Shadow Slave

A vast white plain was shining under blinding sunlight. It seemed deceptively endless, devoid of any features. No living thing was moving across its surface, and none would dare to.

Changing Star of the Immortal Flame Clan, the Sword of Valor, was kneeling on that plain. She had been kneeling there for three days without moving a muscle, and even her right hand was frozen in the air, holding the hilt of a silvery sword. lts blade was like a radiant mirror reflecting a boundless white void.

I-Ier impassive face was showing signs of fatigue, but her beautiful grey eyes were cold and sharp, full of indomitable resolve that bordered on obsession.

Her silver hair was moving slightly in the wind.

"Lady N—ephis... the wind..."

Staying still like a statue, she spoke. without looking back:

"I know. Stay strong."

There were a few moments of silence, and then another voice spoke:

"I... don‘t know how much longer I can endure."

Nephis answered evenly, white sparks igniting in the depths of her calm eyes:

"Stop talking unless you want to die."

She wasn't threatening the man, simply stating a fact. In response to her words there was silence.

across the white plain, crashing into her with furious force. There were a few gasps from behind Nephis,

torn veil of ominous grey clouds. It swirled and flowed, slowly obscuring the merciless sky... not that Nephis could see it, frozen as she was. All she could see was the shadow slowly

clouds was castI the white surface lost its blinding radiance, becoming easy to look at. As Nephis watched the radiance dim, her face remained motionless... her heart, however,

stormy veil repaired itself, and the sky became completely hidden behind it. The blade of Neph's sword was extinguished, reflecting nothing but a swirling expanse of grey clouds now. The clouds were glowing

out a

of metal, and pained groans tore apart the silence. Nephis remained motionless for a few moments,

'This one was long.‘

tried to recover from three days of torturous stillness. Shim, Kaor, Shakti, Sid, Gorn, Gantry, and Erlas... they were the Fire Keepers that had followed her into the Death Zone on this mission. The rest were in

Far away.

had been a time when Bastion, located in the heartland of the Dream Realm, was separated from Ravenheart by an immeasurable distance.

the Great Clans, humans had greatly expanded their area of influence in the Dream Realm. The two enclaves had swallowed many regions... and yet,

by the House of Night. In the north, the Hollow Mountains stood like an impregnable

territory widened in the south, but was comparatively narrow in the north. Which meant that

north. This place, which had taken the lives of many powerful

reason for it was

her head slightly, Nephis looked north. Out there, far in the distance, a titanic skull was laying on the misty slopes of the Hollow Mountains, staring back at her with one colossal, empty eye socket.

socket, as well as the forehead and the entire left side of the titanic skull, had been entirely shattered by some unimaginable blow. The

spine, which stretched south from the Hollow Mountains. In fact, it was connected to an entire skeleton of inconceivable proportions. From the top of the skull to the right knee joint, which was the southernmost intact point of

and frightened by the terrifying size of the ancient remains, had speculated

course, Nephis did not think

any case, the right hand of the skeleton lay in the Song Domain, while the left hand lay