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.

***

broken wall, clutching her mangled neck. Her armor was slick with blood, and she felt weak. Her beautiful face was pale

"Go."

cobblestones. She was going to buy her master some time to escape, and

pushed herself off the wall and continued to flee. She dodged and evaded the Nightmare Creatures that lunged at her from the ruins, not bothering

of Effie and Jet were hanging in a fragile balance… they were literally hanging from her neck,

couldn't allow herself to make

'I must escape.'

a halt in front of

all staring at her with those eerie empty

front of her… were the broken gates of Twilight. Beyond them, there was

was nowhere else to

out a quiet

Dancer. The slender rapier glistened in the light of dawn, pointing at the

She gritted her teeth.

"Come, then."

'It's time.'

***

the heart of Twilight, Nephis finally reached the

some point, turning into a

here. Sunny was nowhere to

She was late.

sigh escaped from her

Nephis, Twilight was wreathed in white flames. In front of her, a dozen warriors

have recognized Mordret of Valor…

at the monster silently, an incandescent void shining through

took a step

crumbled. Her white tunic was torn and cut, revealing the soft radiance of her skin. Even her sword was covered by a net of

She was tired.

"Found you."

thousands upon thousands of human vessels were pouring from

no matter how many she killed,

'I…'

her, summoning

and met its strike. The second figure was already lunging from the side… the third, the fourth… she tried

few moments later, her sword

to move forward. Step after step, wound after wound, she slowly, torturously made her

She almost made it.

between her and the monstrous creature now… but those several meters were

it to the ground. She couldn't heal these wounds until the spears were gone, but those holding them had no intention of retrieving

on them and held down, Nephis couldn't

at the approaching

steps away, looking down at her with

"Sis… ter…"