Shadow Slave- Back in time.

Ch. 42

Sunny watched, sat on the stairs leading to the throne, as Gunlaug stayed kneeling, motionless. It wasn't like Sunny had something urgent to do; Nephis was taking care of getting the alliance of The Bright Lord's old lieutenants, Kido, leader of the Artisans, Gemma, leader of the Hunters and Pathfinders, Tessai, chief of the Castle's guard, and of course Seishan, who was already on their side. They had managed to avoid the civil war that had followed Gunlaug's murder. Gunlaug was still alive, the other outstanding contenders to the throne, who were going to become assets to humanity, were, too.

Nearly a thousand humans were in the Forgotten Shore. Double what had been. Sunny knew they still had the siege of the Crimson Spire ahead of them, but he hoped.

As the Sun completed his trajectory and began to dive into the horizon, the Dark Sea emerged. The splashing of the Great Titan was so powerful that water splashed right into Gunlaug's face, too.

He jerked, only to find Sunny standing above him, an exquisitely decorated glass bottle in his hands. The Sleeper smiled friendly. "Thought I'd wake you up from."

Gunlaug stared at him for a moment, a strange glint appearing in his glassy blue eyes as they cleared.

"Why did you save me?" He croaked. Sunless' dark gaze pierced him.

"Well, even if it may not seem like it, I've experienced my fair share of leadership and hard decision. Thing is, I understand why you have done what you have done. Stripping someone of their freedom is despicable, but you did it in good faith. That," He paused. "Is not the only reason, but the one that should matter to you. It is up to you what you do from now on."

A black knight borne of darkness appeared from his shadow. Two red embers ignited in her visor.

Sunny patted her on the shoulder. "This is Saint. She'll carry you. Let's get you tidied up."

The stone saint scooped up the ex-king in a princess carry, and followed Sunny into the labyrinthine expanse of castle. Walking with Gunlaug felt strange. Just earlier that day, he had possessed an absolute- actually, it hadn't been absolute since their arrival, but still- hegemony over the human population of the Forgotten Shore. Now, he was being carried by Saint like a distressed princess. Yes, Neph had broken both of his legs, but Sunny wasn't one to dwell on every detail (He knew very well he was).

Sunny used his shadow sense and his shadows to scout ahead and avoid anyone. He wasn't really worried that anything would happen, but any encounter with someone would surely result in an embarrassing situation. Sunny was suffering from second-hand embarrassment only imagining it.

A deposed tyrant being carried by a Stone Saint in a princess scoop, at the orders of the man who killed his lieutenant and one of the very people he had oppressed meet in the safest haven of the Forgotten Shore, where abominations unfathomable for the average Sleeper dwell...

'I mean, it seems one of Jest's jokes.'

Finally, after some minutes of uncomfortable silence, they found themselves in front of the door of one of the most prestigious chambers of the Bright Castle, similar to the one Caster had been renting. Sunny knocked, and Nephis opened, revealing the tastefully decorate insides. Inside there was only Nephis, her face stoic, but Sunny could tell she was tired. They had had a long day.

Gunlaug said nothing as he was lowered on the sofa wrought of some kind of leather. Nephis stood in front of him, the tension growing thick in the air, as her hand touched his forehead. A soft glow effused his skin with warmth as his broken bones mended and his wounds healed. It was a strange sensation to be healed so swiftly and effectively. Gunlaug gathered himself before tentatively speaking. "Thank you... Changing Star." He felt strange thanking someone whom he had tried to kill and that had broken his knees and then healed them.