Shadow Slave

Soon, another map was spread on the table. This one was drawn on a piece of crude parchment made out of monster hide, and much less detailed than the one hanging on the wall.

Well, that was understandable. Because the second map did not depict the Dark City, but the Forgotten Shore itself. Sunny stared at it in stunned silence.

…Yeah. Nephis had not wasted any time during these three months.

He had no idea how she had gathered all this information, but there was a lot more on the map than he could have ever imagined.

At the center of it, a straight black like depicted the Crimson Spire. The Labyrinth flowed from it, devouring the parchment like an ocean of blood. To the east, a small circle of black ink with a symbol of a white tower inside of it marked the Dark City.

The city was perched on the edge of another, much larger circle. It didn't take too much effort to recognize the cyclopean crater — after all, Sunny had traversed it on a rickety boat once, a lifetime ago. However, only now, looking at it in scale, did he finally realize just how giant the crater was, and how vast the Forgotten Shore itself appeared.

Back on Earth, it would have been as large as a continent.

The Dream Realm was indeed much bigger than their own planet, considering that just one of its numerous regions was this enormous.

There were other symbols on the map that he didn't recognize. However, several of them attracted his attention especially.

On the other side of the crater, almost exactly opposite the Dark City, a symbol of a tree depicted the Ashen Barrow. Some distance to the east of it, on a straight line, there was a mark in the shape of a red cross.

Another red cross was drawn inside the crater just outside the eastern side of the Dark City. The third one was about a week's worth of traveling time to the north, near a symbol that looked like a grotesque, misshapen skull. The fourth one was halfway between the ruins and the Crimson Spire. The fifth one lay to the south, about the same distance as the third, drawn atop the symbol of an arching bridge.

The last red cross was at the very edge of the parchment, far away to the south, beyond the Labyrinth. Near it, two symbols were drawn: one was a crown, and the other one was a question mark.

Sunny quickly realized what these crosses represented.

They were the giant statues of the seven forgotten heroes who had given the terrible oath to vanquish the darkness and created the Starlight Legion.

The one to the east of the Soul Devourer was the statue of the knight that he had used as a shelter on his first night in the Dream Realm. The one near the walls of the city belonged to the woman whose hand had saved them from drowning in the dark sea on the night of their escape.

The other four crosses, most likely, marked four more headless statues.

But where was the seventh?

Frowning, Sunny glanced at the map and said:

"So let me get this straight. You want to leave the Dark City, cross the Labyrinth, reach the edges of the Forgotten Shore… and then return?"

Nephis smiled.

"Pretty much, yes."

He sighed.

"If we somehow survive the months of traveling through the Labyrinth and actually manage to escape it, why the hell would we return?"

The smile on her face withered. Changing Star lingered for a few moments, then pointed to the three symbols at the lower edge of the map: the red cross, the question mark, and the crown.

"The first lord of the castle led an expedition to find the way out of the Forgotten Shore. This is where their trace disappeared. From what we were able to learn, an unassailable mountain chain blocks the path to the south. They ventured into the mountains… and never returned. Nothing but death awaits us there."

Sunny scratched the back of his head.

"So you aren't really looking for a way out… you're looking for the remains of the cohort of Sleepers that had conquered the castle fifteen years ago?"

Neph nodded.

"There is an item that they took away from the castle. If we find it… we'll have a chance in the fight against Gunlaug."

Sunny frowned. He felt as though she was not telling him everything. Maybe what little trust remained between them was not enough to share those secrets. Maybe she didn't want someone else in the room to hear them…

But then again, he didn't really care. Changing Star's business was her own. Sunny was just here as a potential mercenary. As long as the reward was worth it, he was ready to not ask any questions.

Provided that not knowing the answers was not going to get him killed, of course.

Feeling his hesitation, Nephis added:

"The way to the mountains is not as dangerous as you think. There is… a method we can use to reach them comparatively safely. But once we're there... that's where we'll need your talents. Having you with us will make a lot of things easier."

Sunny looked at her with doubt:

"How do you know all this? It's not like there's anyone in the Dark City who was alive back then."

Nephis shrugged.

"There isn't, but there are stories. Some written evidence. However, most of this we have learned from Cassie's visions."

She gave the blind girl a warm look.

"Cassie has helped us a lot."

Sunny had to think. If Changing Star made this plan, it meant that she had good reasons to believe that it was doable. Of course, there would be danger. Nothing on the Forgotten Shore was ever safe or easy. But there was a rare opportunity in all of this, too.

He felt very tempted to leave the ruins for a few months in the company of an extremely formidable cohort. Outside the walls of the Dark City, Nightmare Creatures were generally of a lower rank than those inside. The efficiency of his hunting would be much higher, which would land him more shadow fragments and Memories to feed to the Stone Saint.

Especially if powerhouses like Nephis, Effie, and Caster were fighting alongside him. But more importantly, if Cassie was there to warn them of the dangers that they had no business trying to fight.

He never forgot how many times her affinity to mysteries and revelations had saved their lives in the past. Like on that awful night when they had summoned a terrifying mimic from the depths of the dark sea.

With a true seer accompanying them, the most harrowing thing about the Labyrinth — the cursed black waters — were not as unknowable and thus deadly anymore.

So he was not immediately against the idea, more so because he would be additionally compensated for the efforts.

But… there was something else that he had to consider.

Looking up, Sunny glanced at the people gathered in the room and cleared his throat.

"Uh… I would like to talk to Nephis alone. Please."

Most of them just stared at him without moving. Caster, especially, did not seem happy about the prospect.

'What is it about him and Neph? Why is he so… possessive?'

But after Changing Star gave them a look, they reluctantly stood up and left the room one after another.

***

Soon, Sunny and Nephis were left alone.

He hesitated for a long time before finally speaking. His voice was raw and hoarse:

"Neph… why are you doing this? Why are you trying to pull me back? Don't you know how this all will end?"

She watched him silently for a while with an inexorable expression. Then, she simply said:

"Because there's only two people I trust in this world, Sunny. One is Cassie. The other one is you. I only trust you to have my back."

He couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

"Have your back? Neph, you know what awaits the two of us in the future. This story won't have a happy ending. There'll be only... only sorrow, pain, and rage. Remember?"

Changing Star lingered for a few moments. Her face was calm and firm. When the silence became almost overwhelming, she finally answered:

"Life is not a story, Sunny. It only ends when you die."

He smiled crookedly, not knowing how to answer.

"So? Will you help me?"

Sunny sighed and stood up, glancing at the map of the Forgotten Shore one last time.

"I… don't know. I need some time to think. I'll take Effie and keep her safe for a week. You'll have the answer once we meet again."

She nodded, accepting that condition.

Turning around, Sunny forced himself to appear nonchalant and left.

As soon as the door closed behind him, his expression changed.

'Damn! I forgot to discuss my compensation!'

It would look really silly if he went back now… right?

Right?

The shadow palmed its face, once again lamenting the stupidity of its master.