Shadow Slave

As Sunny watched, the Tyrant tore apart several more abominations, devouring their flesh with its three enormous maws. This creature… it was on par with the Lord of the Dead that Sunny had faced in the catacombs below the Dark City.

Back then, he was merely a Sleeper. Now, he was an Ascended himself, and an abnormally powerful one at that. His loyal Shadows were indisposed, but he was accompanied by Dale instead.

There was no reason for this fight to be too hard…

However, they had a big problem.

The more Nightmare Creatures the Tyrant killed and devoured, the more invigorated it seemed. The ghastly injuries on its wings were already healing, and very soon, the monstrosity would be able to take flight again.

Sunny could not allow that to happen.

Glancing at Dale with a grave expression, he said:

"It's now or never."

Above them, a swarm of brood beasts separated from the dark mass of the Devouring Cloud, rushing down to protect their ruler.

Dale nodded and silently lunged forward, closing in on the Tyrant to trap the monstrosity — and the two of them with it — inside a barrier of shimmering energy. Sunny followed, cutting down several abominations that had tried to bar their passage.

relentless attacks by

some distance between itself and the pursuers. Then, moving with stunning speed, it turned in the direction

Sunny's eyes narrowed.

'Damnation!'

split second to make a decision

fast as you can and set

he left Dale behind and turned into a swift shadow. Flying with terrible speed across the stone beach, Sunny pursued the Tyrant. The monstrosity barreled forward like a speeding train, its six legs turning countless stones

one of the creature's limbs, and it toppled heavily to the ground. He barely managed to dodge the massive body, but in the next moment, the Tyrant's stinger was already shooting through the air, aimed at

'Ah…'

spike with the flat of the jade jian, at the same time turning his body as heavy as he could. The impact pushed him back, his feet leaving two grooves in the stones. The monstrosity struggled

long necks of the Tyrant twisted like snakes. Two maws bit into the shadow hands, tearing them apart, while the third flew toward Sunny. Staring at the repulsive fleshy circle full of razor-sharp fangs, he shuddered and realized that

shifted his weight and dashed aside, narrowly dodging the maw, then lashed out with the Sin of Solace. As a bloody wound appeared on the abomination's neck, a ear-splitting

could waste more essence creating shadow implements… maybe even encase the monstrosity and himself in a large dome… but what he really

fiercely determined to protect them. As shortly as Sunny tried to get closer to the abomination's wings, its stinger, three maws, and five remaining legs all came after him. He scrambled to dodge the hurricane of attacks, dancing between them like a demented acrobat. Shards of stone and wet sand rose like a cloud into

'Curse you…'

were growing more frenzied and chaotic. Its mind was being assaulted by the [Sinister Whisper] of the cursed sword — the effect of the charm was going to persist, too,

same erratic behavior seemed to be repeating in the skies above them, where a large portion of the Devouring Swarm seemed to have lost a

would only cease to be a threat to

on with its mind, as well. It tried to disengage and lowered itself to the ground, as if preparing to jump again… only this time its wings might have been healed enough to allow