Moorin was the fifth Sentinel Lord, but my sources tell me he had retired from combat since the last red moon.

Tora couldn't help but feel like she knew who the new Sentinel Lord was. Markl hadn't shown his face yet and Tora was sure she would have seen him by now.

The Sentinels and Shifters were evenly matched: a feat that was surprising given how little time had passed since their first and only sacrifice to the Artefact. She remembered them as the defenceless, mouthy creatures who excelled only in manipulating lifeforms against each other. Much as she despised Beiamolt, his brutal manner in conquering the other realms had kept the Shifters alive and powerful.

It was also very unnerving seeing the four Sentinel Lords exhibit abilities that mimicked the Seekers'. The male who first fought with Piricca had shown weak forcefield-generating powers. Piricca's strikes would be knocked off its course by a seemingly invisible force. An unnatural clang followed every apparent impact. Kerela, the sadistic redhead, assaulted Piricca with a series of rapid jabs with the ice dagger, her agility belying her injured left shoulder. Her edges shimmered; it was like she fought behind a pane of frosted glass. If Tora wasn't so used to sparring against Ross's ability, it would have been hard to keep an eye on the real specimen all the time.

The Sentinel with the staff showed no outward ability, but Tora could hazard a guess as to what he could do – but none of the Shifters had reacted as if under the influence of any mind-bending powers yet. Talos, the dark-haired female Sentinel, engaged Cimerus with a series of blows that was barely visible – and it wasn't just from the speed of her attacks. Her wrist shimmered, making her attacks difficult to read. On several occasions, Cimerus's annoying coy smile would vanish as he concentrated on the battle, and would dodge or deflect almost too late.

Ross appeared to have noticed the same. Her knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white. Her face was pale.

"Just how long had Markl been relaying our information to his own?" she whispered. Her shoulders hunched forward.

The piles of bodies, both Sentinels and Shifters, grew. It was hard to see which side was winning, and it was so eerie: the only type of Sentinel Tora had come across were the armour-less, gutless humanoids shortly before she was exiled, but these were holding their own. Tora wasn't even sure the Shifters would win if she were to join in.

And despite being evenly matched, still the last Sentinel Lord did not emerge.

Tora stood up.

"We need to move in."

"That wasn't the plan."

Tora almost grinned at the familiarity of the situation.

"The longer we wait, the sooner Markl reaches the Artefact."

"You said Markl can't activate it whilst Carlos is still alive."

"He doesn't know that yet. Once he realises, it won't be long until he comes here."

Ross frowned.

"How...?"

"He has a Veil Cutter. He can essentially open and close any portal he pleases."

Ross bit her lip.

"What's to stop him coming here now? Or whilst we're drawn over there? This is his best distraction. All you Shifters in the human world – and then he sneaks in here to kill Carlos."

"The sacrifice has to take place in the creature's own realm," Tora said heavily. "He can't find Carlos, not here, not whilst he stays invisible, and not whilst we still occupy this place. We've waited long enough."

"I hope you're right." Ross sighed, standing up. She stilled a tremor in her hands. "This world... the sooner this madness end, the better."

"You and me both, Ross."

"Aren't these your own kind?"

"Who's the one using 'your kind' now?"

Ross flushed down to her neck.

Tora shifted into a Crow: long black wings sprouted form every hair follicle. Her blue eyes fleetingly went back to golden before becoming scarlet. Her mouth keratinised and elongated to a deadly gleaming beak. Her head narrowed, her chest broadening. Long, curved talons tapped across the black marble floor. She towered Ross by another half a metre.

Without a word, Ross crouched and gripped Tora's outstretched ankle. Tora took care to hold her talons close to avoid shredding Ross to ribbons.

With a flap of wings that sent upturned Smallgrill chairs tumbling, Tora tore through the veil slit.

The full stench of spilt Sentinel blood and decomposing demons hit her like a brick wall, fifty metres in the sky. Ross shuddered, fighting back retches. The air was heavy with the demons' presence. Tora gave the battle scene beneath her a sharp glance. Each droplet of blood and each clench of muscle were in stark detail. Tortuous shrieks and snarls radiated through the air. With three claps of wings, Tora spun in mid-air and dived straight down.

The swirling cloud over the descent into the depths of the barracks rushed up to meet her and Ross.

Tora shifted. For a little while, wind glided over her leathery black skin. Her straw-like long yellow hair streamed in her wake.

She shifted again; the sensation of freedom and absolute control through her fingers slipped away. Her black human fringe flew off her face. Her eyes streamed with tears.

Tora threw her hand out. A forcefield shimmered. She and Ross landed on the smooth surface, which shrank at a steady rate to slow their fall. A second forcefield materialised, encasing the two of them. As they passed through the smoke, the raucous sounds behind faded.

"What is this smoke?" said Ross, squinting. The blackness pressed against Tora's telekinesis. They landed on the ground. The smoke faded. Tora released the forcefield and their feet sank into the melted remains of demons that fell through the smoke. The flesh melted into a congealed, fatty black layer. The demons' mouths were gapes of silent screams.

"A defence mechanism, I guess."

"And as usual, you plunge us through without a second thought."

"I wish you would trust me, Ross," said Tora with a small smile.

"I wish I could."

Tora's smile faded. She straightened her shoulders and marched ahead, ignoring the pang of hurt.

Perhaps Tora was truly as poor at concealing her emotions as Azyazel pointed out, for Ross hesitated, as if chewing over an afterthought.

Tora walked on. The whole area exuded a buzz that kept her on edge, as if the air was electrified. Their footsteps echoed down the empty corridor that resembled the road to a boss level in one of Carlos's games. Dim lights overhead flickered, creating fleeting shadows where there were none. Apparently the emergency backup generators still had a sliver of life left. It would not be of great surprise to have a sudden jump scare from a blind point right now – or perhaps Tora had just gamed with Carlos too often.

The Sentinels couldn't have left this place unguarded. And yet not a creature crossed their paths as they ventured deeper and deeper into the heart of this place. The initial empty chambers, which resembled meeting rooms with their stand-of-the-mill long metal desks and uncomfortable, posh chairs, gave way to steel-lined walls that were at least three storeys tall, windowless and devoid of life. Small lights dangled on precarious steel lines far overhead. Dead television screens accompanied each reinforced door that was either broken into or missing entirely. Chunks of machinery littered the ground, sent scattering whenever Tora's foot caught one.

The two picked their way through the remnants.

"This isn't a real army barrack," said Ross. "No, more like – these are barracks, but that's not what they're being used for. I've not seen facilities like this in years..."

"Seems like the Sentinels hadn't gone far, either." Tora forced a steel door back. It opened at snail's pace. Its lock hung broken. Another door stood behind it – or would have stood behind it. Shards littered the ground. Some of the further chambers still emitted smoke. The furthest door opened into a large open area that overlooked the main core of the building. Beyond the cracked glass, the foyer displayed at least six floors, criss-crossing across the space with silvery metal bridges lined by skinny hand rails.

"Goddammit." There must be at least fifty rooms per floor, most of which still seemed sealed. Not a flicker of movement and not a hint of footsteps. Either they were so far away or the Sentinels had vanished into nothingness. "How the hell can I get to it at this rate? I can search until we literally starve to death."

"That depends on what you want," said Ross in a low voice, her hands pressing against the glass. Her breath misted the cracks. Tora threw up her hands.

"I won't have time to find the bloody Artefact, let alone run with it."

"If you're going for the Artefact, that is."

Now was not the time for cryptic lines.

"Well what else am I here for? Sightseeing?"

Ross gave her a pointed look. Tora ogled at her haggard friend.

"What?"

If Ross started talking in riddles, Tora would flip a table.

"Your brother wants the Artefact."

"But I—oh." Realisation dawned. "I see."

"So we should go..." Ross scrutinised the foyer. One floor below, several more doors lay battered in the dust. "That way."

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