Chapter 15 – The Great Escape and a Memory Shard on Cas

  Domini flooded the back area from all possible directions. Most were low-born, cloaks embroidered in reds, blues, and greens; two high officials, one in silver and one in blazing gold, joined the fray. The gold official moved to support the Domini facing Yana.

  Chains extended toward Tasha, who executed a flawless flip from a cage, using [Void Step] to land beside Amber. When a red light lashed out, Tasha knocked it away with a shadow blade. Three dense shadow figures rose before Tasha and Amber, blocking the Domini strikes. Yana had already used [Shadow Call], [Shadow Control], and [Shadow Manipulate] to summon the area's ambient shadows to defend her rear flank.

  Yana herself laughed maniacally, beginning to fight with a ferocity that seemed to border on insanity. She moved like smoke and shadow, her scythe flowing through the air, tracing a dark, sinister arc as she struck out toward the gold official. His gold embroidery lit up, and Yana felt a sudden blockage in her throat—[Gagged]. Yana used [Spell Weave] to instantaneously shred the cords of the lesser magic, her eyes blazing as she narrowed them at the official.

  The silver official, coming in low, was instantly consumed by the surging shadows. Her scythe cut down smoothly—like cutting through dense butter. The silver official cried out even as the light left his eyes, his body hitting the ground with a stomach-lurching wet sound.

  Yana’s eyes blazed as she looked at the gold official, now backing away.

  Shadows rose densely around DD—not swimmingly or smooth like Yana, but just as powerful. They went up with an eerie swoosh and came down to chop all the Domini in a wide circle around the Marked Demon. [Shadow Kill]

  Dark moats of black debris settled about him as he surveyed the area. He made sure that Yana was okay and moved to a new batch of Domini, making sure that they did not reach Amber and Tasha.

  Just as Yana and DD moved to indiscriminately kill more Domini, wards shot up. Amber was already at the edge of the market, holding Devon.

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  ‘Let them go, DD. We have injured. Devon is secure.’

  Both Yana and DD gave low, frustrated growls, but held their shadow attacks as the remaining Domini officials, wounded and panicked, scrambled away, dragging their dead with them. Yana cocked her head, watching the Lashers—odd spectators—who quickly backed away from the chaos.

  “Can we move your brother?”

  ‘Yes, Mistress.’

  Without another word, they stepped to their house as one.

  She looked to Heli. “Ready for two evolutions boy?” His eyes widened and she smiled. “Mag yout fire gets an increase as well.” As she spoke she told Almawa to do the increases and evolutions.

  For her it was nothing – just [Shadow Light] – so she began looking their spoils. Heli whined and laid down and she felt Mag’s reaction on her soul.

  DD helped her look, an eye remaining in Heli as he evolved. Amber went to Yana.

  “Thank you Mistress. I will pay back my debt as soon as possible.”

  Yana looked up, confusion affecting her voice, she paused inwardly when she saw thr seriousness in Amber’s face.

  “Don’t worry about it. We will take of that later.” The shadow cat bowed and returned to her brother. Yana found herself wondering if she was some awful person – accruing debts through another’s troubles seemed a bit reprehensible.

  Heli stood and she looked up to him with a smile – he was now 8 feet tall and the darkness that plumed from him when he fought now continually dripped from him, like viscous smoke that never pooled.

  It was like his power was continually cycling through him.

  “Mag.” The shadow spark appeared before her, now bright white with blue edging. Yana nodded in approval. “I will test you out in the Dune Domain later. Heli, you can show me what you can do on Cas Continent now.”

  Mag returned to Yana’s soul and Yana looked to DD and Heli.

  “DD, Heli, let’s go to Cas Continent and get a memory shard.”

  The three Shadow Stepped to Cas. It was a small continent—more like an island—with deep yellow grasses and tall grey trees. The continent sits high on the plane, close to the large blue moon of Orb Dimension.

  They went directly to a large turquoise pool. “Stay here, you two. Keep guard.”

  Yana dove in, not waiting for a reply.

  The turquoise water broke in ripples of warm rainbow light, flowing around her as if seeking to understand the Shadow. She went deeper and deeper; the aquatic animals kept their distance, and the plants seemed to sway toward her.

  Her soul guided her to the memory shard, sitting in a barren area of the lake bed. It was larger than the others, pulsing with old shadow power. Her pale finger grazed it, but a shadow pulled the shard to her hand before she fully touched it. As soon as the shadow touched it, the shard turned amorphous and flowed to her like thick black liquid. Before she fully felt it swirl within her being, she headed back up to the surface—a broad smile on her face.

  [Memory Shade Acquired.]

  ‘I will finish this for the church,’ Yana thought, her focus entirely reset, ‘and then focus only on advancing my soul and memory.’