Shadow Slave

Mordret was still getting used to the fact that it never got dark in Antarctica. Because of that, the concept of time here was vague and abstract. The landscape itself was not like anything else he had seen in the waking world, and with countless Nightmare Creatures flooding the continent, it was easy to imagine that they were actually in the Dream Realm.

A whole continent of people, pulled into hell.

'No... it's much too early for that...'

The sky was strange, the land was strange, and the beings populating that land were strange.

And yet, wasn't he the strangest one?

'Isn't it nice, to be with family?'

His uncle's wide back was right in front of him.

Saint Madoc was walking across the desolate plain, not at all concerned by the hordes of Nightmare Creatures moving in the distance. A small force of Awakened followed, with Mordret in the lead. They had left their vehicles behind to traverse the last stretch of wilderness on foot, knowing that remaining unseen was more important than remaining safe.

The warriors of Valor were subdued, but full of unshaken resolve. Even surrounded by unspeakable danger, none of them showed the smallest sign of fear. They were ready to face any kind of threat, no matter how dire, and fight any kind of enemy.

Be it abominations or humans.

Mordret, meanwhile, was simply staring at his uncle's back.

How easy would it be to put a sword right through it?

He suppressed a sigh.

Sadly, not easy at all. Not even because of the priceless enchanted armor Whispering Blade was clad in, but simply because Whispering Blade was Whispering Blade.

If any of Mordret's family members were easy to kill, he would not be stuck wearing the cumbersome vessel of Squire Warren for so long.

'There'll come a day...'

walked forward in

a dark scar. The whispers of the Call grew louder and louder as they approached it, and the bones of slain abominations rustled under

brought to Antarctica by his family had explored a lot of Nightmare Gates. They had started with those situated within the siege capitals under the clan's control, and

Knight Shtad had ventured into, and the area of the Dream Realm connected to it hid within

of its proximity to Song's territory, and it grew

outpost had been abandoned,

the Knight secure his prize. Due to the importance of that mission, Whispering Blade was going to

taken the place of Squire Warren,

silence, seemingly unaffected by the maddening pull of the

"Are you ready, Squire?"

be in the greatest danger. Mordret pretended to be stalwart and resolute

"Always, my lord."

words tasted revolting on his

approval and offered him

The world grew bleak.

Then, it disappeared.

moment, Mordret found himself in a vast, lightless space between

blinding light flooded his

assaulted his

of scorching sand flooded his

surfaces in the surrounding area - limited to only his own sight, he felt nearly

was a

the tall dunes in a flood of immolating heat. The sands of the desert were flawlessly white, and the azure sky above him was deep and boundless like an ancient ocean, with not

sand, scattered across

horrors hid in the stark

then shifted slightly, hearing sand rustle behind

at him... a split second later, however, it was suddenly dismantled, falling apart in the air. It was as if a maelstrom of invisible blades

as it touched the white

remains of the

"Stay on guard."