Shadow Slave

The Seven Saints were battling the Titans. The echoes of their dreadful clash spread like shockwaves through the horde of Nightmare Creatures. Somewhere far away, a vestige of the horde suddenly surged and swirled, lunging at something unseen. A moment later, a bloody haze veiled that entire section of the battlefield from view, and the wind carried over howls of agony... which all fell silent soon.

Silent Stalker was prowling there, slaughtering the abominations and never failing to send her arrows to support Dire Fang and Summer Knight. The latter had yet to assume his Transcendent form, as well. Beastmaster and Whispering Blade were each holding back a titan of their own, and Sky Tide had just succeeded in delivering a debilitating wound to the great scaled beast, dispersing the cloud of deathly miasma created by the flying horror at the same time.

All in all, things weren't looking bad.

...Which was not to say that the battle was going smoothly. Far from it - the titanic horde did not just consist of the four titans, and it was the task of Awakened and Ascended to face the vast legion of abominations. While not as spectacular, that task was just as important.

Sunny watched the battle grow more and more fierce. All the while, Cassie continued to keep them informed of the more important changes happening on the battlefield.

Her voice was calm and composed:

"...The Fallen Tyrant, designation Worm, has been slain."

"...Third Company of the Lyra Brigade is advancing to support the Fifth."

"...The Corrupted Demon, designation Frost Furnace, has been slain."

"...Ascended Yujin of the First Company of the Cassiopeia Brigade has fallen."

"...The Corrupted Devil, designation Hexblade, has been slain by Ascended Nightingale. It would be prudent to temporarily withdraw the Nightsingers from the flashpoint Delta."

At first, the good news was mixed with the bad news in equal measure. Morgan continued to react to the changes on the battlefield, moving her many pieces around to present an almost flawless defense against the onslaught of Nightmare Creatures. The battle formation created by her was fluid and flexible, bending when needed and lashing out with tremendous force at other times.

In fact, it seemed that Cassie and her were not just reacting, but actually anticipating many of the changes on the chaotic battlefield. It was a lot like personal combat - being able to anticipate what move the enemy would make was half the victory. The other half was using that knowledge to deliver a fatal strike.

...Sadly, there was a limit to what Morgan could do. No matter how good she was, the enemy facing them was just too dreadful. The Princess of War remained calm, but her face was slowly growing grim.

As time went on, Cassie's reports began to sound more and more dire.

"...Seventh Company of the Ursus Brigade is routed."

"...First Company of the Cassiopeia Brigade is suffering heavy casualties."

"...Ascended Ripple of the Seven Ursus has fallen."

"...First Company of the Cassiopeia Brigade is routed."

"...Defensive line is breached. Wolves and Nightsingers are advancing to seal the breach. I... I don't think they'll be able to hold out."

Morgan remained silent for a few moments, then nodded slowly.

"Yes. That is... troublesome."

Sunny stared at her silently. To use the word "troublesome" was the understatement of the century. With both layers of the defensive line breached, the Nightmare Creatures would be free to pour through and attack the formation from the rear. Once they did, one company after another would collapse, causing a fatal cascade.

There were forces that could be pulled back from other places on the battlefield to plug the breach, but they needed time to reach it. Morgan glanced at Nephis and suddenly smiled.

"How about it, dear sister? Are you ready to solve that problem for me?"

Neph looked at the battlefield, then turned her head slightly and nodded.

"It is the reason why you have held me in reserve, is it not?"

Morgan laughed.

"Indeed. Take your Fire Keepers and go, then... show these abominations what a daughter of Valor is capable of."

Changing Star simply turned away, ready to jump down from the stone fort onto the carapace of the giant tortoise. However, at that moment, Sunny finally spoke:

"Can I go, too?"

Morgan - and Seishan, as well - gave him surprised glances. After a short moment, the Princes of War asked:

"Really? But you don't have to, Master Sunless. As a government envoy, your duties are simply to serve as a messenger between us and your Army Command. In fact, it would be very embarrassing for me if the envoy entrusted to Clan Valor went and died."

Sunny frowned.

"Really. It would be very embarrassing for me, too, so I'll make sure to stay alive."

Morgan smiled... it seemed that there was some approval in her smile. She gave him a nod.

"Well... in that case, by all means. You were designated as a Special Strategic Asset, after all. I'd imagine that you can handle yourself on the battlefield."

After that, she gave Seishan a short glance, as if mocking the heiress of Song for having a less capable government spy assigned to her.

Jet stretched her arms, looking down with a hungry glint in her eyes.

"Then I'll join, too. Watching all this slaughter got me riled up."

She seemed very comfortable playing into her reputation as a psychotic killer. Neither Morgan nor Seishan said anything, at least.

Without delaying any further, Nephis, Sunny, and Jet jumped down to the carapace of the giant Echo, then slid off its side and landed on the ground near where the Fire Keepers were waiting, ready to do battle.

Noticing them, the survivors of the Dark City broke out in smiles.

"Lady Nephis! Are you deploying? Finally!"

"Hey, Sunny! Where is your armor? Hurry up and summon it!"

"Oh, man... Sunny is with us. Effie and Night are fighting, too. Lady Nephis is in charge... feels like the good old times!"

"What good old times, you fool? What was good about those times? Get your head on straight..."

Nephis looked at them with her calm, cold grey eyes... and then smiled.

Her smile seemed to illuminate the gloomy autumn day like a ray of sunshine.

"Yes, we are being deployed. Get ready and follow me. What can these pathetic abominations do to us? Nothing! Let us burn their filth from this world!"

The Fire Keepers looked at her with expressions of adoration and zealous devotion, passionate fires igniting in their eyes. Their voices joined in a choir:

"Follow Lady Changing Star!"

"Burn them!"

"Burn them all!"

Sunny observed them with a neutral expression as he gathered shadows around him and summoned the Sin of Solace... which immediately started whispering insidious provocations into his ears, a vague figure materializing a few steps away and following behind him.

He ignored the hallucination and shook his head in reproach.

'What a bunch of crazies...'