It was impossible, unattainable.

  Arthur caught his breath, and seemingly that's exactly what the beast was waiting for. The shadow rushed forward, slicing with its claws like mad.

  They must have fought a dozen times. Arthur was almost getting used to it, if not for the rising terror. It was the middle of the day. It’s like, how far had they moved? How much longer to the outpost?

  Arthena acted as if she was made of steel. Her attacks only sharpened, her movements became faster, and her blows were more deadly. All the shadows fell, cut in single swing, Arthena turned around, forming her bow, and with the ringing of bowstring, an arrow pierced the creature at a distance, and another, which jumped out from behind, got an arrow point-blank.

  A loud crack made them turn around. The smaller shadows pulled back swiftly, running around their opponents – and gathering behind the creature noticeably larger than all of them.

  “What the?..” Arthur breathed out

  The shadow with a low roar charged forward, Arthur instinctively ducked, putting up his shield, and Arthena rushed past, crashing into the monster as she ran. The spear shot forward and pierced straight into the monster's chest, the girl in cold blood dodged, leaving the claws to miss her face by a hair.

  The smaller shadows got around the creature, planning to reach Arthena’s open back. Arthur quickly rushed forward, cutting one with his sword, then another one. A creature managed to slash his side in a jump, but the veil softened the blow, only fabric ripped a bit…

  There was a thunder of discharges, the shadows howled and fell to the ground. Arthena abruptly tore her spear from the opponent. Arthur suppressed the urge to sit down on the ground and just stay like that.

  “Oh no...”

  The guy looked back at his partner in surprise. She stood in a tense pose, apparently staring into space. Then she raised her eyes to the sky.

  “A giant, in broad daylight...”

  Arthur stepped closer to her.

  “Arthena?”

  She looked back at him, like she just remembered he was there. Artorius realized with a glimmer of terror that the face of the best huntress of their academy was filled with obvious fear.

  “It's the Surge,” she said in a strangled voice. “Arthur, it's the Shadow Surge! Here, now!”

  “What?” The guy smirked with disbelief. “Don't talk nonsense, it's... it can't be.”

  Sometimes there were no reasons. There were no explanations. Sometimes the shadows simply burst into settlements en masse, crashed through or climbed over the walls of forts. And if things were really bad, during times of war or unrest, it happened even in the Havens. Hordes of monsters, seemingly out of nowhere, would break out into the streets in broad daylight, despite all the keepers, the hunters, any and all resistance, and just... murder everyone and everything.

  It was called the Shadow Surge. Higher powers or an effect unknown to science – no one knew what was the cause. Sometimes it just happened.

  As if coming to her senses, Illios pulled herself together and took a deep breath.

  “Arthena,” Arthur drawled doubtfully, “do you really think that...”

  “We must go back.”

  Whatever Rosie imagined about this hunt, in reality everything happened completely differently.

  First they took a short break, and finished off the sweet, slightly disgusting tasting biscuits from the ration and finished their water. Lilum strictly forbade throwing trash in the forest – Rosa doubted that she cared about the purity of the wild nature, but was simply tormented by the neat freak syndrome. Then they stumbled on the group of shadowbeasts – already a familiar event for the last couple of hours.

  The first three received a short swing, which struck everyone. Lilum saved her strength for the resonance, trying to stay away from Rosa and the enormous mess which she turned every fight into. One shadow received a sharp jab with a blade to the head, and jumped back, but immediately sank to the ground, bleeding haze...

  “Oh no, not you again!”

  Lilum turned to see Rosa somersaulting away from a powerful lunge of a massive shadow.

  “Another one?” Diamas exhaled in shock. “How could this be...”

  The smaller shadow caught her attention. Lily threw all caution to the wind and swung her blade, creating steam. Ice spears struck the shadow. Then a mass of fragments aimed at the giant...

  “Oooii!!!”

  A thunderous shout was accompanied by the cracking of branches and... a wave of flame that smashed the large shadow right in the butt.

  “Where ‘da yah think yah going?!”

  From the wave of heat her hair were flaring upward. Gibiska rained down a mass of blows on the shadow, turning its stern into mush. The shadow roared, and noticeably limping on its hind legs, tried to turn around.

  “No, yah don’t!”

  Rosa slashed vigorously at his side, tearing out a thick stream of black smoke. The tall huntress with golden hair contentedly shook herself off. Then she caught herself and removed massive, spiked silver gauntlets from her hands.

  “Oof, almost ran off.”

  “Gebbi?”

  Rosa's voice was almost pitiful. Gibiska turned around with a surprised expression, then smiled.

  “Oh. Rosa. You’re here too? Hey...”

  The younger sister crashed into her, grabbing in a hug.

  “I was so worried! I thought... And the Shadows in here everywhere! And that big one, and that one too, and I was...”

  “Okay, okay, shhh, it's all good.”

  Gibiska stroked her sister's tousled hair. Then tried to smooth it down.

  “And you're all alooone...” Rosa moaned.

  “Oh, not at all,” Gebbi said. “I'm with company too.”

  She looked around expectantly. Tally came out from a completely different direction than Gibiska had been expecting her from, and was now approaching Lilum and Gala, who were standing at a distance. Rosa stepped back, looking at her dark-haired friend. Then she narrowed her eyebrows.

  “Hey. So you're not alone?”

  “No, we met a little earlier...”

  “If that's how it's called,” Onyxson noted with dry sarcasm.

  ...a blow of the resonance threw the Shadows in all directions, a wave of flame scorched the surrounding bushes and forest rubbish. Gebbi shook her hand.

  “Phew, I hope it doesn't start a fire.”

  The forest was pretty damp. So, most likely, everything will be fine? She turned around to see a black wave rise in front of her.

  “Ghwaa!..”

  The blow threw her aside, her head rang, but she quickly recovered and jumped to her feet. But there were more and more shadows, she threw one back with a blow to the muzzle, the second slashed her side.

  “Get in line, freaks!”

  The shadows didn't listen. A burly shadow appeared right above her. Gebbi swung, and... A series of shots threw the enemy away. A black chain clanked near her.

  “Up!”

  The short shout had distinctive commanding notes. Gebbi grabbed the chain – and it jerked her up.

  “Whaai!..”

  Almost thrown loose, Gebbi managed to grab a branch. The shadow below roared, Gibiska kicked her leg in the air, releasing a wave of fire straight at the monster. The branch trembled under a pair of slender legs – Tallia jumped from somewhere above, deftly balancing on a shaky platform.

  Hanging from the branch on her belly, like a sack of potatoes, Gebbi waved to her friend.

  “Hi there. You’re here too?”

  “I imagined you needed some help.”

  Onyxson tossed her pistol, shaping it into a sword on the fly. Gibiska clasped her arms at her chest:

  “Awww, you're such a sweetroll, Tally!”

  “Activate the veil.”

  Tallia sharply yanked the chain at herself – the branch broke with a crunch, falling on the shadows along with the burden...

  “...and then we just moved on and then... here we are!”

  Rosa nodded matter-of-factly.

  “I see. I see! While I'm going crazy with anxiety, you're there having bit of fun!”

  She pressed on her sister, imitating an indignant windmill with her hands.

  “Hey-hey, easy!” Gibiska held her down by the head. “And here I thought you’re happy to see me.”

  “So that's why you reeking burnt! Gonna singe your fluff again!”

  Gebbi flush with angry blushing.

  “Oohhh!.. Oh, you little!..”

  With a shriek Rosa dodged the vicious grab for the ear and hit her opponent in the knee. Gebbi gasped and jumped back. Away from the scuffle, Tally carefully examined Gala. She was rapidly blushing under the scrutinizing gaze.

  “Who’s this?” Tally turned to Diamas. “I don't remember her.”

  “Good question...” Lily drawled.

  The mysterious demma made an uncertain grunt and looked down in embarrassment. Rosa dodged away from under Gibiska's grapple and, appearing near them, presented the find to her friends:

  “This is Gala, we saved her in the forest from the shadows.”

  “Oh, did you already found some new friends?” Gebbi said. “Then what with all the tantrum...”

  “Maybe she will be my new big sister!”

  “Do you think she could stand you?”

  “At least she doesn't make me worry whether she’s alive or not!”

  Lilum was tired of rolling her eyes at Rosa, doubling the problem was the last straw. She closed her eyes in torment and inhaled. Then exhaled. Then turned to Tally.

  "Are you two all right?"

  Onyxson's almost mocking indifference usually irritated Lilum, but now it was a pleasant change.

  "Yes. She was trying to find Rosa herself. We would still be running around the forest’s edge if I hadn't suggested moving forward."

  "I see." Lilum experienced a strange sense of solidarity. "I can say the same. Have you seen any other students?"

  "Only once, at the very beginning. There were already three of them, so we went looking for another group, but...”

  Lilum raised an eyebrow, Tally shrugged.

  "I suppose we got a little hold up, and there are many who already ahead of us."

  Diamas snorted with annoyance, that thought had occurred to her too.

  "So who is this girl?" Tally nodded at Gala.

  “...please don't fight!”

  “Oh yeah? Maybe she'll be my little sister! At least she won't chase me around the forest filled with the shadows.”

  “Noway! Even the shadows wouldn't take you in!”

  “Oh, don't be so angry...”

  Lilum let out a thoughtful "Hmmm" and shook her head.

  “I don't know. She's acting a little... weird. She won't tell where she had come from. We found out by accident that she's from the outpost.”

  “She won't tell?”

  “Yes. I suppose you can see why I find that odd. I hope she's not trying to run away from home or something...” Lily perked up. “Or maybe?.. No, no, not here.”

  “You think she's a runaway worker.”

  Lilum met Tally's unexpectedly piercing stare.

  “No, I...” She stuttered and collected her thoughts. “Of course, they don’t have such a problem in Elysium.”

  “Of course,” Tully said dispassionately. “It's only a problem in Azgart. Although I've heard that there are plenty of criminals wandering around Elysium. Gangs, smugglers, fugitives.”

  “You don't think...?” Lilum breathed out.

  They turned to the girl.

  “... please, don't fight,” Thea was plaintively beseeching.

  Rosa seized her in an embrace, causing her to yelp.

  “See? You got her all upset!”

  “Me?! This is your fault! Now give it here!”

  Gebbi tried to tear Gala out of her arms. Rosa held on with all her might. The poor girl let out a pitiful whine, stretched out like a rope.

  “Okay then... Hey! Enough!”

  Lilum came closer and slapped both Rosa and Gebbi on the hands. They recoiled with offended expressions.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Uh-huh...”

  The generous scattering of freckles on Gala's cheeks was completely hidden by a deep blush. Repressing the indignant exclamations of the sisters, Lilum questioned Tally and Gebbi on their progress.

  The story was more or less the same – at first everything was fine, then a few shadows, then even more, then a giant, no meetings, only at the very beginning.

  “Yes, we already get it, what happened with you,” Lilum noted sourly. “To summarize, we have two compasses, and two maps, and zero signal flares.”

  She spread her hands, looking around the gathering.

  “So now what? I suppose we already will be the last, and now it turns out that we cannot finish the exam for the three even with the four of us.”

  Gala was clearly watching them with obvious interest. Catching Lily's gaze, however, she guiltily looked down.

  "We can strip it from someone on the way to the outpost," suggested Gebbi.

  “We'll be disqualified,” Tally said dryly. “I suggest we just get to safety. Especially...”

  She looked at Gala. Girl looked down again, embarrassed.

  “I don't... You know, I could just... go by myself.”

  It was hard to tell what exactly she was so embarrassed about – that she was causing problems for others, or that she was babbling such obvious nonsense.

  “Noway!”

  “Out of the question.”

  Lily and Rosa looked at each other. Lilum blushed slightly and added:

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  “The forest is teeming with the shadows. It's ridiculous, frankly... I would even say...”

  “It's the Surge.”

  The girls turned sharply to Tally. She shrugged with mild surprise:

  “Isn't it obvious?”

  “But how do you propose we'll find them?!”

  “I didn't leave Gerda with them for no reason, Arthur, I...”

  Arthena fell silent for a moment. They argued as they walked, skirting the bushes and slipping under the branches automatically now.

  “I decided to move ahead not simply to...”

  She broke off. Arthur fell behind, and had no idea that Illios was now blushing slightly.

  “I coordinated the route with Lin. We were moving ahead, Arthur, to make it easier for them.”

  He gave an understanding "Oooh."

  Again, as before, almost without warning, the dozen of shadows slipped out of the bushes. Arthur fought almost mechanically. The sword's blow went into thin air. Claws slashed at his leg, he jumped back from the snapping jaws. The shadow was caught by his diagonal swing, his breathing got ragged...

  Arthena's spear danced around her as if alive. The blows with the shaft knocked the shadows to the ground, the leaf-shaped blade pierced their bodies. Arthena gracefully dodged the lounge from behind, striking backwards almost blindly. The shadow roared and fell still. Arthena swung her spear again.

  With a full body blow, the shadow knocked him to the ground, and now pressed down, clawing at the shield. Suddenly, it was swept away by a short stroke. Arthur, exhaling heavily, prostrated on the ground. Arthena came closer, making a gesture with her hand – the spear returned to her, sliding through the air quickly.

  “Hurry, we need to go...”

  Taking her hand, he rose from the ground again. His arms ached, and it seemed that his focus was listening to him more and more poorly. The shadows’ blows were hurting even more every time – his veil was weakening with each step. Even a short rest, during which they both greedily swallowed their rations, gave only a short surge of strength.

  Arthena had already moved forward, quickly skirting branches and undergrowth. But she realized quickly that something is wrong.

  “Arthur?”

  Noticing that her companion remained standing in the middle of the clearing, Arthena returned. The guy looked at her, perplexed. Then he said decisively:

  “Go on, Arthena, I... I'll just going to slow you down.”

  She turned to him, puzzled.

  “What?”

  “I can't. I can't keep this pace up, Arthena.”

  He tried to sound natural, but his voice was tinged with frustration.

  “I... I'll just send out a signal. If... When you find the others, then just...”

  The girl shook her head in confusion.

  “What are you... What's all this? Listen, we need to hurry...”

  “Exactly, you go ahead and...”

  “Arthur, is this because of your resonance? You're too tired, right? Listen...”

  “No, I'm not tired, I just...”

  He fell silent with frustration and absentmindedly stepped aside in a painful internal struggle.

  “If you can't use it, it's okay, it's just...”

  “Yes, I can't use it, and I never will!”

  The frustration he had so "successfully" kept under control suddenly wriggled out like an eel from his fingers. Arthena came closer, holding out her hand to him...

  “Because there is no such thing!”

  She froze, without reaching her companion. Arthur stepped aside, throwing his hands up with annoyance.

  “I have no resonance, Arthena! I... lied.”

  “But...” she hesitated. “But even if that's the case, then... you can still fight, and so you...”

  “I can't! I can't do anything, Arthena! I lied about... about everything!”

  Illios remained silent, looking at him in confusion. Arthur didn't look at her at all.

  “I lied about my recommendation! I lied about training. I lied to everyone about who I was.”

  “But this...” the girl faltered, shocked. “This doesn't make sense, Arthur. You're using your weapon, it's impossible.”

  “This is a fake, Arthena,” Arthur exhaled painfully. “This is our family's weapon, I don't know how, but it reacts to all of us, even children... I've messed around with it since I was a kid, and I... I just took it... I stole it, when I left for Elysium.”

  Artorius sighed heavily, as if soothing a painful wound. He looked at Arthena:

  “We’re an old family, yes. But we... we haven't been aristocrats for ages now. My dad is a farmer, damn it, he sows the fields along with our tenants, and goes into the forest only to bag a bird. I'm not a hunter, I'm just...”

  He swallowed, holding back a truly shameful desire.

  “I'm just a loser.”

  A sharp blow somewhere in the distance made them turn towards the sound.

  “Hey, it doesn't... didn’t sounded like a gunshot, did it?”

  “Arthur.”

  The guy looked back at the even, somewhat detached tone.

  “You can use the signal flare and wait for help,” said Arthena. “But it’s they who need help. My help. Your help.”

  She looked at him expectantly. Then turned away.

  “I didn't think you were the type who gives up so easily...”

  Arthena walked away. At first hesitantly, then faster, until she disappeared into the underbrush. The guy turned around a bit, in confusion.

  It can't be, it can't be, he doesn't belong here, it was all just a mistake. But... what to do? If Arthena was right, then... But he certainly doesn't belong here! He'll just die like a fool, like a loser...

  But they are his friends... right?

  “Ahhh... Light damn it all! Arthena, wait!”

  Artorius Camellon ran after her.

  It all happened so suddenly...

  Fjora desperately slashed at yet another creature, the shadows seemed to come one after the other. Lin jumped aside, a powerful blow shook the ground, throwing up a wave of debris.

  It was a giant, no doubt. With the size of a truck, the creature still looked like something canine, but its back was covered with dark haze. It opened its mouth, and a strange wave rushed at the hunter. Lin jumped back again.

  But even this monster was not the most dangerous opponent.

  The roar of the discharges for a moment deafened everyone, including the giant – the shadow actually flinched in horror.

  Gerda was floating in a web of blue strokes flowing around her like water. Her face was keeping strange, half-fainted expression. A blinding discharge suddenly burst out, burning into dust a couple of shadows that weren't quick enough.

  “Oh no...”

  Fjora took advantage of the breather to look at her charge. Things were bad...

  Gerda felt fine, at first. She was encouraged by the presence of friends, and even the rare skirmishes with the shadows didn't break her optimism about the exam. Lin and Fjora took on the close combat, leaving Gerda to cover them from afar. Venur carried a semiautomatic carbine, and when she managed to concentrate, she showed excellent results, sniping shadows like targets in a shooting gallery.

  Arthena's plan worked. Lin told her in a hushed voice what he and Arthy had come up with. Fjora grumbled that others would get all the fun bits, but she didn't argue. It was much more important to protect their fluffy ward.

  Then there was the giant. The beast seemed to be deliberately aiming at Gerda. At first, the shadows distracted her companions, then the giant tumbled out of the bushes right next to animata, as if thing snuck around them with truly non-animal ingenuity.

  Then there was chaos: the shadows, screaming, Fjora's corona discharge, a flash of Lin's resonance – his light drove most of the pack back into the forest, causing the beasts to scatter.

  But it was too late. Gerda hung in the air with the roar of the electric charges, showering everything around with deadly lightning. Fjora poked at it, but a single discharge made her jump back. Even she would be unable to neutralize such a damage.

  Lin was nearby. Ignoring the unconvincing objections, he pulled out a red signal flare and sent it into the sky. It had been quite a while already...

  Fjora with a roar turned around to face the crunching from the bushes, planning to meet the new batch of monsters appropriately. Something red flashed between the branches – then Illios lunged out into the clearing.

  “How bad is it?”

  Arthena ran up to Fjora. She angrily pushed the corpse of the shadow away. Arthur noisily barreled out after Illios.

  “Sorry, Arthy, I have no idea what happened…” Fjora moaned helplessly.

  A discharge thundered off to the side, and couple more of the shadows turned into smoke.

  “She has a diffused resonance,” Arthena said. “At least, that’s what I think. She doesn’t like to talk about details, but she mentioned that she came to the Elysian Academy of Shadowlore only for the sake of her resonance.”

  “You think she has some kind of… troubles?” Fjora said, puzzled.

  A thunderous bolt crashed into the ground, leaving scorch marks in the dry grass.

  “Sorry, stupid question.”

  Arthur caught his breath. Lin appeared from the side.

  “It seems we get a respite,” he said evenly. “But I don’t think… Arthena, we sent out a signal.”

  “Yes, I understood…”

  The girl clenched her teeth.

  “I’m afraid it’s too late… I think it’s the Surge.”

  Fjora gasped in shock, but Lin just nodded at the news.

  “So you’ve already called for help, but…”

  Arthur tried to hide his fear. Gerda was still slashing with lightning all around. Her face suddenly twisted for a moment, as if in slight pain.

  “She’ll kill herself if this will continue at such rate,” Arthena said bitterly.

  Fjora let out a painful moan.

  “But… what should we do? We’ve already sent out a signal!”

  “I have a plan.”

  Illios’s face looked like it was carved from stone.

  “Fjora, you have an electric-type resonance, right?”

  “Well, yes, but I can't even get close.”

  Fjora looked ruefully at Gerda. Then at Arthena.

  “It's no comparison to yours, with such flexible. And especially nothing like all of this. I don't think that...”

  “I could try...” Arthena faltered. “I'm sorry, I don't... I have no right to demand that you risk your life, we're all tired and...”

  Lin took her by the shoulder.

  “If you need anything, just say so.”

  Fjora nodded firmly.

  “Tell us what to do.”

  Arthena took a deep breath.

  “I think... we can enter her resonance.”

  “Oh great, this is getting ridiculous!”

  As soon as Lily suggested that the shadows had finally become fewer, they were immediately attacked again.

  “You jinxed it!” Rosa howled, desperately waving her spear in the air.

  The flock of shadowbeasts responded with a rasping cries. Lilum opened her mouth for a harsh reply, but...

  “Focus on the enemy.”

  Dry remark from Tally quelled the squabble. Girls methodically got rid of the creatures diving at them. Tally took down the flyers using snapshots with amazing skill. Lily tried to catch them in the ice with varying success. The sisters were busy dodging the flying creatures and then trying to whack them dead. The winged, crow-like shadows attacked with suicidal ferocity.

  “How many of them are there?!”

  With a roar, Gibiska lunged forward, waving off her opponent. The shadows swirled in a predatory dance above the victim.

  “Stop, you can’t!..”

  “Gebbi!”

  “Stay away.”

  Tally held Lilum back. Rosa remembered herself.

  “Graah!”

  A powerful wave of fire struck in all directions. A dozen creatures fell to the ground while screeching, where they were quickly finished off by the hunters. Gibiska hunched over tiredly and caught her breath.

  “You'll burn us all like that, you sheep...”

  Dry branches and grass crackled around them, impacted by the fire wave. Rosa carefully examined her sister for damage. Gala timidly stuck her head out from her hiding place behind a thin tree. The shadows apparently didn't notice her.

  “But if it's the Surge...” Lilum said slowly.

  The girls turned around and came closer, silently gathering for a council.

  “I think…” Lily spoke heavily, “we'll have to…”

  “We are not sending the signal.”

  She skeptically looked at Tally.

  “I thought that out of all of us you'd be the one…”

  “That’s right, we'll get there anyway, no need to fail the exam,” Rosa butted in.

  “Right, this is just couple of shadows!”

  Gebbi slammed her fists into her palm. Lilum looked her over, then she gripped a shred of suede on her side and tugged.

  “Oi, get off!”

  “We're in no position to… I wouldn't do it, if only!..” Lily was seething with indignation. “Do you think I want that?! It would be a terrible result! But…”

  She looked back at Tally, questioning.

  “I believe there is no need,” she said calmly. “Think about it. We're deep. Probably, not far from the outpost. I bet that is exactly where help would come from, if there's any left.”

  “If only someone would told us exactly where it is...”

  Gala looked down, hiding her eyes from Diamas's demanding eyes.

  “Sorry, I'm very sorry, but...”

  Rosa patted her head, making her flinch nervously.

  “Okay-okay, just don't be so sad.”

  The girl blushed desperately.

  “In that case, I guess we need to simply move forward,” Lilum concluded.

  She looked at Gala skeptically.

  “You know, if you can't keep up the pace, then...”

  “Hey, get off it!”

  Rosa wedged herself between them.

  “I'll carry her if needs be!”

  “And by "I", she means me,” Gebbi muttered, but waved her hand away. “Oh well, I don't mind.”

  Gala quickly shook her head.

  “No-no-no, I can definitely walk on my own! And that's why... that's why I...”

  Gala Thea suddenly perked up.

  “I’m sorry, I can't!..”

  She stopped mid-sentence. Then she silently bolted away, with the obvious intention of disappearing in the bushes.

  “Noyoudont!”

  Gala let out an utterly shocked cry when Rosa hung on her like a weight.

  “Have you lost your mind, girl?!”

  Lily rushed up to them and grabbed Gala by the shoulder.

  “But I...” The strange girl sighed heavily and admitted: “I don't want to go back like this... Dad will be so angry if I bring someone to the camp...”

  The four Freeones looked at each other in confusion.

  But they couldn't get any more information out of Gala. She simply apologized and asked to let her go. But of course, this only confirmed the collective decision to deliver her to the mysterious outpost personally.

  Tully and Lily, however, exchanged knowing glances. Gala really did act as if trekking was no bother for her at all. She was hardy and agile, like the rest of them. Like a Hunter.

  Something was wrong here.

  Fjora stood in front, Arthena was putting the hand on her shoulder.

  “Remember, we must move very slowly.

  Lightning lashed almost at their legs.

  “I'll try,” Fjora croaked.

  Arthena squeezed her shoulder lightly.

  “Sorry...”

  “It's fine. Well... On your word!”

  The shadows came out of the bushes like in a performance, easily gliding through the slightly faded forest. The sun had long since set toward the horizon, and although the sky was still light, early twilight had set in the woods.

  There was a sharp crack. Arthur glanced back. They entered a curtain of lightning. Discharges were slashing around, like strange electrical device gone crazy, like in comic books. But girls, apparently remained unharmed, the charges passing over them.

  A flash of light get him back to job at hand. The shadows screeched and darted backwards, using up rapidly dwindling ammo supply Lin shoot down a couple of the beasts. Leaving the pistols, he formed his blades – strange weapons with wide leaf-shaped blades and long handles – and rushed forward. Arthur followed his example, attacking the creatures first.

  “Come on…”

  He was running out of strength, even accounting for the second wind. But they were counting on him…

  A strange numbness swept away his fatigue. The shadows moved around like clawed targets, and Arthur chopped them down and covered himself from the snapping jaws and lunges of clawed paws. Another flash to the side almost caught him off guard. Lin slashed several opponents at once, slicing them with both blades.

  Arthur crashed into another monster with his shield. The shadow smashed against the shield like a sack of potatoes. The guy turned at the sharp movement to the side, where the shadow was… but it was only Lin.

  “They retreated.”

  Zhao was surprisingly calm, only the sweat on his forehead and his disheveled hair hinted at the recent heat of battle. Artorius caught his breath.

  “It won't last long,” he said sternly.

  “True... Over there, I think.”

  Arthur immediately understood what his partner meant. There was a crack and a giant as high as grown man burst into the clearing, the shadow was coming at them with a low growl. Smaller cousins, who had dispersed for a moment, began to gather around. There were still so many...

  “If only we could separate them,” Arthur breathed out.

  “I have no ammo,” Lin said calmly. “Usually you can just shoot the small fry, but...”

  The "small fry" were shadowbeast the size of a hound. But now they really were small fry...

  “I can try to hit them with my resonance...”

  His partner's voice had distinct doubt. Arthur realized that he too was exhausted. After all, they had been fighting for so long before all this. And despite the signal, reinforcements had not…

  “Right!” Arthur realized. “Lin, where is your flare?”

  The shadows were already within throwing distance when the boys aimed their signal flares at the giant almost point-blank. The fire hissed for a moment, and then a pair of small but blinding fireballs crashed into the shadow. The giant roared, the signal charges blazing in his muzzle like stars…

  And then a new one burst out of the undergrowth.

  “Are you kidding me!” Arthur suppressed the urge to smash his shield to the ground.

  But this shadow was behaving strangely. The small fry rushed all different directions, as if avoiding the light of the flares, they dove into the bushes and hid there, sliding in the half-darkness. The second giant stormed out into the clearing, seemingly blindly, because the giants mightily slammed into each other. Like two cars, with a noticeable impact, and even a crunch, and both burst into a wild vibrating roar.

  The next moment, a massive spear crashed into the stunned monster.

  “Don't worry, reinforcements have arrived!”

  A dashing cry was accompanied by a powerful crunching through the bushes and a long jump. Animata thrust the second spear next to the first, almost hanging off the enemy, his fox ears stood up straight in a predatory expression. The shadow roared. The ears pressed against the head, the hunter jumped back with a cry, tearing out the weapon.

  “Han!”

  Lin was already next to the shadow. The charges were still burning in the beast’s head, the shadow was spinning furiously, waving its claws in the air. Lin chopped it with both hands, then jumped backward from the counter swing. Arthur hurried after him.

  The second giant turned to Han – and with a crunching sound the spear exited his body, shrouded in dark haze. The shadow roared, falling on two legs.

  Marcell emerged from the undergrowth, deftly taking the weapon in his hand. Without saying a word, he and Han attacked the creature with a synchronized strike, bringing down a wave of stabs and wide cutting swings from all sides. Each tore out a noticeable tuft of dark smoke.

  The burning shadow fell to the ground, and almost immediately the second giant fell.

  "You have no idea how good your timing is, guys," Arthur said sincerely, approaching the guests.

  “I have some idea, but...”

  Haanash snatched the spear from the silenced monster.

  “It is worse than we hoped, yes.”

  He and Frank looked around the clearing, littered with smoke-leaking corpses of shadows. Then at the umbrella of electric charges, where two girls were painfully slowly creeping towards Gerda, who was hanging in the air as if she were possessed by a demon of thunder and lightning.

  “So... what is our main problem?” Frank asked in a businesslike tone.

  Arthur opened his mouth to tell the whole story. And froze at the start. Then he closed his mouth.

  “It's a long story,” Lin stated. “Now we need to make sure that the shadows don't crush...”

  “Is that Gerda inside?” Frank narrowed his eyes. “Oof, poor girl...”

  “And that's Illios inside,” Han observed. “I suppose this is our main problem? I mean, we could use her help.”

  “Did you fire the red signal?” Frank asked. “We thought someone needed help, and we…”

  “And we got lost!” Han declared happily.

  His comrade glanced at him with disapproval. Guy spread his hands.

  “What? I hate this country, too many trees!”

  “Do you have to just announce that we screwed up?”

  Haanash waved his hand dismissively.

  “Speaking of help,” Arthur intervened. “Is there any chance that there are a dozen outriders in full gear right behind you?”

  They shook their heads in unison.

  “Nope,” Han said.

  “Not a chance,” Marcell added.

  “Just as I feared.” Lin was surprisingly calm.

  The noise in the distance got their attention.

  “Of course, not a moment of peace,” Arthur said hoarsely. “Well, it can’t be helped… Do you mind staying? We can’t allow anyone to break their concentration!”

  He waved his hand towards the roaring lightning.

  “Otherwise... otherwise...”

  The guy lost his train of thought.

  “Otherwise, they're all dead.” For the first time, Lin's voice sounded depressed. “And without them, we’re probably...”

  Han spread his arms and twirled his spear.

  “Hey now, no defeatist attitude! We're Hunters, aren't we?!”

  “Technically,” Arthur spoke gloomily.

  Han waved the hand at him. Then his ears stood up straight.

  “What was that?”

  His companions all listened. The creatures were actively running around, rustling somewhere in the distance.

  “Oh no...” Arthur groaned. “They're going around us to the other side!”

  He was right – the shadows were actively moving around the clearing, and were gathering on the opposite side from the electric dome. The lightning had already burned a couple, but monsters seemed intent on burying the barrier under the pile of corpses, if necessary.

  “If a big one shows up, he could get through,” Lin confirmed his thoughts.

  Han raised his fist with a slightly strained bravado.

  “We'll just beat them up and...”

  “No.”

  The guys looked back at Arthur.

  “We need to split up!” Arthur said firmly, unexpectedly for himself. “Ok-ok-ok...”

  He took a sharp breath, thinking feverishly. Behind him, the white eyes of the shadows shone among the low branches.

  “Han, you go with Lin – he can keep them at a bay with his resonance, and you can finish them off with one blow.”

  He spun the weapon, the wide blade cutting through the air savagely.

  “You bet!”

  “Frank, you have the same technique, right?”

  “Well, not as crude...”

  “Hey!”

  “I'll distract them with myself, and you'll get rid of them quickly, okay?!”

  Leaving no time for discussion, Arthur rushed forward.

  “Come on, guys, hurry up!”

  They looked at each other. Frank and Han shrugged – and they went their separate ways. After circling the ball of lightning – Arthena and Fjora were so close now – they found themselves facing the group of shadows.

  “So how did you...”

  Frank didn't finish – Arthur simply rushed the group of monsters with a roar. The first beast turned around, as if in surprise, the sword slashed into its muzzle, knocking it to the ground. The rest, growling and snarling, spun around.

  The claws raked his leg. The jaws almost closed on his outstretched hand. Arthur swung the blade around, the shadows surrounded him in a circle, jerking away from his swings and reaching with their claws, one grabbed his leg...

  A sharp pain made him cry out. Arthur angrily slashed the monster with the sword, tearing out dark smoke. And then a powerful swing finished off the enemy at the side.

  “Okay, I figured it out,” Marcell said casually. “Not what I expected, but still effective.”

  “Oh, sure...” Arthur breathed out.

  His leg was bleeding. Not much, but the creature's fangs had finally broken the veil.

  “Speaking of plans,” Frank noted, “what exactly does your resonance do?”

  “Nothing,” Arthur answered without a trace of hesitation. “I don't have one.”

  Frank measured him with a quick glance.

  “Wow. You're cooler than I thought.”

  “What?”

  “I mean, you got this far even without a resonance? You've got some serious balls.”

  Artorius froze for a moment.

  “Really?..”

  They stood before the darkness of the undergrowth. In there white flickers and dark silhouettes were darting at a distance. Thoughts of death in the claws of shadows hovered somewhere beyond Arthur's mind. Only one thing was important.

  There were people behind him.

  A short roar gave a sign that their problems were just beginning. A light flashed on the other side, and blows were heard, as if something heavy was getting dropped.

  But Arthur looked only into the semi-darkness of the twilight forest.

  Now it became clear that they were wrong. Without agreeing on it they just mentally named the larger shadows "giants". But that was a mistake, they didn’t listened carefully at the lectures with Professor Fidelis. The size of a shadow does not change its class automatically. They fought with simple everyday shadows.

  And only now they were getting the Giant.

  The shadow was much larger than all those seen today. The size of a house, it reached to branches, bent them down and snapped them off, without paying the slightest attention. However, creature seemed to flow through the crushed undergrowth, with a grace inappropriate for such a monstrosity. The beast was covered in blackness, as if the darkness itself was swirling around the monster.

  Artorius clenched his weapon and raised his shield. Behind him, Arthena slowly reached out and placed her hand on Gerda's face. The girl's half-closed eyelids trembled...

  The shadow opened its mouth – and hundreds of black tentacles flowed around it...

  A thin, gentle ringing of metal filled the air.

  “Well, well... A birth of the hero.”