Shadow Slave

The contingent of Valor soldiers camped for a few hours of rest, while several vehicles containing the Fire Keepers secretly continued forward. They advanced at moderate speed for a few hours, then hid the vehicles between the rusty ruins of massive machines left behind by the Dark Times and continued toward the place of the ambush on foot.

Sunny walked with them, scouting the path ahead with his shadows. As he did, he heard the Fire Keepers talk.

One of them - a tall young man who possessed the Ability to summon two more arms and fought by wielding two greatswords - was speaking in a contemplative tone:

"...It's been a while since I killed a human. Honestly, I sort of assumed that I would never have to do it again after leaving the Forgotten Shore. Should have known better, really."

He sighed, then glanced at the leader of his cohort:

"What about you, Shim?"

Shim, the healer who usually fought where the battle was direst, wielding a shield and a spear, shrugged.

"I don't think I've ever killed a human."

The others looked at him with surprise.

"What are you talking about, you maniac? I personally saw you gut at least half a dozen Guards in the throne room of the Bright Castle. And that was just day one of that mess."

The healer glanced at them evenly.

"Those weren't humans. They didn't qualify."

Even Sunny was given pause by that cold logic.

something, though. Some humans

Clan Song was currently laying a trap to attack their convoy played a part in

anticipation of the battle, mentally preparing herself for the strain of using

not want to

closer to the ravine where three cohorts of Song Awakened were laying in ambush. Cassie confirmed that they were still there, and helped the Fire Keepers avoid being seen by the

nearby, separated from the ravine by

into view of the ravine, bending low to the ground to remain unnoticed, Nephis stopped and looked at her soldiers. One of them

the plan, Lady

few moments, then said

"Slaughter them all."

wood, with the cage at the top of it forged out of silvery metal. Turning around to shield it from view with her body, she activated the enchantment of the torch, causing a cold

the stream of blue

I'll leave the Ascended to

the

silver torch, it continued to burn with the same intensity. The rippling blue sphere began to collapse onto itself and

was growing

mixed into it. Slowly, the

eventually, to

was trembling violently, as if struggling to contain the furious power contained within it, and

it was hard not to notice the pale radiance emanating from

movement in the

Star took a step forward and whipped

trail of scorched earth in its wake. It disappeared into the ravine a second later, and then, the ground shook. There was a blinding flash, and a deafening boom. A fountain of fire suddenly shot from the ravine

like that, the three cohorts of Awakened elites were wiped

a little