Shadow Slave

Although Effie had gone into labor prematurely, both she and her infant son were alright.

The worst fear of the cohort had not come true, either. Perhaps because the child had been conceived in the waking world, or perhaps because he was born in the black void outside the currents of the Great River, at the very heart of Ariel's Tomb, he was not Riverborn.

At least that was what they surmised after cautiously setting the Chain Breaker in motion and observing no change in the appearance of the baby.

It was an immense relief.

Even Sunny, who always expected the worst and was usually prepared to receive painful blows from fortune, felt like an incredible burden had been lifted from his heart.

The immediate danger had passed. Of course, the future was still uncertain. They still had to fight Torment and destroy the First Seeker. The child's life still hung in a fragile balance, because it was unknown what would happen to his soul after the end of the Nightmare.

But, somehow, Sunny felt hopeful..

After everything had been said and done, the Chain Breaker continued sailing through the dark abyss. The members of the cohort took turns spending time with Effie and her newborn, full of contradictory emotions.

The huntress herself had been exhausted by the prolonged labor, but was regaining her vigor and vitality at an incredible rate.

She still looked tired and drained, though, when Sunny came to see her.

Effie was in her cabin, sitting in a comfortable chair. She was wrapped in a blanket, and holding a sizable bundle in her arms, looking at it tenderly. Sunny was actually startled by that gaze, unaccustomed to seeing his friend so… openly vulnerable.

And strangely content.

Hearing him enter, Effie looked up and smiled tiredly.

"Ah… Uncle Doofus. Welcome, welcome."

He approached and looked at the bundle, finally laying his eyes on the newborn.

Effie's child… looked pretty much like all infants did, with the exception of the fact that he was entirely too large to have been born mere hours ago, at least twice the size of a normal baby.

'That poor woman…'

pity. Effie had always been unreasonably tall, and her son would

Internally, Sunny sighed.

than me in no time, won't

Effie's smile grew wider.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?"

at her in

chosen the wrong person

He's absolutely ugly. All infants are. And don't give me that look… you know I can't

for a couple moments, then laughed and gently stroked the sleeping

I think he's beautiful. Almost as much as his

if all parents were a little sick in the head. Well, they had to be. Otherwise, what would make them care for the poor

of him. The infant… actually,

you going to

bit, smiling. Letting

go and name him right away. I

of somber silence, with both of them refusing to mention the fact

looked back at her son

look at him. He looks

eyes widened

'I knew it!'

his

bad! You can't name your son Dumpling! That's a

She giggled.

I'll just call him Little Dumpling for now. We'll come up with a proper name

a while, then shook

want. Don't come complaining to me later,

gave him a

should know better. I mean, did you mom not name you Sunless? And look at you! You

voice gradually turned doubtful.

mind. I think

her laugh, he hesitated for a moment,

"How are you feeling?"