Shadow Slave

Sir Amiran, one of the exalted Knights of the great clan Valor, was standing on top of a newly constructed dormitory tower, looking at the expanse of the city below. There was a long stretch of industrial buildings between him and the looming barrier of the defensive wall that protected the siege capital from the ravages of the Chain of Nightmares.

There were plenty of civilian shelters and dormitories, too - with the start of the evacuation, even industrial areas like this one had been put to use, accommodating numerous refugees.

The refugees were moving far below him like tiny ants. The thunderous booms of firing railguns did not seem to spoil their moods... after months of continuous siege, the people must have grown used to its clamor.

Knight Amiran grimaced.

"...Collateral damage will be high."

But that was war. None of these people would have had to die if the enemy had abided by the agreement to keep the hostilities away from the cities, but now that the Song clan had made their move, the hands of noble warriors of Valor were tied.

The lives of mundane humans were like water, anyway. No matter how much he sacrificed to achieve victory, it was just a drop in the ocean. Amiran didn't feel happy about the human cost of his inevitable victory, but he was also not particularly sad.

Knowing what he knew, their deaths were insignificant.

He heard light footsteps behind him and looked over his shoulder. One of his Awakened approached, bearing news. There was an expression of dark excitement on her face.

"We have confirmed the location, sir."

He nodded.

The band of Song's assassins had infiltrated the siege capital with one of the supply convoys. The original staff had been slain, and the imposters assumed their identities. After getting past the gates, they disappeared into the chaos of the overpopulated city without a trace.

...Or so they thought.

In truth, Valor had long anticipated this attack. The subterfuge the assassins employed was pointless. They had only managed to enter the city because that was where Lady Morgan wanted them.

would have been easier and much more bloodless to deal with the servants of the Queen of Worms at the gates, but then some of them

entrusted with the honor of delivering Valor's retribution

if

the roof. With warriors like these fighting by his side, the dogs of Song stood no

cold smile appeared

We strike as soon as they

group of people were sitting around a ghostly fire. Its flames were

was a woman wearing simple civilian clothes, with a pale scar crossing her otherwise beautiful face. She was Ascended Morrow, a retainer of

was listening to quiet scratching sounds that seemed to be coming from somewhere under the

faces of the Awakened around her were a little

- that listened

a few moments of silence, the

thing... it's not going to break free, is

Ascended Morrow smiled.

course, it will. When I command

for a second, and

are very obedient. Granted, this one

The man chuckled wryly.

see. Good,

even know that he, too, was one of the

have your people completed the

hesitated for a bit, then pointed at the map being projected

my lady, the tunnel stretches all the way to the inner city without crossing any other major logistical

Morrow shook her head.

that to us. Worst case scenario, we will be forced to unleash the thrall a few minutes earlier than planned and let it tear its way toward the compound above ground. Summer Knight won't be able to make

but sadly, her mission was simply to deliver Beastmaster's present to Morgan of Valor, striking both at the enemy's troops and