Shadow Slave

Knight Amiran was forceful and oppressive, his every move bringing with it a promise of death. And yet, neither his sword nor his hammer could reach her. Not even his insidious Aspect was enough to bring Morrow down.

She had slain Nightmare Creatures more dangerous than this Ascended warrior.

She had slain more dangerous humans, too.

Amiran's warriors were valiant and skilled, each at the very pinnacle of what an Awakened could achieve. Numbers were on their side - and yet, for each messenger of Song that fell, two of Valor's dogs died.

Their trap had turned out to be strangely clumsy and inefficient. By now, Morrow knew that there was a possibility of victory - unless the enemy received reinforcements soon, they would be able to escape.

And carry out the plan.

However...

She was missing something.

Which was why Morrow allowed her attention to wander. Being distracted in a fight against someone like Amiran was tantamount to suicide... but she did so nevertheless.

Her blade failed to reach the Knight's armor again.

Her body received several ghastly wounds because of her inattention.

More and more Awakened died around them.

But Morrow coldly continued to observe.

And then, she saw it - a warrior of Valor, falling down with a pained scream, blood streaming from his torn neck.

Only there had been no one near to tear it.

It was subtle and almost unnoticeable in the havoc of the battle, but she saw it clearly. The nearest of her soldiers was too busy defending against two powerful Awakened. It could not have been a ranged attack, either - the angle was all wrong.

It was as if darkness itself reached forth and sliced the man's throat open with sharp claws.

Morrow's eyes darted to the opposite side of the formation, just in time to see one of Song's Awakened die. His hand suddenly bloomed with blood, and so, the attacking soldier of Valor received a chance to plunge her weapon into the slit of his visor.

The hand of her subordinate had been severed completely - a clean, fierce cut that sliced through armor, flesh, and bone as if not meeting any resistance.

Only... the weapon that had killed her man was a spear. There was no way it could deliver a cut like that.

Morrow suddenly felt cold.

'There is... there is another here.'

There was someone - something - insidious and sinister moving unseen through the darkness, slaughtering the men of both Valor and Song indiscriminately. Silently. Inescapably...

image of a severed head rolling from the dark entrance of the tunnel suddenly surfaced in her

blood turned

was it? What was

what had they unleashed from that

these infantile thoughts, she

'Does it matter?'

not... whatever it was, she would destroy it, just like she was going to destroy these wretched minions

rain devastating blows on her, blind to

'Fool.'

carried out. She had

a moment, then pretended to be pushed back by one of

His hammer fell down and landed on her shoulder... in

matter, because in that instant, she was practically face-to-face with

Morrow opened her mouth...

And shrieked.

a deafening

***

- Amiran fell to the ground and wreathed in pain. His whole world was pain. It was as though a white-hot screwdriver was being

blood streaming from

'What... is that woman...'

the chance to finish him off go. Shaking off the agony, Amiran gritted his teeth and

second later, the tip of a narrow blade was almost at

"...Too slow, witch."

own voice through the

in still promised nothing good. He was kneeling and

strangely... Morrow did

let go of her blade and dashed back, toward the formation of her Awakened. There was blood flowing

in that

diabolical wail Morrow had unleashed devastated the whole production hall. There were slabs of concrete falling from above. What little remained of old machinery

on both sides. Their mouths were opened in silent screams, their faces turned into gruesome paintings of

the hell is she trying

to stop the ruthless witch from accomplishing whatever it was she

distance between them, and the Ascended of Song was severely wounded. That last blow he had

that Amiran saw it. In the direction where Morrow was running, behind the decimated

container that held an

His pupils narrowed.

'I see...'

understood what Morrow wanted to achieve. She must have abandoned all hope of delivering the abomination to the inner city and wanted to unleash it right here and now. Sadly for her... he would

ready to send a wave of force at the back of the

with his hammer. The attacker dove

'Pathetic.'

of his armor that protected vital organs. All the attacker could do was drive his stiletto between the rerebrace