Shadow Slave

1194 Battle of the Black Skull (8)

Sunny let out a terse breath.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just got my throat ripped out… no big deal…"

He lowered his bloodied hand, revealing the wound that had already disappeared thanks to the [Death Wish] enchantment. There was a lot of blood on his neck and the black silk of the Shroud of Dusk, but under it, his skin and flesh were perfectly fine.

A corner of Neph's mouth curled upward.

"I see."

Then, she looked at Dire Fang with a severity that seemed cold enough to freeze a person to death and said calmly:

"In that case… Lady Sky Tide, please fall back with Song of the Fallen. Master Sunless and I will remain to cover your retreat."

Saint Tyris was in no condition to face Dire Fang in battle. Even if she wanted to stay, her presence would only slow the two of them down… she seemed to have understood that, as well. Even if she didn't, Sunny was not sure that Sky Tide was in a position to refuse Neph's orders — she was a vassal of Clan Valor, after all, and Nephis was technically of the same status as Morgan.

"Cassie, take her!"

There was nowhere really safe on the battlefield, but getting closer to the main body of Valor's force — and away from the most dangerous enemies — would increase Sky Tide's chances of survival by a lot.

Cassie was facing two Masters of Clan Song. Her rapier did not seem to move very swiftly, but somehow, it was always where it needed to be to deflect their attacks. The blind girl moved with measured cadence, always half a step ahead of her enemies. Although her face remained calm, the two Ascended seemed… shaken.

Shaken enough to make a mistake.

Just at that moment, one of them summoned his Aspect Ability to turn the ground under Cassie's feet into treacherous mud, while the other committed to a powerful thrust of his sword.

However, the blind girl lightly jumped just a split second before her footing would have been lost in wet sludge, avoiding being momentarily immobilized. Her rapier shot forward, piercing the neck of the swordsman who had been counting on his partner's Aspect to stall the enemy.

At the same time, something flashed through the air, and the Quiet Dancer came to a halt above her shoulder, its blade marred by blood.

Both Masters silently fell down.

the same exact moment as Cassie landed from her jump, one rapier in hand

Saint Tyris. Without saying a word, the blind girl grabbed Sky Tide by the shoulder and

at Nephis from above as the white flames died down on his fur, motionless, with an indifferent expression on his bestial

about what the gloomy Saint was thinking, but at the same

them were left facing each other — the towering monstrosity on one side, Sunny and Nephis standing shoulder

it brings

and the enemy was entirely different… the two of them were entirely different, as well. So much had changed, and yet, he couldn't help but feel as if they were back

suddenly, a deep, reverberating voice escaped from it,

Broken

head a

"I am."

around her head,

The monstrous beast grinned.

"Shame…"

he roared and

Echo and the four

each other apart. The soil was

across the desolate plain, soon drowning in

drops of

blood, a young man in battered armor coldly pulled his sword from the body of an Awakened warrior, threw the corpse aside, and turned

suit of black armor, with a

so much alike that they could be

calmly dismissed her cape, allowing it to disintegrate into a rain of scarlet sparks. Raising her sword and pointing it at Mordret, she pierced him with a sharp gaze and

with, monster. Play whatever dirty tricks you have left, and

for a moment, then glanced at the distant shape of

tricks, huh? Ah, but I

sister smirked

me if I

step forward, his face

don't you think? Dear sister… you shouldn't assume that I want to kill you with my own two hands any less than you want to kill me. What's the point of killing you with a trick? Then, you'll just die thinking — there he goes, doing something contemptible again. No, no, no… I want to kill you, all of you, with what

Morgan grinned.