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 already

he was

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

kind of

pass the place where the Guards had been killed to reach their destionation. Soon, the smell of blood hit their nostrils, making Aiko

person. Sunny frowned slightly, while Aiko

"Gods… poor bastards…"

not say anything, looking around with a dark expression. He was hoping to notice something that his shadow had missed to

anyone except for the three

we please leave? This crap doesn't seem to bother you, but I… I mean, Stev seems to be really scared.

hesitated for a little,

of blood. The shadow had not noticed it earlier because there was nothing to shine on the small object and

piece of metal, then brought it close

shape of a flower blossom. It

is that thing doing

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

get out

***

they returned to the barricades creating the border of Changing Star's territory. The Sleepers standing watch were surprised to see Sunny come back with two strangers, but let them in without asking any

Aiko raised an eyebrow.

to inspect us?

each other, and then

would. But it's

young

very high regard

then

that. It's just that starting a conversation with him

at him with an

supposed

watchman hurriedly shook

I need to inspect

made a

scam him out of his boots

away and led the two newcomers deeper into the stronghold, searching