The bladed staff in Ellis' hands was the only thing familiar to her, and she clung to it like salvation. It cut through the night air, ringing as it swiped and slashed at the Shadow. At the moment, it was the only friend she had. The world was strange, monsters grew to life in front of her, and alien voices shouted and muttered around her, filling in the white noise in Ellis' mind. Her weapon and the stinging pain in her back were the only things she had to ground her.

It was with some satisfaction then, that she plunged her blade's wicked tip straight through the shadow's chest, and it dissipated into tendrils of black smoke. Her satisfaction was lessened somewhat when three more Shadows scurried out from the ground and formed a line in front of her.

Ellis gritted her teeth in frustration. She glanced around to see the people around her all involved in battles of their own with the Shadows. The things seemed mindless, but they didn't go down easy… not to mentioned they seemed to spring from the shadows all around, and there was no telling how many would come. Ellis weighed her options. The thing she wanted most was answers; where she was, what the monsters were, _who she was_. It seemed to be the same for the others, and the only one among them who might have an idea was the blue woman. But they were likely to be overwhelmed if more Shadows sprung forth, and Ellis wouldn't get her answers if she was dead. 

A new thought struck her, illuminating like a flash of lightning at midnight: _the hooded man_. The one who had thrown the blue woman and laughed. His cocky attitude was irksome, but if nothing else it meant he was privy to information others weren't. If Ellis could find him… he seemed dangerous and it was a risk, but then again, so was staying here to fight a battle she _might_ make it out of, to speak to a woman who _might_ have her answers.

Her time to think was over. The three shadows leapt at her and Ellis swung her weapon in a wide arc, knocking them back. They tumbled to the ground, dazed, and Ellis took her opportunity. She jumped back, turned, and ran.

Ellis didn't know if she would even _find_ him, or if he would be more likely to attack her than the Shadows, but if it was a lost cause then she'd figure out what to do from there. It was preferable to the seemingly endless fight she was running from.