Shadow Slave novel Chapter 3196

Snuggle had, indeed, an outstanding feat in mind.

She wanted Noctis to escort them to the Shadow Realm.

There was some merit to her idea, no doubt. After all, neither of them were familiar with the mortal realms and people who populated them — both the shadow and Snuggle were completely ignorant of their customs and traditions, let alone invisible undercurrents that ruled all human societies. They did not know what roads to take and which places to avoid, so they needed a guide.

Well... the shadow could probably find his way to the Realm of Death on his own, eventually. It was just that he would most likely leave a trail of devastation in his wake, which Snuggle wanted to avoid.

Noctis, meanwhile, was not only knowledgeable about the world outside the shadow's lightless kingdom, but also held quite a lofty status among humans — his fame and background alone could open numerous doors for them. And he would probably know where to go, as well. Traveling with a Supreme Titan to one of the Divine Realms was a journey worthy of becoming a legend, so it was in his own interest too.

There was just one problem...

Noctis glanced at the little doll with a lack of amusement on his youthful face.

"To the Shadow Realm, you say?"

Snuggle nodded with a grin.

"Yeah!"

He hesitated for a moment.

"So you are telling me... to just go die?"

The young man grimaced and glanced at the two of them with dismay.

"Listen, friends, if you want to kill yourself, go ahead and have at it! But what do I have to do with any of this? Leave me out of your peculiar suicide pact, please! I am too young to die! Too gorgeous!"

Snuggle waved a hand in front of her face weakly.

"No, wait, I didn't mean it that way..."

The shadow suppressed a smile.

Going to the Shadow Realm had a distinct meaning in most human languages, and that meaning was, simply put, to die. So, it was no surprise that Noctis misunderstood the little doll.

She groaned.

“I meant it literally! Walk down there! Find the Hollow Mountains, traverse the Underworld, jump into the Abyss, say hi to Shadow God! Then come back and have a party!"

Noctis studied her intently, as if contemplating something.

Eventually, he asked, a hint of interest in his voice:

"Party? What kind of party... wait, no! Who would want to party with you?! You're a disembodied soul! You can't even drink!"

Snuggle scoffed.

"You're too young to drink anyway, brat! What kind of priests raised you?!"

With a sigh, the shadow rose and left them to it. He walked out of the hall and then exited the lord's manor, looking into the vast darkness beyond.

Of course, that dark expanse was nothing but a part of him, so peering into it was no different from peering into himself.

Even if he had left the manor, he was still there, listening to two human youths bicker.

Everything in this kingdom belonged to him, was him — the darkness, the shades crowding the streets, the dark trees swaying in the wind. The forests, the fields. Even the buildings of the ancient city had deteriorated with the passage of time, and were held up by the shadows he commanded.

If he left, all of it would disappear. Everything would simply vanish, as if it had never existed at all.

There would be only a lifeless ruin left. But even that ruin would be reclaimed by life eventually — possibly in a hundred years, or possibly in a thousand; grasses and vines would swallow the weathered stones, burying them in the depths of earth.

This land had been his home and shelter since before the world splintered into innumerable realms. Was he really ready to leave?

All of it... was a little bit too sudden.

The shadow could appear anywhere in his kingdom in the blink of an eye, but he chose to walk along the dark streets, looking around with an expression of melancholy. In truth, this city had never felt like home. There were barely any traces of what he remembered left here — everything had been rebuilt, transformed, and altered. A paved plaza lay where the huts of the nomads had once been raised; the familiar fields had long been swallowed by the city sprawl. An imposing temple towered where a humble shrine had stood, and even the old graves were gone.

So was there really anything holding him back?

From the dawn of time, the shadow had only ever wanted one thing — to exist in peace, which was the closest thing to non-existence he could achieve. And from the dawn of time, true peace had eluded him.

Maybe it was time to give up on his impossible goal.

Before the shadow knew it, his feet brought him to a familiar place. He found himself in front of the old cave where he used to reside... a long time ago.

The city was different, and the land was different as well. But the cave was still the same.

Or so it seemed.

As the shadow entered his old abode, he felt nothing. No comfort, no attachment. Just emptiness.

Tatal was not here anymore, and the sound of her voice would never echo between these stone walls again. The silver bell was not here, either.

Even Snuggle was gone, having become a vessel to a peculiar, wandering soul.

The bell and the doll were the only two things he had ever kept in the cave, so without them, there was nothing left.

‘Must I really leave?'

Turning his head faintly, the shadow observed the innumerable shades that populated his lightless kingdom. They were pretending to be alive to chase away his boredom... but they weren't alive.

He had killed them, and now, he was holding them captive within his soul. Unchanging, uncaring. Utterly quiet. Suddenly, their existence did indeed seem awfully sad.

Just like his own.

The shadow sighed.

‘Shadow God is the god of death, peace, and solace. But... he is also the god of mysteries.'

So perhaps... would he shine light on the mystery of the shadow's peculiar fate?

The shadow left the cave and stopped in front of the altar standing in front of it. There were still human remains lying atop the altar, white bones resting in the darkness, a skull staring at him with reproach in its empty eyes.

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