Shadow Slave

Sunny was in his quarters, going over the plan for altering the Transcendent charm. Outside, Fallen Grace was bathed in the beautiful glow of the iridescent water. The short night had descended on the world, shrouding the sky in absolute darkness.

In that dark hour, Cassie was walking along the corridors of the temple — which wasn't that strange, in and of itself, if not for the fact that she was alone. Usually, the two deaf guards would be following behind her, but they were nowhere to be seen.

The only thing accompanying the blind girl was the shadow Sunny had sent to keep an eye on her.

Back in his quarters, he straightened and frowned, distracted from envisioning the complicated tapestry of the charm's spellweave.

«What is she up to?»

Cassie had not given him any reason to feel worried in these past two months... honestly, monitoring her movements was an afterthought by now. Sunny had certainly hoped that it would remain that way.

Feeling a bit somber, he glanced at the motionless figure standing a few meters away. The Sin of Solace was staring at him silently, not bothering to say anything. However, his gaze expressed more than enough.

Sunny winced, then looked away.

«Don't you glare at me. I'm sure it's nothing.»

He said that... but did not command the shadow to back away. Instead, he dedicated more of his attention to observing Cassie.

The blind girl certainly did not seem pensive or secretive. She calmly walked along the winding stone corridors, tracing her fingers on the wall. Her other hand was holding the leather-bound journal.

«Maybe her guards are asleep.»

Sunny returned to considering the weave while keeping an eye on Cassie.

the part of the temple that he was not familiar with. These chambers were used for preparing for public rituals, so Sunny had no business being there. ?ìg??օ???w????~?օ?. Cassie, on the other hand, seemed very familiar with that area of the

few more turns and stopped in front of an unassuming wooden door. A mundane-looking key appeared in her hand. Unlocking the door,

Sunny's frown deepened.

«What the hell?»

the first floor of the temple. Why was there a way

place by various means, ranging from sails and windcatchers to sorcerous mechanisms. Perhaps Cassie was on her

of service tunnels running under the temple. Sunny had not known that there were such corridors there, but it

not too far from the Edge, after all, and so the

dark corridors for a little

to concentrate on weaving anymore.

expected it to be — it housed a complicated mess of gears and chains that spun and moved, transferring the energy from the wind and the enchantment circuits into the underwater wheels that kept the

Sunny was looking at the River Civilization's version of

that was not

the intricate gears were what he had been expecting to see. What he had

had been planned by the builders of the temple. Instead, it looked like something that had been created much later, and much

sounds of flowing water

at the bottom

shadow hid in the darkness of the

Locking the door behind her, she circled around the open chasm and approached the opposite

chamber was absolutely dark, and there were no lanterns anywhere in sight. Of course, Cassie had no need for them. Coming closer to the desk, she lingered for a few moments,

hand on its heavy lid. Several strings of runes ignited on the wooden surface,

his head, his expression turning

was carrying. Dozens of them, or maybe even hundreds. There were several chests like that one in the underground chamber,