Shadow Slave

One of Sunny’s incarnations had remained with Nephis in Bastion. However, Nephis left the city and led the Fire Keepers to a Death Zone in the west, where powerful abominations were stirring, driven into a frenzy by the scent of human souls. His avatar remained near the Mirror Lake, though — both to protect the city from the shadows and to watch over Rain.

After all, Nephis could protect herself, while Rain could not. There were members of the Shadow Clan guarding her, yes... but Sunny was too paranoid to feel confident just because of that. As far as he was concerned, there was no telling when an Unholy Titan would decide to suddenly appear in the middle of Bastion.

In fact, judging by how the world usually operated, something like that was only a matter of time. Because of that, he and Nephis had spent these weeks apart.

He had missed her a lot.

‘How funny.’

Sunny used to spend years alone wandering the fatal reaches of the Dream Realm and getting himself into all kinds of trouble. But after becoming Neph’s lover in Godgrave, he rapidly became domesticated.

Now, his body and soul longed for the familiar comfort of their shared life, and being away from her left him in a state of wistful melancholy.

And now that they were finally together again...

There was an army of undying wraiths standing in the way of their reunion. As well as a city full of immortal Great Nightmare Creatures, some weird thing hiding in the east, and a fragment of Weaver’s lineage he was yet to find.

‘Damn it. I’d better deal with the Dutchman and destroy the Eternal City quick...’

As Nephis glanced at the spreading mist across the lake, her smile widened a little. Maybe it was because she felt his longing, even if he did not say anything.

”So, what is the battle plan?”

Her voice sounded even.

On the distant shore, the wraith army had already reached the lake. The mist was once again suffused with viridian glow, and the ethereal silhouettes of ghostly ships appeared in it one by one. The colossal form of the Dutchman had almost reached the estuary of the canal, mere seconds away from escaping into the lake.

The Crushing was still restraining the dreadful immortals... but as time went on, there seemed to be something peculiar happening to the vast, repugnant mess of pulverized flesh they had turned into. Whatever it was, Sunny had a bad premonition about what the near future held.

He inhaled deeply.

”Jet... and Naeve. Join my legion and hold the Dutchman back as long as possible.”

Jet leaned on her scythe and nodded lazily. “Sure. Don’t sell us short, though. I’m not planning on simply holding the Dutchman back. I am planning to kill him.”

Sunny studied her for a moment, then shrugged.

”Sure. Go wild. Oh... but not too wild.”

He gave Jet a poignant look, trying to relay a message...

Do as I say, not as I do!

With that, Sunny turned to Nephis.

”Neph... the creature in the east. Whatever it is, need you to prevent it from reaching the Palace.”

She simply summoned the Blessing.

“It won’t cross the lake.”

Finally, Sunny glanced at Cassie.

”Cas, you will have to be our eyes. We still don’t know much about the Dutchman, its captain, the thing in the east, and the Flesh of Kanakht. Try to glean as much about their powers and weaknesses as possible. Now that you are here in person, your powers might be able to tell you more.’

Cassie nodded.

”I’ll try.”

Exhaling slowly, Sunny glanced at his companions and smiled darkly.

“I’ll leave most of my incarnations to reinforce the Shadow Legion, and send one inside the Palace. Hopefully, I’ll be able to dispel the sorcery of the Eternal City there. If not...”

Jet chuckled.

“Don’t tell me. We’ll die?”

Sunny glanced at her in confusion.

”What? No, of course not. I’ll steal what I came here to steal, and we’ll run away as swift and as far from here as possible.”

She grinned.

“Oh. I like that plan better.”

Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then nodded.

“Alright. Then, good luck to us all.”

It was a solemn moment... sadly, the mood was ruined by Nightwalker, who cleared his throat loudly.

“Huh? And me? What about me?”

Sunny pulled him to follow and said:

“You’re coming with me into the Palace. Don’t tell me that you’re not dying to know what’s inside after spending two decades in this godforsaken city.”

Nightwalker let out a quiet laugh.

“Dying to know, huh? Well, you aren’t wrong.”

A few moments later, Sunny and his companions split up.

Nephis pushed herself off the ground and flew toward the eastern shore of the Palace Island. Jet and Naeve jumped down, joining the formation of the Shadow Legion. Cassie stayed in place, gripping the Quiet Dancer somberly.

Sunny and Nigthwalker, meanwhile, rushed to reach the gates of the Palace.

As they did, the flesh of the crushed immortals all across the Eternal City stirred, and then moved, flowing forward like a viscous red river.

Slowly converging on the lake.

Noticing that, Nightwalker shivered.

“What do you think it’s doing?”

Sunny hesitated with the answer.

”I am not sure. It’s definitely nothing good, though.”

As they descended from the battlements of the Dark Castle and stepped onto the soil of the Palace Island, Nightwalker sighed.

“Do you... think he’s going to be okay?” Sunny raised an eyebrow.

“Who?”

The gorgeous youth lingered for a moment. ”Naeve. My son.

Sunny spared him a brief glance.

”Yes.”

He glanced up, at the towering dark edifice of the Palace, and added in a somber tone: ”Because he has someone to return to.” Because Naeve was bound to the world, and to those precious to him, by chains far more firm and inescapable than the Strings of Fate.

Although, perhaps... the two were one and the same.

Sunny gritted his teeth.

”Let’s go.”