Shadow Slave novel Chapter 698

Sunny landed on the very edge of the island and froze there, looking forward with a dark expression on his bestial face. The others remained silent, too, feeling his unease and tension.

The land in front of them seemed tranquil… beautiful, even. There was an expanse of vibrant green grass, and some distance away, it made way for the calm waters of a vast lake. Its surface was perfectly still and reflective, making it seem as though a piece of the blue sky above had somehow gotten embedded into the ground.

A gentle wind caressed their faces, and nothing broke the peaceful silence except for the rustle of grass and the distant rattling of chains.

…And yet, Sunny couldn't help but feel a sense of imminent danger.

He sighed, and then glanced at his friends with uncertainty.

"...Should we summon our armor and weapons?"

Kai hesitated for a moment, then said:

"Wouldn't that be seen as a sign of distrust and hostility? Pure heart, pure thoughts… whatever that means… does not seem to fit with being armed and ready for a fight."

Sunny grimaced.

"Yeah… however, what if we do have to fight?"

Effie smiled.

"The four of us should be able to at least retreat safely, should things go wrong. I mean, how terrible can that thing be?"

Sunny shivered, then shook his head.

"Terrible enough for Saints to fear it. I've… I've been to this island a few times, in the future, but stuck to the edges, never approaching the lake. So I don't actually know what kind of a creature lives in its depths. However… I did see bones laying on the shore. And just those bones alone looked like they had belonged to things I would not want to meet."

He hesitated for a while, then glanced at Cassie.

"What do you think?"

The young woman tilted her head a little, then said calmly:

"I don't feel any danger. Maybe Noctis was honest, this time."

Sunny sighed. Cassie's intuition had guided each of them through countless dangers unscathed… if she felt that it was safe, there was a good reason to listen.

That didn't mean that he had to be happy about it, though.

"Alright… no weapons or armor, for now. Just... pure thoughts…"

Together, they crossed the stretch of land between the edge of the island and the shore of the lake, stopping just a few steps away from the calm water. Because of how still and reflective it was, no one could peer beneath the surface… however, Sunny could feel something deep beneath the water. A vast and sprawling shadow… ancient, deep… unfathomable…

He shivered.

Sunny lingered for a bit, then cleared his throat and, feeling extremely stupid, addressed the lake:

"Uh… I am here to retrieve the Ruby Knife. Please… give it to me?"

There was a gust of wind… and nothing happened.

'Is it… is it because of Harper? Or all the things I've done to survive in the outskirts?'

A few moments later, Effie laughed.

"Oh… I guess you are not pure, Sunny… who would have thought!"

He gritted his teeth, then growled at her angrily.

"Go and try yourself, then!"

The little girl shook her head vigorously.

"No, no… no one has ever accused me of being pure, I think! Although…"

She thought for a bit, and then shrugged.

"I guess I am in the body of a child…"

The girl climbed down from Sunny's shoulders, approached the water, and stretched out a hand.

"Can I please have the knife, uh… Aunty from the lake?"