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.

right about something, though. Some humans were worse

opposed to the idea of fighting against one of the great clans. Perhaps the fact that Clan Song was currently laying a trap

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

did not want to bother

cohorts of

tamed Nightmare Creatures hid was also nearby, separated from the ravine by a few hundred meters of dirt

to remain unnoticed, Nephis stopped and looked at her soldiers. One of

the plan, Lady Changing

hesitated for a few moments, then said

"Slaughter them all."

forged out of silvery metal. Turning around to shield it from view with

hand, drawing the stream of blue

leave the Ascended to

nodded, then unsheathed the Quiet Dancer. The slender rapier slipped out of her hand, hovered in the air for a moment, and then

was flowing into Neph's hand and swirling, slowly coalescing into a sphere. No matter how much fire she drew from the silver torch, it continued to burn with the same intensity. The rippling blue sphere began to collapse onto itself and compress as more and more

heat was growing

flame rose from her skin and mixed into

eventually, to

the furious power contained within it, and Neph's face

it was hard not to notice the pale radiance emanating

some movement in the

to her full height, Changing Star took a step forward and

then, the ground shook. There was a blinding flash, and a deafening boom. A fountain of fire suddenly shot

the three cohorts of

looked a