"Cat God, hurry back. Your cat is still waiting for you!"
After the blessings of the four, the little black cat's voice appeared one last time above Shade's head. The cat patted Shade's hair with its paws.
"My master waited for me for a very, very long time. So long that he almost forgot me. So don't make your cat wait that long either. Waiting is very painful."
Her soft voice was like that of a young child. As the mother cat protecting her let out a "Meow~" in the quiet waters, the light on the cats' bodies, much weaker than that of the humans, also entered Shade's body.
Outlander, you have received a temporary blessing: You have become more agile.
Transformation Cat has received a permanent enhancement.
"Don't make it wait that long~"
The worried cat reminded him once more. Then Shade felt the cat's little paws reach beneath his head.
At the same time, Sparrow Hamilton, Ivan Daknis, Haila Osenfott, and Shelly Knight bent down as well. Together, they lifted Shade, who lay upon the calm water before the Underworld Moon, then slowly raised him into the sky.
That enormous moon illuminated everyone's arms, as well as Shade's entire body.
Streams of silver light fell below as Shade left the water's surface. When the people and the black kitten, whose paws no longer actually touched Shade but still maintained the lifting posture, raised their hands to the highest point, the body glowing silver before the Underworld Moon broke free from them and flew towards the dark sky.
The four people and two cats remained standing in a circle, silently raising their heads to watch as that silver body rose higher and higher before the Underworld Moon.
The black waters beneath their feet remained calm. Yet at some unknown