Shadow Slave

1517 Supernova

On the crumbling streets of Twilight, a grotesque Nightmare Creature was mauling another with its fangs, while a rain of swords and spears fell on its tough hide. Each strike caused streams of fetid blood to pour out of ghastly wounds, but the abominations paid it no attention.

'Ah… it hurts.'

Mordret, who had taken the body of the Nightmare Creature, was not having a great time. Not only was he being cut and mangled by the vessels of the impostor, but it was also getting hard to breathe. The air was full of smoke, and the buildings around him had caught fire, at some point.

But he was so close…

Finally, the abominations he had been brutalizing shuddered and died. An ethereal stream of power flowed into his soul, and he fled into the reflections, escaping the cruel blades of the hollow vessels.

Appearing a few hundred meters away from the pursuing mob, he left the dying body of the battered Nightmare Creature and returned to his own. Before too long, a familiar pain tore apart his soul, forcing Mordret to groan.

'Why… does it have… to be so unpleasant?'

A new core was being born in the depths of his soul. He was becoming a Monster once again.

'This will give me some breathing room.'

The human flood was already surrounding him, seemingly endless. Mordret had only a few seconds of reprieve before the puppets of Soul Stealer would assault him again.

His perception spread far and wide, jumping between countless reflections to observe the world.

He saw Song of the Fallen, the blind witch.

He also saw a giant made of shadows wield a jade sword against a harrowing dragon… Sunless, the madman, was fighting against the Dread Lord.

Nightingale was there, as well, kneeling near a puddle of water.

At that moment, Mordret's eyes glistened, and a sinister thought entered his mind.

'Can I?'

He hesitated for a moment, unsure. But then, a dark smile twisted his lips.

'Well, even if I fail, it will at least be entertaining.'

Mordret moved, contemplating how much essence he had left. Reaching the distant fortress would be a challenge...

But then, he was distracted from these calculations.

That was because he saw something else.

Turning toward the heart of the city, Mordret froze for a moment.

His eyes widened slightly.

***

slick with blood, and she felt

"Go."

the hem of her red dress hovering above the cobblestones. She was going to buy

the Nightmare Creatures that lunged at her from the ruins, not bothering to retaliate. There

literally hanging from her

allow herself to make

'I must escape.'

came to a

was the tide of pursuing warriors, all staring

of her… were the broken gates of Twilight. Beyond them, there was nothing

was nowhere

let out a

Quiet Dancer. The slender rapier glistened in the

She gritted her teeth.

"Come, then."

'It's time.'

***

the heart of Twilight, Nephis finally reached the Serpent

more. It had collapsed, at some point, turning into a vast

not here. Sunny was nowhere to

She was late.

escaped from

front of her, a dozen warriors stood motionlessly, surrounding a monstrous figure in

his mirror-like eyes, she would not have recognized Mordret of Valor… Soul Stealer.

monster silently, an

took a step

had long crumbled. Her white tunic was torn and cut, revealing the soft radiance of her skin. Even her sword was covered by a net of cracks, ready to shatter into a whirlwind

She was tired.

"Found you."

the figures surrounding him moved to meet her. At the same time, thousands upon thousands of human vessels were pouring from the burning streets, surrounding her. There was

many she

'I…'

her, summoning

The second figure was already lunging from the side…

later, her

after step, wound after wound,

She almost made it.

a few meters left between her and the monstrous creature now… but those several meters

her knees. Seven spears were piercing her radiant body, nailing it to the ground. She couldn't heal these wounds until the spears were gone, but those holding them had no intention of

held down, Nephis couldn't

head and looked at the approaching monster. Her radiant image was reflected in

a couple steps away, looking down at her with an empty gaze. His pale lips

"Sis… ter…"