Shadow Slave

Sunny helped the pilot climb out of the ravaged MWP, then looked around somberly. The ruin of the city was covered by the signs of a fierce battle... sadly, he had been too late to arrive. Most of the soldiers were already dead.

'Damn it...

He. had noticed the commotion in the ruins by chance, while making his way through the wilderness to accomplish a different mission. If not for the habit of sending his shadows in a wide circle around him, Sunny would have never even known that a squad of human soldiers had been trapped here. He used Shadow Step to arrive as swiftly as he could, but ended up saving only one.

With a sigh, Sunny helped the young woman climb down from the wreck of the MWP, summoned the Endless Spring, and handed it to her.

"Here. Drink some water."

The pilot kept staring at him strangely, but he was long used to such stares. He gave her some time, then took the glass bottle back and asked, making sure to keep his voice neutral:

"I am sorry about your comrades... but how did you guys end up in this sector? Did you not receive the message that it was designated as a black zone by Army Command?"

The young woman grimaced.

"We... did, sir. But by then, it was already too late. We were on a routine patrol along the Seventeenth Evacuation Corridor when we came under attack from a swarm of Nightmare Creatures. We beat them back and pursued... sadly, a few minutes later, a Gate opened right behind us. We were quickly surrounded, and had to run for our lives. We ran all the way to this city, and..."

She sighed.

Sunny awkwardly patted the pilot on the shoulder.

"I see. I know a thing or two about bad luck, lieutenant... it can get anyone. You did your best."

he was shaking his

just attracts trouble,

the largest siege capitals in the region to the coastal fortress. Maintaining it was of vital importance to the evacuation effort, but recently, it had become harder and harder to keep the area

to scout out

had basically received carte blanche to choose any assignment he wanted-out of those suitable for an Ascended, of course. In the end, Sunny refused another command assignment and requested to be sent to

targets that could pose a serious threat to the siege capitals, keeping tabs on their movements, and even attempting to lure them away from the cities from time to time. Powerful Tyrants,

lethal. The SRU consisted exclusively of powerful Masters, and each of them either had an Aspect uniquely

partially because it granted him a lot of freedom in his movements and actions, partially because he was reluctant to be

been something Sunny enjoyed.

was too much,

at the MWP pilot

I am

perhaps. Quentin. There was no news of the

to NQSC long ago. He was now slowly recovering in the hospital complex of the Academy, and doing quite well - Sunny knew of it because Kim remained in close contact with the lucky guy. In fact, he suspected that

however, had to remain a long-distance one for now. Kim herself was still here in East Antarctica, but was kept far away from the battlefield. After returning from the Antarctic Center, she had been transferred to the Strategic Intelligence Department of Army Command. Now, her Aspect was being used

many such specialists stationed at army headquarters,

while back, too. Sunny and she kept in touch, sending each other messages once in a while. However, he had a feeling that the

and not showing any symptoms of being infected by the Spell. The Serpent was protecting her, too. At least in that regard, Sunny felt somewhat

As for himself...

great clans. I lie had spent fragments on the little imp first, then hunted down numerous abominations in hopes of forming the fifth Shadow Core. Now, he was mere days away from catching up to Neph. As for the third goal... Sunny had

communication device suddenly came alive, and a familiar voice resounded in