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

that place just attracts trouble,

in the region to the coastal fortress. Maintaining it was of vital importance to the evacuation effort, but

himself was on a mission to scout out a

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 the Special Reconnaissance

the siege capitals, keeping tabs on their movements, and even attempting to lure them

The SRU consisted exclusively of powerful Masters, and

suited him fine, despite the tremendous danger... partially because it granted him a lot of freedom in his movements and actions, partially because he was reluctant to be

had never been something Sunny

was too much,

the MWP pilot

though this place isn't safe, and I am on a timer." Looking at her,

now. Only Beth and Luster remained... and, perhaps. Quentin. There was no news of the gallant healer, so he was most likely

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

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 to determine the vulnerabilities of various Nightmare Creatures

specialists stationed at army headquarters, but Kim was doing especially

a while. However, he had a feeling

most of Sunny's communications were with Rain. His sister was doing well in the safety of NQSC. She was training diligently, and not showing any

As for himself...

had three goals. Turn the Ravenous Fiend into a Shadow, become a Tyrant, and prepare for the arrival of the 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

it, his communication device suddenly came alive, and a familiar