He reached out with his hand and opened his palm. Sunny remained silent, refusing to look in the sorcerer's direction.
"Will you give me the Obsidian Knife?"
'Goddammit!'
Sunny wanted to say so much. He wanted to do so much. He felt so much…
But he knew that it would have been a wrong and cruel thing to do.
A betrayal.
He sighed heavily, and then faced Noctis. A swirl of sparks appeared around his hand.
"I have never seen a real wolf, you know? And yes, I will… since you asked nicely…"
He opened the lid of the Covetous Coffer, rummaged inside, and then placed the knife cut from a single piece of obsidian in the sorcerer's hand.
Noctis received it and then calmly looked at the black blade. His fingers slowly closed around the handle.
A sad smile appeared on his face.
"Well, then… I guess this is a goodbye. Farewell, Sunless. You have been a great friend to me. And I… I hope that I have been a good friend to you, too."
He sighed, lingered for a few moments, and then added:
"Before we part, however, I must tell you something."
Sunny looked at him darkly and asked in a hoarse voice:
"What?"
Noctis silently shook his head.
"You... you really should stop wearing all black. What a terribly drab color! Ah, Sunless… you are better than this…"
With that, the sorcerer laughed and took a step forward.
He hesitated for a second, then locked Sunny in a hug. Because of the difference in their heights, Sunny had to bend down a little.
Noctis chuckled, then grew silent for a moment.
Then, he sighed and whispered, his voice suddenly low and somber.
Just four words, each carrying immeasurable weight:
"Never trust the gods."
Then, the sorcerer let go of Sunny, smiled one last time, and walked away.
Soon, he disappeared from sight.
And not too long after that, the Ivory Island trembled slightly as the last chain holding it in place broke apart.
Sunny gritted his teeth, then looked away and wiped his eyes.
His shoulders fell.
"Damn scoundrel… you tricked me again…"