Shadow Slave

In the form of the radiant spirit, Nephis was much more powerful than her human incarnation. Her speed and might increased vastly, and her fire powers grew much more potent... especially when the beautiful vessel of light was augmented seven times over by her Aspect.

Not only that, but mundane attacks could not hurt her at all - most weapons would simply turn to ash before reaching her, and those that did break through the immolating heat would find no flesh to harm behind it.

Only fire.

So, what hurt her the most was her Flaw, the [Pristine Soul]... and in that form, the danger it posed was much more dire than the suffering she experienced when using her lesser Abilities. The incandescent white void of her soul was so pure and searing that it threatened to consume her, burning away her very self. Perhaps forever.

At least that was what Nephis feared. She rarely used the power of her Aspect in combat, relying on nothing but her martial prowess if there was a choice, and she used her Transformation Ability even less frequently.

Of course, she was not invulnerable even in that brilliant form. There were many beings and weapons there that could harm this fiery vessel of hers, but the damage they dealt would be instantly healed at the cost of her essence. The form of the spirit of light was a manifestation of her Incandescent soul, and so, one would have to extinguish her soul completely to destroy it.

Which was not Impossible, especially when facing enemies of higher Ranks.

The ancient stone wraiths she was fighting were among such enemies.

[You have slain a Great Beast, Asura of Condemnation.]

[Your soul shines brighter].

[You have slain a Great Beast, Asura of Condemnation.]

[Your soul shines brighter.]

[You have slain a Great Beast...]

but after that, the situation worsened. The abominable golems witnessed her power and grasped it,

and flame was of no importance. The strange diamond weapons they wielded carried their killing will, and before that will, all would be annihilated. The laws of the world themselves bent

for a Great Beast, destroying a Transcendent Titan would not be easy - but

of the menacing golems, biding her

not waited for

out of the darkness on the border of the burning clearing, his great odachi plummeting onto one of the asuras a split second later, like the edge

two of them facing four Great

the Lord of Shadows glanced at each other briefly, her radiant, graceful silhouette

exploded with

'I wonder...'

full one, but it still generated terrible heat. The stone armor of the ancient golems

didn't

white radiance of her flame, but held. That fearsome armor, it

to have any trouble plunging into the middle of the burning clearing, seemingly unperturbed by

movements were just as swift, ferocious, and sharp

‘That's a relief, then.'

Her spirits were uplifted.

the Lord of Shadows clashed with the four asuras, the surrounding jungle swiftly turning into

been long obliterated by flames, so Nephis used her stunning speed and agility to fight the abominations with bare hands. She was swift and much

brazenly as before, either. Using her sublime grasp of the essence of combat, she delivered a constant stream of shallow attacks to her enemies. The stone armor on their wrists, ankles, and joints was

Shadows, meanwhile, was a much easier target. Not only was his dark body broad and towering, but he

attacks of the asuras managed to land on

strange. Sometimes, his movements did not seem too swift - compared to her, at least

if the Lord of Shadows was sometimes in two places at the

took Nephis a few moments to understand what was