Shadow Slave

After Imp developed the [Greater Steel Body], there was no reason for them to remain on the Shipwreck Island. He had already absorbed everything he could from the body of the Sun Prince, so devouring the rest of the colossus was of no benefit. The need to visit the Iron Hand Island had disappeared, as well.

Their vacation was slowly coming to an end. They still had a few days left, though, as well as plans to visit a few more isles.

The flying ship cut across the starlit sky, moving east.

Their first destination was the Temple of the Chalice. The ancient ruin was just like the last time Sunny had visited it - forlorn and empty. Even the wrathful specters that had populated the temple were gone. Of course, he knew more about how the maiden priestesses had perished now..

Standing in the central chamber, Sunny looked at the shattered remains of the stone chalice and the bones littering the floor. The walls of the sacred hall had collapsed, the stone plates were cracked by a devastating explosion. After thousands of years, nothing but dust and desolation remained.

He wondered about fate and the past. In the Nightmare, he had been the one to destroy the Chalice and slay the warmaidens... however, even without Sunny, their end had been the same.

Who had killed the priestesses of the Red Sect in real past? Was it Noctis himself, or someone else? What had happened to the child whose body Effie inhabited in the Nightmare? Had the little girl been slain in the massacre, too?

As usual, there were no answers.

Effie herself wandered the ruins alone, her face uncharacteristically somber. The swords she had thrust into the ground once were all gone. The memories she carried, however, remained.

Eventually, the huntress sighed and shook her head in dejection.

"All that cruelty was pointless, in the end. What... what a waste."

Sunny remained silent, consumed by his own thoughts.

This place held special meaning to him, too. This was where he had become a Demon. It had only happened a couple of years ago, and yet, those years felt like a lifetime. A few lifetimes, really.

Was it because of the Nightmare or because of Antarctica that the past seemed so distant?

They left the Temple of the Chalice behind and ventured to their next destination.

On the island covered by white flowers, Sunny found Nightmare - the real Nightmare. Or rather, what was left of him.

After stepping foot into the field of flowers, Sunny swiftly succumbed to slumber. In the dream he was pulled into, a shapeless wraith appeared and instantly attacked him, burning with murderous madness and frenzy. It could have been dangerous for anyone else, but Sunny had too much experience fighting dreams. Nightmare the Shadow was also by his side, protecting him.

Together, they battled the frenzied wraith and vanquished it.

The wraith was not the real Nightmare - it was just a malignant echo left at the place where he had died. After waking up from the slumber, Sunny explored the island of flowers and found the remains of an enormous horse in its center, beautiful blossoms covering the white bones and growing through the holes in its skull.

He did not know how the black steed had ended up on this island and how it had died. Had it succumbed to the Corruption, or had it remained steadfast until the end?

All he knew was that the white flowers grew where Nightmare's blood had been spilled.

His loyal Shadow stared at the ancient bones for a while, then blew the air out of his large nostrils loudly and turned away with a solemn look.

They had not gained much from this trip, but the dark steed seemed to have subjugated a powerful nightmare, adding it to his collection. The counter of the Dream Curse had risen significantly after slaying the dream wraith.

The last stop they made was on the island where the creature of the lake had once bestowed the Ruby Knife to Cassie.

The island was very close to the Sanctuary, and was known as an extremely dangerous one. Even when Awakened dared to cross it, they always stuck to the edge of the isle, never approaching the tranquil lake - Sky Tide herself had been known to avoid this place.

Whether it had been because the abomination living in the lake was too powerful, or because Saint Tyris had chosen to keep it there to prevent other Nightmare Creatures from drawing close to the Citadel, no one knew.

Despite the danger, Cassie calmly landed the flying ship on the tranquil surface of the lake and let go of the steering oars. When Sunny gave her a questioning look and an awkward cough, the blind girl simply shook her head.

"Don't worry. We'll be safe until the Crushing subsides."

Not daring to leave the ship, they gathered on the deck and watched the calm water. At some point, Cassie unsheathed the Quiet Dance, gently touched its blade, and then let go of the slender rapier.

It flew straight up and then plunged into the water, straining under the weight of the Crushing.

A long time passed in silence. At some point, Cassie lowered her head and let out a heavy sigh.

"...It's empty. It's gone."

Soon, the Quiet Dancer emerged from under the clear water and flew up with a flourish, sparkling brightly as the sunlight reflected from the drops covering its slender blade.

The rapier landed in Cassie's hand and grew still. Sheathing the Echo, the blind girl silently went back to the runic circle and sent the ship into the sky. Her face seemed full of sorrow, for some reason.

Despite the fact that they were practically next to the Sanctuary, none of them wanted to visit it. The idea of the familiar Citadel without the White Feather clan seemed strange to Sunny. He didn't know who had been sent by Valor to oversee the Chained Isles instead of Saint Tyris, and did not care to find out.

Even though it was not their fault, the newcomers still felt like usurpers.

Instead of venturing into the Sanctuary, the flying ship turned around and flew back west, cutting a straight line toward the distant Red Colosseum.

It was going to take them a few days to return to the Ivory Tower.

Once they did, the small vacation would be officially over, and Sunny would have to dive back into the coldness of Antarctica and the dirty war of the great clans.

He felt slightly reluctant to return.

On the last night before they reached the Tower, Sunny found himself standing on the deck of the ancient vessel, looking at the myriad of stars above them through the branches of the sacred tree.

There was the sound of steps, and Nephis approached to keep him company in silence.

Together, they watched the night sky and thought about the future.

What it would bring, what it would take...

What it would cost them.