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…'

the three Masters prove inadequate, his Shadows would help them reach and kill the broodmother of the swarm… or

'Who cares?'

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

of brood beasts obscured the sky, drowning out the light of the moon. In front of the swarm, a horde of Nightmare Creatures moved, seemingly as desperate to escape from it

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

on Soul Reaper's face. Gripping her glaive,

Wait for the

so that the three elite Ascended of the Irregular Company could sortie out, find it, and finish the creature off once and for all

passed, then minutes, but the

the sky. It was not a brood beast, however — instead, it was a young Awakened

the Sanctuary, back when Sky Tide

her balance. Then, she observed around, took a step toward Master Jet, and

Soul Reaper frowned.

sending us

teeth, and then said hoarsely, her voice full

There's two

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

How does it make any

young

"So where are they?"

Legacy leaned on Dale and turned slightly

"The… signal…"

answering her words, two radiant spheres of light suddenly appeared in the distance, tearing through the darkness. One deep within the swarm, across the killing field. The other, unexpectedly, was even further away, but in a different direction — to the west of the city, near the ocean. The Devouring Cloud had barely

consciousness. Dale barked something, and one of his men — most likely the healer