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...'

sincerity of his wish to be free was indisputable. Hopefully, the dreadful being would

pointing at. He maneuvered

step at

gaze followed him for a while, inhuman

something vast and ancient watching him suddenly

with incredible relief, and almost

he had passed

was that thing looking

the heart of the Estuary, and who was

did the guardian

regained his balance and looked forward with dark resolve burning in

you

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

eventually leaving all

him except for the still expanse of dark water and the vague shape rising from it

one other

figure was standing on the

who had disappeared somewhere

wraith was back, standing in Sunny's way with a

guess it's time,

and took another step

and the Spell whispered into his

has

to know which of his Memories had mysteriously destroyed

his soul without an explanation, and was now gone without

of the

had it been

that much

because whatever door the Mad Prince had wanted to unlock with it was

of amusement, Sunny slowly walked to the Sin of Solace and stopped

looked cold, not at all delighted despite being

looked