After about a month of living in the outer settlement, Sunny woke up one morning with the feeling of not belonging anywhere in this world. This familiar feeling had pursued him for most of his life, and had returned recently after being gone for some time.
With a sigh, he rose from his narrow cot and summoned the Puppeteer's Shroud. The stone lodge was already full of sounds and voices. The tempting smell of breakfast filled the air.
Coming out of his small room, Sunny saw a bunch of Neph's helpers rushing here and there, busy with various tasks. Some of them stopped to greet him, others did not. He paid no attention to them and went outside to wash his face and take a look at the sky.
The grey sky of the Forgotten Shore looked as it always did. Nothing ever really changed in this loathsome hell.
On his way back, Sunny noticed a gaunt figure standing hesitantly near the doors of the lodge. The ragged young man looked very familiar.