Shadow Slave

Suddenly, the whole of the valley seemed to be moving. The ground shook and seethed, and slowly, green and brown vines started rising from beneath it like vile snakes.

The hulking Sailor Dolls that were about to descend upon the Fire Keepers froze, as if consumed by fear. Then, they turned around and stumbled away. Some simply crumbled into piles of debris, pretending to be dead.

Even these Fallen Beasts were terrified of the being that dwelled in the heart of the ancient wreck.

Cassie and her cohort, however, remained unperturbed. Moving with swift determination, they made their preparations. Just a moment after the blind oracle thrust her rapier into the ground, the Fire Keepers had strips of cloth wrapped around their mouths and noses. The corpses of the slain Sailor Dolls were dragged to form a circle around them and set aflame.

Soon, the cohort was surrounded by a ring of tall bonfires, the eight Awakened bathed in the waves of heat. They stood back to back, their weapons drawn and their faces full of grim resolve. Only Shakti was on one knee, her hand pressed to the ground. After a moment, she screamed something.

…Sunny was still observing from the shadows, his emotions in turmoil. Although he would no go so far as to call these young people friends, he had grown somewhat attached to them after going through the ordeal of the civil war in the Bright Castle and traveling together. These Fire Keepers were a likable sort.

He didn't want to watch them die while doing nothing.

But that was his role in this fight… he had to remain safely hidden until the Corrupted Monster's attention was fully concentrated on Cassie's cohort, and then deliver one decisive strike, ending it all.

That time had not come yet.

discontent,

a stem of a

as a man's arm, and there were black thorns

sliced at it with her sword, but the sharp blade just bounced off of the vine without leaving even a scratch on its surface. Two others simply fell on it, pressing the thing down with their shields. That gave enough time for the young man whose Aspect allowed him

man. Luckily, he knew to hold his breath and immediately jumped back. Cassie, who had sheathed her rapier and was now holding a familiar

is an

Fire Keepers seemed to be equipped rather well, and several of them wielded weapons above

another vine appeared from the flames, its stem singed and damaged, a familiar shape suddenly weaved itself from sparks of light just beyond

creatures during

moment later, the mantis dashed away with incredible speed, avoiding being entangled and shredded

several more appeared from beneath the ground inside it. With each moment that passed, the size of the vines attacking the Fire Keepers was bound to increase, too. The further from the wreck, the thinner

was as though the

he was either going to succeed and end the whole battle, preventing the Fire Keepers from perishing in the flood of vines… or they were all going to

moment of truth was

were damaged by the fire enough for their weapons to become effective, and concentrated the efforts of several members on those which did not. But no

on the verge of being broken, and their actions, perfectly coordinated at first, were slowly turning desperate and hectic. Despite its terrifying speed, the Echo of the