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?

fact, Nephis had seen the depiction of Weaver's Mask long before meeting Ananke. It was drawn on the wall of the Ebony

that Weaver's stronghold was hidden somewhere on the Forgotten Shore, or even further north. It simply meant that no

Nether had drawn

priesthood of the Nightmare Spell, or

did the heir of Shadow God have being

'Curious.'

So

curious of

Was his swordsmanship.

into the

There were dreadful Nightmare Creatures and Transcendent warriors

such, the only person Nephis could truly spar with was

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

had used was more or less a perfect replica of the refined and domineering style that the Knights of

Shadows seemed to have mastered. He was a true sword saint, one of the few that had been born since the descent of the

using the full might of their Aspects. What abilities would he show her? How ingenious was

that he had

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?.

solitary man. There was no clan behind him, let alone a Domain, Which meant that whatever technique he possessed had been designed by him, and

And then...

second battle style he had shown, obviously as a message

Her father's style.

Feeling the shift in her mood, the fire surged