Shadow Slave

The dark skies were shrouded by a veil of slowly falling ash. Far below the mountain pass, illuminated by foreboding red glow, a vast metropolis lay in ruins. The shattered buildings were drowning in rivers of lava, and a terrible conflagration was raging across the devastated land, devouring what little was left of the once-thriving city.

Above the scene of devastation, the dark shape of Mount Erebus was wreathed in smoke. A flood of molten rock was flowing down its slopes, glowing through the haze. The walls of the city were breached, and uncountable hordes of Nightmare Creatures were prowling in the ruins, some bathing in the flames, some avoiding it.

...Looking down with a dead expression on his pale, tired face, Sunny found himself momentarily unable to feel anything.

'Doesn't make any sense...'

Erebus Field was... had been one of the most prominent cities in Antarctica. Famous for its geothermal energy farms, fertile soil, and warmth, it had been home to tens of millions of people even before becoming an evacuation center.

The local government branch had been supposed to have the volcano well under control. Even if all the safety systems they had in place were to suffer a cataclysmic failure, the city had possessed formidable fortifications long before being converted into a siege capital. With those in place and a whole division of the First Army working on reinforcing the defensive infrastructure, as well as the presence of hundreds of Awakened and more than a few Masters, Erebus Field simply could not succumb to something as mundane as a volcanic eruption.

'How did this happen?'

Sunny had been supposed to guide the convoy to this stronghold, deliver the refugees to the authorities, rendezvous with Davis and his cohort of Irregulars, and then resume acting in his usual capacity as the captain of a fast-response combat unit.

Instead, the city was gone, Davis and his people were nowhere to be found, and the responsibility of caring for the convoy of defenseless civilians was still pressing heavily on his shoulders. If anything, that weight had only become more burdensome.

He was at his wit's end.

With a sigh, Sunny rubbed his face, and then sat down on a nearby boulder. His eyes were still glued to the horrible scene below. He was simply unable to look away.

The members of the cohort stood awkwardly around him, keeping silent. Sunny remembered that he was meant to be projecting an image of confidence as their leader, but was too rattled and angry to care.

Belle cleared

are awaiting your orders,

glanced at the

among the civilians is pretty dark, as well. Ah... everyone is a bit shaken, I think. We did check the maps, though. The next siege capital is to the north-east of here, over the mountains. About

shook

crumbling like sand castles these days. Who says that the next one will still be there by the time

uncomfortable

should we do,

let out a heavy sigh, then

moments of silence,

if all other siege capitals fall, it will stand. It is the most fortified, and the First Army's presence is the strongest there. Most importantly... that is where Saint Tyris

out appeared, all of them would be better off committing suicide. Once Saints

there were another two thousand kilometers between them and Falcon Scott, twice as much as they had barely survived to get to Erebus Field from LO49. Everyone here knew that, since the cohort had started this damned campaign at

would

was where the First Army had first established its presence, the territories between Erebus Field and Falcon Scott were far better entrenched than the desolate regions in

or at least remnants of them. Supply depots, fortified outposts, well-maintained roads... perhaps they would

I should probably contact Army Command as soon as possible, to

numerous Nightmare Creatures flooding the area. Sending even one Irregular

lingered for a few

me for a bit. I need to think. Oh... make sure that the transports are as ready to

that it would be safe to remain

then backed off and headed toward