SHADOW SLAVE: HEIR OF ABYSS

Wren had heard few things about an individual called Night, known for his elegance and beauty. When they had first encounter, Wren didn't know Kai was the esteemed Night he was in fact a little startled when he saw all the colour draining from Cassie's face even when he noticed sudden expression on Nephis face he had thought that Kai was a strong sleeper or wolf hidden in sleep's clothing only to find both of the girls were...

Star struck.

'Quite amusing.'

Although Wren was thinking random thoughts in his mind, his expression however didn't match his thoughts. Kai was actually terrified of the frowning expression on the usual stoic face of Changing Star's butler, having witness his strength Kai was a little worried about his safety in front of Wren who was staring him intently.

Sunny meanwhile, knew that his friend Kai was a little off the edge due to Wren. He wanted to assure him that this how Wren sometimes behaved but he didn't, as he was enjoying it.

'Amusing indeed.'

As Wren hated silence the most, he broke it first as he spoke.

"I am sorry for the inconvenience Sleeper Night, if I have caused any sort of discomfort to you. I can assure you that I don't harbor any intentions to hurt you."

Wren words were truth, which brought Kai the little confidence he needed to start a conversation with Wren. The conversation however didn't went how he had expected, as his expression turned darker and darker as the fabricated lie slowly became untangled. For instance when he asked:

"Since, when Sir Wren has been serving Lady Nephis?"

Wren even when knowing Kai's flaw, gave his answer truthfully or at least what he believe truth was.

"I have been serving her, even before she got infected by the Spell."

A pure lie, Kai didn't show his surprise however his smile faltered a little noticed both by Sunny and Wren.

'Oh, you poor lamb. Wait what is a lamb anyway?'

Another question from many, by Kai was, regarding Wren's loyalty towards Nephis.

"Are you loyal towards Lady Nephis?"

Wren answered plainly:

"Preposterous! Of course I am loyal to my lady, I will give up my life to protect her."

'Another lie.'

Kai expression turned more, darker his view on Wren changed vastly. The noble person he thought Wren personified was replaced with a treacherous and vile person. This answer of Wren had crushed the little of hope he had for Wren to be a righteous person and believer of Nephis.

Wren pitied Kai, he felt a little sorry that Kai will have to live in a veil like other people of Bright Castle for a few more months.

'Think whatever you want Kai, but nothing can hold eternal darkness, you try to restraint it, it will devour you. You try to erase it, it will come back from someone's heart or soul. You stare at it, it will stare back at you.'

Kai without saying anything, bowed a little and left Wren and Sunny. Sunny stared Wren and smirked.

"It was fun, wasn't it?"

Wren grinned.

"Indeed."

Both of them stood up, as it was the time for the cohort to continue their journey. Wren made a fist towards Sunny, who while smirking made a fist towards him both of them bumped their fist and went to the cohort.

 ***

The tunnel they were currently in was somewhat different from those they had traversed while fighting the horde of undead monsters. It looked more weathered and decrepit, with its walls and floor smoothed and uneven, as though eroded by something over the course of countless years.

'It seems this place will be filled with the Dark Sea once the night time will take over.'

Wren thought as he observed the puddles of dark water, Sunny meanwhile was shivering a little possibly reminiscing his recent history with the black water.

Everyone were in better shape, enough to have energy for fighting another horde. Sunny and Wren were in more better shape, Wren aspect had healed him already and the blessing of void cleared out his mental strain. Sunny was on the same case the mark of abyss and blood weave had already healed his muscle strains and injuries.

Sunny walked near the tall figure of the boisterous huntress and asked in a clear voice:

"So where are we?"

Effie glanced at him.

"A hundred meters or so below the surface, pretty much exactly under the city wall."

He stared at her blankly, slowly comprehending the meaning of these words. The huntress gave him a nod.

"Yeah, you guessed correctly. Come night, this place is going to be full of seawater. That chasm behind us is what prevents the catacombs from being flooded by the dark sea."

She sighed tiredly.

"So, unless we want to drown or be eaten by some depth dweller, we need to get out of here as soon as possible."

Sunny closed his eyes, imagining a roaring torrent of black water erupting from the mouths of countless tunnels and falling into the abyssal chasm like waterfalls made of pure darkness.

Yeah, if they were still underground when that happened, sea monsters would be the least of their problems. The sea itself would kill them.

Luckily the day was young, if it was not the cohort would have some serious problem.

Nephis took the initiative and rose up from her feet, her voice calm and composed.

"It's time for us to continue our journey."

With sighs and groans of pain, everyone stood up except the ones who were already on their feet. Wren walked up and stood near to Nephis, his movements were followed by a pair of green eyes. Sunny sighed and followed Wren standing beside him and Nephis now.

As the cohort headed deeper into the tunnel, Sunny caught up with Effie who was moving forward and asked with a hint of idle curiosity in his voice:

"By the way, how do you even know your way around the catacombs?"

It wasn't like she could have leisurely explored these deadly tunnels alone.

The huntress gave him a dubious look and shrugged.

"This knowledge is sort of passed down between the outer settlement hunters. I've been here a couple of times before, trying to escape from especially terrible Nightmare Creatures. Although, to be honest, I only descended this deep into the catacombs once."

Effie shivered.

"I was new in the Dark City at that time. Back then, the strongest hunter in the outer settlement sort of took me under her wing. We went down here with an entire party."

Sunny scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah? That party must have been very strong, to return from this place alive."

The huntress glanced at him and smiled darkly.

"...Who said anything about returning alive? Actually, they all died. I was the only one to survive."

Sunny stared at her for a long time, and then asked:

"If they all died, then why the hell did you bring us here?"

Effie shrugged.

"Because no matter how strong that party was, they weren't even close to this one. Do you even realize how powerful the six of us are, all put together? Goddamn. I wouldn't want to be our enemy."

Then, she hesitated for a few moments and added:

"Plus, this time, I know what we're going to face. We'll get out of here in one piece, trust me."

Sunny wasn't a particularly trusting person, but at this point, he didn't really have a choice. Leaving the tall huntress alone, he walked in silence for a while.

Meanwhile Nephis and Wren who were moving together, were having a conversation if it could be counted as one.

"Uhm, you know I am sorry for... throwing you back there."

Wren said in a hushed voice. Nephis face remained stoic, her mouth opened for saying few words and what came out of her mouth was a little threatening for Wren.

"Do that again, and next time it would be your head."

Wren eyes widened a bit, and the he grinned maniacally.

'My head huh? We will see if it is me who will lose my head or you who will lose your hand.'

The words that escaped his mouth weren't the same but held the same meaning. The words were filled with coldness and malice.

"I wonder, if that would happen before your hand is gone. I haven't forget what you did that day to this hand of mine, my dear sister."

Finishing his words he moved forward, to give some company to his shadowy friend. Sunny glanced at Wren who was smiling contently and asked.

"Just say what you want, don't creep me out."

Wren stopped smiling. His eyes full of seriousness and secrets, his face told that he wanted to ask Sunny something that is a secret to be hidden from everyone.

"I wanted to tell you something, something that I have planned to do in this journey."

Sunny face turned more serious, his ears waited for Wren's next words. Feeling Sunny's contempt, Wren continued and what he next said was something that made the world around Sunny deaf.

"I am going to leave on a journey to a death zone, and I will come back after I get what I want."

As he finished, he didn't wait Sunny to give his answer and walked out, moving alone now. Wren mind was contemplating for the plans for his journey. The new death zone Valor clan had find, and the mysterious tomb in that place, Wren had lot of work to do. 

'I guess it's time for me to travel to that forsaken desert and that tomb.'

It was time for the Heir of Abyss to start his dreadful journey, with his starting point being the Nightmare Desert and the Tomb of Ariel.