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...

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

blood turned

was it?

had they unleashed

these infantile thoughts, she

'Does it matter?'

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

devastating blows

'Fool.'

had to be carried out. She had

pushed back by one of his

intending to capitalize on the opening. His hammer fell down and landed on her shoulder... in a flash of pain, Morrow heard her

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

Morrow opened her mouth...

And shrieked.

burned, a deafening

***

fell to the ground and wreathed in pain. His whole world was pain. It was as

felt blood streaming from

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

to finish him off go. Shaking off the agony, Amiran

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

"...Too slow, witch."

even hear his own voice through

in still promised nothing good. He was kneeling and dazed, while

strangely... Morrow did not

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

in that

above. What little remained of old machinery had been turned into piles of scrap. The floor had become

Many were dead - on both sides. Their mouths were opened in silent screams, their faces turned into gruesome paintings of blood by the power of the wicked attack. Even those who wielded Memories meant

is

that he had to stop the ruthless witch from accomplishing whatever

and the Ascended of Song was severely wounded. That last blow he had delivered made a

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

container that held an enthralled Nightmare

His pupils narrowed.

'I see...'

inner city

the back of the escaping woman. But then, a vague silhouette suddenly lunged at him

attacker dove beneath it and delivered a strike with a sharp,

'Pathetic.'

must have already recovered 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 just by a centimeter or two - delivering