Shadow Slave

A torrent of shadows flowed into the corridor, submerging it in total darkness. The light of the glowing gemstones was swallowed and disappeared without trace, turning them bleak and lifeless.

Sunny had summoned a swarm of vast and ancient shadows to do the job. These old shadows were unfathomable - it would have taken an equally potent source of light to dispel them. The gemstones had been created from the mind of the Demon of Imagination, true... perhaps they would have chased away the darkness if the shadows were alone.

But they were in the presence of their Lord, and that alone made them much more tyrannical.

A few moments later, a long stretch of the corridor had turned completely lightless. The infinity mirror of its walls was now dull and empty. Nothing reflected on their dim surface, and no reflection haunted the hidden sanctum.

Sunny let out a quiet sigh.

'Who knew that I would use this trick today?’

What he had done was not pure improvisation. Instead, it was one of the methods he had contemplated when thinking about how to deal with Mordret,

Cassle seemed impressed.

"These shadows... obey you?"

Sunny shrugged.

"If I treat them nicely."

Wild shadows were like that. Most were devoted to Sunny, but some were obstinate and willful. The former would obey him out of affection or reverence, but the latter needed to be coaxed and enticed.

"Let's go."

The two of them returned to the corridor. It seemed much smaller without the countless reflections stretching endlessly into the ghostly distance. Claustrophobic, even - still, Sunny felt much more at ease now than he had before.

Cassie suddenly spoke, drawing his attention:

"Are we going left again?"

Sunny smiled.

"That is a good question!

try right this

The shadows moved with them, keeping the corridor dark both

corridor crossed the one they had been traversing, and so, Sunny had another

to it,

then another,

ones that had six, seven, or eight turns. There were dead ends, as well, and corridors that led to one

a

and stopped, covering his face with a

front of them was an open door leading to a small stone chamber. The same chamber they

"Have you noticed it?"

Cassie's voice was calm.

lingered for a while,

"Yeah. Damn it."

been counting his steps this whole time. It was hard to keep track because of how convoluted the maze of

not beholden to the size of the mountain. It could be

Spring. Drinking

for a moment. Then, forgetting the meaning that it held, she brought it to her lips and then

"We can try again."

hesitated for a bit, then

long already. There is still some time before sunrise, but I won't be able

Cassie raised an eyebrow.

will bring

Sunny smiled.

my memories. Surely, you want to see more... and I want to explore this place more. It works out perfectly, does it not? We can meet once a

She hesitated.

I'll remain in Bastion, though. Maybe there is something

smile turned a

things I want, Saint Cassia. But this is the deal I

silent for

I will guide you inside the castle once again, next month. In exchange for

the Endless Spring and suppressed

show if we both knew that she would