Shadow Slave

Sunny staggered as the gaze of the being hiding beneath the still water of the lake fell on him. A scream almost escaped from his lips, but he gritted his teeth and pushed it down.

'Ah...'

The feeling of being looked upon by the invisible watcher... whatever it was... was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Sunny had been in the presence of powerful people before, and even more powerful Nightmare Creatures. He had been crushed by the suffocating force of their presence, and struggled to move while being pressed down by it.

But the gaze of the being hiding under the silent dark waves was entirely different.

It was not only heavier and more insurmountable, hinting at the terrifying power of the hidden watcher, but also did not feel the same. The force of oppression emanated by mighty beings was usually aimless and directionless, while the chilling gaze... was piercing and penetrating.

It felt as though the mysterious being was not simply looking at Sunny from beneath the mass of dark water, but rather looking through him.

Sunny's body, mind, and his very soul were like an open book in front of the hidden watcher, and they were being read, one page after another.

'G—gods, gods...'

His soul was being witnessed.

And, somehow, Sunny felt that it was more than that.

His soul was being judged.

Paled, he slowly looked around, seeing the floating corpses of the Great Nightmare Creatures in a new light.

Had all these harrowing abominations... failed to pass the judgment?

Just what was this place? Was there something else hidden at the very heart of the nebulous lake, even after all the forbidden knowledge left behind on its shore and in the depths of its outer reaches? Why had Ariel placed it behind the labyrinth of rushing currents and mist, leaving a fearsome guardian behind?

Sunny grimaced, swayed a little... and took a step forward.

Then, another.

'Go on, judge me. I... have nothing to hide...'

was being judged for, but the sincerity of his wish to be free was indisputable. Hopefully, the dreadful being would see its purity,

Light was pointing at. He maneuvered around the motionless corpses of the Great Nightmare Creatures, who had all lost their lives in this eerie place, and forced himself to put one foot in front

step at

harrowing gaze followed him for a

vast and ancient watching him suddenly disappeared, leaving

with incredible relief,

seemed that he had passed

was that thing

heart of the Estuary, and who was

the guardian

regained his balance and looked forward with dark resolve burning in his

you

drained from being looked upon by the invisible, inconceivable guardian of the inner lake, Sunny forced his

walked, eventually leaving all the floating

expanse

and one other

dozen steps in front of him, a familiar figure was standing on the water, looking at him with no

Solace, who had disappeared somewhere just before the chilling gaze

standing in Sunny's way with a cold expression on

it's time,

darkly and took another

his soul, and the Spell whispered into his ear, its

Memory has

to know

had appeared in his soul without an explanation, and was now

Key of

had it been

much

Mad Prince had wanted to unlock with it was already

the Sin of Solace and stopped just a step or two

all delighted despite being free

he also looked much