Shadow Slave

In the depths of the night, Sunny was finally done with the arduous task of clearing the floor of the ruined library. Tiredly standing in the center of the circular hall, he found himself in the middle of a vast mural.

The mosaic had endured the passage of time in an almost pristine condition. Most of it was preserved perfectly, with only a few small sections destroyed by corrosion or the ill will of the creature that inhabited the Crimson Spire.

By now, Sunny was certain that it was the Terror of the Forgotten Shore that had obliterated any depictions of the seven heroes' faces. He didn't know how it was possible, but felt that the same furious force that had decapitated the ancient statues was responsible for the damage done to the engravings in the ancient mine and to this mural.

It was as though the Terror wanted to erase any sign of the founders of the Starlight Legion from history. Their names were forgotten, every person that had known of their stories turned into dust, and even the stones that bore their image were desecrated and shattered.

How great the resentment that the evil creature harbored toward them must have been, for it to go to such lengths in its mad desire to obliterate their legacy?

With a sigh, Sunny turned slightly and walked to the edge of the mural. He was searching for the start of it story.

Depicted on the mural was not one image, but a long series of them, spiraling from the edges of the mosaic to its center like a long scroll. On them, the history of the land consumed by darkness was shown, ending with the coming of a new dawn.

Sunny already knew what events had brought the curse of all-consuming darkness to the Forgotten Shore and how the ancient inhabitants of this land fought against all odds to resist it.

Now, he was going to learn the final mystery — the reason for their eventual downfall.

Finding the first image, he studied it and lingered for a bit. Then, he walked on, watching the history unfurl itself beneath his feet.

after another, mighty champions

into monsters. It was impossible to face the terrifying foes hiding in the darkness when no one was

Months passed, then years. And eventually, a new generation grew up in

an oath

bring back. All they knew of it were the tales their elders had told

into a far more fearsome force than their parents had ever been. Hard times created hard people, and

created adapted to match

the rest, each leading their faction in the constant battle against the encroaching

that showed all seven of them…

a knight in an intricate plate armor forged of white metal, with a stalwart blade

robe, her delicate

cuirass leaning

a mason's

resting on his head, a single gem decorating its

subtle and merciless slayer with a ghostly stiletto hidden

armor and never showed his face, with

looked at the seven heroes,

Lord, Stranger, Slayer, Builder, and Priestess. Midnight Shard, Zenith Shard, Dawn Shard,