Aegis hauled herself up from the sewer floor. Her legs screamed in protest. Every muscle felt like jelly after burning through her entire mana pool.
[The Shadow Empress's cultists. Three years early. What the actual fuck?]
"We need to move." She reached down to help Talia. "Those slimes won't stay put forever."
Talia stared at the dissolved assassin's floating armor. Her yellow eyes reflected the sickly green glow.
"What just happened?"
"I saved your life." Aegis pulled harder. "You're welcome, by the way."
"That's not—" Talia jerked her hand away and stood on her own. "Those markings. I've seen them before."
[She has?]
"In my mother's restricted archives." Talia's voice dropped. "The Umbral Blade. They're supposed to be a myth."
"Well, they're a pretty corporeal myth." Aegis gestured at the bubbling remains. "One that just tried to turn you into princess kebab."
