Shadow Slave

Sunny staggered back, stunned by the sudden appearance of Saint Tyris. A tense, dangerous silence settled over the island after she spoke, with only the wailing of the wind breaking it.

Snow danced in the air, slowly settling onto the cold ground.

His heart was beating like a caged animal.

'Where did she come from… what is going on, damn it?'

Cormac scowled and looked at the slender woman with a dark expression on his stern, weathered face. The Saint did not seem amused by the sudden appearance of the leader of the White Feather clan.

"Sky Tide… stay out of this."

Saint Tyris didn't move, still shielding Sunny and Cassie with her slender body. The wind picked up, and the clouds seemed to become heavier, as if expressing her suppressed emotions.

…Only, as Sunny realized, they weren't suppressed at all. Sky Tide just didn't show them on her face. Instead, the world itself did it for her.

"I think not."

Cormac winced, resentful sparks appearing in his eyes.

"You don't know what you are interfering with, Tyris. Get out of my way. This is not your business."

She shifted slightly, the howling of wind growing louder. The violet flowers bent, pressed down to the ground.

"...This is my land. These Awakened are of my Citadel. Anything that happens here, and to them, is my business."

The other Saint sighed, then took a step forward.

"The entire garrison of the Night Temple was wiped out. These two are the only witnesses. Are sure that you want to make their fate your burden?"

Sky Tide frowned, then spoke, her voice even:

"If that is true, we can question them together, back in the Sanctuary."

Cormac smiled darkly, then shook his head.

"I'm afraid that won't be convenient. You might not know my task here, Tyris, but you know who gave it to me. Obstructing me in this matter is the same as obstructing the will of Valor… you wouldn't want to do that, would you?"

A corner of Sky Tide's mouth suddenly twisted upward. She stared at the fearsome Saint, and said, a hint of mocking in her voice:

"What is he going to do? How is he going to punish me? Exile my clan to a remote frontier region, maybe? Oh… wait…"

She took a step forward, as well, her tone changing, becoming darker and heavier. The clouds swallowed the sun, submerging the world into shadows.

vassal of the King… not his servant. Six years ago, I looked the other way and allowed your odious scheme to happen. I have regretted

deafening thunderclap resounded, rolling across

at her, unimpressed. An expression of contempt appeared in the depths of his cold, dangerous eyes. The Saint moved his shoulders, as

tiresome, Tyris. Warn me? What gives you the courage to warn… me? You say that I have forgotten, but it is you who doesn't seem to remember. Who I am.

intent growing thicker and more

stand down, or I will put you down. Either way, the

her shoulder at Sunny and Cassie. Her

two of you

suddenly dry. He opened it, trying to force out

"But… but what about…"

who was approaching with steady steps. Her hair danced

won't survive the fury of

a split second, then grabbed Cassie and ran. They dashed away from the two Saints, heading for the distant edge of the island. He didn't know what a fight between Transcendents would look like, but had no doubt that mere mortals like the two of them had no place

world has gone

the air. A violent shockwave

shifting, as if a powerful earthquake was happening mere meters away. Sunny struggled to rise back to his feet, then helped Cassie do the same and continued to run. Shards of stone flew past

them, two vast shadows

devastating talons forged out of lustrous, polished steel. Her enormous wings were wreathed in thunderclouds, and bolts

iron chains. The head of the creature was crowned with twisting horns, and in his

and Cormac flew into the skies, soon disappearing in the veil of storm clouds. A terrifying roar rolled across the island, and then, another shockwave

from above, falling on the

'Gods… oh, gods…'

could only run. From time to time, a violent tremor threw them to the ground. The hurricane wind threw snow and sharp bits of ice into their faces, and their ears were ringing from the

to the edge of the island, ready to jump onto the chain, when there was a sudden

then, two shadows fell down from the skies, so fast that Sunny couldn't

that its surface swayed like water. The shockwave of the impact was so fierce that it instantly obliterated the field of flowers, blew away the top layers of the soil, and

to both ends of the isle, cutting

darkness as more and more cracks appeared, and the tension of the heavenly

once again, this time even more violently than before. Only this time, instead of soil or stone,

himself falling down, down, down.

was grab Cassie and hold her close, making

mangled, and weak, they plummeted into the

stones. The seven bells rang mournfully as

colliding with their slopes with enough force to make the ancient slope shatter and create a momentary hole in

still closed, so he didn't

the two

and fell, happy to be getting further and further away from that clash with each

the sounds of the fighting disappeared far

destruction disappeared, too, as well as the last

falling through absolute darkness in complete silence and solitude,