Shadow Slave

After they disembarked at the Castle, Effie bid them farewell and went away, giggling as she walked. Sunny and Nephis stared at her back until she disappeared from view, both not in a hurry to say anything.

‘What do I even say after that?’

Sunny sighed and decided not to say anything. Nephis seemed to be of the same mind.

...His thoughts, however, were on fire in the wake of Effie's antics. So, while Sunny kept quiet, his imagination was running wild against his better judgment. He did not know what Nephis was thinking about, but he was definitely thinking about all kinds of things that he probably should not have been thinking about.

He threw a furtive glance at Neph. Was she really calm?

Was he imagining things, or did her cheeks seem a little pink?

'No, that is definitely my mind playing tricks on me!'

There was no way Nephis would be phased by mere words. It was just his wishful thinking... it was all Effie's fault!

That Effie! She really had not changed at all!

He would have thought that being a married woman with a child would curb her wilder tendencies, but alas. Having a loving family only seemed to embolden the vivacious huntress even more, as if having a safe space to retreat to gave her wicked tongue more power.

It's a miracle that Little Ling is such a sweet boy, despite being raised by that miscreant...!

Sunny inhaled slowly.

Nephis lingered for a few moments, then looked at him with a deadpan expression. After a while, she said in her usual impassive tone:

"Don't mind Effie... Saint Athena. She's always like this."

chased the improper thoughts out of his mind... or at least tried to...

used to have a close friend who was just like her. In fact, as much as I hate to admit it, I miss

She smiled faintly.

"I can't quite imagine."

started walking and left the pier. Instead of passing through the crowded gate of the castle, Nephis led him to a hidden postern, where two Knights bowed deeply before letting them in. The pass through the thick

laying in ruins, like it

even shattered the moon, so why would Bastion

walls - almost half of them Awakened. There were hundreds of Masters here, as well, and at least a dozen Saints were always present, either guarding the stronghold or visiting from their

and comfortable living in the sprawling city on the other side of the lake, but here in the Castle, he couldn't help but feel a little

left the tunnel and entered

amazing, isn't

sounded a

Nephis nodded.

not called a Great Citadel for

on looked no different from a city street - granted, both the wide paved road and the buildings standing opposite the monolithle barrier

except for people and later additions

of military engineering, designed to withstand the most terrible slege. There were all kinds of courtyards, keeps, towers, and auxiliary buildings here, placed in a seemingly chaotic manner... but

scaled the mountains in a spiral. If one wanted to reach the main keep from either of the outer gates,

of purpose. If someone managed to breach the outer wall, they would have to follow it clockwise, which meant that their sword hand would be to the next wall, while their shield hand would

of Clan Song, who might have to

felt that the task was much

Bastion seemed truly Impregnable.

It wasn't. The ruins

the ancient castle, making sure that they would be seen by everyone who had time to look. The reactions people were giving them were much more intense than those at the lakeshore settlement - mostly

looked bright and inspired, as if just seeing her gave them strength. Well... it made sense. Nephis had become somewhat of a symbol after the Forgotten Shore,