Hunted

There were thirteen humans desperately trying to escape the pursuit of the Great abomination.

Or rather, there had been. 

Without anyone noticing the reason, one of the Masters stumbled and fell. No one had attacked her, and the pursuing corpses were still out of sight. The woman grabbed her neck and screamed. 

A moment later, she rose with a strange smile on her lips. 

Where a radiant soul core had been, there was now nothing but spreading darkness. 

'Curse it all…' 

Sunny commanded the sole shadow that had remained with him to wrap itself around his body, and ran.

Someone's hoarse shout reached his ears: 

"S—split up!"

'No! You fools…'

The logic of that desperate call was simple and not without reason. There were seven vessels of the Gate Guardian — eight, now — and twelve surviving humans. If they escaped in different directions, some of them would have a chance to survive.