Shadow Slave

After asking the question, Sunny sat down on a bench across from Cassie.

There they were, alone in a boat, just the two of them… or rather, the four of them.

The Sin of Solace landed on the bench next to Sunny, a sinister smile twisting his lips. His face was hateful, just like always… of course, it was also the exact same face as Sunny's.

Cassie was sittingon the helman's bench a few meters away from them, holding the steering oar. The Echo of the dead sybil was there, too, side by side with her. Since both were wearing flowing garments of vibrant red fabric, traditional for the priestesses of Fallen Grace, they looked quite similar too. The most visible difference between them was that Cassie's exquisite face was bare, while the monstrous Echo was wearing a veil.

Cassie's beautiful blue eyes were full of life, as well, even though she was blind. The sybils's eyes, though, were eerily empty and devoid of life. Her hollow stare made shivers run down Sunny's spine — he felt that way every time he saw an Echo of a human. Granted, this one was made in the image of a human who had succumbed to the Defilement.

The four of them sat opposite each other, surrounded by invisible tension.

Despite Sunny's sudden appearance, though, Cassie remained calm. She deactivated the enchantment of her wooden staff and lowered it, then said in an even voice:.

"I thought you were asleep."

A faint smile appeared on Sunny's lips.

"Did you?"

He had been reasonably sure that his small act had fooled the blind seer, but now that he saw her lack of reaction, a worm of doubt entered his mind. Had she known he was pretending all along?

The Sin of Solace chuckled, staring at Cassie with hate and disdain in his gaze.

"It seems that you've been played like a fiddle, pitiful worm. Even after all my warnings… gods, how frustrating! You should have struck this traitor down long ago. Just look at her… she must despise you just as much as I do!"

The corner of Sunny's mouth twitched, but he suppressed the desire to rebuke the sword wraith. That, however, only gave the apparition the opportunity to press his mocking tirade:

"You truly are a revolting creature, are you not? A lowly, despicable slave… and look, here is the woman who made you into a slave. She betrayed you once, and yet, you allowed the snake to warm her way back into your good graces. You have forgotten her sins, and as gratitude, the blind traitor is about to stab you in the back once again!"

point, Cassie

facing the Sin of Solace, and

foul mouth, wretch? Who asked you to talk? Be

aback by that

at her vindictively, but did fall silent. A satisfied smile

Sunny smiled, too.

can perceive him, after

finally cracked, revealing an ocean of emotion raging below. However, she regained that composure

if

Sunny shrugged.

to me, though, on Aletheia's Island. When you said

gaze without flinching. Her

can perceive that insufferable wraith through you. I can also

He sighed.

'Damnation.'

were separate beings from him, and she did not have shadow sense. ?ìg??օ???verse~?օ?. She had also never shown or acted upon the

Sunny had

a fool

that smile did

I had been watching you for

She shrugged.

"Sure."

situation was completely different from how he imagined it to be. Not only would she have been able to hide her

and the

her, Cassie would only be able to act freely if she was outside the range of Shadow Control.

His pupils widened slightly.

'No…'