Shadow Slave

Raising his hand, Sunny gave Aiko and Stev a signal to remain quiet. Then, with a frown, he commanded the shadow to abandon its hiding spot and find the Guards.

'They can't be near us… I would have heard them.'

Then where did the bastards go?

Soon, he had his answer.

The three Guards were in the corridor a hundred or so steps from Sunny's current position, just behind a corner. In a place where they shouldn't have been, since it was way off their previous route.

They were also dead.

Two had their skulls smashed in. Sunny did not know what weapon, tool, or limb was used to kill them, because their Memory armors had already disappeared. It had to have been something capable of piercing through steel, though, because the Guards had been wearing helmets the last time he saw them.

The third was even worse. His throat was torn, seemingly with terribly sharp fangs… to such degree that the young man's head was almost separated from his body. One would expect a sea of blood to come out of such a terrible wound, but in fact, there was surprisingly little of it on the floor.

However, the corpse of the Guard was unnaturally pale, as if devoid of blood completely.

'Curses…'

Sunny felt a cold shiver run through his body.

The shadow cautiously looked around, but didn't notice anyone else present on the scene of the gruesome slaughter.

Aiko and Stev were staring at Sunny with alarmed expressions. After waiting for several minutes, he finally relaxed a little and motioned for them to follow.

"What happened?"

He hesitated for a few seconds, then said in an even tone:

"The Blood Lord has just been here."

Their eyes widened.

"That fiend?! Then why aren't we running?!"

Sunny glanced at them with a calm expression.

worry, it's

he was

that managed to get past his shadow and slaughter them just a hundred steps away without making enough noise to attract his attention…

of an

three of them had to pass the place where the Guards had been killed to reach

even more gruesome in person. Sunny frowned slightly, while Aiko and Stev

"Gods… poor bastards…"

around with a dark expression. He was hoping to notice something that his shadow had missed

except for the three Guards had been in this corridor in

I mean, Stev seems to be really scared. Just

for a little,

noticed something glint in the pool of blood. The shadow had not noticed it earlier because there was nothing to shine on the small object and make it reflect the

piece of metal, then brought it close

fingers was an intricate silver earring in the shape of a flower blossom. It wasn't a charm Memory, though… just a simple piece

is that thing doing

confused scowl, he lingered for a few moments and then stood up,

get out of

***

creating the border of Changing Star's territory. The Sleepers standing watch were surprised to see

Aiko raised an eyebrow.

going to inspect us? What if

each other, and then

would. But it's

petite young

he in very high

gave a strange look, then coughed with a bit of

that. It's just that starting a conversation with him is, uh… well, you know.

stared at him with an offended

that supposed

hurriedly shook

Uh, I need to inspect the barricade. If

that, he made a hasty

him out of his boots or

head in bewilderment, Sunny turned away and led the two newcomers deeper into the stronghold,