Shadow Slave

'Crap…'

The ship Sunny had just cleared happened to be very near to the island where Sun Prince was standing… in fact, all of the remaining ships were close to it due to the fact that the battle had gradually shifted closer to the Ivory City.

He was not sure how much time it took and for how long he had been fighting. All he knew was how terribly tired he felt… and that were on the verge of utter defeat.

Looking at the steel colossus that was just beyond reach, Sunny gritted his teeth.

The bastard was not allowed to throw that javelin… he had to be stopped at all cost.

Noctis had to be protected.

Not because Mordret told him so, but simply because the sorcerer was their best, and most likely only, chance to survive.

Sunny hesitated for a split second, and then summoned Nightmare and Saint back. The Shadows were entangled in a bloody battle on the deck of a distant ship. Following his command, the black steed did not waste a single moment to turn and leap into the dark sky.

Landing on another vessel, it flew past the startled and terrified soldiers, then jumped again. Just like that, the stallion soon reached Sunny and stopped, his sides rising heavily, covered in terrible wounds.

Bloody foam was falling from his mouth.

The courser's eyes, however, were still full of unbreakable will and murderous resolve. He was a proud and stubborn creature, after all... almost as stubborn as Sunny.

Sunny offered him a pale smile.

"You did well… rest now, for a bit."

Saint dismounted and stood motionlessly, looking at him with her usual calm composure. Her ruby eyes, however, seemed to have become a little dim. The taciturn knight's armor was cracked and battered, but she did not appear to be seriously injured. There was ruby dust streaming from the cracks, still...

Sunny summoned the shadows embracing Nightmare and Saint back and then wrapped all four of them around his body.

Below, the steel colossus had already taken aim and was prepared to make his throw…

Before he could, however, a heavy bolt suddenly struck him in the neck. The giant lingered for a moment, then slowly turned his head.

Standing at the bow of the ship, Sunny picked up another bolt and smiled grimly.

He did not know how to load an aim a ballista, but his own strength was more than enough, or perhaps even greater than that of a siege weapon. Sure, his first throw did not seem to do any damage… it had to have been rather annoying, though…

Augmented by the [Sonorous] enchantment, the Extraordinary Rock boomed, spreading his voice far and wide:

"Hey, you! Shadow sends his regard! Come and get me, rust bucket… how's that hand feeling, by the way?!"

Illuminated by the dim light of the crimson moon, the colossus shifted slightly. The shadows veiling his eyes grew deeper, and then, his javelin slowly moved, changing its aim.

Sunny laughed.

'I guess he remembers me!'

Which was good…

What was bad was that Sunny did not really know how to steer a flying ship, and so, he currently was a stationary target. A sitting duck, basically…

With a shrug, he dismissed his Shadows and tossed the second bolt at the giant, then looked in satisfaction as it bounced fruitlessly of the Chain Lord's stoic face.

'My aim did improve, huh?'

Just one more throw, and it would time for him to abandon ship...

Sun Prince lowered his head, and then suddenly lashed out, moving with stunning speed for a creature of his size. It was as though he was trying to kill an irritating fly.

Sunny's smile froze.

He had not expected that fast of a reaction at all…

A split second before the javelin hit the ship, a hand grabbed him from behind, and Sunny felt himself moving. Then, something exploded below him, and everything was momentarily enveloped in a cloud of splinters.

Kai, who was holding him as he tried to fly up, grunted.

"H—heavy…"

In the next moment, they were hit by the shockwave, and the archer lost his hold of the four-armed demon. Together, they plummeted down. Effie was there, too, clinging to Kai's back and holding for her dear life.

The two seemed riddled with wounds, but still alive.

Sunny felt the world spin for a couple of seconds, then shook of his disorientation, summoned the Dark Wing, and tried to slow down his fall.

They landed on the surface of the island and instantly moved, dodging the debris of the destroyed ship. All three somehow managed to avoid being crushed…

Then, however, the ground beneth them suddenly shook.

Feeling a sickening emptiness in his chest, Sunny slowly turned his head and saw the towering mountain of steel walking toward them, the island quaking with each of the giant's steps.

The nightmarish memory of being smashed like a bug by Sun Prince's sole flashed in front of his eyes once again, making Sunny flinch and back away.

There was nowhere they could run, however.

And more importantly, they couldn't… they still needed to draw Sun Prince away from Noctis.

But what could they do but die, faced with the fury of an immortal Transcendent?

Sunny paled.

'Think, think!'

He raised his odachi with uncertainty, desperately trying to evaluate their chances. He still had some essence left… enough for a few minutes of remaining a shadow, or making a jump or two. Would that be enough? What of the others?

And what was he going to do when his essence run out?!

Then, a sudden sound attracted his attention.

Looking up, Sunny saw something that made his eyes widen.

Far above, in the dark red sky…

A silhouette of graceful ship appeared from the radiance of the moon.

Battered and damaged, the ship was flying… no, almost falling… down. It had been descending from terrible heights, and so, gathered such staggering momentum that the winds screamed loudly as they were being cut by the bow of the plummeting vessel.

This was the sound Sunny had heard.

He could almost see a delicate silhouette standing at the stern, holding the oars in her hands.

'Cassie…'

Falling from the sky like a star, the battered ship changed it's course slightly…

And then rammed into the giant steel colossus at full speed, casing the whole world to tremble.