Shadow Slave

The Lord of Shadows did not seem in the mood to talk after the conclusion of the duel. Maybe he was dissatisfied with its result, or maybe he had simply strained himself too much in order to withstand the torrent of steel unleashed by Nephis, and needed rest. With how mysterious the reclusive Saint was, it was impossible to tell what was on his mind.

In any case, shortly after he had disappeared into the darkness, the beautiful onyx devil moved once again, inviting them to leave and make a camp outside the temple.

The territory around the ancient Citadel seemed safe enough, with all the Nightmare Creatures having been eradicated by Shadow and his servants. So, the Fire Keepers did not mind resting outside... there was no trust between them and the master of the temple yet, anyway. They would have felt uncomfortable resting under his roof, surrounded by powerful creatures.

A Transcendent Devil, a Transcendent Terror, a Supreme Devil... and gods knew who else. That power was enough to give a stronger force pause.

So, they made camp a dozen or so meters away from the great dark edifice of the Citadel, among the bones of slain Nightmare Creatures.

The lanterns chased away the darkness, and a fire had been ignited in the middle of the camp. Various storage Memories were summoned, containing food and beverages. They even raised several tents, hoping to enjoy a bit of peaceful sleep.

After experiencing two weeks of pure hell, the Fire Keepers could finally rest and relax a little. Of course, they did not lower their guard completely, still wearing their armor and keeping watch in shifts.

Nephis sat in front of the fire, watching it dance with a thoughtful expression.

The Lord of Shadows...

There were too many mysteries about him.

That mask, for example...

By now, Nephis remembered where she had seen it. Ananke had worn a mask almost identical to the one worn by Shadow. It was a symbol of the priests of the Nightmare Spell.

So... was Shadow one such priest, as well, or at least considered himself to be one? Or had he simply slain a follower of Weaver in one of his Nightmares and received the mask as a reward?

wall of the Ebony Tower, where the Demon of Destiny had left a map of strongholds built by his siblings

strongholds... almost as if looking at them from afar. But it did not mean that Weaver's stronghold was hidden somewhere on the Forgotten Shore, or even further north. It simply meant that no one had any idea

Nether had drawn it outside the

the Lord of Shadows connected to the priesthood of the Nightmare Spell, or to the Demon of Fate

did the heir of Shadow

'Curious.'

curious. The Citadel that somehow existed in the middle of Godgrave was also curious. So was the lineage of Shadow God that the master of the Citadel seemed

curious of

Was his swordsmanship.

into the

give her a challenge. There were dreadful Nightmare Creatures and Transcendent warriors with potent Aspects, sure... but that was a competition of power and will, not skill and

only person Nephis could truly spar with

at least on par with the Princess of Valor. No, not quite.

replica of the refined and domineering style that

seemed to have mastered. He was a true sword saint, one of the

duel him again, this time using the full might of their Aspects. What abilities would he show her? How ingenious was

no doubt that he had built

Which was... impressive.

art of their own, but few had created it without aid. After all, Saints were supported by their clans, as well as the Great Clans they owed allegiance to. ?ìg??օ???wo???~?օ?.

a Domain, Which meant that whatever technique

And then...

had shown, obviously as a

Her father's style.

calmly looking into the fire. Feeling the shift in her mood, the fire surged and