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...

of a severed head rolling from the dark entrance of the tunnel

blood turned to

it?

they unleashed from

infantile

'Does it matter?'

it was, she would destroy it, just like she was going to destroy these wretched minions

to rain devastating

'Fool.'

plan had to be carried out. She had to salvage what little could be salvaged from

to be pushed back by

like a frenzied dog, intending to capitalize on the opening. His hammer fell

not matter, because in that instant, she was practically

Morrow opened her mouth...

And shrieked.

her essence burned, a deafening wail shook the underground

***

to the ground and wreathed in pain. His whole world was pain. It was as though a white-hot screwdriver was being driven into his brain, mercilessly destroying every

felt blood streaming from

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

would not let the chance to finish him off go. Shaking off the agony, Amiran gritted his teeth and

was almost at his throat. He raised a hand

"...Too slow, witch."

hear his own voice through the ringing

fatal strike from killing him, but the position he was in still promised nothing good. He was

strangely... Morrow

blade and dashed back, toward the

in that

whole production hall. There were slabs of concrete falling from above. What little remained of old machinery had been

turned into gruesome paintings of blood by the power of the wicked attack. Even those who wielded Memories meant to protect against just this kind of threat

is

he knew that he had to stop the ruthless witch from accomplishing whatever it was she was

between them, and the Ascended of Song was severely wounded. That

it. In the direction where Morrow was running, behind the decimated line of Song's

that held an enthralled

His pupils narrowed.

'I see...'

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 not give her

force at the back of

on instinct, Amiran lashed out with his hammer. The attacker dove beneath it and delivered a strike with

'Pathetic.'

enough to attack. The Knight of Valor simply moved his arm, shielding those seams of his armor that protected vital organs. All the attacker could do was drive his stiletto between the rerebrace and the couter, and even then