Shadow Slave

As the caravan approached the spilling horde of Nightmare Creatures, Sunny readied himself for battle and feverishly tried to come up with a way - any way - to save the lives of as many people as he could.

However, no matter how much he thought about it, there was just no solution. Many souls were going to be lost today, and the best he could accomplish was to make sure that those who were dying were the soldiers, and not the refugees.

He knew that the caravan would be able to break through the horde of abominations eventually, but he also knew that at least several vehicles, as well as scores of his soldiers, would perish in the process. Hundreds, if not thousands of humans were going to die today.

His gamble did not pay off.

Sunny felt a bit resentful about that.

With a sigh, he summoned the helmet of the Mantle of the Underworld and raised Morgan's Warbow...

It was at that moment that eerie crimson lights flashed through the haze of the blizzard, followed by a scattering of small sparks. He froze and looked to his left, at the dark expanse of the ocean that was obscured by the veil of snow.

Out there, something inconceivably gargantuan was hiding, its enormous shape only revealed by the hazy flashes of crimson light.

'What...'

In the next moment, a deafening roar assaulted his ears, and then, something that he had never expected happened.

Ahead of the convoy, the mass of Nightmare Creatures were suddenly torn apart by a series of earth-shattering explosions. Bits of concrete, flesh, and bone flew into the air, creating a cloud of red fog. A moment later, flowers of angry red flame bloomed on the slope of the mountain, obliterating even more abominations.

The whole world trembled.

Sunny's eyes widened as he swiftly looked back at the ocean. The wall of the blizzard had been unmade, as well. And although the breach in the snowstorm was already closing, he still managed to catch a glimpse of the source of all that carnage.

on the waves... was a

even recognized the lines of

one of its sides resting much lower than the other one, the deck railings almost touching the water. Its hull was marred by terrible scars and breached in many places, with some of the holes being large enough for the Rhino to drive through - and was just what remained

mystery how the vessel

it was still capable of firing its armaments. The crimson lights Sunny had seen were the batteries of starboard cannons unleashing hell, and the scattering

barrage of heavy explosive rounds at the horde

He blinked.

...I'll be damned.

really

know where the wrecked vessel had come from, but he was

one overshot it by a good

remained on the road from the rest of the horde, for now, while

That was his chance!

the sinking ship to come to their rescue, Sunny drew his bow and sent the Strike of Thunder flying forward. A moment later, it hit the mountain of white flesh, electrocuting scores of abominations that had been fighting

"All forward units, attack!"

the Rhino simultaneously

were involved. Streams of heavy rounds whipped across the surviving Nightmare Creatures, ripping many to shreds. A moment later, two swarms of

fray, with the turrets of the assault vehicles soon following. The front of the caravan had once again formed

this time, there were many more vehicles, Awakened, and war platforms

rows of the mass of Nightmare Creatures covering the highway were all but erased from existence by their onslaught. A moment later, the Rhino plowed into the remaining stragglers, painting

clear the stretch of the road obstructed by the horde,

mangled battleship, many were still getting through. The cacophony of bestial howls, thunderous explosions, and roaring artillery strikes was shaking the world, but

- they had to hold back the tide of monsters to let the whole column drive