Shadow Slave

The Chain Breaker landed on the water and cut across its surface, approaching a familiar pier. Just like in the past, there was a crowd of people watching the graceful ship approach.

Sunny remembered the last time he had seen these people... it was when he, Nephis, and Cassie were departing from Fallen Grace, on their route to find and rescue the other members of the cohort. Thousands of gaunt, solemn old men and women had gathered on the piers on that day to see Dusk, their protector and savior, leave.

Perhaps to never return.

What was it that Cassie had said back then, after breaking her golden chains in a striking and decisive manner?

She had said that they would gather powerful Outsiders, vanquish the Defilement, and usher in a new era. An era of freedom and grace. That she knew it to be true.

Sunny had been a bit surprised by her impassioned proclamation and jokingly asked if she had seen a vision of fate. To which Cassie had responded...

«Who cares about fate? If fate is against us... we'll break it.»

As if it was easy, to break fate.

Looking back, that speech was really out of character for the quiet, reserved young woman. Sure, she had been putting on a show to give the people of Fallen Grace hope. But why did it seem that Cassie had been much more alive... much more herself in those few moments than ever since?

Sunny sighed, feeling a tentative smile find its way to his face. Well... she had not been wrong.

They had indeed gathered powerful Outsiders, against all odds. Three Masters had left Fallen Grace, but seven of them returned. Which might not have seemed like much, if one did not know what they had gone through to reach that conclusion.

Much more important was the fact that, while their number had swelled, the number of their enemies had dwindled. Devouring Beast, Undying Slaughter, Soul Stealer, and the Dread Lord were gone. The Mad Prince was gone, too, and so only one of the Six Plagues remained.

Would Cassie's promise to vanquish the Defilement come true, as well?

«We'll make it come true.»

determination, Sunny looked at the people crowding the pier. Now that the Chain Breaker had drawn closer, he

he knew what to expect, the sight

«Huh...»

were the gaunt, wrinkled faces. Gone were the hunched backs, blurry eyes, and lifeless white hair. Instead of thousands of old men and women, thousands of vigorous

Lady Dusk! Our

«Our Lady has returned!»

is Lord Sunless!

«W-was that ship flying?!»

people

voices. Kai, who was standing near Sunny, gave

like I'm preparing for the

archer scratched the back of his head and added in

there's a crowd of excited

perhaps the strangest of everyone aboard the Chain Breaker.

and then a wooden gangway was lowered to allow its passengers to disembark. Cassie

sight of their sybil. Their youthful

they were also full of curiosity, which was why their

Outsiders came to Fallen Grace — in fact, many or even most of these people had only seen such an event once. Recognizing Sunny and Nephis, the crowd exploded with cheers once more. Sunny felt a

looked at the other members of

caused a bit of a stir in the crowd, just as expected. Wearing his ivory armor, with his auburn hair tousled by the wind and an irresistible smile on

down the gangway and pierced the crowd with a grim look of her

knowing precisely how they

as Jet, he was nevertheless the most enigmatic and mysterious of the group. His easy smile, mirror-like eyes, and the slight feeling of wrongness

at a deranged monster who would not hesitate to slaughter

though, the most memorable impression was not made by Kai, Jet, or Mordret. Nor was it made by Cassie, Sunny,