Shadow Slave

A sea of white flame was spreading across the devastated underground level, hungrily devouring everything it could touch. Darkness, the red glare of the emergency lamps, and the searing white radiance mixed together, creating a hectic atmosphere of chaos and mayhem. Dust and smoke suffused the scorching air.

Soon, the fire suppression systems came online, drowning the burning corridors in water and film-forming foam. The flames slowed down, but did not retreat. Instead, clouds of boiling steam flooded the underground level, reducing the already abysmal visibility even further.

The alarms continued to scream, summoning the security forces of the Academy to the site of the explosion.

And at the center of it all…

A radiant figure slowly rose from the white flames, wreathed in blinding light. The flame ghost — or whatever the being was — seemed beautiful and pure, as if untouched by the imperfections of the world. It possessed the graceful silhouette of a slender young woman, but also seemed… completely, utterly inhuman.

As fire swirled around the figure without causing it any harm, the radiant creature slowly looked around, as if disoriented. Then, it took an unsteady step forward.

At that point, more of the automated systems of the hospital complex finally activated. A cracked alloy plate shot down from the ceiling, and a compact security turret deployed itself from a hidden nest.

Despite the low visibility and the damaged status of many of the cameras and sensors installed in the ravaged room, it received enough telemetry to identify the presence of a dangerous and unidentified being. It only took the turret a split second to take aim.

The radiant figure sharply turned its head a stared at the twin barrels, confused.

A moment later, the turret roared, spitting a stream of hundreds of high-caliber rounds at the intruder. Each was powerful enough to pierce an armored vehicle clean through.

None of them managed to wound the fire-wreathed apparition, however.

The white flames suddenly surged, wrapping around the radiant being like an armor. The tungsten bullets fruitlessly ricochetted off the creature's naked skin, melting as they hit the walls. The being swayed, and then threw a hand up.

In the next moment, a sliver of fire separated from the blaze, streaked through the air, and hit the turret. Another explosion rattled the complex. The turret was obliterated in an instant, and the section of the ceiling around it completely disappeared, revealing the torn lattice of reinforced alloy above.

Different security measures were already deploying, however.

More importantly, the Awakened charged with defending the hospital had already arrived.

Two teams of experienced warriors appeared from both sides of the level, closing in on the epicenter of the explosion with speed. Every member was clad in heavily enchanted armor and wielded powerful Memory weapons.

Before the radiant figure could react, a silver javelin hit it in the back, biting deep before melting and disintegrating in a rain of sparks. A warrior in polished plate armor appeared nearby, delivering a crushing downward blow of his battle axe.

It did not matter.

A moment after the silver javelin disappeared, the deep wound on the creature's back closed itself. Instead of being cut by the enchanted battleaxe, it simply raised a hand and blocked the crescent blade with its forearm.

The sharp edge failed to break the being's skin.

Behind the visor of the helmet, the Awakened warrior who wielded the axe paled.

of the creature's radiant face, and felt the

moved, grabbing the man by the throat. The steel of his powerful Memory armor melted, and the flesh beneath it blackened. The warrior screamed. Before he was dealt a mortal wound, however, the creature shifted

were thirteen Awakened left to deal with the invader, each an experienced, well-equipped combatant and a master of

the flame apparition was just too

of powerful Memories and devastating Aspect Abilities could slow it down,

the Awakened managed was to cover each other and save their wounded comrades from being killed by

they were going to start

worse, the whole battle only took a dozen seconds. That was not

Awakened thought, before a

***

coughed, feeling terrible heat, smoke, and scalding steam assault him. He had used Shadow Step to jump to

Memories finished manifesting themselves, he tried to take in the

'Gods…'

series of explosions had rolled through this hallway, cracking the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. There were fires burning all around, despite the streams of water and foam

…White. White fire.

Awakened security team and the radiant figure rampaging between

looks of it, the officers were not going

Retreat! I'll handle

[Sonorous] enchantment of the Extraordinary Rock, his voice boomed in the scorching, fire-infused darkness. Not daring to disobey the authority in his order, the Awakened did not

same time, Sunny dashed

heart was beating like

'Can't be… can't…'

there was not a lot of oxygen left in

his will, the shadows suddenly moved and rose from the ground. Instead of touching the incandescent flesh of the radiant being and turning to ash, they swiftly formed a sphere around

durable enough to

of the shadow cage, which then exploded

Sunny's eyes widened.

That was an

the Shadow Lantern to devour all the light around and

a moment,

a white silhouette became visible again, surrounded by a blinding glow. That glow pushed against the darkness, on the

Sunny was already near

attack

But he did not.

allowed it to grab his forearm, instead. A terrible pressure and heat descended on his arm,

he still did

his helmet and looked