Kousetsu-san, get behind me, it doesn't look like your sword will do anything against these things! [ It looks like the number of capable fighters in this group had dropped to one. Between the shadow creature's numbing attacks and the fact that physical weapons plain didn't work on them, he wasn't going to be contributing very much to the war effort right now. ]

I'll keep it away, so keep searching, but stay away from dark corners. There might be more of them. Meanwhile, Raising Heart, set up please. [ Nanoha transformed in a flash of light, donning her Barrier Jacket and turning Raising Heart into its staff form. If there was going to be fighting, she might as well be ready for it.

Luckily for everyone she wasn't one of those magical girls with secret identities. Also luckily for everyone, she was a good shot with a sharp eye, so any shadow movement would quickly find itself met with a quick blast from her staff. ]