At this moment, the sounds from the foot of the mountain were already very close. Viserys looked back and saw that the 'carpet' of Ash Crabs had covered the area below the rock face they had just passed. Their dark red compound eyes converged into a scalp-tingling expanse of light in the dark space. Further back, new Stone Men figures also appeared at the beginning of the stone steps. They seemed less familiar with this steep terrain but were still slowly moving upwards.
"We will use this castle for defense," Viserys commanded loudly. The soldiers who had fled here, after successive losses, numbered fewer than 130. Adding those provided by Nahalo, including Captain Barze, there were also six sailors and three scholars. They quickly entered the castle, forming their final defensive line behind the main gate. Shields slammed heavily onto the ground, spears thrust forward, and everyone's face was etched with exhaustion and the determination of a desperate battle.
However, what happened next astonished everyone. Some knights who had climbed the city walls saw the Ash Crab swarm, which had first rushed to the edge of the platform, suddenly stop as if hitting an invisible wall. They merely lingered at the end of the stone steps connecting the platform to the mountain, their dark red compound eyes fixed on the castle, their pincers frantically opening and closing, emitting even more dense and piercing 'clacking' sounds, but they dared not step onto the platform. The Stone Men, who followed closely behind, passed the crab swarm but also stopped there, their eye sockets flickering with intense green light, their stiff bodies slightly turning towards the castle. They seemed to show some apprehension, even fear.
They dared not come up.
Ser Arthur and Alliser exchanged an incredulous look. Cold sweat seeped from the palms of the soldiers gripping their weapons; they were both grateful for this sudden reprieve and deeply uneasy about the incomprehensible phenomenon before them.
When things are unusual, there must be something strange. What could make these almost fearless monsters afraid to advance? Viserys believed that anything capable of frightening Ash Crabs and Stone Men must be an even more terrifying existence.
His gaze returned to the jagged obsidian castle. Ancient records stated that the Satherean family was known for blood magic and contract magic, so this was definitely not a safe haven.
Viserys frowned as he observed. The castle floor had faint patterns, not carved, but more like traces left by some kind of power. He felt it with his Green Sight and found that the entire castle was enveloped in a thin but stable energy field. This was completely opposite to the malicious fluctuations from the Stone Men, even carrying a faint repulsion.
Suddenly, he sensed several magical fluctuations within the castle, constantly changing positions, as if they were also some kind of magical creatures.
"There's something in the castle," he warned those around him, his hand already gripping the hilt of Blackfyre.
Just as his words fell, the previously tightly closed inner hall door slid open a crack. The long-neglected door let out a creaking sound as it turned, particularly harsh in the solemn environment. Then they saw a profound, dense darkness, as if capable of swallowing everything, flowing out from the open crack. Simultaneously, a cold, bloody aura rushed towards them, a stark contrast to the dry heat outside.
"Open the city gate, maintain formation, retreat slowly," Viserys immediately changed his orders, abandoning the plan to defend the castle. His intuition was frantically warning him that the darkness behind the door was far more lethal than the monster horde at the foot of the mountain.
The contingent obeyed, slowly exiting the castle and moving towards the rock face on one side of the platform, keeping as far away as possible from the open door crack. Everyone's eyes were fixed on that darkness.
Once everyone had exited the castle, the darkness began to stir.
Initially, only the shadows at the edge of the door crack twisted, and then several 'shadows' flowed out from within the door. At first, they had no fixed form, like ink stains dripping into water. But then they seemed to be stretched and deformed by an invisible hand, slowly taking on human outlines. After that, they acquired clear facial features and clothing, and distinctions between male, female, old, and young could be seen. Most eerily, light could pass directly through their bodies. Standing there, they looked like pure amalgamations of killing intent and malevolence.
"Shadow Creatures..." Viserys recalled the plot in the original work where Melisandre, the Red Priestess, helped Stannis kill Renly.
"Shadow Assassins..." At this point, a surviving scholar in the group, who had studied Shadowbinder magic, uttered the term with a trembling voice, confirming Viserys's thoughts. "Legends say they are formed by the highest-grade blood magic combined with shadow magic. Only a Dragon King himself or a direct descendant can create them through a specific ritual, using their own vital essence and magical power as catalysts. They exist between life and death, light and shadow, retaining only the purest killing instinct, obeying their creator's final command."
Thoughts raced through Viserys's mind. The Satherean family created these Shadow Creatures here, was it to guard something, or to fight against some existence? After all, logically speaking, these shadows should have a mission to fulfill.
He looked at these shadow creatures; they were still 'standing' at the hall entrance, as if 'sizing up' the unwelcome guests on the platform. They made no sound, but this silent gaze was more chilling than any roar.
Viserys counted, there were seven Shadow Creatures in total.
Just then, the seven Shadow Creatures seemed to have 'confirmed' the intruders, and they moved. Without running, without jumping, they merely 'floated' towards the crowd at an astonishing speed, as if gliding. Wherever they passed, light seemed to be absorbed, leaving faint dark traces, just as Viserys had seen earlier in the castle. It seemed their goal was to deal with creatures invading the castle.
"Engage the enemy," Viserys's words fell, and Ser Arthur was the first to react. Dawn in his hand slashed out, cutting a silvery-white light, meeting the foremost shadow. The sword light sliced through, and the shadow was cleaved in half, but the split dark mass instantly wriggled and quickly rejoined, only its red glow slightly dimmed.
On the other side, Alliser's steel sword struck a shadow, but it felt like hitting a thick, viscous ointment, offering immense resistance and no purchase. The shadow wrapped itself around his sword, and a bone-chilling aura traveled up the hilt, scaring him so much he nearly dropped his sword. It seemed ordinary physical attacks had limited effect.
"Use fire! Shadows fear light!" Viserys shouted, simultaneously brandishing Blackfyre. valyrian steel swords had a special effect on magical creatures; as the dark blade swept through, the shadow was cut into two. However, they were still able to reassemble, an effect much more potent than the shadows created by Melisandre.
The soldiers hastily lit their remaining torches, or ignited oil-soaked rags and tied them to their spear tips and longswords. The firelight flickered; attacking with these flaming weapons indeed caused the Shadow Creatures to show some hesitation and evasion. But their inherent speed was too great, and their forms too elusive, making it difficult for ordinary soldiers to strike effectively.
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