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? There was nowhere to

were going to die, they

had said. She was somewhat full

"Get ready, bastards!"

spear, Effie cast a sideways glance at the two men standing beside her. One of them was Caster, and the other one was Gemma. Who would have thought that one day she and the leader

was now extremely reassuring. However, even on his face,

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

or doing something too insane to be entrusted to

herself

monsters, Effie waited for a

"First mark!"

shout was repeated by Seishan, who commanded the second line, and reached Night somewhere in the

places with the second once they grew tired. Meanwhile,

was more important than

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 long as they

and a fraction of a second later, six heavy metal spears, each at least two meters long, flew above their heads with incredible speed. They streaked through the air and collided

behead a giant crab-like creature, the other pierce right through a bloodred mantis and skewer several monsters behind it. But the wave of horrors did not slow down one bit. There

shiver run through her body, Effie gritted

"Second mark!"

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, and ice. Some could even create bombs filled with soul essence, which detonated in the midst