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."

was shaking

Seventeen... that place just

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

a mission to scout out a potential threat to

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

wilderness in search of 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, Terrors, and even

often lethal. The SRU consisted exclusively of powerful Masters, and each of

him fine, despite the tremendous danger... partially because it granted him a lot of freedom in his movements and actions, partially

a leader had never been something Sunny enjoyed. The previous

was too

at the

and I am on a timer." Looking at her, he couldn't help

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

shipped back 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

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

army headquarters,

been evacuated and reached safety a while back, too. Sunny and she kept in touch, sending each other messages once in a while. However, he had a feeling that the young woman wanted to

with Rain. His sister was doing well in the safety of NQSC. She was training diligently, and not showing any symptoms

As for himself...

Antarctica, Sunny only 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 days away from catching up to Neph. As for the third goal... Sunny had made good

suddenly came alive, and a familiar voice resounded in