Shadow Slave

With his back to the stone surface of the ancient statue, Sunny stared as the two tribes of Nightmare Creatures clashed in a cacophony of eerie roars and rustling noises.

Discovering a new target, swarming locusts swiftly fell from the skies and cut into the horde of the Blood Flower hosts, devouring scores of unfortunate primates in mere moments. Torn and eviscerated by the sharp mandibles, their flesh seemed to almost melt in the terrible maws of the flying abominations.

However, the massive beasts were not entirely defenseless. Any locust that lingered for a fraction of a second more than it should have was immediately grabbed and torn to pieces by the powerful primates, its black blood falling like dew on the petals of the crimson flowers that grew from their rotting bodies.

Some hosts even jumped off the colossus to grab onto diving reavers and tumble together to the distant ground.

In just a few seconds, the surface of the ancient giant and the air around him was consumed by utter chaos.

Indifferent to everything, the colossus steadily marched south.

'...Come to your senses!'

Shaking off his astonishment, Sunny swiftly finished off the primate that he had staggered a second before and pushed the heavy creature from the narrow path.

Despite the fact that their enemies were now fighting each other, the pressure on the cohort did not decrease. In fact, it only grew heavier.

Cursing under his breath, Sunny threw the Midnight Shard at another lunging monster, turned his back to the enemies, and jumped. Grabbing onto a crack in the ancient stone, he pulled his body up and nimbly scaled the neck of the ancient statue.

For several seconds that seemed to last an eternity, Sunny was completely defenseless against the potential attacks by the monstrous locusts. However, to his luck, Nephis had chosen that exact moment to unleash her flames on the other side of the statue. A blinding flash of white drowned the skies for a second, confusing the reavers and buying him enough time to reach the stone platform.

Climbing over its edge, Sunny rolled away and sprawled on the cold stone, trying to catch his breath.

His body was in agony. The Blood Weave might have destroyed the flower growing in his lungs, but the damage was already done. Sunny had trouble breathing and felt bloody foam bubbling on his lips. Every time he inhaled, a sharp pain pierced his entire being.

'Not… not too terrible...'

Although troublesome, these wounds were not going to kill him. Sleepers healed better and faster than mundane humans, and Sunny in particular was also transformed by the drop of Weaver's ichor, making him much tougher and harder to kill than most.

of like a

long as Sunny had adrenaline numbing it to some degree,

it would be

moan, Sunny picked himself up from the

were slowly turning

using his morbid Ascended Memory. Judging by how pale his face was, he had already missed a few

that slowed the attacking locusts down, but her face and hands were covered in blood. It seemed that even the powerful enchantment of her armor and the ardent protection of the Quiet Dancer were not enough to

the flying abominations in melee, having only a fraction of a second to react every time they attacked her. Blood was streaming down her legs, her white chiton torn and soaked with it.

dark with exhaustion. Maintaining his incredible speed was taxing on both the mind and the body,

it, which only enhanced her dark and menacing visage.

who was in the

'Curses!'

to the platform, the abominable primates were about to follow him, forcing the cohort to defend itself from

have Blood Weave to protect them from the

bad, this

Sunny was thinking that thought, a bloodied hand suddenly appeared from the other side of the platform. A

to shine with a soft glow, as though there was

guess, was responsible for annihilating

verge of melting, but still

any attention to the members of the cohort, Nephis

'What is she…'

was distracted by the sight of an ugly primate head rising above the edge of the circular platform. Cursing, he grabbed a jagged piece of chitin laying nearby and shoved

from the sky. Batting the Quiet Dancer

could react, its mandibles

the hard wood of the enchanted staff. The blind girl had

to throw her far back, nevertheless. Breaking the improvised barrier with her back, Cassie screamed… and slipped from the platform, plummeting down like

'No!'

Sea, and

sound of a bow clattering on the stone reached his ears, Sunny saw Kai diving down from the neck of the colossus. Flying with incredible speed,