Shadow Slave

The first thing Sunny did was go find Belle, Dorn, and Samara. However, none of them had returned from the Dream Realm yet — all three were peacefully asleep in their pods, not knowing that back in the waking world, Falcon Scott was not on the verge of destruction. For now, all he could do was wait.

Not wishing to waste time, Sunny tried to go through the official channels to make sure that his cohort was not going to be left out of the evacuation plans. At that point, however, things had already started going out of control. Just as Master Jet had predicted.

The government complex was in a state of frenzy. The information regarding the withdrawal of the White Feather clan and the impending doom approaching the city was supposed to be kept strictly secret… but with people responsible for withholding it realizing that they themselves would most likely be left behind, there was no way for the truth to remain hidden.

The news spread through the city like wildfire. With it came panic.

Sunny spent some time fruitlessly trying to get the logistics officers, or anyone at all, to issue an order for his cohort to evacuate, but no one knew what to do, or even if they had authority to do anything. Worse still, as soon as Saint Tyris had been defeated, the influence the Winter Beast was exerting on the region seemed to have doubled in strength.

Now, even the robust communication array of the siege capital was having trouble connecting the local branch of Army Command to central headquarters. Even if there was a leader who could bring order to this complicated situation, they were simply too far away.

In the end, all he could get from the administrative personnel was a vague promise of a "priority placement" while boarding the leaving ships. They did not seem to know quite what it meant themselves, but the underlying message was clear — if he could get a spot on one of the evacuation vessels, no one was going to stop him. In fact, this was true for all the surviving soldiers of the First Army.

If they wanted to leave, they could. Who was going to stop them? After all, the soldiers were armed, while the refugees were not. In the ruthless mathematics of war, their lives were also more valuable.

In short, the situation had deteriorated to the point of turning into complete lawlessness. The government officers were simply unable to control it anymore.

'Every man for himself.'

Sunny was slightly stunned by how quickly the city had descended into chaos. All it took was a few hours.

There were some exceptions, of course. For example, someone high up in the chain of command managed to enforce the evacuation of the wounded from the army hospital. However, no one knew how effective exactly the execution of that order would be, or how quickly the evacuation would happen.

Sunny was reluctant to leave Luster's fate to chance, though.

He returned to the barracks, which had turned hectic and feverish in his absence. Finally, his soldiers woke up, emerging from their sleeping pods with confused expressions on their faces. Not only was the building full of noise, but their leader was also waiting for them with a grim expression on his face.

Sparing the three Awakened a single glance, Sunny said:

Kimmy. I'll

their way to the hospital. Outside, the cold was slowly turning unbearable, but despite that, crowds of frightened people were flowing through the streets, some aimless and lost, some

.

people in the city, the medical officers had received direct orders to transfer all the patients

from that, moving severely injured soldiers was not as easy as transporting healthy people. Some required special care, some could not be moved at all, unless an Awakened healer

Sunny finally understood what the

After a short conversation with a panicked nurse, they received verbal permission to take him away, and

for departure — he was dressed, freshly bandaged, and holding a

also received a very generous dose of

he smiled

Huh… uh…

Kim and

Antarctica. We just need

forced him to climb on her back. Considering that she was much smaller than the young man, the two of them looked rather comical — but of course, as an

they left, Samara suddenly spoke, her usually calm face turning

We can't… just

a

have to. It doesn't matter, anyway… he is in the Nightmare by now. If he survives, the Spell will create an Ascended body for him. If not…

solemn, then reluctantly followed him out. Luster was

around, then approached a random military vehicle and used his bare hand to tear through the armored alloy, destroying the locking mechanism of its door. With how many soldiers had perished during the siege, there was a surplus of machinery

have a complicated start-up sequence. All he had to do was override the controls with his military ID, then access the internal computer and assign the vehicle to the First Irregular Company. After that, the PTV recognized

in the

the vehicle barreling forward and maneuvered it through the crowded

to make a stop first

were living. Sunny stopped the vehicle and dissipated into the shadows

familiar door. Sunny knocked on it several times, praying that they

Luckily, they were.

quickly looked around the apartment, then turned to Professor Obel and Beth. From their expressions, he understood that they already knew what was