Radiant Fields

The outpost was about half a day away, at around the midpoint between the Sanctuary and the city. The group made their way there, walking along the old highway which had been over taken by nature. Cars lay in ruin, rusting away as young trees sprouted out from their engine blocks. Pot holes in the road formed little lakes inhabited by frogs and all kinds of insects that buzzed about. Deer weaved in between the forgotten traffic, peeking their heads out from between the cars to stare at the group as they walked along. 

"The Shadows don't eat the plants or animals?" Rell asked.

He remembered the Shadow-occupied areas back in his time. They would render whatever place they inhabited, whether city or forest, completely barren, consuming anything that would be considered living. 

"I haven't seen a Shadow really eat anything except for the occasional Sister." Elena noted, walking beside Rell with her hands behind her head. 

"There are old reports I've read about Shadows consuming living matter." Hina noted, her eyes drifting to a pair of twin fawns following their mother off in the distance. "However, after a certain point they started ignoring living creatures. They only seem to target Sisters now." 

"I once saw a hippo Shadow have a bunch of birds land on it. It was pretty cool until they saw us." Rin added. 

Rell wondered quietly what it meant. He decided to keep his questions to himself, focusing entirely on completing this mission and returning to the city. He reminded himself what his goal was: finding out what happened to Squad Seven. 

They reached the outpost by mid day. It was located over a small hill a little off the road. 

"Hear that?" Rena pointed. 

"Gunfire..." Mira noted. 

"An attack?" Elena pointed out, looking to Rin. 

"Go. Stay safe." Rin instructed. 

Elena nodded, turning channeling Wind Nin. She sped off at incredible speed, her sprint enhanced by a powerful gust of wind. 

"I'm going too." Rell insisted. 

"Oh no you don't!" Hina protested just as Rell channeled Shadow Nin. 

He Shadow sprinted, charging off after Elena. She turned, a surprised look on her face as Rell dashed past her, cresting up the hill. Rell drew his sword, coming to an abrupt stop and looking down. 

Dozens of large wolf like shadows dashed along the edges of the outpost, firing spikes at a contingent of Sisters within. They engaged them with rifles, sparks of red fire nin, wind, and water skirting through the air.

"Oh no..." Elena arrived, her wind dying down as she stopped next to Rell. 

Rell looked to her and nodded. She nodded back. They activated their Nin, charging down into the field to engage the creatures. 

Elena leapt, spinning and severing the head of one wolf. Rell rushed past her, slashing another. The wolves took notice, breaking away from their attack and circling the two them. They stood back to back, swords drawn. 

Spikes flew at them which such high speed they whistled through the air. Elena dodged them, twisting in an elegant dance as she rushed one of the Shadows. With a flip through the air, she landed atop it, driving her blades into it and skirting down its body, her weapons tearing its translucent flesh and kicking up plumes of smoke and blood. 

Rell fought more savagely. Despite his excellent swordsmanship, he still fought with an aggressive reckless abandon, his swings full of power and anger. It was what felt right to him. He After Imaged three times, each image taking hits from spikes as he closed the distance with Shadow sprint. A wolf lunged at him, only for him to respond, driving his blade into it and skewering it. Two wolves flanked him, going for legs. 

A magic bullet blew the head off one, another shot injuring the other. Rell turned and looked to see Rin atop the hill with her sniper scope, Hina standing next to her. Luna, Mira, and Rena rushed down the hill to join the fight. 

The injured wolf snapped at Rell, biting his arm. He after imaged again, the creature actually biting into red mist as he counter attack. The wolf was quick, leaping backwards with surprising agility. 

Two Water Nin icicles bullets pierced its body. It yelped as it died, collapsing into the dust. Rena charged to Rell's position, pistols ready. 

"I almost shot you in the back." She hissed, firing more icicle bullets at the attacking wolves. 

"Glad you didn't." Rell answered, killing another with a hard slash. 

Meanwhile, Elena continued her ballet of blades, taking out two more Shadows. A third struck, only for Luna to land right between them, kicking up a storm of dust. The Shadow found itself biting into a solid steel shield enhanced with Earth Nin. 

"Doggy." Luna said. "Pierce." 

Her shield flared, several long spikes of metal emerging from it and skewering the wolf. She tossed the body aside, her expression as blank as ever. 

Mira attacked another wolf, slamming down on it with the shaft of her spear.  The Shadow bucked under the attack, stunned. With a flick, she swung her spear, slamming into it with the shaft sideways, knocking it a good distance away. She acted quickly, channeling her Water Nin to shoot out a piercing jet of water at the tip of her weapon, blowing a massive hole through its chest and killing it. 

"Good job girls! And Rell." All their Light Orbs echoed Rin's voice. "Looks like they're running." 

The last handful of wolves fled into the same direction, flocking together some distance away. Rin fired at them, taking out several as they ran. 

She fired another shot, only for the attack to clash against a barrier, cracking it but not breaking it. 

"Looks like a Behemoth class..." Rin's Light Orbs echoed. 

"Sir Rell." Hina's voice came on suddenly. 

"I thought you said these were only connected to Rin's?" He sighed. 

"I'm using her orb to talk." She answered promptly. "Let's see what you can do against that barrier. Even Rin struggles to break through a Behemoth class." 

"Fine." He puffed. "Gonna need support." 

"Got it. Girls."

Luna looked at Mira and Elena, nodding. 

"I'll keep you safe Rell." She said. 

"Good. Try and keep up." Rell dashed away, Luna running behind. 

Spikes whistled through the air, peppering the ground around them. Luna lunged in front of Rell, blocking the incoming attacks, the spikes glancing off the the shield. Elena, Mira, and Rena ran behind them in a line while Rin provided covering fire, blanketing the Shadow formation with sniper fire.

Two wolves broke away from their formation to intercept them. Mira and Elena rushed forward, making short work of them. 

"Enhance." Luna muttered. "Harden." 

Earth Nin streamed across her shield, creating a circle of runes that glowed bright yellow. Several spikes slammed into it, this time instead of bouncing off, they shattered on impact. 

"There!" Rena pointed towards a two headed wolf. It was much larger than the others. 

"The behemoth!" Rell yelled. 

"Covering fire!" Rena stated. 

Rena focused, channeling her Water Nin. The raindrop like runes formed and swirled around her, forming into several long icicles encircling her pistols. With a pull of both triggers, the icicles shot out, slamming into the large wolf's barrier. The icicles shattered on impact, creating tiny cracks in the barrier where they hit. 

"I'm going in!" Rell yelled. 

"Roger!" Everyone yelled in unison. 

Rell Shadow sprinted towards the two headed wolf, simultaneously channeling Shadow Nin along his blade. It began to glow dark red, shadowy flames engulfing the blade as he closed the distance with the wolf. It's two heads snarled at him as he approached. 

Rell lifted his weapon with both hands, ready to swing down and kill the Shadow. 

He found himself in the darkness again. He had no body once more, he merely floated, helpless to anything. A small puppy sat in front of him, wagging its tail and looking up to him. 

"Huh?" He hesitated, before snapping back to reality. 

The blade melted the barrier, cleaving the Shadow in two right in between the heads. It cried loudly as both of its halves separated dying  instantly, smoke clouding Rell's vision as it overtook him. 

"He did it!" Rin grinned. "Told you so." She addressed Hina, who watched with her hand resting on her chin. 

"Impressive." She whispered. "However, is it enough?" 

Hina looked up, noticing something in the distance. Under a lone tree in the middle of the field, a figure stood. It was the Reaper. He watched Rell, his expression indiscernible under the skull mask. 

"I suppose the real test begins now..." Hina said. 

"Ma'am?" Rin turned to her, a confused expression on her face. 

The Reaper noticed Hina watching her. He waved. Hina bit down on her lip, suppressing her overwhelming rage. 

"Wait...who's?" Rin noticed the figure watching her team from under the tree. 

"We did it!" Elena cheered, running towards Rell and embracing him in a big hug, causing him to blush violently. 

"Sorry..." She blushed as well, releasing him. 

"Victory." Luna raised her arms. 

"Yes, we did it!" Mira added. 

"That's because you had me along." Rena insisted. "Although I don't appreciate you running off!" she pointed at Rell. 

He just shrugged. 

"Why you!" Rena howled in anger. 

"Guys! We got trouble!" Rin yelled. 

"Brother, you're pretty strong." The Reaper muttered to himself. "But let's see how you handle this." 

Shadow Nin danced near the group, forming a magical circle on the ground. Something rose out of it. It was a Shadow. But not a normal one. It resembled a human, but its body was unmistakably transparent. A solid metal helmet obscured its face, but even with no eye holes it turned towards the group, noticing them. The humanoid Shadow raised its weapon, a gigantic clubsword over its shoulder effortlessly with one hand as it regarded them.

"Not good!" Hina yelled from the hill. 

Her eyes darted from the Shadow to the Reaper. He was gone. With a lunge, she channeled Light Nin, Flicker Stepping in front of Rell in an instant, sword drawn. 

"Stay behind me!" She ordered the group. 

The Shadow howled. It was a cacophony of noises that shattered the ears. Like a mixture of a tiger's roar, scrapping metal, and baby crying. The Sisters and Rell, with the exception of Hina covered their ears from the pain. 

Hina took her stance, ready to fight.