Shadow Slave

Sunny had been right - the archer was long gone by the time the arrows hit. Kai flew all the way to the edges of the city, searching for the sniper with his miraculous vision, but found no trace of them.

He did discover the sniper nest on the roof of a dormitory tower in the outskirts, close to fifty kilometers away from the Nightmare Gate.

However, there were no clues to be found there only a few footprints in the snow, and punctured concrete where the arrows had been thrust into it for ease of access.

The arrows themselves were Memories, and had either dissolved after being destroyed or disappeared after being dismissed.

There were no functional cameras in that area of the outskirts, so no records remained to identify the attacker.

The sniped, whoever it was, had disappeared like a ghost.

...By the time Kai returned, the park looked like a disturbed anthill. Nephis had insisted on healing the soldiers who had been hurt in the explosion, and there were no casualties. But an attempt on the life of one of the two princesses of Valor - or maybe even both of them was no small matter. Government forces flooded the scene, both to take care of the Gate and to investigate the scandalous event.

There was nothing they could find, of course, but doing nothing was not an option.

Sunny had accompanied Nephis as she healed the soldiers and received their gratitude, both admiration and devotion burning in their relieved eyes. Then, he followed her to the side of a medical vehicle, where Morgan was waiting for them while typing something on her communicator with a cold expression. Sid, the Fire Keeper, was walking behind them sullenly, her civilian clothes in disarray.

That was where Kai eventually found them.

The charming archer relayed his findings with a troubled look on his face.

"...we will conduct a thorough investigation on the scene, of course. But I am afraid that we won't find anything. There is no physical evidence left, and since the attacker was careful enough to eliminate these traces, they would have had means to throw off our divination experts, as well."

He looked at Nephis with guilt in his eyes.

"I am sorry. There is not a lot that the government can do."

She grimaced silently.

...Morgan, however, was more vocal. Looking at Kai with a frown, she said in a cold tone:

"NOSC is your territory, Please forgive me for being blunt, Saint Kal, but the government is allowed to exist because it is useful, maintaining order in the waking world. If members of my clan can be freely attacked on your land, with no consequences... then what use is there for the government?"

gaze somberly, not

scoffed and shook

in her usual selfless manner, but ended up being struck by human arrows. Once the news gets out, what do you

still having nothing

staring at

up an

lot of time to plan an assassination, especially if the target was a Saint. However, their decision to answer the emergency

predict her actions would have been to know about the descent of

known about the Gate long before, but held back the information? Why

location Morgan had chosen for the meeting was too conveniently close to the emerging Gate, as well. Was it a coincidence, or had

an amusing

the sniper themselves? Why would they try to dispose

killed by those arrows, but it was very doubtful that she would have been seriously harmed. But then again, very

things seemed strange about this incident. One

finally spoke, placing a hand on

"Morgan. That's enough."

her a long look, then

but we of Valor do. It won't be

hiding his

you wish, Lady

of seeing his friend being bullied... by someone else... so he turned to Nephis and asked, hoping

that

for a few moments,

there were many attempts on my life when I was younger. I have... a lot of experience with this sort of thing. It's easy to notice if a vehicle has been tampered with, if you know

stared at her

told me before. I even witnessed it

what he

course, he

of heavily armored vehicles appeared near the entrance to the park - these ones painted in the colors of Clan

lingered for a moment, and said with a semblance of

me immediately if there is any news about the investigation,

turned