Shadow Slave

It was getting late, and darkness crawled into the stone room, drowning its corners in shadows. Cassie sat motionlessly, the graceful lines of her beautiful face contorted by a deep scowl. Then, a heavy sigh escaped from her lips.

"It started soon after I entered the Nightmare, but no one paid it much attention at first. There were just strange rumors that reached the temple, resembling scary stories that people like to tell each other when the sun is gone and darkness envelops the world. Rumors of a pleasant voice that came from the fog."

She gritted her teeth for a moment.

"Perhaps if my lady's affliction was not as severe, we could have done something then. After all, in this world, scary stories often come true. And this one was more ominous than the rest, because it had to do with the fog. The Night Temple stands at the boundary of the Hollow Mountains, after all… and of the mist that shrouds them. But she was distant and uncaring, and so, we have grown aloof, too."

Cassie somberly shook her head, then continued, her low, deep voice enveloping the room and her three listeners:

"As time went by, the rumors started to change. They grew more menacing and dire, telling tales of people who listened to the fog and disappeared without a trace. At that point, the Eyeless grew concerned, suspecting that a corrupted creature had found its way into their land. Many of them possessed a high affinity to revelation, after all, and they could feel it... unease, threat, danger. So, a priestess was sent to investigate, escorted by a squad of experienced Awakened soldiers. And at the same time, it was decided that a divination will be performed."

She lingered for a moment.

"The divination showed no result, and the priestess… she failed to return with useful clues. In fact, she did not return at all. She and her escort disappeared without a trace, as though they had never existed. Just like the people from the rumors… only, by then, no one thought of them as mere rumors anymore."

then said in an even

warriors, Ascended champions, the Eyeless… everyone was determined

Cassie's face darkened.

First one or two at a time, then scores of them, and then, one day… we found a whole village that stood empty, not a sign of its inhabitants in sight. Everyone there — every man, woman,

for a few moments, then

could attack a settlement far to the west one day, and then suddenly take someone far to the east the next. It was almost as if it could be in

woman

I found out… found out very soon. Because that was when I met him again. And as soon as I did, I realized that what we thought of as

Cassie gritted her teeth.

to form the encirclement, most of the northern reach remained unprotected. And so, left without defenders, one of the towns was taken by

deep scowl appeared on Sunny's face. He leaned forward, piercing her with an intense

engaged in a battle with the forces of the

lingered for a while, then said with a hint

soul cores anymore. But, instead, there were five strange creatures helping him — like the lesser versions of the one you had killed on the Reckoning island. While we fought the prince himself, the five creatures attacked the town that we had left unprotected, slaughtering

Sunny leaned back, stunned.

"...What?"