Shadow Slave

As the convoy desperately drove toward the distant entrance of an old tunnel, the Devouring Cloud finally reached the gorge. The sky disappeared, blotted out by a slithering mass of the winged abominations, and submerged the world into impenetrable darkness. Even the dim glint of the shimmering stars was extinguished.

The swarm flowed down the slopes of the mountains like a tidal wave.

Penetrating the armored frame of the Rhino, a deafening rustle of countless beating wings assaulted Sunny's ears. He grimaced, glanced at the screens one last time, and dashed back to the roof hatch. Once he climbed outside, the noise grew many times more violent, making it seem as though a hurricane was raging around him.

The mass of Nightmare Creatures was seconds from swallowing the rearmost vehicles of the convoy. The overheated barrels of the turrets continued to discharge a barrage of bullets into the rushing wave of abominations, long tongues of flame blooming from their glowing muzzles. At that point, the soldiers did not even have to aim to hit the enemy... however, all their efforts were in vain.

Sunny would have needed thousands of soldiers and hundreds of heavy artillery vehicles to put a dent into the swarm of abhorrent abominations.

But he just needed to buy a little time...

"Saint!"

Following his mental command, the Shadow turned and threw Morgan's Warbow in his direction. Catching it, Sunny took a moment to balance himself on theswaying roof, and then drew the string with furious determination.

All four of his shadows flowed forward from his fingers.

A bolt of lightning streaked through the air, striking one of the Brood beasts. The creature's body disintegrated in a blinding flash, and then, dancing arcs of electricity spread through the swarm, stretching in all directions for dozens of meters. For a moment, the whole world was illuminated by a stark radiance.

...That bought the convoy a few more seconds, at most.

'Not enough...'

Strike of Thunder repeatedly. Like almost all Memories, it needed time to be summoned and dismissed. Although the whole process took no more than a dozen of seconds, right now, that was enough of a delay to

had a solution... but, sadly, Sunny was

Well, not quite.

in a rain of sparks. The usual electric whine of the

brilliant particle of light traveled toward the swarm at a tremendous speed, and then detonated with staggering violence. A huge explosion shook the ground, swallowing a whole swath of

mouthful of blood, showing signs of severe essence depletion, but the rest of the Irregulars were not remaining idle, either. The deluge of poisoned bullets and their Memories were doing

sides. The soldier that had been operating the turret was nowhere to be seen, but another had already taken his place - only

down, the soldier gritted his teeth and drew his sidearm, discharging several mundane bullets into the

did not see the

itself back into existence, and the shadows had just returned, so he sent the caged lightning into the swarm once

abominations were ignoring the rest of the convoy and lunging at the Rhino. For now, none of them had gotten past Saint, who brandished

was so

yet, their time was

and his soldiers could not hold the Devouring Cloud back anymore. The convoy was already

rear vehicle was swallowed by the swarm of abominations. Its

'To hell with this!'

Sunny knew what he was doing, his body moved forward. Dashing to the back of the Rhino, he flooded

must have...

of the Undying Chain. On his belt, a attractive lantern cut of black stone suddenly opened, letting out a surge of darkness. Wreathed in that darkness, he plummeted down and landed