Shadow Slave

The battle had just ended, and the Winter Beast was gone.

The dark ecstasy of having killed the butcher of Falcon Scott had washed over Sunny's heart and receded like a tide.

Leaving it cold and hollow. Dark and utterly devoid of light.

There was nothing binding him to the world anymore. He was banished from the Nightmare Spell, fate, and existence itself. In the whole world… two worlds, actually… not a single soul cared whether he lived or died. No one even remembered that he existed.

Facing the cruel truth of that loss was too painful, and so, Sunny longed to leave it behind.

…He opened his eyes in a familiar hall. Warm sunlight was pouring through the stained-glass windows, painting the ivory walls with vibrant colors. Heavy chains lay on the floor, arranged into a flawless circle. The sky was vast and blue outside.

The Ivory Island floated on the sea of clouds, enveloped by a peaceful silence.

Sunny had not wanted to come here. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to avoid this place at all costs, However, this was where his soul was anchored to the Dream Realm, and so, this was where he had arrived after giving up on the waking world.

Standing in the center of the chain circle, Sunny shifted slightly and dissolved into the shadows.

The Ivory Tower was mostly empty right now — most of the Fire Keepers were still lost in the depths of their Nightmares, while Nephis and the rest of the cohort were too busy to visit it often. Still… he didn't want to be seen by anyone.

They could not remember him even if he told them who he was, so there was no point.

Sunny glided across the floor as a shadow, hiding in the darkness near the gate. Then, he extended his shadow sense outward and froze. On the emerald grass outside the great pagoda, two people were walking toward its gate.

The sunlight suddenly seemed brighter.

He kept himself hidden when they entered the sunlit hall. Nephis was frowning, while Cassie followed her with a strangely lost expression on her delicate face.

Sunny remained motionless as he unwillingly eavesdropped on their conversation.

«…Are you sure?»

Cassie nodded slowly.

«Yes, I.,, I think I am. The future has grown too… elusive to decipher.»

Nephis halted and remained silent for a few moments.

to your Transcendence? Or witnessing

girl

was what I thought, as well. However, I've reached out to several seers in confidence. They

Nephis' scowl deepened.

of the Dream Gates being

head and

is too much to do… it is pure pandemonium out there, with so many people suddenly arriving in the Dream Realm. The refugee camp outside Bastion is lacking provisions and manpower, with too few

Cassie sighed.

the lake shore, And with the

Nephis nodded.

going there

girl remained silent

I'll go

listening to the news about the tribulations of humanity without Interest. What did it have to do with him? Nothing at

Nephis shook her head.

people once they return from the Nightmares. Plus… you have another

Cassie raised an eyebrow.

you really want to do

her another

the Chained Isles. We are too far away from everything important here. I want you to fly the Ivory Island

that, she turned around and

Nephis frowned and briefly touched her face.

do I feel like I'm forgetting

simply standing

Eventually, Nephis grimaced.

you been able to

shook her

I talked with Effie and Kai again, Jet too. But it's hard to dispel the fog that's clouding some of our memories. I think… It must have been Torment who had done

Nephis sighed.

digging. I'll do some

she was gone, returning to the waking

while, standing there

Eventually, she whispered quietly:

she