Shadow Slave

'Damnation!'

Before the first wood wraith could even fully form, Saint was already upon it. The blade of the Midnight Shard flashed through the air… and bit into the body of the creature with the dull sound of an axe striking the bark of a tree.

The effect was somewhat the same: although she managed to do some damage, the wraith simply ignored the shallow cut and lurched forward, towering above the graceful stone knight with destructive menace. Its hands fell down with crushing force, the wooden blades aimed at Saint's helmet.

…Wood couldn't cut stone. Right?

The Shadow seemed reluctant to check. She easily sidestepped the creature's attack and thrust upward, driving the tip of the Midnight Shard into the enemy's neck. Augmented by one of Sunny's shadows, the sword went deep into the adamantine wood.

A moment later, the second shadow wrapped itself around the body of the taciturn demon, causing her skin to shine with dark radiance. The coral gem of the Broken Oath glowed brightly on her black breastplate.

Saint twisted her blade and pushed it sideways, causing half of the wood wraith's neck to explode into a rain of splinters. The creature staggered and lashed out with another strike, but it was too late — the Shadow calmly shifted her weight from one leg to another and delivered a devastating slash, beheading her enemy.

As the wraith fell apart and turned back into a pile of debris, she looked at it indifferently, and then hit the dull side of the Midnight Shard's blade against her shoulder twice.

The voice of the Spell whispered:

[You have slain a Fallen Beast, Sailor Doll.]

[Your shadow grows stronger.]

Sunny gritted his teeth.

'Crap!'

Augmented by two shadows, Saint had defeated one of these Dolls without too much problem.

from the ground. Sunny counted at least several

'What should I do?'

of Fallen Beasts was clearly suicide. He could either retreat, or order Saint to draw their attention away and

then use Shadow Step to

Decisions, decisions…

for a few minutes,

the taciturn demon, Sunny sighed and dashed

"Have fun, you three!"

him, then silently turned away and raised the Midnight

shadow to shadow, something crashed thunderously

slain

not too

the shadow and wielding a powerful

him. Without slowing down, he dove under the blade of another wood wraith, then lashed out with the Cruel Sight. The silver blade of the sword cut through the body of the abomination, leaving a deep gash on

air. A split second later, however, the hilt of the somber weapon extended, turning it into a long spear. The silver blade pierced the

was damaged. It staggered and took a step forward, driving the spear deeper into its flesh. Sunny tilted his head, then dissolved into shadows and appeared behind the creature. A moment later, the Moonlight Shard

slain a Fallen Beast,

[Your shadow grows stronger.]

Sunny retrieved his weapons.

[You have slain…]

Saint was busy, too.

he saw that she was close to being

'Not good…'

wasting any more time, Sunny turned away and continued moving

***

later, Sunny reached the broken ship, dove into one of the breaches in its hull, and hid in the shadows.

quickly checked on the taciturn demon in the Soul Sea. The Shadow had received several wounds in the fight against the swarm of wraiths, but none of them was too serious. She was going to have to spend some time restoring herself in the nurturing black