Shadow Slave

On the outskirts of the Crimson Spire, there were no more passages and tunnels in the coral. It was just a solid red mass, an unbroken surface of the strange living substance that had devoured the Forgotten Shore thousands of years ago.

Currently, Effie was standing on that surface.

Several hundred people were standing beside her, staring at the approaching wave of Nightmare Creatures with horror and shock. All of them knew what was going to happen once they reached the Spire, but even then, the sight of it was terrifying.

She was at the center of the front row of these frightened people, supposedly in command of them. With her tall stature and lean, powerful figure, Effie stood out among the rest of the Sleepers. Her archaic armor glistened in the light of the rising sun, and on her shouldered, there was a flowing white cloak weaved from starlight.

She held Zenith in one hand and Dusk in the other.

Effie seemed like a bastion of strength and resolve in the sea of fear. A mythical hero that had stepped into the mortal realm from an ancient legend.

…But really, she was scared shitless.

Looking at the rolling horde of abominable horrors with a grim expression, the huntress lowered her head a little and summoned the helm of her armor, which was crowned with a tall crest of blue horsehair, and thought:

'Fuck me sideways… fuck, fuck, fuck!'

All around her, people were trembling. Some fool dropped his weapon and took a few steps back, as if considering running away. Even though she was currently seriously thinking of doing the same, Effie snarled and bellowed:

"Stand your ground, wretches! If anyone runs, I'll kill you myself!"

running, anyway? There was nowhere

they might as well

had said. She was somewhat full

"Get ready, bastards!"

them was Caster, and the other one was Gemma. Who would have

the presence of her past enemy was now extremely reassuring. However, even on

who could have stayed nonchalant in this situation was probably Doofus. That pale miscreant was either too crazy or too stupid… or both… to be scared of anything. But he was currently nowhere to be seen. Effie sort of missed the

someplace dark or doing something too insane to be entrusted

herself

the approaching horde of monsters, Effie waited for a few seconds, and then

"First mark!"

the second line, and

monsters, changing places with the second once they grew tired. Meanwhile, the third

they had to withstand the initial charge. Nothing was more important than breaking the momentum of the

command to fire the siege engines. These monstrous machines were constructed by the Artisans and were supposed to be able to pierce the armor of the most heavily protected

long, flew above their heads with incredible speed. They streaked through the air and collided with the front of

saw one of them behead a giant crab-like creature, the other pierce right through a bloodred mantis and skewer several

a shiver run through her body, Effie gritted

"Second mark!"

projectiles mixed in with the arrows. Some Sleepers used slings, crossbows, or more exotic projectile weapons. Some used their Aspect Abilities, which allowed them to create all sorts of sorcerous attacks, like flying blades made of wind, fire,