Shadow Slave

The gate of the Palace resembled the gate of the Awakened Academy more than it did that of the Dark Castle — it was a single, huge plate of a peculiar metal with no visible locking mechanism. However, while the Academy gate was simply an unadorned plate of reinforced alloy, this one was decorated by innumerable engravings that made it seem like a work of art.

..A destroyed work of art, that was, considering that the titanic plate of metal had been viciously torn and bent, opening into the cold darkness of the Palace Island like a monstrous, jagged flower.

Sunny and Nightwalker paused in front of it for a few moments, studying the sharp edges of torn metal with pensive expressions.

Nightwalker glanced up somberly. The jagged expanse of the breached gate towered above them, dwarfing the distant silhouette of the Dark Castle.

”Why does it feel like...”

Sunny finished his sentence in a dark tone: “Like something broke through this enormous gate from the inside?” Nightwalker nodded.

Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then shrugged.

”Well, if something did, it’s good news for us. Isn’t it? After all, that would mean that it is not inside anymore.”

Nightwalker nodded again, then glanced around with a frown.

”Sure. But... did you notice it?”

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

”Noticed what, exactly?”

Nightwalker’s frown deepened.

”There are no Nightmare Creatures on the Palace Island. It’s eerily quiet.”

Sunny had indeed noted that odd discrepancy. Up until now, they had encountered immortal abominations on every island within the inner dome. So, he had expected to enter battle immediately after pulling the Dark Castle to the Palace Island — however, nothing attacked them once they arrived.

Even now that the Shadow Legion spread across the entire northern shore of the island, the shades had not encountered a single immortal. The only threat they faced was the approaching wraith army.

He hesitated for a moment.

”It is a bit weird, true. But then again, the bridges are broken.”

Nightwalker grimaced.

“Yeah, it makes sense that the immortals would not have been able to get here. At the same time... this damn silence makes you feel like something terrible will be waiting for us inside, doesn’t it?”

Sunny sighed.

“We’ve already met something awful.’

He lingered for a moment, then shrugged. ”It is pretty obvious what broke this gate and where it went, is it not?”

Turning, he glanced at the vast expanse of crushed flesh flowing like a river in the distance.

“It was the Flesh of Kanakht. Kanakht was cut into pieces, and each of the pieces was sealed. So... to me, it seems like one of those pieces was sealed right here, in the Palace. In fact, it might have been the first prisoner of the Eternal City. But after the city fell, it escaped.”

His expression brightened a little.

”Which must have been a disaster for the immortals who lived here, but good news for us. Because it means that we already met the worst this place has to offer. And it was pretty damn awful.

Pulling a black odachi from the shadows, Sunny took a step forward.

”In any case, though, I am more terrible. So even if there’s something hiding in the Palace, it should be wary of me... not the other way around.”

The Darkness of the Palace swallowed him. A second later, Nightwalker followed with a quiet chuckle.

***

While Sunny and Nightwalker delved into the Palace, Jet was preparing to face the Dutchman and its wraith army on the shore of the lake. The rows of shades had assembled into a defensive formation, ready to repel the assault of the spectral warriors — it felt both eerie and reassuring to be among the silent soldiers of the Lord of Shadows.

They were a little creepy, to be honest. There was something deeply unnerving about these creatures, who moved and acted like living beings, but lacked the spark of life. The shades did not seem to possess the sense of self, and neither did they seem to possess a will of their own...

But, at the same time, there was hardly a more reliable army in the world. After all, the shadow warriors did not know fear, were indifferent to pain, and never failed to follow orders. So, Jet could hardly imagine better battle companions.

It was quite ironic that she felt at home in the company of the shadows. A dead woman was going into battle with dead soldiers... fighting against an army of ghosts in a city of immortals.

There had to be some kind of poetry in that. ”Can we even withstand those wraiths?” Naeve’s voice sounded somber.

Jet smiled.

“Of course. Any other army would have been wiped out in moments, but luckily for us, the main advantage of those bastards — their phantasmal nature — is meaningless when facing the Lord of Shadows. Each of these shadows is a kind of ghost itself, and on top of that, they carry his Will. So, the Dutchman could not have chosen a worse adversary. Oh... that includes me, as well.”

She glanced ahead.

”A little more, and we can welcome them with ranged attacks.”

Naeve inhaled deeply.

”You seem tense, though.”

Jet gave him a curious look.

If there was one thing she was good at, it was appearing nonchalant... that was because, in most cases, she simply could not be bothered to worry about things. However, she and Naeve had spent enough time together for him to learn how to read her expressions.

Jet sighed.

”Indeed, I am a little nervous. Not because of the wraiths, though.”

Even if there were a myriad of them, the Shadow Legion would withstand their assault for a while. Nephis was here, as well, so if things went south, they would have reinforcements.

There was something that made her anxious, though.

“It is the Dutchman and its captain themselves. That is what worries me.”

She looked at the looming silhouette of the cursed ship darkly.

Once the Dutchman joins the battle...

That was when the real trouble would begin.

Jet was sure of it.

She was also anticipating it.