Shadow Slave

Pretty soon, the distant horizon turned hazy with a myriad of flying horrors. The scene was eerily familiar — the only difference from their last attempt to destroy the Devouring Cloud was that, today, the landscape was illuminated by pale moonlight.

And that there were a few less Irregulars standing watch on the wall.

Sunny silently observed Winter, who was preparing to unleash hell. Once again, she was surrounded by several mysterious Memories, and once again, a cohort of Awakened used their Aspects to augment her powers.

He stood several distance away in the company of Master Jet and Dale. None of the three were going to participate in the ranged barrage, conserving their potency for the sortie to hunt down and kill the Tyrant. The atmosphere was tense, but not as oppressive as the first battle against the harrowing swarm.

On the alloy battlement in front of them, a man in leather armor was sitting with his eyes closed, meditating. The falling snowflakes swirled in strange ways around him, as if following invisible paths.

He was one of Dale's Awakened, and someone of whom Sunny knew — the man possessed the Ability to open stable spatial rifts, and had been one of the candidates he had considered when assembling the cohort. Since no one knew where the Tyrant was going to fall after having its wings cut by Roan, the strike team would need to get around the perimeter of the wall fast.

…If Roan succeeded.

"Gods…"

Hearing Dale's quiet whisper, Sunny observed south and saw arcs of thunderbolt dancing deep within the distant swarm. His face paled a little.

"They're... inside it?"

It seemed that Roan and the Awakened of the White Feather clan were leading the Devouring Cloud to the city with the smell of their own blood.

Suddenly, the task of slaying the Tyrant of the swarm seemed even heavier than before.

'So what? Nothing changed…'

one of the breaches in the wall. Should the three Masters prove inadequate, his Shadows would help them reach and kill the broodmother of the swarm… or was

'Who cares?'

and watched as the horde of flying horrors swiftly drew closer to Falcon Scott. Soon, the city defense systems opened fire once

moved, seemingly as desperate to escape from it as humans would be. Caught between the Devouring Cloud and the wall of Falcon Scott, they launched themselves at the alloy barrier,

battle felt more frenzied, more dire. Shrieks and howls of abominations fused with human shouts, all disappearing into

expression appeared on Soul Reaper's face.

for

that the three

but the promised indication

nerves reaching a breaking point when a swift shadow suddenly fell from the sky. It was not a brood beast, however — instead, it was a young Awakened woman wearing the white colors of her clan, her armor decorated with beautiful etchings of hawk

seeing her several times in the Sanctuary, back when Sky Tide had still ruled over the

keeping her balance. Then, she observed around, took a step toward Master Jet, and stumbled. Dale caught and supported her,

Soul Reaper frowned.

happened to sending us a

woman gritted her teeth, and then said hoarsely, her voice full

There's two of

a few seconds for her words to register. Sunny cursed and observed at the dark mass of the

Tyrants? How does it make

She stared at the young woman

"So where are they?"

on Dale and turned slightly to face the

"The… signal…"

appeared in the distance, tearing through the darkness. One deep within the swarm, across the killing field. The other, unexpectedly, was even further away,

job done, the young woman from the White Feather let out a sign and slumped, losing consciousness. Dale barked