Shadow Slave novel Chapter 597

"Hold on for a bit more!"

The archer strained a little, bearing their weight as he darted through the abyss, his flight swift and effortless. Illuminated by the paper lantern, the three of them traveled through the darkness like a small comet, moving faster and faster.

The wind whistled in Sunny's ears.

He remained silent for a bit, dumbfounded, then asked:

"Wait… was it you who brought Saint Tyris here?"

Kai smiled, looking somewhere far away.

"Of course! When you and Cassie didn't return to the real world, we knew that the negotiation with the representatives of clan Valor must have failed. But when you didn't arrive at Shipwreck Island by November, as the plan had been, it was clear that something went wrong. So, Effie and I waited for a bit, then went to the White Feather clan for help."

He paused for a moment, and then added:

"Eventually, we decided to come to the Night Temple ourselves. That was a week ago. We have just arrived yesterday."

'But the Citadel was sealed…'

Sunny frowned, suddenly catching an inconsistency in Kai's words.

"Wait… a week ago? How did you cross the Chained Isles so fast?"

The archer smiled brightly.

"...Look ahead!"

'What does he…'

Sunny glanced forward, and froze.

They were swiftly approaching another source of light, this one much, much larger. Or rather, it was moving in their direction, even faster than Kai was flying.

A few moments later, a graceful shape of a resplendent wooden ship became visible, flowing through the darkness of the Sky Below as though on water. Its sails were pristine white, and around the main mast, a young tree was growing, its branches brimming with vibrant green leaves.

…The Fire Keepers had succeeded in repairing the ancient vessel after all, it seemed.

It looked elegant and swift, its hull devoid of the cracks and breaches that had marred its surface before. A patchwork of replacement boards still stood out on the polished wood, and here and there, the structure of the ship seemed rickety and slapdash — especially near the bow, which had been previously almost destroyed. However, overall, the vessel was a magnificent sight to behold.

There was a battery of light Memories illuminating the ship, an especially bright one burning at the tip of a long and sharp bowsprit. Human figures could be seen on the deck, moving around in a hurry.

Sunny stared at the swiftly approaching ship, stunned by the sight of it. It was hard to believe that this had been the same abomination-invested wreck he knew.

Now that the ancient vessel was repaired, it looked almost the same as on the golden coins he had sacrificed to the altar of Noctis.

Kai accelerated even more, then slowed down, and landed on the wooden deck smoothly.

Feeling a solid surface under his feet, Sunny swayed a little and looked at the Fire Keepers that surrounded them.

Then, he sighed, and fell down, instantly losing consciousness.

After the terrible day… no, a terrible month he had, some rest was long overdue.

***

A couple of hours later, Sunny came back to his senses. He was laying near the main mast of the ship, under the branches of the young tree, a soft pillow under his head and a warm blanket covering his body. He still felt terrible, but mostly due to the soul damage Mordret had dealt him — the physical wounds were not bothering him too much anymore.

It seemed that while Sunny was out of it, the healer of the Fire Keepers, Shim, had treated him.

'...I am actually alive. What a miracle.'

He grimaced and sat up, then stared into the darkness for a bit. The ancient vessel was swiftly flying through the abyss, descending into its depths. Due to that, his body felt nice and weightless.

Sunny dismissed the outer layer of the Undying Chain and studied his chest, where the terrible wound had already closed, be it just barely. Now that he was conscious, he would be able to stitch it up, or at least cover the gash with a bandage… as well as properly take care of the countless smaller injuries on his body.

Satisfied with his state, Sunny looked around, noticing Cassie sleeping nearby. Her face was calm and peaceful.

He didn't get to dwell on his frustration for long, however, because a delicious smell suddenly reached his nostrils, and a few moments later, Effie appeared nearby, carrying two plates of somewhat that seemed like real, freshly cooked food. _{freeweɓnovel.cѳm}