Shadow Slave

Sunny studied Cassle's face, trying to guess what she was thinking about. Having left her alone for several weeks, he did not feel particularly... safe. Who knew what conclusions she had drawn in that time? What plans she had formulated? He was a stranger to her, now. Which meant that the blind seer would not afford him the same grace she afforded her friends.

Facing Cassie as someone she might perceive as a potential enemy... was a nerve-wracking experience. Sunny felt like he finally understood why Mordret was so wary of her.

...But then again, he was someone worthy of being feared, himself. He was powerful and lethal enough to be an existential threat to anyone who would dare stand in his way. Sunny did not have to be afraid of anyone, or any thing - instead, everyone had to be scared of him.

If they knew who he was, of course. But no one did, which only made him more terrifying.

"Well, no matter.”

It was not like he wanted to frighten Cassie. Sunny was pretty sure that she would treat him with sincerity - he had what she wanted, after all. Still, a relationship of a transactional nature was not the most stable, It was in his best interest to build a better connection with her... and maybe even reach a point where they shared mutual trust.

Sunny looked at Cassle, who was wearing a white tunic and a seawave cloak, her eyes hidden behind a strip of blue cloth. Then, he glanced at his own black bodysult. The two of them did not exactly look like a natural pair. Currently, they were accomplices at best, not allies.

So, how do I go about building trust?"

One small step at a time, most likely.

He looked at the shattered moon, then at the restless waters of the dark lake. Finally, he said:

"The ambiance here is truly lovely. However, the lake is rather dreadful. Wouldn't it be better if we left before something very terrible came out of the water to spoil the mood?"

Cassie remained silent for a moment, then smiled faintly.

"Didn't you come from the water yourself, Saint Sunless? Are you very terrible, as well?"

He coughed.

I did. And

tilted her

made it all the way here, actually. How did you traverse the lake without

was an obviously probing question, but Sunny didn't mind. He

and very good

around, walking slowly in the

"Let's go."

a moment

the figures patrolling the remnants of the toppled

the problem he had not been able to solve

the lake and finding a path through the graveyard of swords at its bottom had not been much of a problem, either. Even traversing the dark depths of the true lake, where great horrors dwelled, was well within

of Swords himself, as well. Worse than that, the members of his clan were versed in runic sorcery. Their stronghold was protected by an array of enchantments that Sunny could not hope to unravel,

about Hope's sorcery, but not nearly

why Sunny needed Cassie. Without help from inside the castle, it would take him years to infiltrate its ruins.

if reading his mind, the blind seer

you a question,

glanced at

Bastion, I am known as the master of Sunny's Brilliant Emporium. A humble shopkeeper, and definitely not

silent for

known as a loyal, obedient servant of the King. A virtuous

tinged with a

because I know that you are actually disloyal, disobedient,

Cassie suddenly coughed.

"...Ah."

added

person. I am a bit of