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!"

point of running, anyway?

were going to die, they might as well

said. She was somewhat full of shit, but also never

"Get ready, bastards!"

two men standing beside her. One of them was Caster, and the other one was Gemma. Who would have thought that one

past enemy was now extremely reassuring. However, even on his face, there were hints

person who could have stayed nonchalant in this situation was probably Doofus. That pale miscreant was either too crazy or too stupid…

or doing something too insane to be entrusted to anyone

wished herself

the approaching horde of monsters, Effie waited for a few

"First mark!"

who commanded the second line, and reached

hold off the monsters, changing places with the second once they grew tired.

charge. Nothing was more important than breaking the momentum of the attacking

voice of their resident idol gave 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 Nightmare Creatures. As

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

several monsters behind it. But the wave of horrors did not

body, Effie gritted her teeth, then

"Second mark!"

projectile weapons. Some used their Aspect Abilities, which allowed them to create all sorts of sorcerous attacks, like flying blades made of wind, fire, and ice. Some could even create bombs filled with soul essence, which detonated in the midst of advancing horrors and ripped