Shadow Slave

Changing Star was in a watchtower near the outer edges of the camp, observing the ongoing battle. Her gaze was locked on the lustrous figure of Summer Knight, who stood like a fortress amidst the attacking Nightmare Creatures, cutting them down with his flowing lance.

Sunny approached and stared at the slaughter, as well, wondering how was it that the Saint had not gotten a single drop of blood on his armor. Was that a skill one could learn? The black silk of the Graceless Dusk always remained pristine, rejecting any kind of taint, but the same could not be said about his skin... and hair, especially hair. Washing blood out of his hair was a real chore.

Which was one of the reasons Sunny had enjoyed the few months of being a scout and never getting his own hands dirty, instead relying on shadows to do the killing for him.

"That guy, Summer Knight, is both deadly on the battlefield and nice in person. Makes me wonder if he really is a Saint... every other Transcendent I know is either the stern stoic type, vaguely sinister, or completely insane. He really doesn't fit."

Neph glanced in his direction and smiled with the corner of her mouth.

"Maybe you just attract these kinds of people."

Sunny coughed.

Come to think of it... stern and stoic, vaguely sinister, and completely insane were all words that could be used to describe Nephis, as well.

She looked back to the battlefield and added:

"But you are right. Sir Gilead is somewhat of an outlier among the Saints. He is too... straightforward. What you see is what you get. Honor, valiance, loyalty... and all that. He is the picture of a noble knight."

Sunny remained silent for a moment.

"Is that a bad thing?"

He certainly thought that it was. A person who proclaimed these virtues was either a hypocrite or dangerously naive - gods only knew which option was worse.

However, Sunny wanted to hear Neph's answer.

She shrugged.

"Not usually. But in the case of Summer Knight, it presents a contradiction. What is a person like that doing serving the King of Swords? And not just as a vassal, but as a direct retainer of clan Valor. A tool in their machinations."

a few moments, then

to

at Nephis

are you doing serving

smile grew a little wider, and white sparks ignited

valiant, or loyal. I am just driven and good with a sword. Don't

He scoffed.

do. Don't I

of the alloy watchtower and watched the

time, he sent Neph a

want to talk to you

leaned on the alloy bar by his

way back to the siege capital. She warned me to be ready. There is also the issue of the Nightmare Gates within the city. There are sixteen of them, at the moment, and keeping each one contained is a drain on the resources. Once we are back, the Awakened soldiers under Morgan's command will begin challenging the Seeds to close them... and scout the desert in the process, of course. She offered a few

hesitated for a few

Keepers? Are they going

her head a

and have more than enough experience. So, yes... Shim's cohort will enter first, followed by two others. A month later, two more cohorts

Sunny blinked.

Masters. Some might die in the

was changing. And the return of the survivors of the Forgotten Shore had made so much noise for this exact reason - not because they were powerful Awakened, but because each had a substantial chance of becoming a Master... and maybe even

seemed to be in a hurry to send the Fire Keepers into the Seeds... the emissaries of Song knew

forces of the great clans started in earnest, Beastmaster would without a doubt aim to destroy the Fire Keepers before

'How complicated.'

while, choosing his words carefully. Eventually, he spoke... thought... in a casual

eavesdrop

Nephis glanced at him.

By pure accident, I'm

He smiled.

smile disappeared from

pretending to study