You flare the light as much as you can, while the creatures fall back before Kit's onslaught. You've seen plenty of swordplay on stage, but this is the real thing. She's very, very good. Mere creatures of shadow can't stand against you. They slink back, transforming into nothing but pools of shadow.
"We can't stay here," Kit says. She takes your arm with her left hand, her blade still in her right. "This may be only a temporary victory. Let's get out of here before they come back."
"I couldn't agree more," you say.
You make it back to your apartment. Its shabby stone walls have never seemed more welcoming. You let Kit in and light the lamps, but heavy shadows seem to linger in the corners of the room.
"What were those things?" you ask.
"Shadows. Hunters. Some kind of manifestation of the curse. We've been getting reports of them for days. At first no one believed it was more than a hungry pack of stray dogs. It clearly isn't that."
"You said you thought the curse centered on the royal family," you say.
"I've been tracking the manifestations. They're most common in the physical presence of the Raven or his heirs. If it were stray dogs or a crime spree or panic among the common people of the city, there shouldn't have been so many strange occurrences around the palace. And there have been. Whatever's out there, the Raven himself may be in danger."
"Falathar also believes the curse may be connected to Cenone," you say. "Why do you think that might be?"
"I'm more concerned with how we stop it," Kit says. "They seem to fear swords to some extent. That's comforting."
"I've found out a few things," you say. "I'll try to find out more."
"Thank you," Kit says with a gallant bow to acknowledge your help. "I should get back to my patrol before I'm missed."