Shadow Slave

The platform containing the trapped star was open to the winds, with seven mighty pillars supporting its scorched roof. Sunny stood there motionless for a while, bathing in the furious waves of stellar radiance — then, with a sigh, he walked to the platform’s edge, grabbed one of the pillars, and started climbing. Soon enough, he was on its outer side, with nothing but an abyssal drop beneath him. The incandescent light obscured the world, so he could not see the distant ground, but simply knowing how far he would fall if he let go sent a chill running down his spine.

Of course, a fall would not kill a Sovereign — but despite being Supreme, Sunny still had human instincts. What was more, there were all those lethal traps Nightwalker had set across the island. Falling into a tangle of razor-sharp wire was not going to be pleasant even for Sunny, especially considering that there were no shadows here for him to escape into.

’There are still ways to avoid falling...”

But it was better not to fall at all.

Reminiscing about the perilous task of climbing the great statues of the Forgotten Shore, Sunny slowly scaled the pillar and made his way to the domed roof of the Lighthouse. Eventually, he stood at its highest point, enduring the fierce power of the winds.

The vapor shrouding the base of the great tower did not reach here, so he could somewhat see through the radiance.

The rolling underbelly of the Stormsea undulated above him like a dark heaven. Far below, the Eternal City sprawled beneath him like a brilliant hell.

Sunny studied its vast expanse with a somber expression.

The Shadow Legion was still waging war on the three islands in the southern outskirts of the city. The fallen immortals were spread evenly between them, assaulting the strongholds of the silent invaders with demented fury. He was more interested in what was happening in the north, though.

Out there, the Dutchman and its wraith army had already advanced into the inner rings of the Eternal City.

He could not discem the details of the battle raging there, but could see a ghostly viridian light glowing in the clouds of swirling mist. Grotesque shapes moved in the ethereal fog, and the silver spires were continuously falling and rising from the clouds of dust and debris, flawlessly restored.

Sunny wondered briefly how the captain of the cursed ship was dealing with the fallen immortals. He probably did not have a creature like Nightmare at hand... but then again, both the Dutchman and its captain were ancient fiends. Surely, they had plenty of profane means to contain the tendrils of the Flesh of Kanakht, as well.

They were far ahead of the Shadow Legion, which meant that he had to hurry. Worse than that... the mysterious creature who had landed in the eastern parts of the Eternal City was even closer to the goal than the other two contenders. Sunny still had no idea what it was, but he could see the traces of its passing the toppled buildings, the shattered islands, and torrents of immortal abominations that were flowing into the billowing clouds of black dust, only to vanish without a trace.

By the time the Eternal City rebuilt its streets, the creature was already sowing its eerie and unexplainable devastation somewhere else.

By now, it was only a few islands away from the towering, beautiful edifice of the Palace.

’...I really, really need to hurry.’

A pensive frown appeared on his face as he studied the landscape of the Eternal City, as well as the distant carnage raging on the islands where the Shadow Legion was besieged.

He studied the wide canals separating the islands and the arching bridges connecting them, as well. Slowly, his expression settled, and he turned away from the daunting sight. Sliding off the roof, he called a bit of darkness from the Shadow Lantern and manifested it into two tenebrous wings before the blinding radiance of the Lighthouse could dispel it.

Soon enough, he landed on the ground and folded his wings, wrapping them around himself like a cloak.

Jet, Naeve, Bloodwave, and Nightwalker were standing nearby —- they had been discussing something in lively tones, but were not staring at him silently with wide eyes.

Ignoring the stares, Sunny said in a neutral tone:

”I thought that you guys were speaking metaphorically when you told me that there’s a star trapped inside the Lighthouse. Turns out... it’s a real star. A real star emanating divine light, no less.”

Jet blinked a couple of times.

”What? That doesn’t even make any sense, scientifically speaking. First of all, this whole place would have been tuned into a cloud of plasma. No, such a tiny star would create a black hole. So, this whole place would have been turned into an infinitely small grain of superdense matter... I think?”

Sunny smiled.

”As if an army of immortal nightmare creatures and a city that endlessly rebuilds itself makes any sense... scientifically speaking. As a matter of fact, scientifically speaking, neither you nor I make any sense. Hasn’t stopped us yet, has it?”

Jet cleared her throat.

”Well, if you put it like that... in any case, what’s your point?”

Sunny looked at the Saints of Night, lingered for a few moments, and then shrugged. ”If there’s an actual star here, drowning everything in its light, doesn’t it mean that we have a secret weapon in our hands?”

Jet frowned.

”Listen, Sunny... if you are planning to somehow break the sorcery containing that star and create a black hole right in front of our noses, I must object. Vehemently object!”

He shook his head.

”No, that’s not what I mean.”

Turning slightly, he looked in the direction where they had left the Night Garden.

”What I meant to say is that a particular member of our expedition can weaponize starlight. So, what will happen if we supercharge Aether and set him loose on the immortal abominations of the Eternal City? I’d say... it’s at least worth a try.”

Jet opened her mouth, but could not say anything, in the end.

Naeve and Bloodwave simply stared at Sunny with stunned expressions, their eyes slowly widening.

In the silence that followed, it was Nightwalker who spoke first.

Looking between with a confused expression, he frowned slightly and asked: ”Uh... who the hell is Aether, though?”