Shadow Slave

Asterion had left.

However, even if he was gone, his presence stayed in the Ivory Tower - not the metaphysical kind of presence powerful Awakened possessed, but simply the impression the weight of his existence left on the world.

Sunny looked at Nephis and remained silent for a few moments.

”Neph...”

She inhaled deeply.

”I know.”

Letting out a sigh, Nephis gave him a composed look.

”At the moment, all we can do is deal with the pressing issues. One step at a time, Sunny... in order of priority. We must resolve the crises the Dreamspawn orchestrated first. Check up on Effie. Contact Jet and Kai, as well.”

She fell silent for a moment.

”Bring Cassie here.”

Nephis looked at him and added in a distant tone:

”If you don’t mind.”

Sunny offered her a faint smile, then nodded and dissolved into the shadows.

It did not take him long to reach Rivergate. Despite his worries, the battle had already concluded by then, the remains of what looked like a gargantuan Great Monster lay at the bottom of the dam, its eerie limbs reaching all the way to its battlements hundreds of meters above.

Judging by how savagely the gargantuan body was mangled, Effie must have torn it apart with bare hands.

Hiding in the shadows, Sunny pursed his lips.

’Really, now? What did I give her that spear for?’

The Chain Breaker was looming in the sky above the dam, while Effie herself seemed to have disembarked. He cast his shadow sense outward, searching for her.

As it turned out, she was close by, standing near the person in charge of the Rivergate Hydroelectric Plant with her arms crossed. Beth was busy shouting out orders.

”Check the turbines! Make sure that the water doesn’t flood the generator chamber! And by the dead gods, somebody, get Quentin! He has to repair the cracks before the entire damn dam collapses!”

Letting out an infuriated huff, she looked up at Effie and added in an exasperated tone:

”Saint Athena... thank you for your prompt assistance, really, but you are not going to leave that thing lying there, are you? It’s blocking the outflow channel! So, can you transform again and drag the carcass away? Just a few hundred metres will do. No, better yet, chop it into little pieces so that my Awakened could transport them with their own strength...”

Processing the carcass of a Great One was a logistical nightmare unless a Saint or two were at hand, so Sunny could understand the urgency in her voice. However, Beth was going to be disappointed - Effie was needed elsewhere, so he could not allow her to waste time here.

Becoming a shadow, Sunny made himself into a human once more - this time, simply by using Shadow Manifestation instead of manifesting a true incarnation. He changed his facial features and appearance in the process, as well as contained his presence within himself, so that none of it could leak. Getting the skin tone to look natural was a bit difficult, but he managed just fine. In the end, a man who looked nothing like Sunny emerged from the shadows and walked up to Effie, giving her a polite bow.

”Saint Athena. I bring a message from the Immortal Flame. Your presence is urgently needed in Bastion.”

She looked at him with a confused frown. ”Who...”

Then, her eyes widened a little.

She remained silent for a few moments, then asked in a wary tone:

”Did you say urgently?”

Sunny nodded.

”The matter is of grave importance. You must return posthaste.”

Effie gave him a long look, then turned away and bellowed:

”Everyone back aboard! We are returning to Bastion!”

Beth stared at her with a startled expression.

”Returning? Who is going to get rid of that ugly thing, then?!”

Sunny spared her glance, thinking about the times they had spent together in Antarctica. It was not that he particularly missed the Chain of Nightmares, but being a complete stranger to her made him feel wistful.

’Sorry, Beth...’

”Apologies, Chief Bethany. Someone will be sent to assist with the removal and processing of the carcass soon. In the meantime, please direct your Ascended specialist to ascertain the potential value of salvageable material.”

With that, he followed Effie to the Chain Breaker. Soon enough, the flying ship was soaring through the sky, rushing back to Bastion... the Fire Keepers seemed to be in high spirits, celebrating a swift victory. None of them knew that the world had fundamentally changed in their short absence. That the Human Domain they had been defending so fervently was under immense threat, poised to be completely destroyed.

Sunny envied their ignorance.

At the same time, he was studying their faces quietly. He had known these people since the Forgotten Shore, and there was no one in the world more devoted to Nephis than they.

But, still...

How many of them would fall victim to Asterion’s powers one day soon?

It was difficult to imagine, but he was slowly coming to terms with the fact that nobody could be trusted in this stark new reality. The Dreamspawn was simply too powerful, and his powers were too insidious...

Maybe taking away the trust people had in each other was the first step in his ghastly plan to undermine the Human Domain.

”What the hell happened, Sunny?”

Effie’s voice sounded even, but she was visibly anxious.

No surprise - her family resided in Bastion, after all. Hearing that her immediate presence was required because of something that had happened there must have rattled her.

’That reminds me... we must assign additional protection to Little Ling. Considering how interested in the Dreamspawns Asterion seems to be, there is no telling what he’ll do.’

Sunny sighed.

”What happened? Well... we had a guest at the Ivory Tower.”

The more he spoke, the more Effie’s expression seemed to dim.

Soon enough, the shining surface of the Mirror Lake appeared on the horizon. Almost at the same time, a different incarnation of Sunny arrived at Bastion through a radiant Dream Gate.

That one was carrying the unconscious, bloodied figure of Cassie in his arms.