Shadow Slave

Ananke was able to remember what Sunny had told them. However, Nephis forgot most of what he described soon after he did — after all, she had known that he abandoned her and the cohort to search for the Estuary.

Eventually, the two of them found themselves alone. Ananke had left to prepare the Time Slayer for the journey to the Estuary while leaving them to rest — and yet, neither Sunny nor Nephis was in the mood for sleep.

They walked around the small, empty port built inside the skull of the Serpent King, studying the things that the River People had left behind.

Eventually, Sunny asked:

“So, what do you think?”

Nephis glanced at him and frowned, strangely hesitant.

“I… am not sure. Having Ananke aid us in the fight against the Thieving Bird — and its vile spawn — will undoubtedly be a tremendous boon. She is a Supreme of considerable prowess, after all, and we are facing a Cursed Terror. However…”

She fell silent, as if failing to find the right words to express her feelings.

Sunny smiled faintly and looked away.

“I know. It’s strange, isn’t it? Both you and I accept the possibility of our deaths as if it were a given. However, the thought of watching her die in front of us for the second time feels… unacceptable.”

Nephis seemed to have gotten distracted, forgetting what he said a few moments later.

Sunny sighed.

“You don’t want her to get hurt, do you? You don’t even want to allow the possibility of her getting hurt.”

Nephis nodded slowly.

“She has suffered enough.”

It was truly something, coming from Nephis —a woman who had to burn alive every time she used her powers.

Sunny shook his head bitterly.

“Nothing is enough in this world.”

He remained silent for a while, then added in an even tone:

“But I agree. Ananke must survive — more than anyone, she has to escape this hell in one piece. And she has to bring the Ark Amulets out with her. These people she has protected with her life, to the point of defying the laws of existence and becoming Supreme in order not to fail her duty, must be saved. Their lives mean far more than I can properly describe.”

He paused for a moment.

“They are a symbol. Their existence means that salvation is possible. So, I’d love nothing more than to keep Ananke away from the fight against the Vile Thieving Bird. But…”

His expression darkened.

“Regardless of how we feel about her, she is not a decrepit old woman. She is not a child, either. She is the greatest warrior of the River People civilization and a Supreme, which means that nothing we say will change her mind. We can’t force her to stay behind while we risk our lives — we have no right to ask her to do so, either.”

Before Ananke left, Sunny had asked her if she had ever tried to leave the Tomb of Ariel on her own. She had, as it turned out — but escaping the great pyramid was impossible due to the millions of Nightmare Butterflies resting on its inner walls. One would have to face them all at once instead of only those who had escaped through the breach, which was no different from suicide.

In fact, Daeron had not been able to leave, either. The Twilight Sea had already been absorbed by the Dream Realm by then, so he couldn’t even cross the realm boundary by pulling on his tether.

For him, entering the Tomb of Ariel had always been a one-way trip.

Even if Sunny and Nephis did have a way to get Ananke out before confronting the Thieving Bird, though… then what?

There was no telling if they would be able to return to the Tomb of Ariel after leaving it through the realm boundary. There was no telling how much time would pass on the Great River should they leave, either — it could very well be that the Vile Thieving Bird and its spawn would be long gone by the time Sunny and Nephis returned, even if they were able to return.

Most of all, if they brought Ananke out before completing their mission, they would only be leading her to the slaughter. The Dreamspawn ruled the world now, after all — delivering Ananke and the survivors of the Great River onto his plate was not something Sunny and Nephis wanted to do. So, it seemed inevitable that Ananke would accompany them to the Estuary.

Sunny sighed.

“Maybe it’s for the best. For her, this is the final trial of her own mission… the Vile Thieving Bird is what stands between her and bringing the River People out of the Tomb of Ariel. We certainly need all the help we can get in this battle, and she needs to leave these long years of solitude behind her, once and for all. I wouldn’t have wanted to be denied the opportunity to earn my freedom with my own two hands. To have it handed to me by someone else…”

He fell silent then chuckled quietly.

“Actually, scratch that. I’d love to be handed things for free while not moving a finger to earn them… sounds like a dream, really! For better or for worse, though, Ananke is not me. And she will not abandon us to fight a Cursed Terror alone, even if we begged her.”

Nephis remained silent for a while, then sighed.

“Azarax helped us cross the Nightmare Desert. And now, Ananke is here to help us fight the Thieving Bird. The three of us should be enough to defeat it… it is better than two, at least. Certainly feels like… fate, to be reunited with her in this desperate moment.”

Sunny smiled, then looked into the distance.

“Yes… the three of us…”

He paused for a moment, then added:

“You will have to overcome the first trial of the Estuary alone, though.”

Nephis frowned.

“What do you mean?”

Sunny simply shrugged.

“We wouldn’t want the Second and Third Seekers to be born, would we? You are the only one who is immune to the Corruption, Nephis. It’s like this entire place was designed for only you to be able to conquer. So, you will have to borrow one of Ananke’s amulets and put both her and me inside. Then, after reaching the lake, you will have to draw us out.”

Nephis studied him silently for a while before nodding.

“If that is the case, I will.”

…Soon enough, they were on the deck of the Time Slayer, flying through the vast and empty darkness. Ananke was steering the ship, while Sunny and Nephis were preparing themselves for battle.

From time to time, though, he would look into the darkness with a somber expression.

Because of that, he was the first one to see it…

Out there, far away in front of them, a giant sphere made out of rough black stone slowly revealed itself from the void. It loomed in the middle of the world like its dead, unbeating heart.

They were surrounded by silence, and yet Sunny felt like the stone sphere was calling him.

They had finally arrived at the heart of the Estuary.