Shadow Slave

Sunny stared at the sorcerer for a few moments, unamused. He really wanted to retort… but couldn't. The four-armed demon was indeed a fearsome and unsightly creature, as far as humans were concerned. So, denying it would have been a lie.

And while the Extraordinary Rock could repeat his thoughts, the thoughts it spoke aloud still had to be truthful.

With an irritated snarl, Sunny looked away and said:

"Fine. We will retrieve the Ruby Knife from your friend that lives in the lake. However… it would only be polite for you to return the favor and give us something in return, don't you think? To avoid putting a strain on our own friendship, you know…"

These were more or less the exact words Noctis had used to lure him into a confrontation with Nightmare, so Sunny was pretty sure that the sorcerer would not be able to refuse his request.

Indeed, the immortal looked at him with a pale smile, and then let out a slightly nervous laugh.

"Oh… yes, you are right, of course… huh… is there something particular you have in mind?"

Sunny nodded.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

With that, he pulled an amulet in the form of an anvil from the folds of his kimono and handed it to Noctis. This was the charm Master Welthe had worn in the Night Temple to protect herself from Mordret… after her death, the small talisman remained in his possession, revealing that it was not a Memory, but an actual object.

Considering its shape and the fame of the great clan Valor, especially when it came to forging weapons and tools, it was not hard to imagine how the charm came to be. However… that did not mean that Sunny understood how it worked.

And he really, really needed to.

Cassie was immune to Mordret's possession due to her blindness, and Sunny himself was protected by the army of shadows contained within his soul. Kai and Effie, however… when he imagined his friends meeting the Prince of Nothing, his blood turned cold.

"I want you to make something similar to this."

Noctis received that talisman and studied it with a curious smile. Slowly, however, the smile disappeared from his face. His grey eyes glinted with a strange emotion, and he said in a neutral tone:

"...Where did you get this?"

Sunny shrugged.

"Of an enemy's corpse. Well… more or less. Why?"

The sorcerer studied the small anvil for a bit more, and then shook his head with a sigh.

"I, uh… can't recreate this talisman. The sorcery used to enchant it is not something I have ever seen before. More than that, it was made for a reason that eludes me, and by someone far more powerful than I am. Which is a real feat, mind you, considering how mighty and talented I am! In any case, I can't do it. Think of something else."

Noctis glanced at the anvil amulet with a frown, and then returned it to Sunny.

'Someone… far more powerful?'

Sunny blinked a couple of times.

Had Mordret's father created the talisman to ward off his son personally? Just how dreadful the Sovereigns were to impress even an immortal Saint of the bygone era?

He lingered for a bit, then hid the little anvil and sighed.

"Alright then. I'll… think of something else. We will discuss it after the Ruby Knife is in our hands."

Noctis waved a hand and turned back to the sacred tree, then continued to water it.

"Fine, fine… just don't let your imagination run too wild. I am but a humble sorcerer, you know, not an actual deity… I only look like one... ah, yes, my heavenly beauty is indeed divine…"

Sunny sighed, then gestured to the other members of the cohort and turned around.

It was time to visit another of the humble sorcerer's friends.

***

Four Awakened were walking across the giant chain that swayed lightly, suspended between two skies — one blue and full of light, the other black and devoid of it.

Well, to be more precise, only Sunny and Cassie were walking. Kai was levitating above the links of the ancient chain, while Effie was sitting comfortably on Sunny's shoulders. In fact, the little girl was fast asleep… and drooling on his head.

In other circumstances, Sunny would have been outraged and shaken the fiendish child awake, but right now, he was too preoccupied with grim thoughts.

He wasn't even thinking about the creature they were about to face… no, his mind was still on the anvil talisman.

Since Noctis was unable to create a second one, someone in their cohort was going to have to remain without any defense against the Prince of Nothing… and now, Sunny had to decide who.

Was he going to give the charm to Kai, or to Effie?

As if reading his thoughts, the little girl suddenly shifted, then yawned and opened her eyes.

"Gods, Sunny… stop grinding your fangs so loud, will you? I can't sleep! What has gotten you so tense, anyway?"

He hesitated for a few moments, then shared his concerns. Both Cassie and Kai listened, as well, their faces turning as grim as his own.

…Effie, however, seemed unconcerned.

"What, that's it? How is this a problem… just give it to Kai, you doofus."

Sunny jumped down to the next link, holding Effie's skinny legs to prevent her from falling off, and then asked:

"Aren't you afraid of being consumed by Mordret?"

The little girl grimaced.

"You guys overestimate that Mordret guy a lot. He's not that dangerous."

Everyone grew silent, looking at her with doubt. Not dangerous? The hundred Lost warriors, two Ascended knights, and the whole of the northern reach of the Kingdom of Hope begged to differ.

She shook her head.

"What made him dangerous were the six cores he possessed. Inside the Soul Sea, that guy can mirror the Aspect of his enemy, correct? He can use the same Abilities, but charge them with the power of multiple cores."

Effie snorted.

"Well, he doesn't have six cores anymore. He only has one… maybe two or three, if he was very diligent and managed to create new ones. Doesn't really matter. Point is, he sacrificed his personal power to create five mirror monsters, which made the overall threat he represents far greater, but the danger to one's soul far lesser."

She thought for a bit, and then added thoughtfully:

"In fact, I would even say that what truly makes him dangerous are not his cores, but instead his skill and talent… his genius, even, when it comes to combat. The ability to mirror someone's Aspect sounds terrifying, but think about it… how long did it take you to get a grasp on how to properly use your Abilities? That guy has to fight someone with their own Aspect seconds after coming in possession of it… which is not an easy feat."

The little girl yawned again, and then settled into a more comfortable position.

"...More than that, he also inherits the person's Flaw. So, actually, it's just a question of skill and experience… let him invade my Soul Sea… I'll teach him some manners…"

With that… Effie fell asleep once again.

Sunny remained silent for a bit, then sighed and handed the anvil amulet to Kai, who received it with a doubtful expression on his face.

Effie was not wrong… now that Mordret did not possess an overwhelming advantage in raw power, this facet of his Aspect was less dangerous. It all came down to the nature of the victim's Abilities and their skill.

Effie was far more skilled in combat than Kai was… more than that, her own Aspect was all about physical might and melee combat, and he had never seen anyone more comfortable in their physicality than Effie. Even Mordret would find it difficult to utilize her Aspect better...

But, still…

Looking ahead, he scowled and said:

"...Let's hope we won't have to find out whether you are right or not. There is still a chance that we will not become enemies with Mordret in this Nightmare."

Effie shifted slightly, then said in a sleepy voice:

"Of course I'm right… now let me nap in peace…"

However, instead of doing that, Sunny shook her awake.

The little girl sighed with irritation.

"What?!"

He simply pointed forward.

"We're here."

…Just a hundred or so meters ahead, the slope of a flying island rose upward from the heavenly chain.

They had reached the tranquil lake.