Shadow Slave novel Chapter 697

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.