Shadow Slave

There were thirteen humans desperately trying to escape the pursuit of the Great abomination.

Or rather, there had been.

Without anyone noticing the reason, one of the Masters stumbled and fell. No one had attacked her, and the pursuing corpses were still out of sight. The woman grabbed her neck and screamed.

A moment later, she rose with a strange smile on her lips.

Where a radiant soul core had been, there was now nothing but spreading darkness.

'Curse it all...'

Sunny commanded the sole shadow that had remained with him to wrap itself around his body, and ran.

Someone's hoarse shout reached his ears:

"S-split up!"

'No! You fools...'

The logic of that desperate call was simple and not without reason. There were seven vessels of the Gate Guardian - eight, now - and twelve surviving humans. If they escaped in different directions, some of them would have a chance to survive.

But it was pointless to apply logic to Great abominations. These beings existed outside any kind of human rationale, outside reason. Only by staying together and helping each other would the survivors have a chance to preserve their lives, no matter how small.

It was already too late to try and explain that to the frightened Masters, though.

While Morgan, Seishan, and the members of Neph's cohort chose to stay close to each other, the other five Ascended turned and ran in different directions.

Not a second later, a dark blur intercepted one of them, and a fountain of blood shot into the air.

Up ahead, Morgan looked back from the saddle of her steel mount and cursed. Then, she hesitated for a moment and jumped off its tall back. The Echo then galloped in the direction of the approaching corpses, lowering its horned head.

As a whirlwind of scarlet sparks rose around her, Seishan stopped and turned around. Her exquisitely beautiful face was cold and somber.

two of them looked at each other, and then, Seishan

'What are they doing?'

she was far ahead of the rest of them. Effie was maybe the fastest runner among the group of survivors, so she was

Sunny and Nephis were falling

Sunny's shoulder, and he felt the nurturing warmth of her flames pour

still not

Sunny felt something swift flying toward him from behind. The shadows he had sent to scout were still moments away from reaching him... he knew that he had to use some of his remaining essence and dodge

he could, however, Seishan outstretched her hands, bringing her thumbs and index fingers together in a perfect

suddenly felt a hint of unknown awe brush against his

drop of blood swirled, and then, the whole world was suddenly painted in shades of

'What... what is this?'

doing, but he felt as if

There were screams.

suddenly slowed down

dare

around Morgan formed into scores of beautifully forged swords. The

shadows arrived, wrapping themselves around Sunny

there, standing on a white dune as she drew her

sand shifted. Several dunes collapsed, with a white cloud rising into

They ran.

***a

"Hurry up!"

"Damn it all..."

"Stop! Look there..."

the ground, hitting the sand to slow

still running as fast as they could. His exhaustion had long transformed into something much more

tenacious nature

had to stop for a dreadful reason, he still welcomed the short moment of falling

push his battered

'Curses...'

pursued them, never letting the group - now reduced to only