, who is an abominable dragon, trying to eat us right now. Don't worry, though! There is also an army of alien warriors from a destroyed world to help us kill you… him… the dragon! The rest of the cohort is also here, somewhere. We got separated when a Corrupted Titan attacked

at Kai and

also, Effie