Shadow Slave

Sunny and Nephis looked at each other, the air practically crackling with tension at the point where their gazes met.

The white flame seeping from Changing Star's wounds suddenly flashed in a furious outburst, closing some of her wounds and making others seem less severe. After that, however, it grew weak and disappeared, retreating back into the furnace of her soul. As a pained grimace contorted the young woman's face, a dim radiance then slowly shined from beneath her ivory skin.

At the same time, the shadow flowed up and wrapped itself around Sunny's body, making it brim with power and vitality. He inhaled deeply and slightly moved, shifting his weight from one leg to another.

'How… how can it end…'

Before the thought could fully form, Sunny ruthlessly destroyed it and banished it from his mind.

This was the last obstacle on his way back to the real world… and the most deadly. Sunny had fought many terrible creatures in the cursed hell of the Forgotten Shore, but none of them were as fearsome and dangerous as Changing Star. This was going to be his hardest battle yet.

To win it, he had to be absolutely clear, absolutely focused. He couldn't allow himself to feel anything, be distracted by anything.

No doubt, no fear. No regret, no compassion.

Only determination. Only resolve.

Only murderous will to prevail.

As dust particles shined in the beams of white light that fell through the broken roof of the ancient chamber… as stark shadows swelled with dark anticipation… Nephis brought the pommel of her sword to her shoulder.

White flames ignited in her eyes.

And then, suddenly, she lunged forward.

'Fast!'

But not fast enough to not give Sunny enough time to react. Raising the Midnight Shard, he dashed forward to block her furious assault… and shuddered, the force of the impact sending a shock through his entire body.

as though his sword had

separated. Almost immediately, the silver longsword lashed out again, appearing from an unexpected direction…. and then again, and

reeled slightly after each strike. It

how is she that

so strong? How was she so fast?

It didn't make sense.

by the augmentation

was more like a Nightmare Creature than a human; her movements were fast as lightning, her

should have been that powerful.

somehow,

'Impossible, impossible…'

momentary opening in his enemy's defense. However, he was met by the ruthless flash

is very

the augmentation of the white flame was much more powerful than that of his shadow, or something else was at play. However, Sunny didn't think that the radiance emanating from Neph's skin was stronger than his own physical enhancement. From what he had observed during her battle against Gunlaug, it was roughly the same or only

much stronger

But how?

with the annihilating, incandescent light. If it was, the Midnight Shard might

in again. Changing Star's sword shot forward, missing Sunny's face by a few millimeters…

right,

sword away, preventing Nephis from slicing his neck with a reverse cut, and leaned forward

weapon down, forcing him to block from a

'Curse it!'

speed and possessed ferocious strength, both were skilled and experienced, forged into formidable killers by hundreds

was darkness and shadows, while the other was radiance and

fight was as much about strategy and

as a fighter, one had to

might have been unnaturally fast and strong, but what really made her devastatingly deadly was her own battle