Shadow Slave

At that point, Sunny and Cassie weren't too far away from the gate chamber, where they had made a morbid discovery soon after escaping from the cage. Back then, the heavy gates had been closed and sealed… now, however, it seemed that they were finally opened.

Saint Cormac had returned from his expedition to the Hollow Mountains a few days sooner than expected.

For a moment, Sunny was overcome by fierce joy…

Then, however, the cold and rational part of his mind took over.

Yes, the arrival of the Saint created a path of escape, and was bound to solve their Mordret problem… most likely.

But who was to say that the Transcendent warrior would not turn out to be an even deadlier threat?

The first thing Saint Cormac was going to see after entering the Citadel was a pile of mutilated corpses. After that, he would most likely kill anyone who appears in his way. After all, any survivor would either be a potential vessel of the banished prince… or a witness.

Sunny gritted his teeth, then rose to his feet and pulled Cassie into a side corridor. There, they hid in the shadows, wrapped her cloak around themselves, and waited. He didn't dare to extend his shadow sense toward the gates or send his shadows forward to scout, fearful to draw the Saint's attention, so neither of them knew what was going on.

A few seconds passed in terrifying silence, and then, Sunny heard something rustle through the corridor they had just left. A gust of wind blew past them, as if left behind by something moving at incredible speed.

A moment later, they heard a distant impact, and the Night Temple trembled once again.

It seemed that Saint Cormac had already found Mordret.

Sunny pushed Cassie to her feet and hissed:

"Hurry! To the gate!"

They ran toward the exit. Soon, the familiar chamber came into view, fresh air mixing with the terrible smell of the rotting corpses. The gates of the Night Temple stood wide open, the impenetrable darkness of the Sky Below stretching into eternity beyond them.

The tall doorway seemed like a portal into the endless night.

Now slowing down even for a moment, Sunny and Cassie dashed toward freedom, passed through the gates, and finally escaped the cursed cathedral. After a month of suffering, bloodshed, and harrowing dread they had experienced in this ghastly stone trap, the air of the lightless abyss seemed sweet like nectar.

Just as they left, the Night Temple shuddered once again, dust falling from its ancient walls. Far below, the bells rang somberly, their usually melodious song sounding strangely staggered and frantic.

The Saint was battling the Prince of Nothing, the whole Citadel suffering the burden of their furious clash.

"Hurry! It's not over yet!"

The two of them dashed across the rickety bridge that swayed above the chasm of the Sky Below on rusty chains, and soon reached the treacherous stairs that skirted the slope of the Northern island.

Running up the narrow steps, both of them knew that one wrong step can potentially cost them their lives. But Sunny was unwilling to slow down. They had to reach the surface, cross the island, traverse the heavenly chain… all before Saint Cormac was done dealing with the escaped prisoner.

'Too long… this is taking too long…'

Sunny hesitated for a moment, then summoned the Heavenly Burden.

"Climb onto my back!"

Cassie lingered, then did as she was told. He drove the black needle between the plates of the Undying Chain, cursed, and then threw his hand forward, the triangular blade of the Prowling Thorn shooting into the overhanging stone slope.

With the blind girl's weight added to his own, the speed of their ascent wasn't too fast. However, with the help of the kunai and its invisible string, Sunny was able to increase it somewhat. It was an arduous and nerve-wracking journey — the two of them were like a spider scaling a mountain with the help of a single thread of silk.

The difference was that the mountain was steeper than vertical, and there were furious winds threatening to either crush them against the stones, or throw them away into the darkness of the Sky Below.

However, after a dozen torturous minutes — or maybe an eternity — they still managed to reach the surface of the island, alive.

Sunny dismissed the needle and fell onto the soft ground, gripping his chest. There were disturbing, wheezing sounds coming out of his lungs with each breath. He lay motionless for a few moments, then allowed Cassie to pull him to his feet.

"...I know, I know. We need to move. It's not time to rest, yet…"

They ran across the field of flowers, the Hollow Mountains towering behind them. White mist was flowing down their slopes, and there was something white dancing in the air in front of them, too.

Sunny felt a pleasant cold spreading across his burning face.

His heart contracted painfully.

'Snow… it's snowing…'

Was it December already? Or did the first snowfall arrive ahead of time, as well?

There was no escaping fate...

The Northern Island trembled beneath them.

…And just a few moments later, a dark figure appeared in their way.

Sunny had never met Saint Cormac, but he recognized him almost instantly. Only a Transcended could have such a deep, unfathomable shadow, and a presence that seemed to affect the very world around him.

The Saint looked to be in his thirties, with a cold face and dark, ruthless eyes. His black armor was battered and worn, barely holding together after a month of exploring the Death Zone. Surprisingly, it wasn't too impressive, as far as armor-type Memories went. Neither was he wielding a terrifying weapon.

…His fingers, however, were covered with fresh blood, crimson drops falling down and painting the delicate violet flowers red.

It seemed that Mordret had failed to gain freedom, in the end. His last vessel was destroyed.

Saint Cormac frowned, looking at the two of them, then took a step forward. The snow swirled, surrounding him like a cold mantle. Sunny was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of suffocating killing intent.

He shifted slightly, pushing Cassie behind him. His eyes darted around, hoping to find something… anything… that would save their lives.

Then, suddenly, the world darkened, as though a transient shadow covered the sun. A second later, the shadow was gone in a rustle of wings, and a tall, slender woman was standing between them and the approaching Saint, her posture straight like an arrow.

Sky Tide shielded Sunny and Cassie with her body and glanced at the other Transcended warrior, her beautiful face as cold and stark as always, her vertical pupils full of calm, grim resolve.

"...That is enough, Cormac. Turn back."