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.

though. Some

one of the great clans. Perhaps the fact that Clan Song was currently laying a trap to attack their convoy played a part in their

grown quiet in anticipation of the battle, mentally preparing herself for the strain

want

the map and switched to moving stealthily, slowly getting closer and closer to the ravine where three cohorts of Song Awakened were laying in ambush. Cassie confirmed that they were still there,

hundreds of tamed Nightmare Creatures hid was also 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

the plan,

few moments, then

"Slaughter them all."

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

the stream of

leave the Ascended

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

fire, meanwhile, 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

heat was growing

rose from her skin and mixed into it. Slowly, the color of the blue flames began

eventually, to pure

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

not to

in the ravine, but

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

leaving a 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

that, the three cohorts of

looked a