Shadow Slave

Not long before that, Effie had a nice breakfast with her family. Little Ling was boasting about his studies, while her husband was listening to him quietly and chuckling from time to time.

“Oh? Did you hear that, dear? Our son is interested in history now. Didn’t you mention that you were fond of history too, when you were little?”

Ling stared at her thoughtfully.

“Huh? Mom was little once?”

Effie scoffed.

“Yeah, well. I couldn’t really go anywhere when I was a kid, so I read everything I could get my hands on. I liked history too.”

Her husband took her hand.

“You hear that, rascal? Not only was your mom little once, but she was also a bookworm...”

Soon enough, the breakfast was over, and its warm atmosphere dissipated. Effie saw her husband off to the gates of their estate and kissed him goodbye. He had business to attend to in the city today, while she was supposed to depart for the Castle after handing Little Ling off to his tutor.

Instead of hurrying back inside, however, Effie remained motionless for a while, looking at the street.

Then, she sighed and turned away. Entering their home, she called Ling and sat him down in front of her.

“Hey there, dumpling. Were you excited for your lessons today?”

He hesitated for a few seconds, then asked instead of answering:

”What’s wrong, mom?”

Her smile faltered for a moment.

”Wrong? Nothing is wrong. It’s just that I want you to do something for me.”

Little Ling nodded.

“Of course! What is it?”

Effie pulled the Black Beast Locket, which was hanging around her neck, out.

”You see... Uncle Sunny is away right now. So, Auntie Aiko is all alone in a huge castle. I was thinking that maybe you’ll go keep her company for a bit... what do you think about that?”

Little Ling’s eyes ignited with enthusiasm.

“Really? Can I really go? Really?!”

Effie nodded with a smile, then patted his head.

“Sure. Oh, and that castle? It’s a bit scary, but actually... the castle is alive. It can even walk around.”

The boy’s eyes widened.

”Wait. Uncle Sunny had such a cool castle this whole time, and he never even invited me once?”

Effie chuckled.

“Well, you can go take a look now.”

Little Ling raised his fists into the air.

”Yes! I can’t wait to tell dad!”

A subtle shadow ran across Effie’s face.

“You can’t tell dad yet. Once Uncle Sunny is back, I’ll come pick you up. You can report your findings to us then — like an explorer. Okay?”

Little Ling suddenly seemed unsure.

”Uh... what, we are leaving right now? What about dad? What about my lessons?”

Instead of answering, Effie placed her hand on his shoulder. The locket hanging around her neck shimmered and collapsed into a rain of sparks, which then flowed like a torrent into Little Ling’s chest.

”It’s a bit dark where the castle is, so if you want to go somewhere sunny, just hop inside the Beast Farm. Okay? Actually, why don’t you go there right now? Take a walk and then nap a little. By the time you come out, you’ll already be with Auntie Aiko.”

Little Ling seemed frozen in place.

”Mom! You gave me a Memory! It’s your locket, mom!”

Effie patted him on the head.

“Take good care of it for me, alright?”

Some time later, Ling was safely hidden inside the Black Beast Locket. Picking it up from the floor, Effie sighed and then closed her eyes.

The realm boundary parted in front of her, and she appeared in the waking world.

Her absence would be noticed soon... in fact, she was willing to bet that the Dreamspawn was watching her every move. So, she could not be seen delivering the Black Beast Locket to its destination. Instead, she glanced at her shadow and said quietly:

”Come out.”

A moment later, two crimson flames ignited in the darkness, and an enormous black steed rose from it, looking at her with chilling intensity.

Walking up to the tenebrous stallion, Effie untied the cord of the Black Beast Locket and then tied it carefully around his neck.

”Bring him to the Forgotten Shore... to Aiko. Make sure that no one sees you.”

The black steed snorted in protest.

”I know that you were ordered to protect Bastion, Little Ling, and me. But I am telling you to do this instead. Sunny would have agreed if he were here, so go.”

The stallion stared at her for a few seconds, then briefly pressed his nose against her shoulder and dissolved into the shadows.

Left alone, Effie sighed heavily and then reached for her tether.

Nightmare was protecting Little Ling... so, it was up to her to protect Bastion and herself.

‘I just hope... that I am wrong.’

But soon enough, she learned that she hadn’t been.

***

“Auntie Jet! We’re leaving!”

Jet glanced up at the battlements of the Dark Castle. There, a boy was waving at her with a hint of sadness on his face. Only a hint, though — mostly, he seemed thrilled.

The little rascal had been heartbroken when he learned that she would not be coming with them, but now, he looked quite happy. She waved back, wondering when she would see him again.

If she would see him ever again.

It had already been a few days since she arrived on the Forgotten Shore, and now, it was time to say farewell. Little Ling was going on an exciting adventure...

Jet, meanwhile, was going to try and not succumb to her Flaw.

There was a rustle of wings, and Revel landed beside her, wearing her usual cold expression. Jet looked at the former princess of Song, noting the Black Beast Locket hanging around her neck.

“Look at you, Lightslayer. Taking toys from children.”

Revel glanced down at her and smiled darkly.

”Don’t worry, Reaper. I’ll be giving it right back.”

Jet lingered for a few seconds and then asked:

“So, how did it go?”

Revel shrugged nonchalantly and raised her arm, where the coils of a serpent tattoo were clearly visible.

“I still have my wits about me, if that’s what you’re asking. The prisoners have been delivered to the authorities, as well.”

She sighed.

“My career as a prison warden did not last long. Thank the dead gods.”

Now that the Forgotten Shore had become a shelter for the members of the Shadow Clan, keeping thousands of Asterion’s thralls here did not seem like a good idea. The very reason why they had been captured — trying to slow down the spreading plague — was now meaningless, as well.

So, Revel had carried them to the waking world in the Black Beast Locket and released them. Their brief, but memorable imprisonment was over, just as inexplicably as it had started.

Still, the thralls had seen the walls of the Dark City, which meant that Asterion knew that the forces of the Shadow Clan were present here. In order to be safe, Revel had decided to move the Dark Castle somewhere else.

Jet raised an eyebrow.

“So, where are you going?”

Reveil shrugged.

“The Forgotten Shore is vast. I think the Mimic will just have to be a wandering castle for a while. What about you, Reaper? Where are you going?”

She paused for a second and then asked:

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?”

Jet smiled faintly.

”It has nothing to do with what I want. Pretty soon, I’ll need to kill something... and there’s nothing to kill on the Forgotten Shore.”

She glanced west.

”So, I’ve been thinking of going west, into the frozen wastelands. Who knows? I might even come back alive.”

Jet glanced at Revel and grinned.

”Well, perhaps not quite... ah, wait. You don’t know.”

There was no one here she could joke about being dead with.

Suddenly missing the Lord of Shadows, Jet patted Revel on the side and pointed to the Dark Castle.

”Godspeed, Lightslayer. Go, the little knave can’t wait to ride a living castle.”

Revel studied her for a second before nodding.

”l have a feeling we won’t see each other for a while. Don’t go entirely feral out there, Reaper... take care.”

With that, she soared into the air and flew toward the walls of the Dark Castle.

Soon enough, enormous legs extended from beneath the menacing fortress, and it began climbing down the slope of the steep hill. There was no giant moth sitting atop its main tower, but Jet still couldn’t help but remember the dizzying assault on the Eternal City.

’How the hell is that thing going to climb over the wall?’

She was left alone in the darkness.

Shaking her head, Jet turned away and headed in the opposite direction.

Soul essence kept trickling from her broken core, and with it, life was slowly leaving her body.

Jet walked through the Dark City, which was quiet and empty. She ascended the wall and jumped down from it, turning into a torrent of mist just before landing.

A few moments later, she assumed her human form again and regarded the boundless darkness ahead of her wistfully. Somewhere far away, the frozen wastelands were waiting to embrace her in their frigid embrace. Nobody knew where they led, and how far the Hollow Mountains extended into them. If she were lucky, she would return from the endless blizzard stronger and more powerful.

If not... she would not return at all.

Letting out a sigh, Jet took the first step.

A torrent of ethereal sparks appeared above her shoulder, slowly forming into a black crow.

The crow flapped its wings and opened its beak, cawing loudly:

“Dark! Dark!”

Jet nodded.

”Yeah, you stupid bird. Hey, why don’t you wish me some luck?”

Crow Crow remained silent for a few seconds, and then opened its wings wide.

”Luck! Luck!”