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...'

if Sunny had essence to spare, he could not use the Strike of Thunder repeatedly. Like almost all Memories, it needed time to be summoned

would have had a solution... but, sadly, Sunny

Well, not quite.

of one of the civilian transports, Samara overcharged her powerful rifle, causing some of the circuitry inside of it to melt in a rain of sparks. The usual electric whine of the activating coil was devoured by the cacophony of thousands of beating wings, but the thunderous roar of

traveled toward the swarm at a tremendous speed, and then detonated with staggering violence. A huge explosion shook the

essence depletion, but the rest of the Irregulars were not remaining idle, either. The deluge of poisoned bullets and their Memories

hull was being cut open and peeled off, and blood was flowing down its sides. The soldier that had been operating the turret was nowhere to be seen, but another had already taken his place - only to scream a moment later when

down, the soldier gritted his teeth and drew his sidearm, discharging several mundane bullets into the creature's neck without

not

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

the rest of the convoy and lunging at the Rhino. For now, none of them had gotten past Saint, who brandished the Sin of Solace as he protected him. However, Sunny knew that he

was so

their time was

Sunny and his soldiers could not hold the Devouring Cloud back anymore. The convoy was already surrounded by the mass of Nightmare Creatures from

swallowed by the swarm of abominations. Its armor disintegrated as if made of paper, shredded into nothingness in a mere

'To hell with this!'

doing, his body moved forward. Dashing to the back of the Rhino, he flooded his muscles with essence... and

must have... gone

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