Shadow Slave

Out there in the darkness, a vast balcony was built into the wall of the tower, reaching almost to the center of the gargantuan structure. On its surface, broken pillars of marble were overgrown by the everpresent streaks of crimson coral. They led to a circular dais, with a wide iron ring submerged into its stone surface.

Around the ring, a beautiful pattern of runes was shimmering with familiar light. They were just like those runes that every Awakened had seen countless times when communicating with the Spell.

But that wasn't the first reason why Sunny had noticed it. The most unusual thing about the dais was that unlike everything else inside of the Spire, it was utterly devoid of growths of crimson coral. The stone surface surrounding the ring was strangely clean and untouched by it.

Looking at the shimmering runes and the iron rings through his shadow, Sunny felt something move in his heart.

He was sure that this was the Gateway.

They were so close…

As he watched it, the whole Spire suddenly shuddered. Massive pieces of coral broke off and fell down, crashing into other branches down below. Suddenly, the darkness that surrounded the Dreamer Army became less impenetrable.

High above them, the radiant halo of light became several times more bright.

…Nephis had reached the Crimson Terror.

With a somber grimace, Sunny escaped from his reverie and dashed forward, slicing several golems as he went. The frightened Sleepers followed, entrusting their fates into his hands.

As more and more tremors ran through the ancient tower and several enormous pillars of coral completely collapsed, they ascended even higher and approached the vast balcony.

And then, finally, Sunny jumped down and landed on solid stone.

he cleared enough space for others to follow and watched several more people reach the balcony. One after another, the Sleepers jumped off the treacherous coral and joined him. Those who were

few seconds later, a tremendous piece of debris fell from above, pulverizing

pieces rained down, and then turned away with a

on! We're almost

cut through the mass of golems and escaped it. Running with all the speed they could manage, the crowd of young men and women approached the Gateway and froze, stunned

Hypnotized by it.

the hope that they had forgotten for

every day, hidden away

Their way home.

Salvation.

thought of ever being able to escape it became nothing more than a distant dream. Even when

that they saw it as a real thing, many did not know how

there to

jaws and move! Battle formation! Protect the rear! Wounded and non-combatants go first, everyone

Those who could still fight faced away from the Gateway and formed a defensive line, protecting the wounded with their bodies. Those who couldn't

was placed in the center of the Gateway. A moment later, the runes surrounding the ring flashed with shimmering light. The body of the Sleeper suddenly shone, too. The ghostly shine was dim at first, but then

light dissipated, much like a

all that loss, the

left by the disappearance, Sunny realized that he had forgotten

existed to describe the complicated, overwhelming conflagration of feelings burning in the chests of the survivors of

least Sunny had

the pursuing wave of golems crashed into the defensive line, and the next