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2721 The Ship of Theseus The being drifted in a dark vastness of shattered memories. It was vaguely aware of its own existence, but it did not know what it had been, what it was, what it would become. The cold abyss of bгoken memories surrounding it seemed boundless. The memories belonged to different creatures, different ages, different worlds. Some were sweet, while some were awful. Some were faint and brittle, while some were clear and sharp аs if etched into eternity. The being was lost in the labyrinth of those memories, unable to remember itself. Time and space were meaningless in the absence of awareness... and yet, the being felt a faint certainty. A subtle premonition of its doom. If it failed to find itself soon, it would dissolve into the ocean of memories forever, becoming something else. Something mindless, weak, and destined to cease. 'How... vexing.' The being thought that the evanescence of its existence was daunting. It did not possess limbs — or a body, for that matter — nor did it have a concept of possessing them. Not that things like that existed in the cold abyss of recollections. Still, the being wanted to reach for the memories, so it shaped its Will into long tendrils and grasped the nearest one. In the next moment... It saw the last battle of a war for the throne of a dying world. The being was a blind woman who pеrceived the world through the senses of others, walking down the steps of an ancient black tower. With each step, a dull pain radiated from beneath her bloodied blindfold. All around her, countless humans and abominations were preparing to face the final siege of the war — even if its outcome had already been decided. There were too many of them to count, but oddly enough, only a few were individuals. They were those precious few who had yet tо succumb to the plague... the remainder were merely vessels of her last ally, the hateful butcher of the north. Walking out of the Ebony Tower, the blind woman faced the familiar expanse of the Chained Island. Out there, separated from the flying island by a vast chasm and the great length of seven celestial chains, the forces of humanity were arrayed against them. More than a hundred Saints. Thousands of Masters. Countless Awakened warriors... Seishan and her sisters were among them. So were the Saints of the House of Night, Sky Tide, Roan... even her own Fire Keepers. And their master, naturally. All of them were ready to attack the Ebony Tower. The Sky Below would have served as a natural barrier for most, but Nightwalker was there as well, ready to fold space and deliver the besieging army to her doorstep. The Ivory Island loomed in the distance, as well, and the Night Garden could appear at any moment. “Quite a sight, isn't it?" She turned her head faintly, acknowledging the man who had spoken to her — the wicked monster with eyes that reflected the world back on itself. The blind woman lingered for a moment, then said indifferently: "I wouldn't know’ He laughed. Once the echoes of his laughter were swallowed by the wind, the man added in a mocking tone: “It all could have been avoided if you had let me loose, you know? Ah, but alas. You and your senseless morality." He paused briefly, then asked: "So, what does defeat taste like?" The blind woman lingered for a long time. When she finally spoke, her dark voice was full of defiance: "...I am not defeated yet." The being reeled away. Who were those people? Who were their adversaries, and what were they fighting for? It did not know, but the woman... the blind woman... she felt familiar. What was her name? Looking around, the being reached for another fragment. The tendrils of its will wrapped around it tightly, and it saw a different memory. In that memory, the being was vast and boundless. She wore a nebulous mantle and a mask of polished wood, standing proudly under a lightless sky. The being was surrounded by six figures. There was one wrapped in darkness and mist, its frightening black wings obscuring the sky. There was a horrid whisper that hid with the wind, flowing insidiously into her ears. There was a graceful figure woven out of darkness and light, so stunningly gorgeous that she wanted to cry. There was an ethereal presence that felt like the sweetest of illusions... its sweetness hid the very depths of hell. A ghostly silhouette who smelled of seawaves and starlight, her piercing blue eyes as vast as the sky, as dark and unfathomable as the cold embrace of Shadow... And another one, whose visage eluded her due to being unmemorable. The master of darkness and mist spoke, "We shall draw a line across all of existence, and separate all that exists. There will only be those who stand beneath our banner, and those who stand against our will. Those who follow the Demons and those who believe the lies of the gods. None shall refuse our challenge; none shall escape our call. Not even you, Weaver." She laughed, her elusive voice sounding like a myriad of hopeless prayers. “Who are you to call on us, brother? Who are you to challenge fate? We have heard you call and refuse it. We shall not be a part of the war that you wage." The Demon of Choice was silent for a moment, then spoke in a voice that contained the infinite weight of the boundless abyss, "The line has been drawn, and there is no escaping its judgment. Even by choosing to stay still, you are making a choice. The choice to abandon your siblings and side with the gods." His voice swelled with coldness and fury at the hint of betrayal. “Choose wisely, my sibling. You are alone and surrounded. If you choose to betray us, do you think I will let you escape?" She looked at the master of darkness and mist from beneath her fearsome mask, then raised her chin arrogantly and lied, as she always did. “We are Weaver, the Demon of Fate. We are the eldest of us, seven orphans, and the most dreadful." Weaver was the master of knowledge and lies, after all. "You spoke of choices, my brother, but why does it seem like you have already made yours? Do you think you can best us? No... you have already lost." Her elusive voice turned cold and penetrating, making the darkness shiver. "We are alone because that was our will, and we are surrounded because that is where we wanted to be. Every step you took, every word you spoke, and еvery thought you conceived of has been formed, foreseen, and dictated by fate. And we are the master of fate, after all. Therefore, we are your master as well." She looked at her brother from beneath the wooden mask and asked coldly: "So tell me, Demon of Choice... who is it that has to choose wisely?" ...The being staggered away, gasping for breath even though it did not have lungs and existed in a space alien to the concept of air. No, that memory was too grand, too terrifying, too impossible. The memory was in its possession, somehow, but belonged to someone else. To someone terrifying. 'I running out of time.' Still suffering the aftershocks of witnessing the terrible confrontation, the being desperately extended the tendrils of its Will toward a different memory — and that felt fresh and impactful, painted in shades of pain, fear, and profound insight. It belonged to the blind woman again. "Yes, this feels right. This feels like... me..." 🎧

2722 Monster of Crete Stepping out of a luxurious PTV, Cassie inhaled the stale air of NQSC. The city felt emptier than before... but also more anxious than before. People seemed to be moving ever-so-slightly quicker than they usually would, looking down as if pressed to the ground by the weight of fear. Maybe it was her own anxiety coloring her perception, though. The general population was still unaware of the odd war happening in the shadows of both worlds, after all. The war against Asterion and his spreading influence, which they were struggling to contain. She sighed. "Shall I go up with you?" Her driver today, oncе again, was Sid — even though most of the Fire Keepers were busy preparing to challenge the Third Nightmare these days, they still performed their usual duties, Escorting Cassie was one of them, due to the obvious limitations of her Flaw. She shook her head. "No need. Considering the sensitive nature of the meeting, he won't be happy to see an unfamiliar face Nephis and Sunny could not visit the waking world too often or for too long, but there was still endless work to be done here. So, Cassie spent her days between the Ivory Island and NQSC, with the latter taking most of her time as of late, Today, she ventured into the city to attend a clandestine meeting with Saint Cor, Wake of Ruin. Usually, there would have been no reason for them to act secretly... but in the current air of distrust and paranoia, numerous things had become difficult, Sid grimaced. "What's the point of sending me to protect you if you'll just leave me behind?" Cassie turned to face her and smiled. "What's the point of sending a Master to protect a Saint?" Leaving her bodyguard behind, she entered an unremarkable building. It was not that she did not trust the Fire Keepers — it was just that any threat that could pose a hazard to Cassie would be absolutely deadly to her subordinates. She felt reluctant to risk their lives needlessly. Behind the weathered facade of the building hid a luxurious and exclusive club, the kind where only distinguished Awakened could attain membership. Cassie was guided to a stylishly decorated lounge where Awakened and Masters rested in leather chairs, speaking quietly as they leisurely enjoyed expensive alcohol. ‘As she walked across the lounge, she subtly marked a few of them, sharing in their senses. Finally able to see, she secretly let out a relieved sigh. The decor was subdued, but opulent. The mood was lavish, verging on decadent. Cassie's appearance would have caused a stir if not for the fact that she had long learned to blend into the background. Usually, a Saint's presence made them stand out, but Cassie's was the opposite. Her presence was simple to overlook and difficult to remember. She approached the bar and took a seat, gesturing to the bartender to pour her a drink — something brewed in the Dream Realm, and therefore capable of affecting Awakened. But not strong enough to affect a Saint Wake of Ruin had not arrived yet, so she had some time to kill. Of course, there were myriad perspectives Cassie was keeping an eye on at all times. So, there was never really true downtime for her. She was focusing on the events happening in Ravenheart when someone took a seat next to her. Cassie did not react, but studiеd the stranger through the eyes of the bartender. He was not Saint Cor. She did know him, though — the man was an Awakened who distinguished himself in Antarctica, Ascended, and later went on to pledge his allegiance to the Song Domain during the war in Godgrave. Now, he was a free agent, and on several recruitment lists she had compiled. "Can I have what the lady is having?" The man turned, opening his mouth to say something, then froze for a moment. "Saint... Saint Cassia?" Cassie smiled politely. "Nice to meet you! The man remained silent for a while, staring at her with a perplexed expression. People often stared at her, safe in the assumption that she was blind and could not tell. This Ascended seemed more surprised than starstruck, though, which was a nice change of pace. Eventually, he nodded and looked away. “It's an honor to meet you.” They did not speak for a while after that. Cassie remained still, enjoying her drink in silence — the man did the same. When his glass ran dry, however, he finally found the courage to address her again. His tone sounded friendly enough. "By any chance... do you know the legend of Minotaur?" Cassie lingered for a few moments, then put her glass down and raised her hands. Pulling down her blindfold, she turned to face the man and raised an eyebrow calmly. “Minotaur? The monster?" The man smiled “Right. That's how people percеive him, I guess — a monster whom Theseus, the gallant hero, slayed in the Labyrinth to save himself and other sacrificial youths. But actually..." His smile turned a little bitter. "The Minotaur was not really a monster. Or at least, he wasn't only a monster” He shook his head with a sigh. "He was a descendant of the Sun God and a prince of Crete — born neither human nor a beast. An abomination that no kind welcomed. His father imprisoned him under the palace as a child, and kept him there in the darkness, feeding him human flesh. Every year, fourteen youths were sent into the darkness to be devoured by the Minotaur. Well, until Theseus happened to be one of the youths” Cassie nodded. “Thescus slayed the Minotaur and escaped the Labyrinth using a string that Ariadne gave him, right?" The man nodded eagerly. “Indeed” He fell silent for a short while, studying Cassie with curiosity. "The Minotaur must have been dreadfully hungry, stuck there in the darkness. He was only fed once a year, after all... perhaps that was why he developed a taste for human flesh. But did he really have to be fed human youths and be remembered as a monster?" The man sighed and glanced away, smiling strangely. “Ah, I've always wondered. What would have happened if he were fed monsters instead?" His vоice sounded wistful. Cassie remained silent for a few moments, then shrugged. "Wouldn't he have been a cannibal either way?" The man laughed. “Oh... oh! What an interesting point of view!" He shook his head and wiped the corners of his eyes. "But no, I don't think so. Rather, I think that the Minotaur had never committed such an act. He was neither a human nor a monster, after all, Since he belonged to no kind, no one he devoured was his kin. So, what sin did he commit?" Cassie did not respond for a while. Eventually, though, she asked: “Are you speaking from personal experience? Were you awfully hungry, stuck there in the darkness?" The man glanced at her with a friendly smile. “You can't even imagine. You can't even fathom it, young lady. The moon might be a stunning place, but looking down at your planet from up high... ah, all I could think about was how important it had turned out to have a damn string tied around your wrist..." 🎧

2723 Herald of the Dreamspawn The words hung in the air, enveloped by a terrifying silence. Cassie remained motionless, as well, doing her best to suppress her body from trembling. 'Asterion.' It would be a lie to say that, for a moment, she did not feel fear. Her thoughts spun, and she sent a stream of mental messages to those caught in the web of her Aspect. The man sitting next to her at the bar... was a herald of the Dreamspawn, an agent of the insidious foe threatening the very foundations of the Human Domain. But he wasn't Asterion himself, so she was not in mortal peril yet. Cassie lingered for a few moments, assessing the danger, and came to the conclusion that she had to buy some time above all else. So, instead of reacting strongly, she simply reached for her drink and took a leisurely sip. “Oh, my. You are a new type." The man smiled. "You should have foreseen that people like this one would emerge, no?" He was not wrong. Cassie, Nephis, and Sunny were still determining the full extent of Asterion's powers. There were few reliable sources of information about him, sadly — the previous Sovereigns had been too thorough in erasing all notable mentions of his existence from history. Asterion's Aspect was one of mental and spiritual manipulation. He could sense and influence the thoughts and emotions of others, as well as feed on them to grow stronger... and that was only as far as his Dormant, Awakened, and Ascended Abilities went, according to Nightwalker. No one — not even Jest, the exiled patriarch of Clan Dagonet — knew what his Transcendent form was, let alone what his Domain's nature and Supreme Ability were. They could infer quite a lot, though. Asterion seemed to possess an ability to spread his influence akin to a memetic virus. Everyone who was exposed to his name was infected by his power, and after that... well, different people were affected differently. Some did not show any symptoms at all, some would begin uttering his name randomly from time to time without even noticing it, helping the virus spread. Then, there were those whose thoughts and actions changed entirely under the influence of the Dreamspawn — those were his agents in the human world. They were the ones Cassie had been hunting for the last few months. But the man in front of her seemed to represent a new breed. He was not merely under the influence of Asterion's powers... he seemed to be consumed by them completely, falling under complete control of the eerie Sovereign. Cassie was not even sure if he could still be considered an actual individual, as opposed to a mere extension of the Dreamspawn. An avatar, perhaps. She nodded. "I did. Even if my powers of foresight are not what they used to be, I can still make deductions." Asterion was not that different from Cassie, in a sense. If she wanted to, she could burn every single memory from a person's mind, turning it into a blank slate. Then, she could fill that canvas with whatever false memories she wanted to invent, turning them into a marionette... not that she had done something like that yet. He could most likely do the same with a person's feelings and thoughts, just on an entirely different level due to being a Supreme. The question was, why had he sent this brainwashed Ascended to find her? There were plenty of reasons to eliminate Cassie, naturally — her powers could counter Asterion's influence, for one, albeit on a limited scale. But how would a lone Master eliminate a Saint? "Who says that I am alone?" As the man smiled, Cassie felt a cold shiver run down her spine. Shе had taken measures to guard her thoughts, but it seemed that it was all for naught. Asterion still read her like an open book. “Both you and every little fly caught in your web, young lady. What an intricate net you have woven, indeed..." Flinching once again, Cassie hurriedly cut the connection to most of her marks — except those gathered in the lounge, and therefore serving as her eyes. The man laughed. He studied her with a calm, subtly mocking smile. "Do you still hope to buy time, Song of the Fallen?" As soon as he said those words, Cassie's perspective shifted. That was because the people she was using to see what was happening inside the lounge — all of them — turned their heads at the same time. They were all looking in the same direction now... They were looking at her. For a split second, all she could see was her own pale face, the golden waves of her hair, and the electric light reflecting in the blue depths of her unseeing eyes. 'I've... walked into a trap.' Cassie tensed her muscles, preparing to fight. But before she could move... She suddenly went blind. It was not because someone had erased her mark off the Awakened and Masters gathered in the lounge, and neither was it because she fell victim to some debilitating Ability. Nо, it was much simpler — it was because all her marks simultaneously closed their eyes, plunging her world into darkness once again. The lounge exploded into a cacophony of sounds. Every single person inside used their superhuman bodies to lunge forward, shattering the furniture and splitting the wooden floor as they barreled in her direction. Before they even reached her, however, Cassie felt a flash of monstrous pain — that was the bartender bringing down an enchanted dagger to nail her hand to the bar and immobilize her. The weapon had to be at least an Ascended Memory to pierce the flesh of a Saint. The man himself must have been quite powerful, too. ...It was a good thing that Cassie had activated her Awakened Ability as soon as she entered the lounge. So, the pain she felt was merely a phantom conjured by the promise of an immediate future. She moved her hand, avoiding the bartender's blade, and smashed her glass into his head. At the same time, she slid off her chair and kicked the wrist of Asterion's avatar, preventing him from sliding a cold blade between her ribs. By the time she did, the rest of them were upon her. 🎧

2724 Insidious Paradox Cassie could glimpse a few moments into the future. That Ability of hers drew knowledge from a different source than the prophetic visions she used to receive, so it remained unaffected by the severing of the Strings of Fate which had robbed most diviners оf their foresight. That gave her a fatal advantage in battle, even if the rest of her Aspect was not at all suited for combat. However... Asterion seemed to be able to read her thoughts without much effort. So, he was aware of all her decisions, and therefore knew what she intended to do in advance. It was quite a bizarre kind of stalemate, to say the least. With both adversaries possessing a perfect understanding of what the opponent would do, the outcome of their confrontation depended on a very primitive set of factors. Cassie's Transcendent body was stronger and faster than those of the Awаkened and Ascended warriors attacking her, but they held a numeric advantage. Each of those warriors also possessed a unique Aspect of their own. The opulent lounge disintegrated almost in an instant. The lavish furniture turned to splinters, the bar exploded with a deafening roar, and even the walls themselves cracked and crumbled. There was no time to even summon a Memory. By the time it would manifest itself into reality, the battle would already be over — one way or another. Cassie dodged the shrapnel and escaped unscathed from the flames, shrugging off hands that reached forward to grab her and stealing the bartender's dagger to use as a weapon. The man himself was unconscious or dying, so he would not be able to dismiss it just yet. But as she brandished the sharp blade, she hesitated. Even if it was for a split second, she froze. "What am I... supposed to do?" The answer was obvious — she had to carve her way out and escape, keeping herself safe until reinforcements arrived. She had sent Sid away with a mental message, afraid that her bodyguard would be killed, but a far more formidable ally was on his way. It would take even him some time to reach her, sadly. Even though cutting down these people to escape was not impossible, they were not really her enemies. They were victims of the Dreamspawn, themselves. That was the true horror of the issue they had faced after Asterion's influence began to spread in earnest. The only way to stop its spread was to eliminate those affected by his powers, but they were the very people Cassie, Nephis, and Sunny were trying to protect from him. What an insidious paradox that was... It was a war where they could not kill the enemy soldiers. How did one fight such a war, let alone win it? Cassie only hesitated for the briefest of seconds, but that was enough to give the adversary a dire advantage. Because in the next moment, she felt her body being riddled with wounds. The branches of the near future sprawled in her foresight, each ending with cold steel plunging into her flesh. The pain of these unrealized futures rattled her, but Cassie had long become used to such torment. So, she ignored it and moved. 'Vile creature...' She felt a chill running down her spine. Asterion was not simply commanding the people he subjugated. He made them act against human instinct, completely ignoring the need for self-preservation — they fought in a way that went against familiar logic, throwing their bodies at Cassie аlmost as if they were begging her to maim and destroy them. It was as if she were being attаcked by a herd of ravenous corpses, not people at all. She cut, struck, and kicked them away, trying to avoid delivering mortal wounds as best she could. But that ended up costing her, soon. In the end — only a handful of moments after the battle began — the man who had first approached her grabbed her by the neck, stabbing his knife deep into her abdomen. Cassie shuddered. The pain was no different from the phantom agony she had been enduring, but the knowledge that she was actually being stabbed made it so much more shocking. As she suffered in pain, he grinned... at least she thought he did, blind as she was, because there there was a note of mirth in his languid voice. "Do you remember, Song of the Fallen? Despite all the help Ariadne had given Theseus... he still abandoned her, leaving her to die all alone." As the man twisted his knife, Cassie gritted her teeth. "Go... to hell!" Feeling hot streams of blood rushing down her body, she turned her head at the sound of his voice and activated her Transcendent Ability. Entranced by her gaze, Asterion's avatar revealed his mind to her in all its convoluted vastness... his memories, at least. Usually, she would have treated them with a gentle touch or the intricate precision of a seasoned surgeon. But this time, surrounded and seconds away from either being killed or having to slaughter a room of innocent people, she simply ravaged the memories, callously burning away everything she could reach. Somewhere among the numerous memories she destroyed were the memories of Asterion and the knowledge of his name, as well. The man staggered, changing in the face. His grip on her throat weakened, and the hilt of the dagger slipped from his hand. A confused, feeble question reached her ears through the haze of pain. "Wha... w—where... am..." He sounded like a child who suddenly found himself in a scary place, slurring his words and struggling to form a sentence. Cassie pushed the man away and groaned, feeling the sharp blade shift in the ghastly wound. The dagger was sure to be enchanted with some kind of poison, no doubt... But she did not have to worry about that. She was a champion of the Human Domain, after all. Moments later, her wound would be washed away by the familiar, soothing, radiant white flames. In fact... they should have washed her pain already. 'Why... am I still bleeding?' Anew voice resounded from the darkness, full of laughter. "Why? Did you expect little Nephis to save you?" Another voice joined, full of reproach. "l expected better of you, young lady. Surely, you did not expect me to come unprepared." Laughter surrounded her from all sides, followed by human voices. "Didn't I say it? Ariadne died alone." "Well, it was her own fault for putting her trust in a human." "Although..." "Between the Minotaur and Theseus... who do you think was more grotesque?" Taking a step back, Cassie pressed a hand against her wound. Although she could not see anything, she felt enemies closing on her from all sides. She shared their senses, after all, so she could feel their muscles contracting, adrenaline rushing through their veins, the weight of their weapons pulling their hands down. She could smell the scent of her own blood through their nostrils. Suddenly, Cassie was not sure that she could win this fight. And so... she fled. Or at least attempted to. 🎧

2725 Collateral Damage Cassie could not escape the building through the door or through the crumbling walls — that would only make her an easy target, allowing the Dreamspawn's thralls to litter her body with more wounds. Neither could she escape into the Dream Realm by pulling on her tether, since there was not enough time. Of all the futures she could sense, most ended in a violent sea of pain and agony... The depths of that savage sea were dark and heinous enough to make her blood run cold. Still, there was hope. There always was, after all. Raising a hand, Cassie grasped the blue gemstone set into one of her earrings. The earring was a Transcendent Memory she had purchased at a high price once, a long time ago, from the armory of Clan Valor — the other was a mundane item created to match it. That Memory was a consumable charm that could only be used once, transporting its master to a predetermined point in space across a vast distance. Naturally, a charm like that was a perfect tool for someone wishing to escape danger. However, Cassie had never intended to use it as a means of escape — on the contrary, she had needed it to make sure that she could reach someone as quickly as possible. The anchor of the spatial charm was placed in her childhood bedroom here in NQSC. She had long moved out of her family home, using one of the guest rooms in the Immortal Flame Manor to place her tether instead — Cassie was quite a powerful and esteemed individual now, after all. People like her had to choose the place where they entered the waking world carefully, since it was a point of vulnerability. If somebody wanted to ambush her, attacking in the brief seconds of disorientation after she passed the realm boundary was a solid choice. So, keeping her tether close to her mundane parents would only put them in danger. The world was a dangerous place in and of itself, though. Since they were reluctant to abandon their lives in NQSC and move to the Dream Realm, where Cassie could keep them safer, she needed some insurance in case a Nightmare Gate opened near her childhood home. So, she had commissioned this Memory. Who would have thought that she would have to use it to save herself one day? All Cassie had to do to activate the enchantment was crush the blue gemstone between her fingers... and yet, she hesitated. ‘Does he know about the earring?’ Asterion seemed to have prepared this ambush quite thoroughly, and considering how well he was informed about the abilities of both Cassie and her allies, he could have stolen the knowledge of this Transcendent charm from her mind as well. Even if he had not known about it before, he knew now. Suddenly, Cassie was overcome by an overpowering sense of paranoia. Was it his intention to force her to use it, to begin with? Or... She felt creeping terror flood her mind, making even the pain pulsing through her body seem faint. Or was the paranoia she felt nothing but a thought implanted into her head by Asterion in an attempt to prevent heг from slipping out of his trap? She could not even trust her own thoughts anymore. Suppressing the fear, Cassie gritted her teeth. In any case, the blue gemstone was her last resort. And she was not pushed against the ropes just yet. Grasping the hilt of the dagger protruding from her abdomen, she pulled it out and spun the bloodied blade, catching it tightly in a proper grip. Armed with two daggers now, Cassie closed her eyes and accepted the darkness. She could not see anything, but the darkness was full of sensations. Both the present and the future were brimming with information, readily available for her to peruse. The movements of her enemies, the details of their Aspects, the enchantments of the Memories they wielded to cut her down... Another Ascended unleashed a powerful and eerily sharpened shockwave, slicing the unfortunate man Cassie had robbed of his Memories in two — she sidestepped both the shockwave and the torrent of blood, then spun to deflect a rapid sword and cut the wrist tendon of the Awakened with her second dagger. A split second later, she evaded another blow and kicked the attacker in the knee, shattering it completely. Then, she took a step back. She was one step closer to the exit now. But that was as far as she managed to go. The man whose wrist she had slashed was incapable of holding the sword now, but he simply threw his body at her like a madman. The woman whose knee she had shattered could not walk anymore, but could crawl and grab her ankle instead. And there were more coming... A plume of flame nearly swallowed Cassie, making her grimace from searing heat. An arrow whistled past, leaving a nick on her neck. Someone slammed into her, sending her staggering back. Still in the throes of pain, Cassie stumbled and fell to the ground. Sharp blades flew toward her body. Cruel hands grabbed her legs, her arms, and her shoulders, pressing her into the ground. In the darkness... Cassie opened her eyes. "Enough!" She moved, shaking off the people holding her down. Her two daggers moved, as well. One sank into a neck, unleashing a flood of blood. The other sank into a heart, making it cease its incessant beating forever. The Spell whispered tenderly into her ear: [You have slain an Awakened human...] [You have slain an Ascended human...] Not holding back anymore, Cassie answered the deadly malice of Asterion’s thralls with her own. It was a tеrrible thing, when a Saint let their power loose... bodies fell to the floor, and blood washed over the debris. She felt guilt and disgust, knowing that the people she was killing were innocent. But their innocence did not make the gruesome wounds they delivered her less real. She was stabbed again, cut across the back, and struck terribly enough to make her ribs groan. None of the wounds healed, but it did not matter anymore. Because the exit was already near... But what met her when she finally reached it was a mocking voice. “Ah, I see now. It seems you've wanted to escape the darkness, too..." Cassie's eyes widened. There was no way out in the countless futures she saw anymore... all of them ended in pain. She was caged in a prison of futures, just like the Defiled sybil killed by her had been once. Cassie dropped the daggers and raised her hand. As the door exploded and a powerful shockwave slammed into her, throwing her body back, she grasped the blue gemstone and crushed it. A split second later, the thundering rоar of the explosion was replaced by dead silence. 🎧

2726 In the Flesh Racked by pain and utterly blind, Cassie slammed into something soft and tumbled to the floor. Laying there, dazed, she tried to shake off her disоrientation. ‘The spatial charm. Right.’ The darkness was full of familiar scents... she was in her childhood bedroom. The thing she had slammed into was her bed. The surface underneath her was the beautifully embroidered rug her dad had bought her a long time ago, after she finished middle school. The soft rug was swiftly absorbing her blood now. Cleaning it was not going to be easy... come to think of it, her pink bedcover had to be smeared in blood now, too. Cassie felt a pang of panic at showing up home in such a state. Her mom was not going to have a heart attack... No, this was not the time to think about these things. Her call for help would be responded soon, but there was no telling how dire an ambush Asterion had prepared. What if his thralls somehow followed her here? Then, she would have put her parents in danger. ‘Ineed to move! She had to take them away, to Bastion, before anything else could happen. Her dad would still be at work right now, but her mom had to be home. But before that... Cassie examined her own memories, starting with the moment she received the meeting location from Wake of Ruin. She meticulously compared each to the previous one, looking for the signs of tampering. And there, indeed... although Asterion had not been able to mess with her head significantly, some of her thoughts and emotions seemed to have been pushed in unnatural directions. Her unwillingness to harm the thralls despite the risk to her own life had been strengthened. Her fear of using the spatial charm had been made stronger. There were a few more subtle manipulations, as well... Cassie let out a quiet growl. The eeriest part of it all was that even knowing that those emotions had been forced upon her, she still genuinely felt them. She still believed that her choices had been natural and correct. Groaning, Cassie erased her own memories and replaced them with identical copies that had the tampеred thoughts and emotions removed. The vile traces of Asterion's manipulations disappeared from her mind, but the knowledge of what had happened remained. All of it took no more than a few seconds. Ignoring the pain in her battered body, she forced herself to stand up. As a whirlwind of ethereal sparks exploded out of her body, Cassie staggered to the door. There was nobody here to share their vision with her, but she knew the layout of her home by heart — so, she could walk swiftly even without being able to see anything. It took her just a few seconds to reach the stairs and stumble to the first floor. Her mom was in the living room, reading a book — Cassie hesitated for a split second, then activated the mark she had placed on her, and finally saw herself. ‘Oh... I did not look good: Her clothes were torn, bloodied, and smeared in soot. Her hair was disheveled, and her blue eyes shone feverishly on her pale face. Her mom looked up and froze, the book falling to the floor. “C—cassie? Baby, what happened?!" Before Cassie could even respond, her mom jumped off the sofa and ran to her, reaching to support her weight. It had the opposite effect, though, because Cassie stumbled and fell to her knees. "I'm... alright, mom. It looks worse than it feels. But we'll deal with it later... right now, we need to leave." She could only see her own face, not her mother's. Still, she knew that it was painted with worry and confusion now. “What do you mean, deal with it later?! Cassia! You're bleeding!" Cassie suppressed a groan and grasped her mom's hands. “I'm a Saint, mom. A little bleeding won't kill me. But. We must leave. Now!" There was a brief moment of stunned silence. Her mom had to be dazed, since it was the first time Cassie spoke in that tone to her. “Leave? Why?" At least she seemed to have understood how serious the situation was. Cassie let out a stifled sigh. “I've... encountered a bit of a problem. So, just to be safe, we'll need to get you to Bastion for a while. I'll send someone to retrieve dad soon, too. Just... think about it as a vacation, mom. Please?" She was already thinking about the logistics of relocating her parents to the Dream Realm. Their way of life would be disturbed, but Bastion was not a wild frontier city anymore. It was quite developed, albeit not yet on the level of NQSC. There was even electricity there now, so... hopefully, the shock would not be too great. “Cassie, don't be silly. Why would we leave our home?" Her mom's gentle tone was not at all fitting for how terrible Cassie felt on the inside. It was the same tone she had used to explain elementary things to her daughter as a child, and later as a moody teenager throwing a tantrum. “Tl buy us a new home, mom! But we need to go now!" Her mother sighed. “No, I just mean... there is no reason to leave." She patted Cassie on the head and leaned forward to hug her, saying gently: “Lord Asterion only means well" Cassie froze. ‘N—no..." The fear she had felt in the lounge club suddenly felt like nothing at all, compared to the horror that suddenly flooded her heart. It paralyzed her thoughts completely, making her feel like a clueless child again. “W—what?" Her mother patted her on the back. “I know you have strong opinions, but he is a wonderful man. Won't it be great if we could all get along? That is what Lord Asterion wants, too.” Her embrace was gentle, but firm. In fact, it felt more like a hold than an embrace now. Cassie was not sure that she could escape it without breaking her arms. She raised a shaking hand and traced her mother's face. A soft, familiar smile was playing on the familiar lips, no different from the countless smiles she had seen and felt before. Still smiling, her mother thrust her fingers into Cassie's bleeding wounds, ripping them open. "Shhh, baby... shhhhh. It's for your own good, sweetheart. Just bear with it a little. It will all be over soon..." Her mother was smiling, as if genuinely believing that she was doing her best to help her daughter. Her tone was gentle and kind, no different from how she had soothed Cassie decades ago, when she was a little child. "M—mom..." Cassie's voice trembled. She was still frozen, not knowing what to do. She did not even feel the pain, her thoughts scattered and encased in ice. ‘When... when did it start? How much of her memories will I have to erase to cleanse her of the Dreamspawn's influence? Can... can I cleanse them?’ Cassie was still motionless when the door opened, and she heard the sound of soft footsteps approaching them across the carpet. Her mother looked up, her smile widening. “Lord Asterion? Oh, thank the gods! Please, hurry! We need help!" Cassie shuddered. A tall man had entered her childhood home with a slight, friendly smile illuminating his captivating face. He had to be in his late forties by now, but he did not look older than thirty. His tan skin was smooth and flawless, and his disheveled black hair fell to his shoulders, as if having absorbed the heat of the sun. His eyes were of a stunning amber shade, almost golden... or maybe they were golden, after all, glistening strikingly while reflecting the light. Cassie did not care about how the man looked, however. All she could think about was the overpowering presence that enveloped the world when he appeared, pressing her into the ground. It was as if the world had become a thin film floating on the surface of an endless, infinitely hungry abyss. "You..." He was Asterion, the Dreamspawn. The eldest Sovereign of humanity... and perhaps the most harrowing. Asterion was in her home, in the flesh. ‘H-how?' How was he here? Why? As Cassie struggled to come to terms with reality, Asterion reached them and patted her mother on the shoulder. His friendly smile was a little humorous, and a little warm. "Why, naturally. I am here, so of course I should help.’ He gently pushed the woman away and crouched near Cassie, looking at her with a wry expression. His voice was calm. “I think we've yet to finish our conversation, young lady. Haven't we? Ah, where were we... Cassie did not move, painfully aware of the fact that she would not be able to fight a Supreme. Much more importantly, she would not be able to protect her mother if they were to fight. She licked her suddenly dry lips and opened her mouth to speak. But before she could even ask her question, Asteriоn already answered it, having read it in her mind. "What do I want? Well, that should be obvious." He chuckled and placed his hands on her shoulders. As her mother watched them with a relieved expression, the Dreamspawn spoke in a kind tone: “I want to eliminate a little problem before it becomes too tedious. I want to cut Ariadne's string. We can't have people escaping the Labyrinth before its unfortunate occupant ate his fill, can we?" Cassie filled her mind with every song she could think of, drowning her thoughts in a torrent of disjointed lyrics. Asterion grinned. "Cute." With that, he raised his hand and brought it to Cassie's face. She felt his fingers brushing across her cheek, almost tenderly... And then, an impossible, devastating pain exploded in her head, making her struggle desρerately in his iron, inescapable grip. Cassie screamed. Something wet and hot spilled down her face, and as her mother let out an amazed gasp, Asterion dug out her left eye from its socket with his bare fingers. Tearing it out, he peered into the mesmerizing blue depths of its iris and sighed wistfully. “Such pretty eyes. Ah... what a shame..." He crushed the bleeding eye in his fist, turned to Cassie, and smiled. “It's a pity, really” With that, he reached for her right eye, as well. Before he could reap it out, however, there was a subtle shift in the air, and Asterion whipped around. His hand shot forward, grabbing a flying rapier that had streaked across the room, aimed at the back of his neck. “Huh?" The slender blade trembled defiantly in his crushing grasp, straining to break free. A moment later, it shattered with a mournful ring, the shards exploding into a whirlwind of sparks. As Cassie cried out, pushing the tall man away, the Spell whispered into her ear: [Your Echo has been destroyed.] ‘No!’ “You weren't really..." Before Asterion could finish the sentence, a storm of glistening tendrils suddenly rushed at him like a tide. He frowned slightly, rising to his feet, and easily brushed them away. One of the tendrils wrapped itself around Cassie, though, while another wrapped itself around her mother. As both of them were pulled away, a graceful figure in a flowing red dress revealed itself from the darkness, moving toward the Sovereign with an eerie and inhuman smoothness. Her narrow back obscured his menacing figure as Cassie embraced her mother and shielded her. Then, her back met the wall of the house and shattered it. Both of them were thrown into the street, rolling across the pavement in a shower of debris. Cassie tried to protect her mother as best she could, but there was no saving her from minor wounds. ‘We need to run. Her mother tried to resist weekly, but Cassie hoisted her up and rushed away, torrents of blood still streaming down her face. Even blinded by white-hot pain, she knew that the situation was desperate. No, actually, she was in shock, failing to truly comprehend the full extent of what had happened... of what had been done to her. But she knew that they did not have a lot of time left. Cassie only managed to take a few steps when the Spell spoke to her again. [You Еcho has been destroyed.] She staggered. ‘Torment...' Behind her, Asterion walked out through the broken wall, holding a head that seemed to have been savagely ripped off the neck in his hand. He raised the red veil with a bloodied finger and looked underneath curiously, then shivered and threw the head away as it dissolved into a torrent of red sparks. Cassie gritted her teeth and continued running. The full force of his Will descended upon her, then, making it seem like she had to run for a full minute to move forward just a single meter. Asterion, however, caught up with her without much trouble despite walking at a leisurely pace. “That's quite enough, young lady.’ He pushed her lightly, and she fell to her knees. Cassie took a deep breath, shielded her mom from him, and looked up. One of her eyes was missing, and her deathly pale face was awash in blood. However... There was a vicious smile playing on her lips. She spoke in a hoarse voice: “Yes... indeed. That is quite enough. Looking down at her defiant smile from above, the Dreamspawn frowned. Then, his expression changed subtly. And at the same time, a cold wind blew across the empty street. Every shadow around them suddenly seemed infinitely darker, terrifying, and unfathomably deep. A chilling, ferocious killing intent washed over Asterion. In a vast area around them, all the trees suddenly quaked, their leaves withering away and falling to the ground. The grass turned yellow, then rotted away as if stricken by blight. The shadows moved. Asterion sighed. "Oh... it seems I wasn't quick enough” He looked down and shook his head. “It's this eerie world. I have almost forgotten how suffocating it was, fighting against its laws just to exist." He shook his head again and offered Cassie one last smile. “Ah, I'd love to continue... but it's not the right time just yet. It was nice meeting you, young Cassia. Until next time, then." With that, he took a step back. And then, a towering rift of a Dream Gate sliced the fabric of reality in the heart of NQSC, plummeting down to cut the road in half. As the rift widened, the hungry abyss she had felt before was revealed in its depths in all its harrowing madness, and Cassie let out a quiet whine, trying to crawl away from it against her will. As two soft hands reached for her from the shadows, the memory ended. Perhaps because she finally fainted, having lost too much blood. ..The being let go of the memory, still feeling the pain etched into it, and pushed it away. It was reeling. ‘Cassia... Cassie.' Song of the Fallen. Yes... that was her name... 🎧

2727 Darker Shades The being remembered its name. She was Cassia, Song of the Fallen. A blind seer who was destined to bear witness to fate... Or at least, she had been. Fate was torn and mutilated, after all. She had mutilated it. Fate had been delivered a mortal wound by the very beings who were supposed to be its heralds, and was now coming undone as the promised future ceased to exist. Song of the Fallen was not a mere witness anymore. She was an architect of what was to come, instead. Destruction, salvation... no matter what end awaited them in the future, she would have built it with her own frail hands. ‘Does that True Name fit me, still?’ The being — Cassia — observed the dark expanse of shattered memories once more. Now that she knew who she had been, she could discern which ones were her own better. But not well enough to gain clarity. She had been a strange existence, it seemed. She was someone who had lived dozens of lives at the same time, experiencing the world through countless conduits of her subtle Aspect. Those who were powerful and those who were weak; those who served her and those who did not. Men and women, mundane and Awakened, young and old... The memories of their lives were intertwined with those of her own, inseparable. More than that, the memories of the past were intertwined with the memories of the future — one that would not come to pass, at least not anymore. There were memories that she should not have possessed at all, as well. A vast ocean of them, bearing on her with the crushing weight of eternity... memories of the worlds that had perished, of the ancient past that had been erased from the pages of history by the passage of time. ‘What has happened to me?’ She knew who she had been, but who was she now? How did she end up in this ocean of memories? What was her purpose here? She lingered until a sudden realization struck her. ‘These memories... it's me.' They were the building blocks of what had made Cassia who she was. She had been shattered, and now, she had to assemble herself back from these pieces. If the shape she created was true, a woman named Cassia would continue to exist. If not... something else would take her place. If she failed to fit the shards together entirely, her existence would be scattered by the wind. ‘How ironic...’ It seemed that she had to build the Labyrinth first in order to escape it. That man, Asterion, had compared her to Ariadne. But he was wrong... Song of the Fallen was not only Ariadne, the traitorous princess of Crete. She was also Minos, its king. She was also Daedalus, who built the Labyrinth at his order. She was also the Minotaur, who was imprisoned in the darkness and forced to eat human meat. She was also Theseus, who killed both the monstrous brother and the naive sister who had given him the life-saving string. That was why failing to kill her on that day was a fatal error that could not be undone. The Dreamspawn was a terrifying foe... so much so that there was hardly a being out there capable of overcoming his insatiable malice. So, what would doom him in the end was his own hunger. Tendrils of Will extended toward the sea of memories, grasping dozens of them and pulling them close. She absorbed a tiny, insignificant shard first. The memorу might have been slight, but it was clearer and more vivid than almost any other. Its edges were vicious and sharp. In that memory, she was a young, frightened girl laying on cold stone as the sounds of a dark sea washed over her, filling her heart with terror. The world was cruelly dark, devoid of all shapes and colors. She was blind, weak, and useless. She was only alive due to the benevolence of others, and even if she was too frightened to think it, she knew that the cup of their benevolence could run dry at any moment. Her companions were behind her now, having a quiet conversation. The sound of their voices had awokеn her, and now, she was failing to fall back asleep. “How did you know that I'm a Legacy?" That was Neph’'s voice. Nephis was the person who had saved her, back when Cassie was lost in the darkness, shedding tears as she waited for a lone and gruesome death. Even now, hearing her speak made Cassie feel warm... Nephis was like a lone ray of sunlight in the darkness that had shrouded her world, giving her more than mere comfort. Giving her hope. “Simple. I heard Caster mention it. He was scolding other Sleepers to make them treat you with respect." That voice belonged to Sunny, their new companion. Sunny was largely a stranger... but to Cassie, he was special. That was because sometime during their days at the Academy, she had seen a vision of his past. In that vision, he was quietly celebrating his birthday on the day of the winter solstice, hiding from the biting wind and the toxic smog of the outskirts in a rusty shipping container. Because of that vision, he was the only Sleeper whose face Cassie knew. She had already been blind by the time she arrived at the Academy, so everyone else — even Nephis — were like disembodied voices that called out to her from the darkness. But Sunny had a face. Hearing him and knowing what he looked like made Cassie feel human again, and so, she cherished his voice a lot. "Can I ask another question?" Cassie gave up her attempts to fall back to sleep and opened her eyes in the darkness, curious to hear what he was going to ask. Sunny spoke in a blunt, indifferent tone: “Why are you burdening yourself with her?" She froze. Nephis seemed to have smiled slightly. “Why? Wouldn't you?" His response came after a short pause, sounding cold and disgruntled: "No." No. ‘Ah...’ It hurt. She let go of the memory, feeling like its edges had cut her Will. It was funny how many things could sometimes depend on a single word. That one word had colored her impression of Sunny in darker shades, and that darker hue in turn shaped much of what would happen beyond that old, lightless memory. Would history have turned out differently if Sunny had given Neph a different answer on that cold night on the Forgotten Shore? If he had been able to lie? Would it have changed for the better or worse? No one knew, and no one would ever come to know. Not even her. 🎧

2728 Bygone Future A different memory, this one full of ruin and devastation... A vast, shattered bone plain stretched endlessly under a grey, cloudy sky. Liquid metal rained down on the corpses of numerous men as an abyss of ferocious white flame melted a raging storm of swords into an incandescent hail. Among the corpses, a man in a vermillion cloak and heavy armor had crossed swords with a young woman wreathed in flame. Her own sword had surrendered to his Will, as well, so she discarded it and forged herself a blade out of her own soul. Оut of pure light and a ferocious, unquenchable longing. And hatred, of course. The battle had wounded the very foundations of the world, so reality was coming undone around them, revealing the harrowing depths of divine laws hidden beneath. Needless to say, that battle had swallowed up numerous lives, as well. The man had been overbearing and proud, but now, he was battered and covered in gruesome burns. His sword, which had been able to cut concepts once, was turning blunt. His face, which had been handsome before, now resembled a ghastly mask of melted wax. But his steel-grey eyes were still burning. His swordsmanship was precise, transcendent, and sublime. His authority over all things metal was insidious and uncompromising. His Will was like a towering iron wall, impregnable and devastating. The young woman was a sage of the sword, as well. She had mastered countless styles and invented more than a few of heг own... but today, she was stubbornly clinging to only one. A flowing, unpredictable technique that was both versatile and supremely adaptable. Her father's technique, which the King of Swords knew too well. It did not save him from falling prey to the legacy of Broken Sword, all the same. In the end, the indestructible steel wall of his Will was melted down by the fiery longing. The dreadful edge of his all-severing sword was swallowed by light. And his unfeeling, cold heart was pierced by the blade forged of incinerating hatred. Anvil staggered, grasping the ray of white light that had plunged into his chest — it was of no use, though, because the sharp edge of light simply severed his fingers, making him stagger and fall to his knees. When he raised the ghastly melted candle of his face, however, a twisted smile was playing on what remained of his blackened lips. A ghastly, gargling voice came from the depths of his scorched throat: “Flawless... you are flawless at last..." Standing above him in the immaculate brilliance of her merciless white flames, Nephis gazed down with no expression on her inhumanly stunning face. Her lips moved, as if she wanted to respond, but in the end, all she gave him was silence. ‘Did I want to say something?’ Yes... yes, she remembered that she had. She had wanted to say something — too much, even. More than could ever be expressed with words. She had spent most of her life dreaming of this moment, after all. Longing to kill this fearsome man and burn all the things he had built to ashes. She had wanted to make him remember her father. She had wanted to make him remember her... every loss, every tear, every wound, every moment of bitter hopelessness that she had endured. She had wanted to make him choke on his failure, his weakness, on his wasted betrayal. But at the moment, she could not really remember why she had wanted to say anything at all. She did not really care... About this man, and about the pain she had suffered, either. It was just pain, after all. Looking down at Anvil of Valor, Nephis felt nothing. Her heart was a beautiful, barren wasteland of flame. It was pure of all feelings, all doubts. And all desires, as well. She did not even feel bored, because boredom demanded an inclination to be excited. A bubbling laugh escaped from Anvil's melted face. "Flawless..." Pursing her lips in distaste, Nephis pulled her radiant blade from his chest and beheaded him with an effortless slash. As she turned away indifferently, the headless body of the former King of Swords fell among the rest of the charred corpses, already catching flame. Her throne stood on these cоrpses, built with blackened bones. ...The being that had been Song of the Fallen discarded the memory, sending it drifting into the darkness. She did not need this weathered, useless thing — a glimpse of the future that had already been erased, and would therefore never come to fruition. Of a bygone future that was destined to only ever exist in her memory, forgotten by all. There were many shards like that one around her, full of scenes that were doomed to remain forever unwitnessed. But she was not interested in these relics of a ruined future just yet. Instead, she drew a different memory closer, gazing into its dark depths. In that memory, she was a harrowing being of great vastness once again. She wore the nebulous mantle and the black wooden mask again. She was walking through the shadows, approaching a lone glimmer of light. A deep night was shrouding the world, and a full moon was climbing up the velvet surface of the starlit sky. But there, some distance away... A shimmering white light danced in the darkness, in the center of a small valley that was formed by several hills. A lone human figure sat in front of a small fire there. His head hung low, and his face was obscured by the falling hair. He was naked above the waist, his pale skin covered with dry blood. However, there seemed to be no wounds on the stranger's body... in fact, there was not a single scar on it. On a stone in front of him, a diamond sickle lay, its blade painted crimson. Sensing something, the man inhaled slowly and looked up. His face was young and beautiful, with smooth silken skin, high cheekbones, and exquisite features. Strangely enough, there was a symbol of a crescent moon drawn on his forehead. Not hiding from his gaze, she stepped from the shadows and loomed above him. Her gaze fell down like a dark omen, making the winds fall silent in fright. Despite that, a pleasant and carefree smile suddenly twisted the man's lips. He raised his hand, which had been hidden in the darkness before. In it, a bleeding human heart was grasped tightly, still warm from when he had cut it from his own chest. The beautiful man spoke in a bright and melodious voice. He said: "Hail Weaver, Demon of Fate. Firstborn of the Forgotten God!" She tilted her head a little. Her answer was even: “Beast of Twilight... I am not at all happy to meet you again." The beautiful man looked at her in confusion. “Oh? Have I had the dubious pleasure of meeting the great and terrible Weaver before?" He remained silent for a moment, then grinned. “Well, no surprise! I am the most personable and gregarious man in all of the Kingdom of Hope, after all..." 🎧

2729 Source Element She studied the smiling man silently, drops of crimson blood falling into the fire from the human heart he held. The fire danced as it licked his hand, scorching it — his silky skin, once smooth and pristine, was swelling with blisters and breaking now, revealing the sizzling flesh beneath. His bright smile never wavered. A vast and hungry madness was hidden in the depths of his glistening grey eyes. She sighed deeply and looked at the dark sky. "...We have never met before." With that, a slender arm revealed itself from the nebulous folds of her mantle. Receiving the bleeding heart between two claws, she studied it for a moment, then casually discarded it by throwing it into the fire. Noctis let out a short laugh. His gaze slowly travelled away from Weaver's fearsоme mask, becoming lost in the dancing flame. After a few moments passed in silence, he spoke in an easy tone: “Hope has been imprisoned for a thousand years. And humans have enjoyed a golden age for a thousand years. One cannot help but wonder if there is a connection between the two... prosperity and hopelessness, what a pair." Noctis looked at her again, the smile draining from his stunning face. "They say that we are prospering, but when I journeyed beyond the borders of the Kingdom of Hope, all I saw was strife and desolation. By the moon! I could not tell who was crazier, those funny people dwelling in the distant realms or me." He shook his head and sighed. “It really made me wonder... what had Sun God been thinking when he called upon us to become immortal guardians of Hope." His gaze turned cold and dark. “Say, Weaver... I won't ask you why the Lord of Light imprisoned Hope. But tell me the truth — why, why didn't he simply kill her? Why create this long and tiresome charade?" She looked down at him for a while, then laughed in a thousand chilling voices. "You must really be mad. Are you really pleading for truth from the master of lies?" Sitting by the fire across from the stunning man, she cast a thoughtful gaze at the dark sky. A cold wind rose, and the pale visage of the moon was obscured by clouds; then, the contours of her mask turned blurry, and it disappeared, revealing... Nothing. There was nothing but darkness hiding beneath the fearsome mask. Noctis seemed to forget how to breathe, looking into the darkness with trembling eyes. A raspy voice resounded in the silence, making the flames die. "Have you heard? My brother, the Prince of the Underworld, has broken one of the divine tenets. He has encroached on the purview of the gods and created a race of living beings to settle his lightless lands. No one but the gods had been able to create life before, but now, the Demon of Destiny created life as well... we daemons are inclined to perform impossible feats, are we not?" Noctis frowned. "Why are you telling me this, Weaver? How does that answer my question?" She laughed. “Because I am known to appreciate deceit, and this is a brilliant lie” Noctis studied her in confusion. “What? That Nether created the Stone Saints?" She shook her head, obscured by darkness. “No. That the gods can create life.” Leaning forward a little, she reached toward the embers and pierced the ashes with her seven fingers, making sparks fly. "No one can create life, Beast of Twilight. Nоt even the gods. All they can do is reshape it — that is what Nether has done, as well, to create the Stone Saints." Paling, Noctis leaned back and asked in a dazed tone: "What does that even mean, though? Hey, Weaver... oh, I meant great Weaver, the Demon of Fate... as far as lies go, this one is not even that convincing, don't you thinκ? From the primordial dragons to the smallest of mice, there are all kinds of creatures populating the vast realms. I really expected better from someone known as the master of lies. I was really looking forward to being deviously cheated, fooled, and deceived!" Noctis shook his head in reproach. She looked at the dancing sparks. "It's the same old story, from before the dawn of time. The seven gods were born from the Flame of Desire, just like the seven daemons were born from the Forgotten God. You humans were born from stray sparks. How were all the creatures that the gods created born, then? Where did the sparks that gave them life come from?" The sparks burned away, their frail warmth swallowed by darkness. She raised her hand from the ashes. "All life comes from the Flame of Desire, in the end. When the gods were creating the first living beings, they merely tore pieces of themselves and used them to breathe life into their creations... just like the Forgotten God did to breathe life into us. My brother, the Demon of Destiny, was the one to fathom that truth — so, he took sparks of his own flame and placed them into his own creations. That was how the Stone Saints came to be." She looked at Noctis, who was listening to her with an odd fear in his beautiful, mad eyes. “That is why Sun God cannot kill Hope. That is also why the gods have grown small and feeble over the ages, having spent their flame to populate all the realms." Noctis shivered. “Small... feeble..." A moment later, a sudden laugh escaped from his lips, vanquishing the ominous silence. “And here I was, thinking myself the most arrogant man in all of Kingdom of Hope. Leave it to the infamous Demon of Fate to call the great gods small. I am ashamed, I am in awe... I have no words, really!" He wiped the tears from his eyes. “But how does one connect to the other? I still don't understand why Hope has to live." She smiled. “What will happen if she dies, Beast of Twilight? The Shadow Realm cannot contain us, daemons. Death cannot swallow us — he had already tried, and failed. That is because we've never been truly alive, to begin with. We are mere manifestations of a greater flame, and even if we are entirely destroyed, the sparks that give us life will simply return to their source. To the Forgotten God." Her laughter made the world cower. “And make Forgotten God complete. Was that what you wanted to ask me, Beast of Twilight? Is that why you carved your heart out under the full moon?" Noctis looked at her with a pale smile, then inhaled deeply and slowly shook his head. “No... not really." He let out a joyless laugh, then grinned. "Instead, I wanted to ask you to help me free Hope" 🎧

2730 Deal with a Demon Noctis gazed at the Demon of Fate, his grin shining with a hidden abyss of barely contained madness. His voice, once cheerful and pleasant, turned hoarse and low now. “I wanted to ask уour help with slaughtering all the Chain Lords, breaking the shackles Sun God had forged, and unleashing Hope upon the world. I wanted to ask your help with plunging this abominable land into the darkness burning below it, even if it brings all other lands to ruin. I wanted to ask you to help me break the will of the gods... I had to be satisfied with only this little, since the gods themselves cannot be broken." Noctis laughed. "In short, I wanted to ask you to help me die." He looked at the diamond sickle that lay on the stone before him, smeared in blood. His grin dimmed slowly, replaced by exhaustion. “Well, something like that, anyway. Ah... I am tired, Weaver. I am tired of guarding Hope, from being driven mad by Hope, and from not knowing what my duty is. It was all so clear all those years ago, when the Lord of Light entrusted us with this task. But I've been having doubts." Noctis sighed and looked at her with a pale smile. "If he truly wanted us to keep Hope shackled... why did he give us the keys to open her chains?" His head dropped, and a whisper escaped from his twisted lips: “Perhaps what he really wanted was for us to release her, all along. What marvelous cruelty that would have been... don't you think, Weaver?" She studied the tired man in front of her for a while. “Even I do not presume to know the mind of the gods. Mercy, cruelty, love, indifference... the gods are too vast and too great to contain only one emotion, bear only one desire, and harbor only one intent." She smiled coldly in the darkness. “Ah, but I can tell you this, Beast of Twilight. You truly are far too arrogant for a mortal man. Did you really think that seven Transcendent men can contain a daemon? Did you really think that seven human lives are enough to bind the Demon of Desire? Fool... it was your endless desire to keep her bound that had built the wаlls of her prison and became her chains, not your unending lives." She leaned forward slightly, studying his pale visage with a hint of a strange, unexplainable emotion. "But now you desire for me to help you bring those walls down? You offer me your worthless heart and beg me to help you defy the gods? Do you even know what you are asking of me, Beast of Twilight?" Noctis looked at her with a somber expression. He remained silent for a while, frowned, then grumbled in a hurt tone: “Hey. Countless women and more than a few men have fathomed the depths of despair while trying fruitlessly to pursue my heart, you know? It might not have struck your fancy, Weaver, but how can you call it worthless? My heart is quite lovely, if I do say so myself... in fact, I dare say it's the loveliest heart in all of..." She let out a chilling laugh, making him fall silent. “In all of Kingdom of Hope? You only see what your burden allows you to see, Beast of Twilight. This land, these chains, and the quiet despair of those who naively surrendered their deaths. You only think about what the liberation of Hope will mean to you, and only fear the desires that consume mortal men. But my burden is far greater, and therefore, I see far more. I see it all” Noctis smiled crookedly. “And what do you see, Weaver?" She smiled оminously, obscured by darkness. "I see a beginning. A beginning of the end..." The end was inevitable, though. So, her actions did not matter too much, in the end... at best, she would hasten the inevitable instead of becoming the cause of it. ..That was what she told Noctis, at least. “Will you help me, Weaver? I've spent so many yеars searching for the keys — the Ivory Knife, the Obsidian Knife. But they always elude me. So, I am willing to pay any price. You... are my only hope now, Weaver." Noctis studied the terrifying darkness, then smiled with mischief. “Oh, but then again, you havе already given me an answer, haven't you? After all, the great Demon of Fate would have known my request all along. Therefore, you would not have answered my call only to refuse me." She studied him, as well. ‘That swindler...’ Her voice was mocking and cold: “What can you give me if you're intending to die? Do not think me a fool, Beast of Twilight. Do not hope that death will let you escape a debt owed to the Demon of Fate." She pointed at him with a clawed finger. “Yes, I shall help you break the chains of Hope. Yes, I shall help you defy the will of the gods. But the price I demand is your life, not your death. Even if you long for the mercy of death, I will curse you to live. I will curse you to live, to hope... and to serve me. You and the one in the north both." Noctis shivered. "Well... now, wait a minute..." But she did not wait. A fearsome black mask covered her face once again as the clouds receded, washing the world in the silver light of the full moon. Letting out a sigh, she looked up, into the harrowing eternity of fate shining above them. The Crimson Beast of Twilight was an eerie existence. He was a man whose fate had been plucked from the great tapestry by a god and twisted in on itself, becoming a seamless loop. So, she reached into the endless infinity of radiant strings and grasped one of them tightly, making all of existence shudder. "W-wait... what are you..." Baring her teeth, she pulled the String of Fate down, feeling it bite into her fingers. As drops of golden ichor fell to the ground, she bore the weight of eternity. She moved infinity with nothing but the strength of her arm and the force of her Will, changing the shape of existence forever. The ethereal thread she had pulled down entered Noctis, piercing his chest — where a new heart was already beating weakly, now imbued with a new fate. She did not break the will of Sun God. Instead, she simply made it so that what Sun God willed did not matter anymore. Only the will of the Demon of Fate mattered. “B—by the moon..." She laughed. “Beast of Twilight, do not call upon the moon. That is not your name anymore, and you do not belong to the gods anymore. You belong to me now... now, you shall only call the name of Weaver." 🎧

2731 A New Kind of Enemy She escaped the memory of the moonlit night, feeling haunted by it. Noctis, the Blessed of the Moon... there were other memories of him in the dark sea of her shattered self, as well. There, a memory showed Noctis teaching her to steer the Chain Breaker. There, a memory showed her Noctis donning a black mantlе and a wooden mask. There were memories of the One in the North, as well. And the rest... She absorbed those memories greedily, slowly rebuilding the foundation of who she had been. The Forgotten Shore, the Kingdom of Hope, the Tomb of Ariel... her childhood home in NQSC, the secluded manor of the Immortal Flame clan, the opulent compound of the Great Clan Valor... And so much more. The eerie years she had spent having forgotten most of herself, moving through life like a blind person lost in fog. As the rough contours of whom Song of the Fallen had been slowly took form, she was overcome by a subtle anxiety. Nothing in those memories explained how she ended up shattered into a million memories, drifting in the dark space between seconds. Nothing hinted at what had happened to her, and what purpose she pursued in clinging desperately to the ghost of her actual self. ‘The past is the past, and the future is no more. But the present... what about the present?’ Disturbed, she slowed down for a short while, then extended her tendrils to more recent memories. She wanted to know what was happening now, not what had happened back then... but the answer was elusive. So much so that she feared that only completing the whole picture would allow her to find out the truth. She did find a hint, though... peculiarly enough, the best hint she had found was not hidden in her own memories. Instead, it was hidden in the memоries of a different being, which nevertheless seemed to constitute a vast part of her life. That being felt peculiarly familiar, somehow. ‘Ah, it's him..." The cruel boy who had wanted to leave her to die. Only, naturally, he was not a boy anymore... Even if he was still just as cruel, if not more so. The Lord of Shadows. Sensing a scent of an answer, she delved into the memories she had shared with — or possibly stolen from — him. ‘Show me...' Where were you when the Dreamspawn came? *** The world where Sunny had been born did not welcome him anymore. In fact, it rejected him ferociously. It was a little discomforting, but then again — if he was honest with himself — Earth had never treated him nicely. If anything, it had always been a cruel and uncaring mother, leaving him to fend for himself while surrounded by cold winds and hungry wolves. Mеtaphorically speaking, naturally, since not even the wolves had survived its poisoned expanse. Now, Nightmare Creatures ruled its ruined wilderness, while people survived in vast cities like NQSC... the fortunate lived quite nicely, but the unlucky wretches like him did not. So, he could not bring himself to miss Earth. He still had to visit occasionally, though. The reasons for his visits were rarely benign, and today was no exception. Things were not going well for the Human Domain as of late. It was only a month or so since Sunny returned from the Eternal City, but a lot had happened since. Problems were piling up, and even with seven bodies, he was struggling to address them all — especially because he had to maintain sеcrecy and hide his existence. ‘How does this even make sense?’ Before, it used to take roughly a month for a trade caravan to travel between the Weeping Goddess and Ravenheart. But now, a day had been added to that time. That was not because the merchants had become lazy, and neither was it because some powerful Nightmare Creature had forced them to change routes. Rather, it was because the distance between Ravenheart and the former Citadel of Clan Sorrow had changed. Which was quite disconcerting. The Dream Realm had always been full of bizarre occurrences, but if its geography was shifting, there was only one explanation. It meant that more of the waking world was seeping through the realm boundary, plunging into the nightmare — the pieces of his homeworld were being swallowed by the realm of the Forgotten God, forcing them to rethink the timeline of total resettlement. As if they did not have other problems to deal with. ..The greatest and most eerie of those problems was, naturally, the name of Asterion, the Dreamspawn, spreading across both worlds like a plague. That quiet and seemingly innocuous plague made all other issues troubling the Human Domain seem trivial in comparison. Sunny's expression darkened as he thought about the Dreamspawn. He did want to find the correct words to describe how uneasy that man made him feel. It all happened just like Cassie had predicted it would, back after he escaped Mirage City. The name of the Dreamspawn spread like a virus, infecting anyone and everyоne who heard or beheld it. Those infected by the knowledge of Asterion became carriers of the disease, helping it spread further. Some only showed mild symptoms, blurting out the eerie name without even realizing what they were saying from time to time. In some, the disease seemed to progress much further, affecting the very way they thought and influencing their actions. There were half a dozen small cults proselytizing the name Asterion, like the Church of the Moon that was gaining popularity in the former territories of the Sword Domain. There were also secular organizations like private clubs and black market gangs doing the same. The cumulative power of these sleeper agents was not at all great... in fact, it was negligible and nothing short of pathetic. If Sunny and Nephis wanted to, they could have wiped them all out in a day. But that was the damnedest thing. For the first time in his life, Sunny had met an enemy that made all his strength meaningless. It was not that he and Nephis were weaker than Asterion — they were not, by far — it was just that Asterion attacked in a way that made using strength to repel him impossible. They could not wipe out thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of innocent people. Although, possibly... they should have. Because if they did not, the number of people who had been infected by the knowledge of Dreamspawn would soon reach millions, and hundreds of millions after that. Until every single person in the world — both worlds, rather — was infected by the name of Asterion. What were they going to do then? Entering an abandoned underground factory in the outskirts of NQSC, Sunny uttered a curse. ‘Hell if I know..." His usually light tone was dark and heavy. 🎧

2732 Quiet Plague Sunny walked across the desolate floor of the factory, his expression dim. He felt bitter. It was one thing to encounter an enemy who used his own strength against him. An insidious and cunning enemy — one different from both the malevolent Nightmare Creatures whom Sunny had slain in the past and from the callous humans whom he had brought down from their tainted thrones. However, what really filled him with distaste was that they had been cautious and vigilant, yet still ended up being blindsided by Asterion. Sunny and Nephis had known that the third Sovereign would become a dire adversary immediately after ending the Godgrave War. Even when they had been building a new world order and learning how to guide humanity in its days of existential crisis, they spared time and energy to prepare for the eventual return of the Dreamspawn. They committed vast resources to searching for the few pieces of information about him that Anvil and Ki Song had failed to erase. They had created a network of informants across both worlds to watch for the signs of his emergence. They rushed to master their new powers as Supremes and grow stronger, so that no enemy of the same Rank could threaten what they had built. But all their preparations had turned out to be woefully insufficient, because now that the new threat was finally starting to reveal itself, there was precious little they could do to stop it. The Shadow Clan and Cassie had identified all the cells of Asterion's newly initiated followers, but eradicating them was not an option. Even if it were, it would serve no purpose, since too many people outside the small groups of thoroughly infected were already aware of his name. Worst of all, Sunny did not even know what they could have done differently if they had discovered the spreading corruption sooner. He could not help but feel infuriatingly powerless. Sunny did not experience fear often these days, but Asterion did make him feel an unpleasant sense of apprehension. One of the most threatening things about the Dreamspawn, meanwhile, was that they still knew very little about him, even to this day. And it was very much by design. Their investigations had borne some fruit in the past month. Old Jest knew a bit, even if his trustworthiness was in question. Morgan had contributed a few crumbs of information, as well. The most important piece of knowledge — and the most unnerving too — unexpectedly came from Seishan. Seishan, who had inherited some of Ki Song's legacy, revealed to them why the Sovereigns chose to seal Asterion on the moon instead of simply killing him. It was not because they were wary of facing him in battle. Rather, it was because Asterion could not be killed. ‘That devious bastard...’ The Dreamspawn was not technically immortal. However, he had become a unique existence as he climbed the Path of Ascension — a being who was more so an idea than a creature of flesh and blood. A demon of thought, rather than hellfire and brimstone. For as long as the idea of Asterion dwelled in human minds, he could not be destroyed. Therefore, to kill him, all one had to do was kill everyone who carried the knowledge of the Dreamspawn in their minds. Therein lay the problem, though. Anvil and Ki Song had been the carriers of the knowledge about Asterion, as well. So, the only way for them to kill him was to kill themselves first, or at least find a way to erase all information about him from their own minds. However, if they erased the memories of Asterion from their minds, they would forget why they needed to kill him, in the first place. They would forget how to kill him, too. Driven into a dead end by that paradox, the best they had managed to do was trap him on the Moon by culling those who composed his eerie Domain, and continuing to suppress his influence from spreаding over the decades. That was a valuable piece of information, indeed, even if it did nothing to assuage Sunny's worries. If anything, he grew more and more despondent the more they learned about Asterion. They were still lacking one of the most important pieces of knowledge about the Dreamspawn, though. It was the knowledge of what, exactly, the threat of his spreading name was. Up until now, all the people infected by the knowledge of Asterion — those they had managed to identify, at least — were only showing one symptom of the mental disease. They were all helping that knowledge spread further. The infected did not kill, did not rob, and did not harm the Human Domain in any way. They did not seek to undermine the Immortal Flame clan or disturb the current balance of power. By all accounts, they were still upstanding citizens... if anything, those who were affected deeper were more selfless and altruistic than an average person. There seemed to be no purpose to the spreading infection except for the growth itself. The most eerie part of the quickly escalating crisis was how mundane and utterly normal everything seemed. Of course, Sunny did not believe for a second that things would continue the same way. He did not need to be connected to the great tapestry of fate and possess an uncanny intuition to know that there was some kind of sinister purpose behind Asterion's attempts to propagate his name as far and wide as possible. They just did not know what the purpose was. Today, however... today, they could find out — or at least start to understand the mechanisms of how that purpose was going to be accomplished. Sunny stopped near an elevator door, where aragtag team of Shadow Clan agents was resting on concrete blocks. He looked at them intently, then asked: “How is the prisoner?" One of them — June, was it? — offered him a pale smile. “Hе is in top shape, boss. Everything went smoothly... it was eerily smooth, actually. There was no resistance at all." Sunny frowned. "Still, good job" Leaving the agents behind, he entered the elevator. Today, they were finally going to interrogate a person who had not simply been infected by the Dreamspawn's name. They were going to interrogate an actual subject of Asterion's Domain. 🎧

2733 Turncoats of Humanity The deepest level of the abandoned factory was dark and quiet, illuminated only by the light of radiant Memories. Usually, such enchanted lanterns looked warm and inviting, but as pieces of cement scraped under his feet in the dead silence, Sunny could not help but find their familiar radiance eerie instead. There were no members of the Shadow Clan here, no government specialists, and no Fire Keepers either. The only people waiting for him at the end of a desolate hall were a blind seer and the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan, the ruler of humanity herself — they were Nephis and Cassie, naturally, which temporarily made the old underground factory the most exalted place in all of existence. Sunny greeted them somberly. "Long time no see" Nephis gave him a peculiar look, making him smile faintly. He had, in fact, seen her this morning — naturally he had, considering that they always woke up together. However, even a few hours of separation could be considered a long time, and he was entitled to his subjective opinion. Cassie simply nodded, then turned to a heavy metal door. The cell where the prisoner was being held had been reinforced to contain an Awakened. There was a complicated weave of runes shimmeгing on the alloy, as well, having been drawn by Cassie herself to isolate this hidden space from the outside world. They did not know what kind of threat the prisoner could pose, exactly, so they had prepared for as many complications as they could. Even though the man locked inside was hidden from view — or possibly because of it — the very sight of the imposing cell made Sunny feel a hint of an ominous premоnition. For some reason, he was reminded of the dungeon hidden under the ruined cathedral of the Dark City. It was there that he had found the ancient corpse of a Nightmare Spell priest, read the dreadful prayer to Weaver carved into the floor, and inherited Weaver's Mask. ‘Hail Weaver, was it?' They had worked hard to catch the man locked inside the enchanted cell. “It's a bit peculiar, isn't it?" Remembering all the efforts that went into arranging today's interrogation, Sunny could not help but think about how incongruous it all was. Here they were, putting in work hours to stave off the end of the world, as if it were the most mundane thing to do. At some point, world-ending threats had become the new norm, so much so that even the emergence of a creepy mind-altering Sovereign felt like nothing new... which was not to say that they underestimated how perilous the Dreamspawn really was. Sunny often saw Nephis standing on the balcony of the Ivory Tower, gazing down at the world below with a distant expression. Every time, he knew that her mind was elsewhere, lost in the billions of small flames burning brightly in the vast expanse of her splendid Domain. Some of those flames grew brighter over time. New fires ignited in the darkness as children were born or learned about Changing Star and were inspired by her. But at the same time, too many flames were extinguished every day. Nephis felt their absence, and even if she did not show it often, he knew that she grieved the loss of their light. It was just that now, not all of the flames that disappeared necessarily meant that somewhere out of there, a person had died. Some of them, as Nephis suspected, simply ceased to be subjects of the Longing Domain, becoming servants of Asterion instead. Her suspicions were not easy to prove, though. Even if Nephis felt a connection to billions of people, it was not like she knew their names or their faces. Instead, she only knew their desires — the fragile flames of longing burning in their hearts. So even when compared against the list of documented deaths that happened acrоss the two worlds on any given day, she could not determine if there was a missing flame not mentioned in the report. So, they limited the list of potential turncoats from all of humanity to only the Awakened, going from billions of potential suspects to only slightly more than a million. Sadly, that proved to be too vast a number, as well. Therefore, they changed tactics. Although Nephis was connected to billions of people, sensing the flames of their longing, she could not fathom all of them at the same time. As a result, not everyone who called upon her healing light could receive its blessing. So, over the last month, Nephis was concentrating only on a small number of areas, making sure to extend her healing to everyone who needed it there. Naturally, the chosen areas were those where the bloodshed was most intense — the very tip of the subjugation crusade in the remote reaches of the Dream Realm east of the former Sword Domain, the frigid wastelands west of Raveneart, and the most perilous lengths of the Death Zone belt separating the two great human enclaves from each other. By enduring the pain of her Aspect to heal as many wounded warriors as she could in these perilous areas, Nephis gave Sunny and Cassie an оpportunity to find outliers among them — those Awakened who were grievously wounded in one of the ceaseless battles, but were not healed by the wondrous white flames. And after monitoring those outliers for a short while, as well as using Cassie's powers to stir Neph's memories of their longing, they identified several as true subjects of Asterion's Domain. They were real sleeper agents that served the Dreamspawn, as opposed to those who were merely infected by his name. The discovery was quite disturbing, since there were more of them than they had suspected. None had shown any signs of being disloyal to the Human Domain or their comrades, either. Worse still, the hidden thralls were spread out evenly among various armies of humanity, proving that the malignant tumor of Asterion's corruption had spread too deep and too wide to be incised. And eerily, these turncoats were not showing any signs of abnormal behavior, going about their lives as if nothing was out of place. If not for their absence from the sea of flames of the Longing Domain, they would have never been discovered. The rest was relatively easy. Sunny sent a team of Shadow Clan members to capture one of the Awakened thralls and bring him here, to this abandoned factory in NQSC. His people had accomplished the task easily... to easily, even, as June admitted. Glancing at Nephis and Cassie, he lingered for a few seconds, then asked in a quiet tone: "When is Kai arriving?" Cassie responded after a short pause. "He's already in NQSC. Five more minutes, and he'll be here.’ They needed Kai's help to make sure that the thrall was telling the truth. Sunny inhaled deeply. "Well, then. Shall we get some answers?" Nephis nodded somberly. "Let's get answers, indeed." 🎧

2734 Captured Thrall A man was sitting on a cheap alloy chair in the middle of an empty room. There was a runic circle surrounding the chair, as well as enchanted shackles binding his wrists together. The circle was preventing him from summoning his Memories, while the shackles were draining his essence, making it difficult to unleash his Aspect. Needless to say, his expression was grim, and his eyes were full of tension. The room was largely dark, with only half of it flooded by the light of luminous Memories. In front of the runic circle, another chair stood — that one was still empty, hinting that whoever had kidnapped him was not planning to get rid of the prisoner just yet, at least. He shifted uncomfortably, then looked at the heavy metal door. “Is... is anybody there? I am not sure if you're listening, but you should know that I am a soldier of the Eastern Flame Legion. My disappearance won't go unnoticed." His warning was met with silence. Then, however, a chilling voice resounded from the darkness: “Ah, yes... somebody is indeed there. Although I doubt you'll be happy to face them, Awakened Yutra." The man flinched, looking around the room wildly. He was willing to swear that there had been nobody else inside, so where was the voice coming from? Before he could say anything else, however, the door opened, and two women walked inside. Yutra froze, his eyes widening, an expression of stunned awe taking over his face. He literally forgot how to breathe, his gaze glued to the taller of the two women. His heart seemed to be on the verge of exploding... It was not every day that one met a goddess, after all. In front of him, a woman who was like a dreamlike vision of celestial radiance gracefully sat on the empty chair. Her silky skin was the color of ivory and flawlessly smooth, her silver hair glistening in the dim light like a waterfall of pure sunlight. Her striking gray eyes were like two placid lakes, making him feel like he was drowning in their alluring, unfathomable depths. Suddenly, Yutra sensed a sweet pain permeating his chest. He suddenly felt like a naive youth again, full of dreams and desires that were yet to be dulled by the cruel collisions with the harshness of the world. It was as if every wish and desire he harbored was ignited with an ardent fervor, mаking him yearn for the things he had long given up on with an almost overpowering intensity. His voice trembled. “L—lady Nephis?" He knew who she was, of course. There was not a single person in the world who did not know Nephis of the Immortal Flame clan, the guiding star of humanity. He had known what she looked like, as well, having seen her on countless recordings. But no recording could relay the sublime гadiance and divine presence of a living Supreme. His shock was so great that he almost failed to register the presence of the second woman, even if hers was a beauty so delicate and beautiful that no words could describe her loveliness. She was Lady Cassia, Song of the Fallen — a renowned Saint who had been serving Changing Star from before they Awakened. Suddenly, Yutra was painfully aware of his outward appearance. The goddess of humanity looked so pure and wondrous, even sitting in this dirty alloy cell... he, meanwhile, had been kidnapped from his sleeping pod in the military barracks during a long and arduous military campaign. Even if the grime of the battlefield did not cling to his material body, he was still not in a presentable state. He coughed, embarrassed, then forced himself to look at Changing Star without being blinded by her marvelous appearance. She studied him calmly for a few long, surreal moments, then said in a voice that made his heart flutter like a trapped bird: “Awakened Yutra, I presume? I wish we could have met in different circumstances.’ “Yes. Oh? I mean... yes." It was only then that Yutra remembered that he was imprisoned in a peculiar cell after being kidnapped. A deeply confused expression appeared on his face. "I beg your forgiveness, Lady Nephis. But why are you here?" For a moment, he entertained the idea that the goddess of humanity was here to rescue him personally. ‘Could such a miracle be possible?’ Yutra hesitated for a moment, then asked in a quiet tone: “No, rather. Why am I here?" *** "Why am I here?" Sunny felt glad that he was hidden in the shadows, having become one instead of maintaining the shape of a human. That was because if anyone could see him right now, they would have seen an expression of complete bafflement on his face. ‘What the hell?" Of all the reactions he had expected the thrall of Asterion to show, this one was definitely not one of them. The man seemed... positively smitten. He looked like a devoted believer who had opened his eyes one day only to see his goddess and her high priestess right in front of him. Such a reaction, of course, was only natural for most people of the Human Domain — even if one disregarded the inherent presence of Supremes and Transcendents, Nephis and Cassie were widely renowned. Their celebrity was without a rival, so it was only expected that ordinary people would be starstruck when meeting them. Awakened Yutra, however, was not an ordinary man. He was an agent of Asterion, and therefore, both Nephis and Cassie were his enemies. Either the man was one of the best actors in the world, or he was not aware that his master and the Immortal Flame clan were at odds... which would be strange, considering that no war could be won without letting the soldiers know who the enemy was. Nephis remained silent for a while, then asked in a calm tone: “Awakened Yutra, are you truly unaware of why you are here?" The man looked at her for a while, then shyly cleared his throat. “No, my lady. I truly have no idea.’ Cassie, who was standing behind Neph's shoulder, did not move. Her expression did not change, either — however, her voice resounded in Sunny's mind, sounding a little wary: [He is telling the truth.] Cassie, of course, was the mental link that connected them to Kai, who was standing outside the cell and listening in on the interrogation. For a moment, Sunny was unsure of himself. Did they... really get the wrong guy? However, in the next moment, Nephis dispelled his doubts, crossing her legs as she pierced their prisoner with a cold look. "That is strange. Because I can sense a woefully potent desire within you." Even if the man was not a part of her Domain anymore, she could still feel his longing now that they were face-to-face. The corners of her mouth rose slightly. “The desire to serve someone other than me. To follow the will of the Dreamspawn." Having been accused of betraying the Human Domain, Yutra — the same man who had been starstruck and smitten by the appearance of Changing Star and Song of the Fallen — gave them an earnest, delighted smile. His voice betrayed a deep sense of excitement: “Ah, Lord Asterion! Yes, my lady, of course. Serving him well is my most ardent wish!" 🎧

2735 For the Greater Good The interrogation of Awakened Yutra, a thrall of the Dreamspawn, was like a nightmare. Not the kind of nightmare that claws at one's heart and leaves them breathless, covered in cold sweat in the middle of a dark night, but rather the kind of nightmare that makes one feel like they are lost in the middle of a bizarre and senseless mire. A dream that makes one uncomfortable because of how peculiar and nonsensical it is. Sunny was dazed. ‘I feel like I have a fever.' "...I would never betray the legion!" Awakened Yutra leaned forward, momentarily forgetting even his awe in the face of the ruler of humanity out of pure outrage. "Never! My lady, you experienced war as a soldier as well. You know the kind of bond that soldiers share — so, you must know that I will never betray my comrades! I would rather die" He sounded utterly sincere in his indignation. Nephis studied him for a while, then asked in an even tone: “What if that was Asterion's will?" Yutra had already invoked the name of the Dreamspawn, so there was no point in avoiding it anymore. Which meant that somewhere out there, Asterion was paying attention to this interrogation as well. The enthralled Awakened frowned in confusion. “What? Why would Lord Asterion ever..." Nephis interrupted him calmly: “Still.” Yutra remained silent for a few moments, then shrugged. “Well, it can't be helped then. As much as it pains me, my comrades would have to die." He sounded sincere now, as well. Nephis looked at Cassie, a hint of a troubled expression reflecting in her clear eyes. Cassie opened her mouth. “You will sacrifice them if Asterion orders?" The man gritted his teeth, visibly disturbed by the question. His answer was firm, though. "Yes." "But you will be pained to sacrifice them?" He shuddered, then forced out in a tortured tone: "Naturally I will be. How can you ask that? It will ruin me." Cassie tilted her head a little. “And yet, you'll still do it.” He nodded. “I will. How can I not?" “Will you hesitate before betraying your comrades, or will you do it without hesitating at all?" Yutra seemed confused once аgain. “Why would I hesitate? If that is Lord Asterion's will." Cassie ceased her questions. Still hidden in the darkness, Sunny spoke then. "Yutra..." The man flinched at the sound of a disembodied voice that came from the darkness, surrounding him like a rustling tide. Sunny studied him for a few moments. “You have a wife and two children — a son and a daughter. Correct?" Yutra nodded slowly. "I do... yes." Sunny smiled quietly. “A famine came, and your children are starving. You only managed to procure enough food to feed one person, but you are hungry too. What will you do?" Yutra scowled, once again unnerved by the question. He did not hesitate to answer: "I will split the food evenly between my son and my daughter, and starve myself." There was no shadow of a doubt in his answer. Sunny considered him quietly, then asked another question. "You and your comrades have been captured and ordered to kill one another. It's kill or be killed. What will you do?" The man's scowl deepened. "I'll die. I won't raise my sword against my brothers and sisters in arms.’ He sounded confident. ‘How admirable.' Sunny asked a third question. “The feelings between you and your wife are long gone, but someone new is paying you flattering attention. What will you do?" Yutra grimaced in indignation. “What? What kind of question is that?! Nothing! I'll do nothing! I will never betray my wife! And our feelings for each other are not something that can disappear one day!" Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then asked in a calm tone: “What if Asterion asks for the food that is meant for your children, orders you to kill your comrades, and advises you to abandon your wife?" Yutra blinked a few times, then responded with the same firm confidence: “Then I will let my children starve, kill whoever he wishes me to kill, and leave my wife without looking back. Naturally!" The answer was a bit chilling. What was truly disturbing, however, was the man's expression. It was the very same expression he wore when vehemently denying the possibility of betraying his legion — the expression of a proud, righteous man who was valiantly stating his principles. ‘What the hell. What the actual hell! It's creepy.' The absolute lack of awareness that Yutrа displayed was unnerving, and the fact that he seemed perfеctly normal even when proclaiming a deranged level of devotion to Asterion was simply eerie. It was like he saw nothing wrong with what he was saying — far from it. If anything, Yutra seemed confused, uncomfortable even, with the fact that his interrogators were somehow failing to understand something that he deemed self-evident. “Why?" Yutra frowned. “What do you mean?" Sunny sighed. “Why would you choose Asterion over your wife, children, and comrades?" The man remained silent for a while, as if he had never stopped to think about it before. Eventually, his frown disappeared, and he smiled. “Because of the greater good." His smile was pale, but blissful. Yutra inhaled slowly, then spoke in a subdued tone: "I can't describe how much I love my family and value my fellow soldiers. But that is just me — it is the private love and loyalty of a small, simple man. There has to be something greater in your life if you wish to live nobly, though. A greater purpose that goes beyond your personal attachments. Like the survival of all mankind... of everyone's families and everyone's comrades." He leaned back and looked at Nephis happily. “That is why I am devoted to Lord Asterion. Because he is our best hope of survival — mankind's hope. He is the greater good." Sunny could not help but laugh silently. ‘Oh. Oh, gods... the irony’ Didn't what Yutra was trying to describe sound a lot like... Conviction? ‘Because of the greater good, huh.' 🎧

2736 Contaminated Values The interrogation continued for quite a while, producing the same nonsensical responses. Awakened Yutra was an upstanding man. He might not have been a powerful man, but in the modest degree of talent and opportunity afforded to him, he was outstanding. He was a loving husband and a father, a reliable friend to his fellow Awakened, and a valiant soldier of the Human Domain. Everything he told them about himself fit the information they had gathered beforehand perfectly, and Kai did not sense any lies in what the man said either. He was a good and loyal man. Except, of course, for the fact that in Yutra's mind, there was now nothing more important than Lord Asterion, his supposed greater good. His devotion to the Dreamspawn was absolute, trumping all other values and principles. He was not an immoral man — quite the opposite — but his morality made an exception for everything connected to Asterion. He was not an irrational man either, but his reason failed every time Asterion was mentioned, and he was not even capable of realizing that his thoughts and opinions were unreasonable. It was disturbing... precisely because Yutra was otherwise a perfectly sane and rational person. When asked more detailed questions, he became momentarily confused, then easily came up with improvised answers that fit his twisted view of the world. Yutra did not know that much about the subject of his eerie devotion, even if he himself did not realize it. He seemed to vaguely know that Asterion was a Supreme, but not how the Dreamspawn had attained Supremacy or what powers he wielded. Yutra did not quite remember how he had come to be dedicated to Asterion, or when. Most of all, he had not the slightest idea of what Asterion's plans were, or what his own role in bringing those plans to fruition was supposed to be. All he could do was smile creepily and repeat incomprehensible words: “Togetherness... communion... salvation for all!" He did not know the identities of the other thralls of Asterion, either. Of course, he didn't — after all, he did not even know that he himself was enthralled. Rather, he seemed to assume that everyone shared his beliefs, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Nothing they said or did managed to shake his devotion even a little bit. Eventually, they left Yutra alone and retreated from the chamber. Kai met them outside the cell, wearing a disturbed expression on his handsome face. “He is completely insane." They had been disturbed by the bizarre conversation with Yutra, but Kai had to have suffered much more, considering that he sensed that everything the thrall spoke was true — or at least that he sincerely believed it to be true. Sunny coalesced into a human shape and gave his friend a long look. "It would have been fine if he was insane. The pгoblem is that he is much too sane, instead." Nephis nodded. “His mental faculties are all there. It is just that... the source data has been replaced." The complicated machine of Yurta's mind was functioning the way it was supposed to. However, the foundation it was built upon — his beliefs and principles — had been tampered with. So, the entire output was utterly contaminated. Nephis remained silent for a while, frowning. Eventually, she only said one word. "Troublesome." Sunny tended to agree. “He's completely brainwashed... which is a new kind of problem, at least in my unfortunate experience." He sighed. Mind attacks had always been the most insidious, and enemies who could employ them had always been the most dangerous. However, he had never really encountered quite this level of mental manipulation... usually, thralls were either mindless or directly controlled by their masters. Yutra, however, was neither mindless nor controlled. Asterion was not pulling his strings... there was no need to, because Yutra was not a puppet. He was a completely free and independent individual — a person who still had his agency, and chose to serve the Dreamspawn simply because that was what he believed to be right. Even if his beliefs had been tainted by insidious manipulation. "We've encountered such a problem before. You should have, too.” Cassie's voice was calm, but somber. Sunny looked at her in surprise. “We have?" She nodded. “When Nephis and I were Sleepers, we fell under a mind hex of a profane tree. It twisted our beliefs, albeit not in quite as sоphisticated a manner as what the Dreamspawn have achieved... the result was just as effective, though. You burned that tree while exploring the Forgotten Shore years later. So, this problem is not entirely new." Sunny's eyes widened a little. “Oh. You're right. That tree possessed a similaг kind of power, indeed." Nephis tilted her head slightly. "The Soul Devourer had to have been a corrupted sapling of Heart God's sacred tree. The Dreamspawn inherited the lineage of Heart God, as well. What a curious connection." Sunny raised an eyebrоw. ‘Heart God. The god of souls, emotions, growth, memories... and hunger.' Kai looked at Nephis, then asked in a contemplative tone: "How did the two of you escape the mind hex, all those years ago?" Nephis looked at Cassie, remained silent for a while, then looked down. "...I don't quite remember." Nephis and Cаssie might not have remembered, but Sunny did. How had they escaped the Soul Devourer? Through a fated combination of Cassie's prophetic warning, Neph's stubbornness, Sunny's relentless spitefulness, and a drop of Weaver's blood. He did not think that fate would save them again, though. Both because Asterion was incalculably more powerful than the Soul Devourer had ever been, and because he was not Fated anymore. "Don't quite remember..." Sunny looked at Cassie, studied her for a while, and then asked in a casual tone: “Considering that the Dreamspawn put tainted data into Yutra's head... can't you just erase it?" Cassie remained silent for a moment. “You want me to tamper with his memories?" Sunny nodded. "I want you to wash away his brainwashing. It's not like we haven't considered that option before. Asterion's true power spreads through knowledge, and one of us can erase knowledge from people's heads. Wouldn't it be foolish not to try using that to our advantage?" Cassie turned her head to face him and frowned slightly. "The only problem is that I will be exposed to the same knowledge while trying to erase it" She lingered for a short while, then shrugged. "What I mean to say is... it's worth a try." 🎧

2737 War of Ideas They returned to the cell in concerned silence. Sunny was still hidden in the shadows, having assumed his natural form. He studied Yutra carefully, paying attention to the exhaustion written on the man's face. “My lady, I don't understand why you are doing this to me.’ Yutra's hoarse voice was full of confusion. He glanced at Nephis with fatigued reveгence in his eyes. Then, however, a hint of something dark ignited in them, and after hesitating for a long while, he said in a hollow tone: "Unless, of course, you harbor malice against Lord Asterion. Against the greater good for all of mankind." His pupils widened in terror at the implications of his bold suspicion. "No, no... it can't be." Sunny had been feeling uneasy all along, but now, he was suddenly full of dark apprehension. Was this Asterion's real goal? Was he not simply aiming to bewitch subjects of the Human Domain to fuel his source element, but also planning to turn them against the very woman who ruled them? There was only one leap of logic between being devoted to the Dreamspawn and loathing his enemies, after all. Was Asterion building an army out of Neph's very own soldiers? ‘He has to be. Does that mean that we will have to slaughter our own soldiers to destroy his army?' Sunny was troubled. Nephis, meanwhile, regarded Yutra silently for a while. Then, unexpectedlу, a soft smile graced her lips. “Do you know, Awakened Yutra, I've known Asterion personally since I was a little child” Yutra stared at her in shock. Then, his eyes ignited with a sense of awe. “Y—you have met Lord Asterion? Really?" Nephis nodded. "Of course. I used to call him Uncle Aster. We were quite close.” She took the alloy chair and moved it out of the way. “And later, when Valor and Song conspired to kill me... I heard that it was my uncle Aster who kept them at bay." Yutra's eyes shone as he nodded energetically. “Of course. Of course he would!" Nephis sighed and glanced up with the same soft smile on her lips. "I used to think he was the greatest, too." Then, she turned her gaze to Yutra. "I know he is listening right now. I am glad he is." She entered the runic circle, walked around the shackled man, and placed her hands on his shoulders. Leaning down, Nephis remained silent for a moment and then spoke softly into his ear. "It took three of them to kill my father, even when they stabbed him in the back. Anvil and Ki Song have already been dealt with. They died too quickly, though... so, I am glad that Asterion cannot be destroyed, as well. He'll long to be able to die, one day soon." Before Yutra could react, she grabbed his head and held it in place. “What... what are you!" Cassie was already stepping into the runic circle, pulling her blindfold down. Sunny was behind her, so he did not see what her Transcendent Ability had turned her eyes into... he could see Yutra flinch in utter horror as he beheld them, though. Then, the enthralled soldier's terrified expression slowly slackened, turning into one of mesmerized wonder, as if he was witnessing something both tantalizing and breathtakingly gorgeous. Sunny was faintly disturbed by the scene. ‘Damn it... why is everyone so creepy?’ Cassie stood motionlessly above the mesmerized Awakened, her golden hair moving subtly in the wind that blew through the underground cell thanks to a derelict ventilation system. Everything else was still and motionless, swallowed by a cold silence. Neither Sunny nor Nephis could perceive what was happening in Yutra's mind, where Cassie's power was currently waging a war against the insidious influence of the Dreamspawn. However, they knew that a daunting battle was happening close to them, hidden from view. Sunny did not like the feeling of not being able to help... to do anything notable, really. It was an unfamiliar and unpleasant feeling, one he had not experienced in a long while. The same feeling, in a broader sense, was connected to everything having to do with Asterion. He felt like all his power was useless in the face of this particular adversary... making Sunny feel powerless before the adversary had even revealed himself was quite an achievement, and he could not help but grit his teeth. A few minutes later, Cassie let out a quiet groan. Nephis glanced at her tensely, then asked with a hint of concern: “Are you alright?" Cassie remained silent for a short while, then answered flatly: “I'm fine. Delving into the mind of the Dreamspawn's thrall is like opening myself to a vicious mind attack. It is like... walking through a minefield, intentionally stepping on each mine. But I am handling it." Now, Sunny was a bit concerned, too. “You are handling a mental attack of a Supreme?" Cassie responded after a short delay: “l am incapable of repelling an assault of a Supreme. So while I am erasing the memories of Yutra, I am erasing my own memories of having erased them at the same time. Thus, I am dodging the attack and keeping my mind free of contaminated knowledge." Sunny fell silent, quietly impressed. He was sure that manipulating the memories of a person was not an easy task, so doing that while also editing her own memories must have been more than a little difficult. Still, Cassie was handling it with seeming ease. The process continued for a while, each minute more tense than the previous one. Yutra's expression of wonder slowly dimmed, replaced by a strained grimace. He was as pale as a ghost, with beads of sweat glistening on his skin. Then, gradually, his grimace disappeared, and he slowly looked away from Cassie. He seemed spent, disoriented, and dazed. She let out a long sigh. After remaining silent for a few seconds, Cassie said quietly: “It's done. I... think it's done" She pulled her blindfold back in place and took several steps back. "His first memory of the Dreamspawn appeared only a few days after the conclusion of the war in Godgrave. I tried to be surgical in which memories I erased, but... as his condition worsened, every minute of his life seemed to be contaminated. I had no choice but to erase it all” Just as she finished speaking, a weak voice resounded in the underground cell. “Where... where am I?" Yutra was looking around, anxious and confused. Sunny felt a hint of sympathy for the man. Coming to his senses with no memories of the past couple of years, chained to a chair inside a runic circle, had to be quite a shock. Nephis calmly released the man's head and walked around the chair to stand in front of him. “Awakened Yutra, I presume?" His eyes widened. "L—lady Nephis?!" Sunny felt a sense of deja vu. Soon enough, a soothing white light ignited under Yutra's skin, healing his scrapes and bruises. Having been stolen from the Longing Domain by the Dreamspawn, he was now healed and returned to the embrace of the Immortal Flame. Even if he had been robbed of a vast swath of his memories, having lost a short span of his life forever. ...Not long after, Sunny, Nephis, Cassie, and Kai were gathered on the floor of the abandoned factory, standing in a small circle. A somber silence hung between them, interrupted only by the rustle of the old air filters. Eventually, Sunny asked in a dark tone: "How many thralls can you cure in a day?" Cassie sighed, then lowered her head a little. “It doesn't take a lot of time... but my reserves of essence are not endless. A few. possibly a dozen, if I exhaust myself." ‘A dozen...’ With the speed at which the infection was spreading and new thralls were being initiated into Asterion's Domain, a dozen was woefully not enough. "We can't keep doing nothing” Saying that, Sunny glanced at Nephis. "I know that cracking down on small cults only makes them spread faster, but since our adversary is an idea, we have no choice but to engage in ideological warfare. Strict censorship, criminal persecution of dissidents, political repression... we'll have to engage in all of those, and more.’ He sighed. “At the very least, we must isolate those who preach the name of the Dreamspawn to the masses. That won't stop him, but it will slow him down. Nephis looked at him for a while, remaining silent. Eventually, she asked: “Are you suggesting that I start hunting down heretics? Those who denounce me in favor of a different god? What next, then... should I start burning them at the stake?" If she did, the words Immortal Flame would attain a much darker meaning. Sunny frowned. “Hey, there's no need to be that extreme. I am sure that we can build a comfortable camp or two for these people." Nephis exhaled slowly. "We are building camps now? Do you even hear yourself?" Sunny studied her for a short while, then smiled. "Nephis, we might have won the war against the Sovereigns, but now, we are facing a paranormal insurgency led by a Supreme who does not even consider himself to be human. There's no time for half-measures anymore. Things are going to start happening fast from now on, so we should forget the false assumption that we hold an advantage and start acting far more desperate." Nephis lingered for a long while. In the end, she sighed. "Fine. Let's stop doing nothing, then." 🎧

2738 Speeding Toward the End The being that used to be Song of the Fallen abandoned the dark memory, still painted in grim shades by the feelings of powerlessness and apprehension captured in it. It was a little sad and a little uncomfortable, to witness someone as fearsome as the Lord of Shadows feeling so stumped and restrained. The Lord of Shadows... his memories were odd and eerie, permeated by a staggering vastness of his consciousness and an alien kind of perception that very few beings shared. She vaguely remembered being strained by sharing his senses, and even now, it was too easy to get lost in them. The Lord of Shadows was vast and powerful, but even he had been restrained by the quiet, insidious conquest of the Dreamspawn. ‘This man, Yutra... he was the first.' But he had not been the last. Knowing what to look for now, she extended the tendrils of her Will toward countless memories — those that belonged to her, and those that did not — assembling them into a narrative of what had followed the eerie interrogation. The world... was changing at a startling speed, guided by its ruinous star toward the inevitable final clash against the Nightmare. They were all so terribly busy, having to put out countless fires that ignited all across the Dream Realm and the waking world each day — all the while planning and building for the quickly approaching, frightening future. One world was already being swallowed by the other. Even if the process was only just beginning, the consequences could already be felt. The distance between various areas, which had seemed impermeable, was changing. The powerful Nightmare Creatures that used to dwell in remote Death Zones were stirring, some of them already starting to migrate toward the human borders. The waking world wаs not unscathed, either. The number of Nightmare Gates that opened across its desolate expanse was steadily increasing. The logistical infrastructure of humanity was slowly crumbling under the strain... but even that was not the most immediate concern. The most impactful crisis was developing due to something that nobody had expected. It was the fact that the average temperature across the planet had dropped by a couple of degrees compared to the previous years — that was the result of the cold from the frigid wastelands west of Ravenhearts seeping through the torn realm boundary. The consequences were not disastrous yet, but they were a promise of the dire madness of the approaching years. That only made it more apparent how important it was to safely resettle as many people as possible — all of them, ideally — into the Dream Realm before the collapse began. However, that titanic undertaking itself was plagued by numerous problems. At the moment, the human territories in the Dream Realm were simply incapable of receiving that many settlers. They were all developing with astonishing speed, and yet that speed was not sufficient. There was electricity in Bastion, and Ravenheart was on the verge of ushering in an agricultural revolution... however, the local infrastructure was barely managing to sustain hundreds of millions of people, having almost reached a bottleneck in scalability. It was far from being ready to sustain billions. Now, more than ever, humanity needed as many Awakened with useful Utility Aspects. Myriad Awakened and Masters made the rapid development of the human civilization in the Dream Realm possible, while some of the Saints were like industries in and of themselves. Saint Bliss would soon be responsible for feeding myriads of humans. Beastmaster single-handedly hastened the expansion of human civilization in the basin of the River of Tears manyfold. Nightwalker, whose return caused a worldwide sensation, was taking charge of all naval navigation in both the Stormsea and across the deadly oceans of Earth. Saint Thane, the Dream Merchant, was on the verge of connecting disparate human enclaves in the Dream Realm through a new iteration of the Dreamscape, thus making nearly instant communication across vast distances possible — granted, there were many entities in the Dream Realm that could intrude upon the shared dreams of Awakened, so this connection was far from safe yet. Even with more than a million Awakened serving the Human Domain, there were never enough hands to hаndle all the demanding tasks of building a new home for humanity. Therefore, countless mundane people were working tirelessly for the shared goal, as well — their contributions were no less important, and perhaps even more so. There were far more mundane people than there were Awakened, after all. That meant that they had to be responsible for completing the lion's share of the work. That also meant that there were far more exceptional individuals among them, and even if their strength wаs not on par with those chosen by the Nightmare Spell, their minds were just as brilliant. Mundane people could step up and take responsibility for the endless task of building and feeding the growing human civilization of the Dream Realm... but, sadly, they could not carry the many military burdens of the Human Domain. Even if the civil war between the Domains was over, war continued to rage on all sides. If humans wanted to live in the Dream Realm, the Dream Realm had to be subjugated. The vast territories taken by the Awakened of previous generations had to be tamed, while new territories had to be explored, cleansed, and conquered. United and inspired by Changing Star, humanity worked feverishly to ensurе its own survival. Song of the Fallen was Changing Star's right-hand woman, and therefore quite possibly the busiest person in existence. However, soon after the interrogation of Awakened Yutra, a new duty was added to her list of important responsibilities. It was the task of liberating enthralled humans from the clutches of the Dreamspawn. The abandoned factory in the outskirts of NQSC became a temporary quarantine facilitу where those proven to be Asterion's thralls were brought by the agents of the Shadow Clan and kept until she could purify their minds. The work was slow and exhausting, and worse of all, none of them knew for sure if it was making a difference or added up to nothing but a drop in the ocean. Song of the Fallen was not the only Awakened who possessed powers that could affect or cure the thralls. There were myriad unique Aspects out there, after all — there were also an endless sea of Memories and people capable of weaving sorcery, so she could have found and recruited a team of helpers to assist her in the task. However, the very nature of their enemy prevented her from doing so. Everyone who encountered the thralls ran the risk of becoming enraptured by the Dreamspawn themselves, after all, so only those who could resist his influence could be allowed to face them. And there was no other person except Cassia who could both eliminate Asterion's malignant influence and stay free of it. So, her time and soul essence became the bottleneck in their struggle against the spread of the Hunger Domain. Cassia's efforts were not the only steps Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows were undertaking to combat Asterion's silent conquest, of course. 🎧

2739 Quarantine Measures Asterion could not be killed. However, an immortal adversary was not that novel, as far as Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows wеre concerned. Both of them could hardly be destroyed, as well, and the same went for the fourth Supreme, the King of Nothing. All that meant was that the Dreamspawn would have to be defeated and sealed, just like he had been sealed once by Anvil and Ki Song... no, rather, he would have to be sealed far better than the first Sovereigns had managed, so that his sinister influence never infected humanity again. Therefore, the invisible war of influence that Asterion had declared on Changing Star and her Domain was going to end in an open confrontation eventually. So, before then, they had one primary task — to make sure that the Longing Domain was not weakened too much, while the Hunger Domain remained as weak as possible. At the same time, they had to prevent Asterion from harming humanity to the best of their ability. It was already apparent that he was intending to hold mankind hostage in his conflict against them... Or, at least, it seemed that way. In truth, Asterion's motives remained a mystery, just like most things about him did. In any case, Sunny and Nephis needed to slow down the spread of Asterion's influence and disarm as many of his thralls as they could. The Hunger Domains silent and disturbingly unnoticeable growth seemed unstoppable, and the Dreamspawn was becoming more powerful with each day — but even if it seemed that they weren't making any progress, in truth, their position was improving as well. That was because they were gradually learning more and more about the adversary. By now, they knew enough to take action. While humanity was their weakness, it was also their greatest resource. innumerable talented individuals were mobilized to develop means of recognizing members of the Hunger Domain without truly knowing what they were working on, or why — that way, they were not at risk of becoming infected themselves. While sorcerers and Spellsmiths were working on a tool to identify Asterion's sleeper agents, Sunny and Nephis directed their attention to the fringe organizations that had already been discoverеd as carriers of the Dreamspawn's will. Sunny had described the conflict they found themselves in as ideological warfare. While not as familiar to them as ferocious and lethal combat, that type of strife was not new to those born of the War Realm, either. In fact, humanity had a rich and bloody histоry of waging wars of ideas, most boasting death tolls in no way inferior to conventional military campaigns. So, if they wished to, they could open the bottomless toolbox of history and borrow a harrowing array of strategies to crush an idea championed by the adversary... as well as those who carried it. However, Sunny’s careless description was not entirely fitting. Yes, Asterion was as much an idea as he was a man, and his powers spread through human thought. However, the idea of Asterion was not a mundane one — it was an expression of his Supreme Will. Therefore, it was an idea so perilous and virulent that merely being exposed to it meant becoming infected by it. Which meant that most tried and tested strategies of ideological warfare were meaningless in front of the Dreamspawn. That said... Asterion's power was not absolute, either. After all, not all of those who had become infected by the idea of him were turned into his thralls, which proved that the Dreamspawn was limited in how many people he could subjugate — that limit, most likely, was the difference between his personal power and the mental resistance of his prey. Sunny and Nephis deduced that last point after observing the first few thralls the Shadow Clan captured. The person's resistance against mind attacks mattered, but what seemed to matter even more was their mental state — depending on how firmly one believed in Changing Star and the Human Domain, the difficulty of penetrating the defenses of their mind could either increase or diminish. In other words, they needed to make sure that as few people as possible were exposed to the idea of Asterion. At the same time, they needed to strengthen people's belief in the Human Domain, so that fewer of those who did end up learning the name of Asterion became his thralls. And lastly, they needed to isolate the thralls to prevent them from spreading the Dreamspawn's name further. That was where they discovered another trap laid out for them by Asterion. “That wicked bastard!" Sunny let out a frustrated scoff as he stared at the list of targets in front of him. They needed to eradicate the sleeper agent cells that were helping the plague of Asterion spread — like the Church of the Moon, which was rapidly gaining popularity in the former territory of the Sword Domain. However, by coming down on this cult and other ones like it, they would be creating an impression of tyrannical authority that did not tolerate dissenting opinions or afford the people the freedom of thought. Therefore, they would be weakening the belief of the people in the virtue and power of the Human Domain, making numerous humans more susceptible to the infection. "Ahhhh..." Looking up, he let out a heavy sigh. The forces of the Immortal Flame clan could not be seen persecuting seemingly harmless cultists, so it was decided that the Shadow Clan would handle the dismantling of Asterion's sleeper cells. His agents were already positioned to handle that kind of work, anyway, since they were supposed to be the shadow of the unblemished Fire Keepers. naturally, he was not planning on slaughtering the unfortunate souls that fell under the Dreamspawn's influence. Some of them were thralls, while some were merely misguided fools. The former had to be delivered to the quarantine facility in NQSC, while the latter had to be isolated until Asterion was dealt with. Distinguishing the thralls from simple cultists was quite difficult at the moment, though. So, all the prisoners would have to be held somewhere, for now — Sunny had already built a comfortable, but quite inescapable village for them outside the walls of the Dark City. With so many people vanishing without a trace, the citizens of the Human Domain would understandably become disturbed. Their confidence in Nephis would diminish, somewhat, but it was still better than an open campaign of repression. Letting out a sigh, Sunny rubbed his eyes. ‘Look at me, planning to kidnap thousands of people: He was not very happy about this turn of events. Still, it had to be done... The problem was that the Shadow Clan only had a few hundred members, and Sunny himself was spread a little bit too thin. He needed help if he was going to accomplish this task — and numerous other tasks to come — cleanly. ‘I guess it's time to get myself a capable lieutenant.' 🎧

2740 Dark Lord's Top Lieutenant Most of the Shadow Clan members were Awakened, with only a few Masters mixed in. Sunny planned to slowly nurture the talented people he had recruited, and then send those who were ready to conquer Nightmares — that way, he would eventually come to rule a small army of elite Ascended specialists. Some of his agents were already planning to challenge the Second Nightmare. Tamar of Sorrow, for example, was preparing to take Ray, Fleur, Corsair... and Telle of White Feather, all of a sudden... into a Seed. However, there were things that even Ascended could not do. Carrying people across the realm boundary, for one — that was in the purview of Saints. As a Supreme Titan, Serpent could theoretically place the Mark of Shadows on Transcendent beings, as well, and Sunny’s life would have become much easier if he had recruited one or two. However, there were reasons why he had never tried to initiate a Saint into the Shadow Clan. Firstly, he did not really need to — it was not like he controlled Citadels that had to be bestowed upon loyal Saints to empower his Domain. Sunny had seven incarnations, after all, but only two Citadels. So, unless he suddenly came into possession of six more, he had no need of a vassal. More importantly, though, he could not allow himself to bеcome a master of too many powerful living beings. It was fine if his legion of shadows kept growing... but if enough humans who had climbed high on the Path of Ascension began to follow him, the Forgotten God would come closer to awakening. Still, things constantly changed, and at this point, Sunny needed the assistance of a Saint. He needed someone who was competent, would fit into the Shadow Legion, and whose absence would not weaken the Longing Domain too much. That last requirement was especially stringent. It made it so he could not poach Effie, Kai, or Jet from Nephis. Even someone like Nightwalker was out of the question — for better or worse. However, Sunny did have a perfect candidate in mind. ‘Ah, I really don't like this place.' Escorted by Saint through a dark corridor, Sunny barely held back a shiver. It was terribly cold down here, and on top of that, his shadow sense was suppressed. Those daemons all must have been wary of Shadow God and his servants — many of the strongholds they had left behind had a way of making his pеrception nearly useless, as if he were an ordinary being. The Jade Palace was no different. One of Sunny's incarnations was hidden in Ravenheart, so visiting the Great Citadel was quite simple. He often did, either to help Kai... or to annoy him out of boredom. Today, however, Sunny had left the opulence of the upper levels of the Jade Palace behind and delved into the network of tunnels beneath it. His goal, of course, was to find the reclusive Saint who dwelled there. These were the Ice Halls, where Ki Song had kept her legion of pilgrims once. ...A questionable choice of residence, as far as Sunny was concerned, but then again, he lived inside a gluttonous Devil. Soon enough, the tunnel Sunny and Saint were following opened into a vast open chamber, and he suddenly lost his ability to see. That was because the chamber was drowned in true darkness, the element that the person who lived here freely controlled. Strangely enough, the cold recedеd as soon as he entered the chamber, and a warm wind caressed his face. Sunny cleared his throat. "I am sorry to come in without knocking. But, you know... there's no door. So, I let myself in." A few moments passed in eerie silence, and then, a voice resounded from the dark, sounding somber and cold: "The Lord of Shadows. To what do I owe the displeasure?" Still blind, Sunny smiled. "Oh, you know. I need help kidnapping a thousand or so people. You were the first person I thought I'd ask." There was a long stretch of silence, and then Revel responded in a tone that lacked amusement: "Get out." Sunny sighed, then turned in the direction where Saint stood silently. “Saint. If you will?" In the next moment, the darkness around him seemed to ripple. Then, it retreated, revealing the vast underground chamber to him in all its... "Huh?" Sunny had not really put much thought into imagining how the Lightslayer's lair looked, but he sort of imagined a grim hall devoid of all comfort. A cold and dark crypt where Rеvel sat on the stone floor, endlessly meditating, or maybe a rough and stark training field where she honed her battle art. The underground chamber he saw after the true darkness retreated, though, was a bit... Cozy? And mоre than a little untidy. There was plenty of expensive furniture, including a bed with a tall mattress and a fluffy blanket, takeout boxes and junk food wrappers strewn around the place, a battery of empty soda cans, and tall piles of books standing here and there — every item clearly dragged here from the waking world. Some of the book piles had even toppled, spreading them across the floor. One of the books was laying right near his foot. Leaning down, Sunny picked it up and looked at the cover with a confused frown. "I Didn't Mean... to Seduce the Northern Duke?" He blinked a couple of times, failing to comprehend what he had just read. “Give that back!" Someone snatched the book out of his hand, and he finally saw Revel, who was staring angrily at him. Dark Dancer Revel looked like she always did — her skin was pure alabaster, her eyes seemed to be cut from precious obsidian, and her hair was like a waterfall of beautiful black silk. It was just that her silken hair was gathered in a messy bun, and she was wearing a pair of stretched-out sweatpants and a raggedy, threadbare sweatshirt. The former princess of Song hid the book behind her back and turned the scathing gaze of her black eyes toward Saint. "Since when is that thing Supreme?!" Saint had been able to vanquish the true darkness because she was of a higher Rank than Revel, and therefore could exert greater authority over the element they were both attuned to. Sunny was still staring at Revel with a dumbfounded expression. "Since... winter." It was Revel the Lightslayer, alright. Revel was... a slob?! And an aficionado of questionable novels, as well. Sunny was suddenly full of doubts. ‘Come to think of it... do I really need a lieutenant?’ 🎧

2741 Recruitment Speech Sunny remained motionless for а few seconds, glancing around Lightslayer's messy lair, then gave her a nonchalant smile and made a move to sit gracefully in a soft-looking armchair. Noticing a small pile of unidentifiable wrappers occupying its seat, however, he lingered for a bit. Eventually, he let out a sigh and summoned his own chair to sit down. Revel gave the Shadow Chair a long look, then mumbled something under her nose and continued to glare at him. “What do you want?" Sunny shrugged with a smile. “As I said, I need your help with something” He remained silent for a short while, then added in a neutral tone: "Imagine that there is an enemy whose name you cannot say. Every soldier you send to fight the adversary becomes one of their own. The enemy can be neither reasoned with nor killed; in order to defeat them, you must forget that they exist first. How would you destroy such an adversary?" Revel stared at him for a while, then grimaced and went to sit on her bed. "So, the Dreamspawn is back and giving you trouble." Revel's tone гegained the cold, threatening arrogance Sunny was used to. Needless to say, it was in dire contradiction to the way she looked. His smile widened a little. "See, this is why I knew that dealing with a former princess of the Song Domain — the first of them to become a Saint, no less — would be a pleasure. You already know so much." She studied him with a dark expression, then shrugged. “There is only one creepy Supreme whose name I was taught never to mention. Plus, Song of the Fallen recently visited to ask Seishan a few unexpected questions. It would be difficult not to know what you are talking about." Sunny nodded in undeгstanding. “Still, can I ask something?" Revel simply scowled, which prompted Sunny to give her a contemplative look. "...How does one accidentally seduce someone? And what about that duke, has he no standards?" Revel's chilling glare instantly returned. "Shut up!" Sunny laughed. Well... he understood, somewhat. Revel's Flaw prevented her from walking under the sun, and there was no electricity or network in Ravenheart. It was no surprise that she had turned a bit reclusive, passing time by engaging in the few shapes of entertainment a Saint could have easy access to in the Dream Realm. Still, would it kill her to at least clean up after herself? He grinned. "In any case, yes. It has not even been two years since the Domain War ended, and now, we are facing the possibility of a new one. You play quite an important role in the military endeavors of the Longing Domain... however, at the moment, I need you more. I need someone both powerful and capable to lead the clandestine operations of my clan." Revel smiled darkly. “No, thanks. I am doing quite well for myself right here." Sunny glanced around with a dubious expression. “I wouldn't say that living in your mom's basement after... what are you, pushing forty?... constitutes as doing well, but what do I know? I do admit that this has been your home for a long while. But we all have to leave the nest one day." Revel smiled coldly, then said in a perilous tone: “Keep talking, Lord of Shadows." Sunny coughed. “What I meant to say was — don't refuse me before you hear what I'm offering.” Her smile disappeared like a winter mirage. “And what would that be?" He leaned back, crossing his arms in a relaxed manner. “Well, first of all, I am offering you the title and position of an elder in the Shadow Clan. The elder, really, since there are no other people of your caliber in my Domain. The power and authority that come with that title are no joke, so consider it carefully. Oh, and there's also a lot of important work to do. So, you'll probably never be bored again." He raised a hand and extended two fingers. “Secondly, there are various benefits to becoming my subject. Money, luxurious accommodations... a cool tattoo. You will gain the Mark of Shadows, and all the powers that come with it. Granted, they won't be that impactful in your case, both due to your power and the nature of your Aspect." Sunny extended a third finger. “And lastly... I rule an entire region of the Dream Realm where there is no sun. It's a land of everlasting darkness, where your Flaw would not be able to catch up to you. You can roam the Forgotten Shore freely instead of staying in this cold basement. Doesn't that sound fun?" Revel stared at him incredulously for a few long seconds. Then, she said in an even tone: "I like my basement, though." Sunny cleared his throat. "Oh. Well, in that case, a better basement can be arranged. There's a lot of prime real estate in my city, you know! There's a stunning historic cathedral, a demonic castle, countless unoccupied mansions... hell, there's even an entire system of catacombs, if that's more your style." He remained silent for a bit, then added in a more serious tone: “The Shadow Clan is a modest force now. But in due time, it will grow to become the secret weapon of the Human Domain — a pillar that supports it from the darkness. I won't always be there personally to rule it, either. So, I need someone to lead it while I am away." Sunny smiled. “l already have someone handling the administrative side of running the secretive arm of the Human Domain. However, I need someone to take charge in the field, as well — a champion to lead my followers on the battlefield.” He ρaused, the smile draining from his face. “And I need that person now. Because the situation is possibly going to turn quite dire soon... when that happens, nobody will be safe. Not you, not your sisters, and not even me." Leaning forward a little, he looked at her silently. "So, what do you say, Lightslayer? Are you going to work with me? I hope you do, because... you know, there's a lot of work to be done. Even with seven bodies, one of me is not еnough.’ Revel stared at him for a while. Eventually, she sighed and hugged her book. "Actually, you had me at 'various benefits and a cool tattoo’..." 🎧

2742 Swallowed by Shadows Sunny's servants moved in the shadows of humanity, unseen. The members of the Shadow Clan were spread out across both worlds, embedded into all layers of society. Theirs was usually a quiet kind of work, with high-intensity missions happening surgically after months of careful preparation. On a moonless night at the peak of summer, things were transpiring in the same manner. Only, this time, it wasn't only one or two cohorts participating in the clandestine operation — instead, the entire Shadow Clan had been mobilized in complete secrecy, with dozens of elite Awakened teams preparing to descend upon the adversary from the darkness. In Bastion, Quentin led his men to surround the Church of the Moon as the electric light of the street lamps flickered and died out, plunging the city into the embrace of shadows. Somewhere else, Rain and Tamar were preparing to assault the hidden base of a black market auction, accompanied by Ray and Fleur. In NQSC, Kim had donned her armor and led a cohort of Awakened warriors to a fortified compound of a minor Legacy clan, the street cameras conveniently falling victim to interference as they passed. June and his people had boarded the Night Garden only a few days before, and were now quietly making their way through its cavernous cargo holds. In Ravenheart, the members of the Shadow Clan shivered and looked back with terrified eyes as a breathtakingly beautiful woman in dark leather armour walked between them with arrogant steps, torrents of darkness swirling around her like a terrifying storm. Their voices were full of awe. "It really is her... the Lightslayer!" "Princess Revel is with us!" "Gods! Leave it to Boss to con Dark Dancer herself into becoming one of his lieutenants." “As expected of the Dark Lord, I guess?" Hearing the last one, Revel snarled quietly and gave the man a menacing look, which made him pale and shudder with his whole body. “Are you done gossiping, fools? If so, proceed to reinforce the other teams. I will handle the Bridge operation alone." Somewhere else, an incarnation of Sunny and Aiko were standing in front of a vast table, with manifested shadows rising and falling on its surface to show hundreds of small figures moving to surround thousands more. The Shadow Clan did not only possess the skill and strength of its elite warriors, of course. Its main power was the near omniscience of the Lord of Shadows, whose senses could spread across vast distances, unearthing hidden secrets and supplying his servants with a detailed knowledge of the enemy. They also wielded Memories he had forged, could travel between the worlds through seven hidden Dream Gates, and were accompanied on thеir missions by the incarnations of their Lord. Now, as well, six of Sunny's avatars were escorting those of the Shadow Clan members who had to assault the most dangerous of Asterion's sleeper cells. He could augment his people, if need be... he could also summon shades and Shadows to help them, even if that would risk revealing hints of his existence to the outside world. So, Sunny hoped that he would not have to act personally today. “This is such an enormous mess." Aiko's voice was laced with fatigue. It was no surprise that she was exhausted — after all, it wasn't easy to coordinate a simultaneous assault across three continents and various regions in the Dream Realm, especially if it had to happen in complete secrecy. She had received help from Cassie and Jet, of course, as well as from Revel and Sunny himself, but he had not been shy about pushing more work on his trusted assistant. "You know..." Aiko stared at the moving shadows with a distant expression. "Back when you hired me to run a Memory shop, this was not what I imagined my job would be. Gods, how did I end up here... why am I even helping you kidnap thousands of random people?" Sunny looked at her thoughtfully for a few moments, then smiled. “Because of my charming personality?" Aiko gave him a long stare, then gasped. "Oh, gods. I've been conned, haven't I?" He grinned. "What, you're only figuring it out now?" Chuckling, Sunny turned back to the table. "Still, I'd say that you're being compensated quite well for all the trouble. It's your own fault for being so good at this stuff." Noticing that most of the Shadow Clan members were in position, he sighed and erased the smile from his face. “It's time to begin, then." Aiko closed her eyеs with a grimace before activating the communication Memories. "All shadows, advance!" On the table, hundreds of small figures exploded into motion. All lights went out in the Church of the Moon as cold wind threw the windows open. The people gathered inside were instantly blinded... but those who entered through the windows could see perfectly well in the dark, so they did not waste any time rushing forward with noiseless steps. In front of the vault of a secretive auction house, the Awakened guards suddenly heard a beautiful voice that seemed to belong to a young woman. In the next moment, they found themselves unable to move, see, or scream... all they could do was stand there, frozen in terror, and listen to the subtle sound of approaching steps. The heavy reinforced gate of a Legacy clan's manor opened despite being sealed with a master command, and armed figures poured in. The few Awakened retainers who patrolled the grounds fell victim to paralytic Memories before even making a sound. The security systems — both high-tech and magical — were disarmed in a matter of moments. Within a single minute, the invaders were already entering the house. A sea of impenetrable darkness suddenly flooded the stone headquarters of a newly formed battle sect in Ravenheart, robbing everyone inside of sight. Before the Awakened initiates had time to react, chilling screams shattered the silence, and a harrowing sense of coldness grasped their hearts. In the depths of the Night Garden, a sudden explosion bloomed, illuminating the darkness of a remote cargo hold where a group of sinister smugglers had built their secret lair. “Corsair, that bastard! Why do things keep exploding when he's around?!" Aiko slammed her dainty fist into the table. Sunny coughed, hesitating to answer. He couldn't really comment, because he knew someone like that himself... 🎧

2743 Happy to Stay Standing on the great wall of the Dark City, Sunny gazed at the starless sky. A vast black void loomed above the Forgotten Shore, endless in its dark eternity... Today, a beautiful demon raced the winds across the black void, basking in its endless lightlessness. Some time later, Revel landed on the parapet of the battlements near him. In her Transcendent form, the Dark Dancer was like a demoness sculpted out of pure darkness — her height had increased to nearly four meters, her raven hair seemed to have grown much longer, and two obsidian horns protruded from her head, curving slightly. Two black leathery wings extended from her back, crowned with obsidian spikes... looking at those deadly talons, Sunny could not help but shiver while remembering the sensation of them piercing Saint's flesh like it was paper. Revel inhaled with full chest, then exhaled slowly and turned the gaze of her tenebrous eyes to him. "It's really true.’ She turned back to fаce the starless sky and sighed. "A land without a sun..." Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then smiled faintly. "Technically, there used to be a sun here. But Nephis killed it.” Revel did not respond, so he looked at her and asked: "So? Do you like it here?" She chuckled and remained silent. After a while, though, she did speak: "Like it? Yes. More than yes, really — it feels like this place and I were meant to be. Funny, isn't it? Seishan spent a decade trying to escape from here, but here I am, happy to stay." Revel looked down. "Few of us orphans have come this far. Some perished in the First Nightmare, some fell later on. And those who remain all bear their curses... their Flaws. Seishan's Flaw might be the heaviest, but mine is the cruelest, I think." She looked at him. “What about you, Lord of Shadows? How heavy is your Flaw?" Sunny raised an eyebrow. Among the Awakened, asking about one's Flaw was considered to be extremely rude. But then again, after witnessing Revel in her natural habitat, he would have to be a fool to expect grace and decorum from her. He shrugged with a smile. “It definitely shaped my life in ways I did not expect. All of it felt terribly unfair back then... but now, I think it was for the best." Sunny looked at the vast expanse of the Forgotten Shore stretching in front of him. Revel studied him for a few moments, then asked: “Do you like it here yourself?" He chuckled. "l like that this land offers me an inherent advantage over anyone who would try to invade it. I also like ruling over a land that failed to kill me... 1 am quite a spiteful person, you see. Being the Dark Lord of the Forgotten Shore brings me quite a lot of vindictive joy." With that, Sunny shook his head. “Which is not to say that ruling the Forgotten Shoгe does not bring me a lot of headaches, as well. This place does not really make sense, after all. It is fine that there is no sun here, but how does the weather stay temperate without a sun? Hell if I know. Most of the water disappeared when the Dark Sea was sealed, so I need to procure it somehow..." He pursed his lips. “There's some groundwater left, but it is too deep to dig wells. The whole place is basically a desert, which means that, in theory, nothing is stopρing the Nightmare Desert from swallowing it. Should I be worried about desertification? Once again, no clue. There are more issues like that." Sunny finally looked down, where an enclosed settlement had appeared beneath the wall of the Dark City. His expression became complicated. “For now, we've been importing water and food supplies through a Dream Gate, but that is merely a temporary measure. I would like to make the Forgotten Shore self-sufficient, and on top of that, there won't be a source of supplies on the other side of the Gate in the future. Because there won't be a waking world in the future." The settlement had been built out of manifested shadows. It wasn't anything special architecture-wise, but Sunny had at least made an effort to make the buildings look similar to those in the Dark City. His experience of creating shelters in Ariel's Game had been of great help, so the result was decent. Best of all, the shadows he manifested were durable enough to be a nearly indestructible obstacle for humans of the Awakened Rank. Considering that the settlement was meant to serve as a prison camp — or a quarantine facility, if he wanted to be glib about it — that was quite satisfactory. Of course, there was a difference between creating a comfortable shelter for himself and Kai and building a settlement meant to house thousands of humans. There had to be some kind of sewage system, for example. Trash had to be collected and disposed of, food had to be prepared and distributed, there had to be running water, and since he didn't want the prisoners to die of boredom, there also had to be some forms of recreational pastime available — and much more. Luckily, Sunny had already accumulated some relevant experience while arranging proper accommodations for the members of the Shadow Clan staying in the Dark City, albeit on a much smaller scale. So, he had manаged to make the prison camp quite habitable. Which did nothing to diminish its grim nature, of course. ‘I really feel like a villain these days.' Looking down, Sunny sighed. “Speaking of importing supplies, we need to source way more food and water now. It's a good thing that our friends in the government know how to hide paper trails very well.” Revel frowned. "You managed to capture all these people without killing anyone — which is hard to believe, good job. But..." She gave him a long stare. "Now what?" Sunny gave her a long look. "Now we keep them here until the Dreamspawn is dealt with, while adding more." He did not know how long it would take for Asterion to be defeated. Hopefully, he would not need to expand this settlement, though... 🎧

2744 Fear of the Unknown The attack of the Shadow Clan had been swift, stealthy, and chillingly efficient. They had eliminated all sleeper cells of Asterion's followers in one fell swoop... all of the cells that had been helping his name spread, at least, and were therefore discovered. By the time a new day shone upon the world, half a dozen cults and more than a few fringe organizations had vanished without a trace. Their churches and bases stood empty, and even though there were signs of fierce struggle left inside, no bodies were found. There were no clues and no evidence left by the unknown assailants, either. The number of missing people was significant, but in the grand scale of humanity, they were merely a drop in the ocean. However, it was the mysterious nature of their disappearance that caused the public a great shock. The public became disturbed. After all, it was not every night that a mysterious force entered their cities to snatch up people, with no one being the wiser. The fact that the Fire Keepers and the forces of the Immortal Flame clan had not only failed to prevent the eerie attack, but were also unable to uncover what happened only added fuel to frightening rumors. Observing the frightful reaction of the public, Sunny could not help but remember his own past. Back then, on the Forgotten Shore... wasn't that how the Sleepers of the Dark City felt about Harus, the ruthless executioner of the Bright Lord? No one ever saw Harus come to claim his victims, but everyone he had been sent to kill inevitably ended up dead. The fact that there had not been a single witness to explain how the hateful hunchback killed his targets only made him more frightening. After all, what people feared the most was the unknown. Now, Sunny had become the unknown for humanity. "How ironic." As for Sunny himself... he was a little disturbed, too. Not only because of the somber nature of the act, but also because of how smoothly everything had gone. He had expected something to go wrong until the very end. He had even prepared to find Asterion himself in one of the hidden lairs. The Dreamspawn was supposed to be trapped on the moon, but who knew? His influence sеemed to have no problem spreading. So, it was quite reasonable to assume that the man himself had escaped his seal, as well. The thralls of Asterion had not done anything harmful, continuing to go about their lives as usual. And even now that Sunny and his people had аttacked the followers of the Dreamspawn, the man offered no resistance. It was as if Asterion were a pacifist who harbored no malicious intentions whatsoever. ...Or was simply so confident in his eventual victory that losing a few sleeper cells was of no importance to him. In any case, Sunny did not like it. Capturing the followers of the Dreamspawn had not been too difficult. In fact, transporting them to the Forgotten Shore had proven to be a greater challenge — still, Sunny managed. And now, the real difficulty would begin. It was the task of keeping all these people safely locked up away from the human population while taking care of them. The prisoners had to be fed, clothed, and watched over. Some would require medical assistance... the thralls had to be separated from ordinary zealots and delivered to the quarantine facility in NQSC, where Cassie would hopefully cleanse their minds from Asterion's influence. Sunny suppressed a heavy sigh. ‘Ah... so much work.' It was a good thing that he had a new lackey... uh, a new lieutenant to help him handle all the difficult tasks. “Isn't it too cruel?" Revel was gazing down at the black settlement illuminated by enchanted lights. There, some of the prisoners were already waking up, staggering into the street from their assigned dwellings. There were no living guards in the prison camp, and no living staff either. Instead, his shades were doing all the work — the only human allowed to interact with the captives was Revel herself. Sunny shrugged. “Hey, I already chose the most comely of my shades to take care of the prisoners. Sure, they might be shadows of dead people, but most of those people were radiant immortals of the Eternal City once! I could have chosen dead Nightmare Creatures, you know.’ There was nothing he could do about that. Sure, the more humane option would have been to assign at least a few of the Shadow Clan members to take care of the captives... but subjects of his Domain were not immune to Asterion's powers, either. If the Dreamspawn could steal the hearts of those who followed Nephis, he could steal people from Sunny's Domain, too. So, the members of the Shadow Clan could not be exposed to Asterion's thralls more than necessary. Revel sighed and covered her face with a hand. "They'гe going to think that they died and have gone to the afterlife..." Sunny glanced around. An empty black void instead of the sky, peculiar buildings made out of smooth black material, and a great dark wall towering above the settlements like the barrier of existence. ‘She's... not wrong.' If someone attacked Sunny in the dead of night, and then he came to his senses in this place, he would have assumed that he was in hell, too. Sunny offered her a pleasant smile. "What are you waiting for, then? Go and explain to them why they are here, and what is going to happen to them. You know, how they'll be treated well and that there's nothing to fear." Revel glanced at him from between her fingers. "You do realize how I look, do you?" Sunny gave her a stare. Alabaster skin, raven-black hair... leathery wing, two obsidian horns, eyes that were entirely black... How would he react if someone like that told him that he was definitely not in hell? Sunny coughed. "Well. Perhaps dismiss your Transcendent form first..." Shaking her head, Revel spread her wings and stepped off the parapet. He watched her glide toward the settlement in silence, then turned away. There was a lot he had to do... 🎧

2745 Scarecrow Before leaving the wall, Sunny threw one last glance at the settlement below. It shone in the vast darkness of the Forgotten Shore like a sole island of light in a lightless ocean. He could see the small figures of the prisoners wandering the streets, and could sense the dazed movement of their shadows. Numerous were already gathered in the square that served as the heart of the settlement, where Revel had landed after plummeting from the dark skу. More were hidden in their dwelling, terrified by the sight of the shades that stood guard outside. Sunny let out а sigh. He was full of a bittersweet feeling of irony. Once, a long time ago, the Forgotten Shore had been his prison. Now, he was its ruler. Back then, the people sent to the Forgotten Shore were trapped in the Bright Castle, with no hope of ever escaping back to the waking world. The only way out was the Gateway of the Crimson Spire, which was guarded by its ghastly Terror — a foe that none of them could ever dream of defeating. Now, the captives were caged in the prison camp Sunny had built, with no hope of escaping either. Even if they escaped the gaze of the silent shades and scaled the unbreakable walls, then made their way into the Dark City... the only way out of the Forgotten Shore was the Gateway of the Nameless Temple. And that Gateway was guarded by Sunny himself — a being who was infinitely more powerful and fearsome than the Terror of the Crimson Spire had ever been. In that regard, the prisoners had it worse. Still... Overall, their situation was far better than what the Sleepers of the Dark City had endured. After all, they did not have to risk their lives hunting terrifying Nightmare Creatures to stave off starvation. No Nightmare Creature would descend from the darkness to devour them, either. They did not have to pay tribute to a bloodthirsty tyrant in order to survive, and neither were they forced to sell themselves into his service. Instead, they could simply enjoy complete safety while being provided with everything they needed to live. Sunny doubted that anyone would thank him for his benevolence, though. No one would appreciate the lengths he and Nephis had gone to in order to avoid having to slaughter these pawns of Asterion. Letting out another sigh, Sunny looked up and smiled. "Ungrateful wretches..." The bastards did not know how good they had it. As he descended the walls of the Dark City, he shifted his focus to the distant Bastion. There, the Ivory Island had long returned from its war campaign in the Death Zone Belt and the Eternal City. It drifted in the blue skies above the Mirror Lake once again, serving as a symbol of hope for the millions of citizens who went about their lives far below. On the day of the Ivory Island's return, the festive streets had been full of celebrating people. They pointed at the sky with awe and delight, welcoming their victorious ruler home. Today, however, the mood in the city was strangely subdued. The news of what had happened last night slowly spread among the population, and while few people felt truly frightened, many shared a heavy feeling of unease. Nephis was looking at her city from the balcony of the Ivory Tower, a frown creasing her brow. Sunny appeared out of the shadow behind her, walking over to stand by her side. "How did it go?" She gave him a brief look. "About as well as we expected." The reaction of the population was important — after all, undermining their belief in Nephis and the Human Domain would lower their immunity to the spreading influence of the Dreamspawn. However, in these first few days, it was the reaction of the powerhouses of humanity that carried most weight. The ordinary citizens could hear about the sudden disappearance of a strange cult and feel a bit disturbed by it, then go about their lives as if nothing had happened — but those who wielded actual power were bound to be more inquisitive, and were more capable of connecting the dots. They would never simply ignore a large-scale attack that happened in various regions of both the Dream Realm and the waking world simultaneously, especially since the Immortal Flame clan had not only failed to repel it, but also seemed to have been caught by surprise just like the rest of them. There were very few forces in existence that could pull such a startling act of violence... in fact, such a force was not supposed to exist at all. Naturally, the champions of humanity had to suspect that something sinister was taking place. The harrowing memories of the Skinwalker were still fresh in everyone's minds, so at the very least, they would be wary of a new Nightmare Creature of similar power emerging to wreak havoc across the world. People who would become wary of an unknown Nightmare Creature were like a gift to Sunny and Nephis, though. The real problem was those who were a little more discerning, and could surmise that the only entity that could deliver such an eerie blow to the Human Domain... was the Immortal Flame clan and its ruler herself. Nephis sighed. "My subordinates are much too clever. I should be overjoyed by how astute they are, really" Sunny put his hands on her shoulders, massaging them gently. "What? Were they giving you funny looks?" She nodded, then smiled faintly. "Yes. Seishan, Nightwalker, Wake of Ruin... even Morgan. And many more. It was almost fascinating to see how troubled their expressions were, and how erratic their desires became. After all, they could only see one reasonable explanation for what happened last night... but that explanation was too frightening to accept." The explanation, of course, was that Nephis — the undisputed ruler of mankind — had perpetrated a vicious attack against humanity for no apparent reason, and was now callously covering it up. Sunny sighed. "So, what did you do?" In fact, he knew what she had done... well, at least what she had been supposed to do. They had discussed it in advance. Nephis had been supposed to blame it all on Sunny — in front of those who were aware of his continuing existence, at least. In front of those who believed him to be dead, she was supposed to pгetend to know nothing. Turning her head, Nephis looked at him over her shoulder. She lingered for a few moments, then said in an even tone: "Ah. You might be a little angry with me" Sunny raised an eyebrow. What was that supposed to mean? "What? What did you do?" Had she gone against the plan? Nephis remained silent for a few moments, then shrugged. "I just did not want to defame you. It seemed like a shame, especially when there's already a perfect scapegoat that we could use." Her voice was even, and her expression remained neutral. However, Sunny could feel that there was a calm, but cold edge to her voice — one that had not been there before. He studied her for a moment. "First of all... what do you mean, defame me? I actually did kidnap those people!" Sunny paused, then coughed. "Oh, but thank you. I appreciate the thought." He smiled. There were friends out there who would help you hide a body. As it turned out, there was also a girlfriend out there who would help him cover up the kidnapping of thousands of people. Wasn't it just too sweet? Yeah... sweet was the right word to describe it... Sunny shook his head, trying to focus. Secondly, what perfect scapegoat are you..." His eyes widened a little. "You didn't." Nephis looked at him silently for a while before responding. "I did. Why wouldn't I? So many people disappeared without a trace from the middle of the Human Domain, and all our allies are asking themselves who would have been capable of perpetrating such an act. There's not a lot of candidates, and so..." She looked away with a shrug. "I blamed it all on Mordret." Sunny stared at her in disbelief. 'That!' Sensing his gaze, Nephis spoke in a measured tone: "The King of Nothing is powerful enough to pull off such an attack, and sinister enough to be blamed for it. His reputation is so terrible that I only had to drop a couple of subtle hints for everyone to assume that he was behind everything." Looking at the lively vista of Bastion, Nephis smiled. "It's his own fault for being such a wicked wildcard. Plus... he might want to hide in the Hollow Mountains and avoid this conflict entirely, but I never promised not to drag him into the fight against the Dreamspawn. One way or another, he'll have to become involved. It's only fair that he starts doing his part by letting me borrow his name." Sunny let out a heavy sigh. Using Mordret as a scapegoat! That was... that was so... Devious. Why hadn't he thought of that himself? Suddenly, Sunny felt a pang of vindictive joy. "I doubt that he'll be happy about it, though" Nephis looked at him, lingered for a few moments, and then raised an eyebrow in sincere confusion. Her response was even. "What should I care if he's unhappy?" Sunny blinked a few times. She had a point. He could not argue with logic. "There's no good reason, indeed" They needed to bolster the morale of the Human Domain, and nothing united people better than a common foe. Asterion was that foe, but for obvious reasons, Sunny and Nephis could not use him as a scarecrow — after all, merely mentioning him would add to his power. So, the least Mordret could do was act as a scarecrow for them, instead. Internally, Sunny was laughing. It was a proper villain laugh, no less. 'Ah, how the tables have turned..' 🎧

2746 Yutra's Long Shift Yutra must have dozed off at some point, because now, he was slowly becoming aware of his surroundings. Something was wrong, though... He found himself sitting on an alloy chair in a dark room, wearing a set of comfortable civilian clothes. His memory was a bit hazy, and he couldn't quite remember how he had gotten here. Had he gotten too drunk celebrating the end of the war? 'Ah, crap. My wife is going to kill me... we're newlyweds, for Spell's sake...' "You're awake? Good." His thoughts were interrupted by an unfamiliar voice. Looking up, he saw a metal desk in front of him and a stranger sitting across from him on an identical chair. The man was a bit older than him and was wearing the same kind of unassuming clothes. There was a bored expression on his face and a sheet of white paper in his hands. Yutra was a bit surprised to see paper, since people rarely used it in this digital age. The electric lights hinted that they were in the waking world, so there was no reason to write by hand or print out data. "Um. Where..." The man interrupted him. "I'm Awakened Tegrot. You can just call me Tegrot, Yutra. I guess you're full of questions... here, just read this first. Then, you can start your shift." Yutra accepted the sheet of paper in confusion. There, on its surface... something that looked like a letter was written in his own awkward handwriting. 'What the?" His confusion growing, Yutra read the letter. It said: [Hey! You must be completely out of it right now. Where am I? What happened? Gods, the wife is going to kill me! We're newlywed, for Spell's sake! That is what you must be thinking. Right? Don't worry, I was exactly the same. This letter is meant to explain what is happening in a concise manner. I am not very good with words, so I'll just write it all how it is. First of all, the war ended some time ago. Our family is doing great. The kids are alright... oh yes, they tell me that I have a second child now. It's a boy! Congratulations. Secondly, your memory has been wiped because of some creepy mind attack. In fact, it gets routinely wiped due to the kind of work we are doing right now, as a precaution. That's why you don't remember anything. Thirdly, the work. This is a quarantine facility where people affected by the mind attack are being treated. You're both a former patient and a member of the staff. Your job is to help manage the patients... your boss is Lady Cassia. Yes, Song of the Fallen herself. Can you believe it? I can hardly believe it myself! Lastly, listen to the person who handed you this letteг and follow their instructions. This position is temporary, but we still should do a good job, right? Good luck! PS. If you see a creepy woman in a red dress, don't get too freaked out. She's not a ghost, she's an Echo. Still, just in case, try not to get in her way. P.P.S. [hid a case of synthetic beer in the generator room. If you end up drinking some, make sure to replace it before being wiped again. Cheers!] Yutra put the letter down and stared at Tegrot with a dazed expression. The man retrieved the sheet of paper, folded it, and put it in an envelope marked with Yutra's name. The envelope went into an alloy box containing a dozen or so similar-looking envelopes, each bearing a different name — those, presumably, belonged to other workers of the quarantine facility. Tegrot smiled. "You're going to share that beer, right?" Yutra blinked a couple of times and asked the question that bothered him the most. "Is Lady Cassia... really our boss?" Tegrot nodded. "Yes. She's in charge of this facility, actually" Yutra exhaled slowly, then rubbed his face with his hands. "Got it" A few seconds later, he asked: "So, Tegrot. What are my duties?" *** The facility was located in the depths of a decommissioned underground factory. The factory was bare, ramshackle, and dark... more than a little creepy, really, but Yutra was not complaining. Working in the waking world was a nice change of pace. The work itself was not difficult. Although the factory was called a quarantine facility, it was basically a prison. A few prisoners were transferred here every day and kept in hastily furnished cells until Lady Cassia could treat them — the job of the staff was to watch them, feed them, and escort them to receive treatments. The only peculiar thing about the whole arrangement was that all members of the staff, including the people who delivered the prisoners, were former patients themselves and had to undergо occasional treatments, as well. Yutra was apparently the most senior among them, having been the first cured patient. So, everyone showed him a bit of respect, while some even treated him like an old friend... which felt strange, considering that he did not know these people. The reason for all that strangeness was the mind disease Lady Cassia was treating. They were told that it was highly infectious, and that the only way to cure it was to erase the affected memories. The situation seemed quite bizarre, but so was everything else in the world of the Nightmare Spell. So, Yutra was not too concerned. "Please remain calm. You will not be harmed. I apologize for the inconvenience, but bear with it... you have my word, everything is going to be fine." The new prisoner — a grim-looking woman with an unmistakable air of a government soldier — looked at him with wide, terrified eyes. Judging by the tattoo on her shoulder, she was a former member of the Second Evacuation Army. The veterans of Antarctica were tough people, so it was strange to see her so rattled. The woman stared at him for a while, then opened her mouth and said in a hoarse voice: "Holy hell. I guess I am alive, after all." Yutra gave her a composed look, then checked her essence-dampening shackles and escorted her to the cell. The woman's name was Rit, and from what she told him, she had been held in some infernal prison camp before being sent to this facility. The camp was supposedly located in a terrifying abyss devoid of all light, where the souls of dead people guarded thousands of prisoners at the behest of a fallen angel who sometimes descended from a colossal black wall. The prisoners were mostly left to their own devices, but the angel would sometimes take one of them to the wall. None of the taken had ever returned. So, when Rit had been taken by the angel, she thought that it was the end for her. After listening to Rit, Yutra could not help but sigh. The woman was clearly disturbed and suffering from serious delusions... The mind attack must have driven her insane. It was a good thing that Lady Cassia would be able to help her, too. A few days later, Yutra escorted Rit to receive the treatment. Later, he was surprised to see her again. Rit was free of the shackles, wearing unassuming civilian clothes. She gave him a polite bow. "Awakened Yutra. Uh... sorry to bother you, but I am still a bit confused. Oh, I am Rit, the new hire. Tegrot told me that you'll show me the ropes?" Yutra blinked a few times. "Right. Sure. Welcome... aboard?" He hesitated for a few moments, then asked: "Say, you wouldn't know anything about an infernal prison camp hidden in a lightless abyss, right?" Rit gave him a dubious glance. "Sorry, but what the hell are you talking about?" Yutra coughed. "No, nothing. Right, have you already written the letter? If not, let's take care of that first.' *** Yutra, Tegrot, and Rit were sitting on alloy crates in the generator room. In front of them, a case of synthetic beer was already half-empty, with empty cans assembled carefully into a neat row. "How long does a shift last, anyway?" Synthetic beer had a limited effect on Awakened, but Rit was slightly slurring her words. She was a real lightweight. Tegrot took a sip, then sighed in satisfaction and shrugged. "A couple of weeks, I think? On average. It depends, really, on what you get exposеd to. Yutra had to guard a very talkative patient once, so he got wiped after only three days." Rit gave Yutra a dubious stare. "Really?" He frowned. "How should I know? I don't remember.' Taking a big gulp, he added an empty can to the row and sighed. "You know what I miss? Monster meat." His two pals scowled at him. Yutra grinned. "I know that every Awakened is sick of it, but me? I can never get enough. My wife and I actually met during our solstice, so as soon as we Awakened, she went out of her way to make sure that we only ate natural food. Ah, but I really like the taste of monster meat.' Tegrot and Rit glanced at each other, then simultaneously shook their heads. "Hey, Rit. I think Yutra is contaminated. He's spouting insane things. Should I report him to Lady Cassia?" At the mention of Song of the Fallen, Rit's usually harsh eyes brightened. "Lady Cassia! I met her today. She's so... So..." Tegrot nodded. "Yes, She is." Yutra could not help but nod, too. A silly smile appeared on his face when he remembered his own interactions with Lady Cassia. "To our lady!" The three of them clinked their cans together and drank from them happily. "Although... she would probably be cross with us if she caught us drinking on the job: The three of them looked at each other with concerned expressions. Eventually, Yutra shrugged. "Well. Good thing she hasn't caught us then. What she doesn't know can't hurt her, right?" Tegrot nodded. "Right. We should destroy the evidence, though" Rit reached for another can. "Yeah. We should hurry up and eliminate this entire crate, for sure..." *** A few days later, Yutra escorted a patient to the treatment room and waited in front of the door. When the treatment was over, he entered the cell, intending to take the patient to the discharge crew. To his surprise, though, the man was unconscious — Lady Cassie was slumped on the chair, rubbing her eyes tiredly. When she lowered her hand, Yutra froze, awestruck. This was the first time he saw their lady without her usual blindfold. He had expected her eyes to be white and cloudy, but they were clear and of a breathtaking blue color instead. Her eyes, just like the rest of her, were breathtakingly beautiful. It was a good thing that Lady Cassia's beauty was so heavenly as to seem unreal. It was as if she existed in an entirely different world from mortal men like Yutra, and because of it, he could only regard her as a sublime being. Someone too sacred to be touched by the dirt of the world. Otherwise, he would have to remind himself that he was a married man every time he saw her. Noticing him, Lady Cassie pulled up her blindfold and sighed. "He fainted after seeing me after the treatment. I am sorry, Yutra... I will have to trouble you with dragging this man to the discharge team." He bowed lightly. "Of course, my lady! It is not trouble at all." Instead of getting to it, however, Yutra lingered for a few moments. "You seem tired, my lady" She blessed him with a soft smile. "I am a bit tired, yes. Thank you for noticing. Not to worry, though — there should be fewer patients to treat soon." Yutra was glad to hear it. "Still. You should take care of your health, my lady. Take a day off and do something fun. She chuckled. "Should I? I haven't been home for a while, so perhaps I'll follow your advice and visit my parents... but not just yet. How can I go home before all of you can?" Yutra scratched the back of his head. He didn't remember his previous shifts, so from his point of view, his stay at the quarantine facility had been brief. He still missed his wife and daughter terribly, though. And there was also the son he had not met yet... "Let's hope that this mind disease will be cured soon, then. Right, my lady?" She regarded him silently for a while, then nodded. "Yes. Let's hope that it will." Not knowing what else to say, Yutra went to pick up the unconscious mind. Despite what he had told Lady Cassia, there did not seem to be an end to their work. The number of patients was only growing, not diminishing. There was a reason why Rit and a few others had been recruited as additional staff — the facility desperately needed more hands. Come to think of it... 'I wonder how long I've actually spent here: There was no way to know. Slightly troubled, Yutra picked up the patient and dragged him out of the cell. *** Yutra was sitting on a metal chair, holding an alloy box in his hand. On the other side of the desk, Tegrot was slowly coming to his senses. A few moments later, his buddy flinched and looked around with wide eyes. "What the hell?! Where the hell am I?!" Seeing him completely out of it was a little cute. Tegrot's eyes fell on Yutra, ignited with fear and hostility. "Who the hell are you?!" Yutra grimaced and pretended to clean his ear. "By the dead gods, Tegrot. Can you lower the volume a little? My ears are ringing." Opening the box, Yutra fished out an envelope from it and took out a folded letter. "l am Awakened Yutra. You can just call me Yutra, though... you must have a lot of questions. Read this letter first, it should clear up a few things." Handing the guarded and uneasy Tegrot the letter, Yutra leaned back and waited silently. Tegrot's letter was way longer and wordier than his own, so it was going to take a while for the man to finish it. As Tegrot read, Yutra thought back to being in the same spot at the start of his shift. He also thought about his letter. His heart suddenly skipped a beat. 'Oh, right. I need to replace that case of beer!' *** One of the patients attacked Yutra while being escorted. It was a stupid decision, really. Not only was his Aspect suppressed, but he was also devoid of Changing Star's blessing — that was a common trait that all infected shared. Well, of course they did. Whу would Lady Nephis bless some crazies? The fact that the staff enjoyed her care and the patients did not was proof that they were doing righteous work. Even if it felt tedious, sometimes. Yutra was not put out by the attack, but he was sad to see the patient in pain. The emergency team arrived to take the man away — his life was not in danger, but he was in dire need of medical attention. Left alone in the dark corridor, Yutra stared at the blood staining the floor and the walls. There were other, older stains like these around the facility. Had there always been so many? From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw something red moving in the darkness. But when Yutra glanced up, there was nothing there. Frowning slightly, he sighed and went to fetch a different patient. *** Yutra must have dozed off at some point, because now, he was slowly becoming aware of his surroundings. Something was wrong, though... He found himself sitting on an alloy chair in a dark room, wearing a set of comfortable civilian clothes. His memory was a bit hazy, and he couldn't quite remember how he had gotten here. "My wife is going to kill me..." "Have you come to your senses, Yutra?" His thoughts were interrupted by an unfamiliar voice. Looking up, he saw a woman with concerned eyes sitting across from him. She was wearing clothes that were similar to his, holding a folded sheet of paper in her hands. "Uh... greetings, miss. I am sorry, but could you tell me where i am?" The woman regarded him silently for a while, then let out a wistful sigh. "I'm Awakened Rit. You can just call me Rit, though... welcome back, Yutra. Read this letter first." Soon enough, Yutra started a new shift — although, of course, it felt like the first shift to him. It always did. 🎧

2747 Dark City Prison Experiment The Church of the Moon stood empty, surrounded by an ominous atmosphere. So were the headquarters of a rising battle sect in Ravenheart. One of the meddling black market auctions ceased operation. A gang of dangerous smugglers vanished without a trace, leaving their ill-gotten gains behind. A fallen Legacy clan disappeared, its manor offering no clues to what fate had befallen the once-powerful family and its numerous retainers. A considerable number of people were missing... but the world moved on. Its steps were a little less confident, but the world moved on nonetheless. Cassie was dedicating more and more of her time to cleansing the minds of the captured thralls. Sunny, meanwhile, was managing the isolation camp on the Forgotten Shore with Revel's help. Holding thousands of people captive was proving to be more of a headache than he had expected. Things had gone well at the beginning — reasonably well, at least. The captives were confused and frightened, but if there was one thing people born in the era of the Nightmare Spell were good at, it was swiftly adapting to new circumstances even as the world was coming undone around them. The prisoners were unharmed and seemingly safe. There were no Nightmare Creatures howling behind the walls of their settlement, and no captors coming to threaten them. They had food, water, and shelter... and even if the darkness surrounding them was oppressive, the streets of the settlement were illuminated by bright lights. The shades guarding them were eerie and disturbing, while the beautiful demon who had spoken to them — claiming to be a former princess of Song — was terrifying. Because of it, the prisoners were cautious and behaved themselves for the first few days. It was after they had some time to come to terms with their new reality and regain their courage that the problems began. 'Curse those fools. I can't believe it' Sunny did not care too much about the captives attempting to destroy the shades or escape the camp, but sadly, they did not stop at that. He had expected that the followers of Asterion would be safe on the Forgotten Shore, since there were no Nightmare Creatures here. However, he had not anticipated that the prisoners would become a danger to themselves. In hindsight, he should have. The captives were all different people, after all, having come from аll walks of life. Sunny had simply thought of them as potential thralls of Asterion, but while numerous of them were, they also retained a tainted version of their original personalities. So, placed in an environment without familiar rules, numerous of them began misbehaving. Those who had been criminals in the outside world saw the rest of the prisoners as prey, and those of them who had harbored a perverse desire for power saw the lawlessness of the prison camp as a golden opportunity to elevate themselves by trampling other people. Even though there was enough food for everyone, some attempted to monopolize its sources by force. others sought ways to control those around them by singling out unfortunate victims and playing insidious mind games. It was a complete mess. Sunny groaned. "Fools! And I'm the biggest fool of all..." He felt extremely indignant at the fact that the prisoners were refusing to play nice, but there was no time to voice his grievances. He had to deal with these shenanigans before someone was actually harmed. Sunny could not establish a police force and a judicial system inside the prison camp, but he had his shades and Revel. So, in the end, he had to build an actual prison inside the settlement and lock the troublemakers up. The prison was pretty much the same as the rest of the dwellings, but less comfortable by design. And, of course, the inmates were not allowed to leave. 'This is just ridiculous. No, but really, how absurd is it to have to build a prison inside of a prison camp?' After the captives learned that there were consequences for misbehaving, things settled down for a while. But not for long. Some of the prisoners were criminals, but they were a minority. Another thing Sunny had forgotten to take into account... was that most of the people he had kidnapped were zealots belonging to various cults. A couple of weeks after the prison camp was established, Sunny was once again standing atop the wall of the Dark City with Revel, looking down. There was a baffled expression on his face. "W—what... what the hell are they doing?" Far below, on the main square of the prison settlement, hundreds of people were prostrating themselves on the ground while facing the Dark City. Revel gave him an unamused look. "They're praying" Sunny returned her stare with complete incomprehensiоn. "Praying? What are they praying to?" She sighed. "The Black Wall." 'What! What is she saying?!' He exhaled slowly, then rubbed his face. "Since when do they worship the walls of the Dark Citу? No, how does i even make sense?" Revel shrugged. "How should I know? Since a few days ago?" She glanced down with a scowl. "I guess it began with the cultists of the Moon. They were quite traumatized after finding themselves in a place where moonlight doesn't reach... so, they decided that this is some kind of moonless purgatory. And since the only landmark they can see from the camp is this huge stone wall, they somehow developed a weird fixation on it. Eventually, they convinced themselves that paradise lies behind the wall, and only those worthy would be taken to the other side." Revel let out a contemptuous sigh. "The belief swiftly spread among the members of different cults, as well — I guess people were desperate to believe anything in order to make sense of what had happened to them. Not like I gave them a perfectly reasonable explanation, right?! Ugh, people... in any case, it was a scene of rare unity... oh, but there was already a religious schism among them since then." She pointed to another group of people, who were kneeling with their backs to the wall. "Those guys believe pretty much the same stuff, but they are convinced that it is hell that's hidden behind the Wall, not paradise. Oh, and the weirdos at the edge of the square believe that they're already in hell, so they're busy performing selfless acts as penance. Very altruistic." Revel fell quiet, then added in an icy tone: "And all of them are treating me as some kind of divine existence, be it a benevolent spirit or a sinister devil." Sunny let out a groan. 'How did this happen?' No... it wasn't the worst case scenario, yet. At least these fools were worshipping the walls of the Dark City and Revel. If they had began worshipping Sunny, he would have had to do something drastic in order to prevent Weaver's lineage from acting up. Biting his lips, Sunny glanced at Revel. "We... we're not going to have to intervene in order to prevent religious strife, are we?" Instead of answering, Revel simply gave him a dark look. A couple of weeks later, she unceremoniously barged into the throne room of the Dark Castle and growled from the dоor: "We have a problem!" Sunny flinched on his throne. 'Another problem?!' "W—what? What hapрened now? They're not killing each other, I am keeping an eye out!" Revel marched to the throne and glared at him from below. Eventually, she spat: "Killing each other? No. No, it's the opposite! I have at least three dozen pregnant women in the camp!" Sunny stared at her with wide eyes. 'Huh?' One of his eyes twitched. A few moments later, an exasperated voice boomed in the throne room of the Dark Castle, echoing in the darkness. "You have WHAT?!" 🎧

2748 Herd Immunity The prison camp was proving to be an endless source of problems. Still, after straightening out a few kinks, Sunny managed to maintain it in a presentable state. The prisoners were still frightened and miserable, but at least their lives were not in danger. Even when new batches of captives were delivered to the Forgotten Shore, things stayed civil. The complicated task of separating the actual thralls from ordinary believers was progressing smoothly, as well. Every day, Гevel carried the identified thralls to the waking world, where theу were taken to the quarantine facility in the abandoned factory. The people helping Cassie run the facility were all former thralls themselves. Coming into contact with the carriers of Asterion's plague meant becoming infected by it, too, so neither the Fire Keepers nor the Shadow Clan agents could be assigned the task — and even the rehabilitated thralls who had volunteered to stay had to have their memories wiped routinely in order to stay free of the disease. It wasn't an ideal solution, but Sunny and Nephis were not in a position to pursue the ideal. They were somberly anticipating Asterion's retaliation — after all, it was unlikely that he would allow them to undo his efforts without delivering a counterattack. But days passed, becoming weeks, and nothing happened. Those days of eerie calm and building tension were more exhausting than open conflict. The Dreamspawn refused to reveal himself. ..Which was not to say that he was doing nothing. Despite all their efforts, his name continued to spread. Sunny and Nephis had delivered a substantial attack to the plague and slowed down the rate at which it grew. By taking out the sleeper cells of Asterion's followers, they prevented them from actively spreading the knowledge of him among the people. However, the people themselves continued to spread it unwittingly. There were thralls that they had failed to discover, as well, and they were not staying idle. By late summer, various measures Nephis had ordered her people to develop were taking shape. They could not create means of identifying subjects of Asterion's Domain, since that would require them to learn who the hidden Supreme was and thus become infected by his mental plague. However, they could develop means of telling who was not a subject of the Longing Domain. And do it at scale. Once the measures were ready to be used, hundreds of thralls were gradually revealed, isolated, and captured. The Shadow Clan agents were busier than ever, and Mordret's reputation continued to plummet as a result, slowly attaining a truly sinister hue. Funnily enough, the tools that revealed the thralls of Asterion had discovered none of his vessels that had to be hiding among the people. That was probably because of the mysterious ritual that Mordret had performed in the Ebony Tower at the end of the Second Nightmare, making himself elusive to most forms of divination. But he was definitely watching. Sunny had almost expected Mordret to begin haunting every reflection on the lvory Island to express his dissatisfaction with being made a scapegoat, but the King of Nothing remained suspiciously quiet, hiding in the Hollow Mountains and retreating from the human world. The only sign of his continuing existence was the fact that the population of Nightmare Creatures in the arеas bordering the Hollow Mountains seemed to be slowly dwindling. There were no corpses or signs of battles to be found, but merchants and soldiers traveling through those lands had reported that they had to fight fewer and fewer skirmishes as time went by. In any case, Mordret had chosеn to remain quiet. Then again, perhaps he simply couldn't reach Sunny on the Forgotten Shore. There was no light there, after all — except for in the prison camp — and mirrors needed light to cast reflections. Instead of feeling relieved, Sunny felt unnerved by the insidious bastard's silence. The situation across the two worlds eventually reached a state of fragile equilibrium. Sunny and Nephis could not stop the name Asterion from spreading, with more and more people becoming infected by it each day. However, they were quite successful at preventing the infection from bearing fruit by swiftly capturing those of the carriers who failed to resist it and became thralls. The population of the prison camp had reached a peak and plateaued, then slowly began to diminish as more and more thralls were transferred to the quarantine facility. There, Cassie worked without rest — or rather, as much as her reserves of essence allоwed — to cure as many infected as possible. Sunny had sent Luster to assist her, but now, he was almost starting to regret that decision. Cassie seemed to be drowning in patients, working herself to the bone. At the same time, she continued to perform her various duties for the Human Domain, from serving as a mental connection between the members of the cohort to watching over the Fire Keepers, from working on the runic arrays to protect human cities to managing relationships with prominent Saints — and much more. The abandoned factory in the outskirts of NQSC might have become her temporary base of operations, but the power of her mind reached far and wide, as if she was ina dozen places at the same time. Of course, it took a toll. The Human Domain, meanwhile, was gradually growing stronger. More territories were conquered as those lands that had already belonged to humans continued to develop. More people Awakened, and more Awakened defeated their Second Nightmares to become Masters. The number of Saints was also growing, albeit at a much slower rate. The morale of humanity remained high, and was further bolstered by both the continuous victories of human armies and the achievements of those people who were building a new home for mankind in the deadly reaches of the Dream Realm. Not everything was well, of course. As much as the Dream Realm was developing, the situation in the waking world was slowly growing more dire. The cities of Earth were becoming less populous, and the remaining citizens were feeling both the anxiety of being left behind by the times and the fear of watching the world end in front of their eyes. There were more Awakened, Masters, and Saints... but not all who challenged the Nightmares returned alive. In fact, the more people dared to challenge the Spell, the more casualties it reaped. And even if human armies were victorious, those victories did not come without a price. many people were mourning the loss of their loved ones, drowning in the depths of sorrow. The anxiety, fear, and sorrow that people felt were like cracks in the Human Domain. And it was in these cracks that Asterion's influence seeped like poison, claiming new victims each day. Sunny was full of apprehension, waiting for the day the Dreamspawn would finally make his move. ...But when that day finally came, he still found himself unprepared. 🎧

2749 Third Time's the Charm Most farewells were sad, but some were also bitter. Rain did not remеmber parting with people she cared about often, but somehow, the heaviness in her heart felt familiar. She made sure not to show it, though, knowing that today was not about her. Ash softened the sound of her footsteps as she walked through the darkness. In front of her, Tamar's black armor seemed to consume the pale radiance of the luminous Memory Telle had summoned. Ray was hidden from sight, scouting the path ahead, while Fleur was walking behind her quietly. Finally, June was defending their small expedition from the rear. The vast and terrifying Hollows of Godgrave looked different from how they had during the war. They were currently south of the Road of Shadows, close to the great breach created in the ancient bone by the battle between the four Supremes of humanity. Here, the abominable jungle had been turned to ash and banished into the depths of the Hollows. The war in Godgrave had ended a long time ago, and yet the scarlet infestation failed to reclaim these lands, as if it was reluctant to approach the ground consecrated by the blood of Supremes. The exiles who dwelled in the Citadel to the south routinely patrolled this area, hunting down stray Nightmare Creatures. So, it was supposedly safe enough for a cohort of Awakened to traverse — at least a cohort like the one Tamar had assembled. Still, they were all tense and wary. "I really never thought that I'd come back here one day." Fleur's voice was full of a quiet, dark kind of amusement. Looking back at her friend, Rain hesitated for a few moments, then smiled. "I remember you saying something pretty similar the first time you returned to Godgrave after barely escaping it. Fleur... you really never learn your lessons, do you?" Their healer smiled, as well. Tamar, Ray, and Fleur had been sent to Godgrave by the Nightmare Spell as Sleepers. Later, they came back here as Awakened of the great Song army. The Song Domain was gone, but here they were once again. This time, they came to conquer the Second Nightmare and Ascend. Tamar had been preparing to challenge a Seed of Nightmare for a while. There were numerous reasons why she wanted to become a Master, like the smoldering desire to restore the dignity of her fallen Legacy clan. It was also because that was what the Shadow Clan operatives were expected to do. Tamar and her cohort were just the first ones to actually attempt it. The world was falling apart around them, and only the strong could avoid being buried under the debris. Wanting to become stronger, Tamar had assembled an exceptional and well-rounded team — some of them were young, but all of them were veterans. Most were armed and armored by the Lord of Shadows himself, while Telle inherited her soul arsenal and skill from the White Feather clan. They stood a good chance of returning from the Nightmare alive — a better chance than most, at least. As for Rain... she, obviously, could not accompany her friends into the Nightmare. But she could at least escort them to the Seed and see them off. She had known that they would leave for a long time, but it still felt sudden. It had caught her by surprise. There was a reason for that feeling of suddenness, as well. Rain threw a thoughtful look at her shadow. Something was strange about the world these days. People went about their lives as usual, but because Rain was innately attuned to the world, she could sense the eerie undercurrents hiding behind its familiar surface. There was a subtle tension permeating the air, and a subtle strangeness about the people. Her brother was not his usual self, either, having become a little more distant and a little more somber. That was why Rain had not been too surprised when he suggested moving the day of Tamar's departure forward. "There it is." Having crested a bone ridge, Tamar stopped and peered ahead. There, a blackened ruin was protruding from the ash, left behind by the extinct civilization of Godgrave. The angular stone buildings still stood, even if the people who had built them were long gone. Here and there, molten remains of fearsome asuras lay on the ground. Deeper in the ruin, signs of devastation were more severe, as if something terrifying had raged in the heart of the fallen city once, thousands of years ago. "I guess you really do see in the dark." Telle gave them an envious glance. Despite the close bond between the three young women, Rain and Tamar had not revealed the existence of the Shadow Clan to Telle. All they had told her was that they, as well as the other members of the cohort, were agents of an elite government force that operated in complete secrecy and could not be disclosed. That explanation was not that far from the truth, anyway, since the Shadow Clan was integrated into the government at some levels. "Let's go. Ray should be waiting for us at the boundary of the ruins." June, who had been guarding the read, silently moved forward. "I'll take point." Tamar looked at him for a moment, then fell back without saying anything. Soon enough, Ray rejoined the cohort, and they entered the ruins together. It was eerily quiet there, with ancient darkness nestling among the blackened carcasses of crumbling buildings. As they cautiously advanced into the depths of the forgotten city, the shape of a shattered ziggurat that stood at its heart, buried in ash, slowly revealed itself. The Seed of Nightmare was located on the platform atop the ziggurat, and Rain could already hear its Call. For the carriers of the Nightmare Spell, it was like a rallying call that mesmerized them into challenging the Seed. But to Rain, the Call of Nightmare was a much more sinister and malevolent force. After all, she did not belong to the Nightmare Spell and, therefore, could not challenge a Nightmare. So, to her, approaching a Seed only meant becoming corrupted by its darkness and turning into a mindless Nightmare Creature. The Call was nothing more than a siren's song that compelled her to dissolve into the Nightmare and become a part of it. "We should stop here and make the final preparations." The ziggurat was already looming in the distance, towering above the rest of the crumbling structures. Tamar and her cohort spent quite a while standing in silence and looking at its peak, knowing that their Nightmare was waiting for them there. Life and death... that was what they were facing. Rain could not help but feel alienated. While her friends looked at the ziggurat, she looked at them, sensing a vast divide separating her from all people. A bitter mixture of emotions flowed through her heart. Eventually, there were no more preparations to be made. Rain looked at her friends and smiled, pretending to be nonchalant and ignoring the real possibility that this was the last time she saw some of them... or all of them. "June, take care of them out there" The tall man looked at her with wry amusement, not a hint of nervousness written on his handsome face. "I am not a babysitter." Rаin stared at him for a few moments, then scoffed and looked away. "Stop trying to be cool, old man." Finally, June's armor of nonchalance cracked. "Old? Hey. Old? Since when am i old? i'm a young man in my prime!" Ignoring him, Rain turned to Ray and Fleur. "You two, don't you dare hold the wedding in the Nightmare. I demand an invitation. In fact, I demand to be a bridesmaid. So, stay alive." Ray coughed, while Fleur chuckled. "Don't worry about us. If anything, we are the ones who should be worried. Please make sure that the world is still in one piece when we return." Rain nodded with a smile and looked at Telle. "Come to think of it... our spars won't be the same when you come back as a Master." Telle smiled faintly, a hit of wistfulness finding its way into her eyes. "I guess not." Rain nodded. "I'll still kick your butt, though." Telle scoffed and looked at her with pity. Finally, Rain turned to Tamar. There was nothing left to say... she had already said everything she could, and then some. She even Named Tamar's sword and armor, as well as assigning them Epithets. So, Rain simply sighed. "Tamar..." She lingered for a while, then said with a pale smile: "Let's build roads together again, one day. When all this bloodshed is over." Tamar gave Rain her patented inexpressive look, then walked over and hugged her. "Sounds like a plan." Letting go, she studied her for a moment. "Will you get back alright?" Rain forced out a smile. Of course. You know I won't be alone.' Tamar hesitated for a few moments, then nodded. "Tell him not to worry. You know he will... we'll make him proud." And before Rain could truly come to terms with the parting, they were gone. She stood alone in the darkness, listening to the maddening whispers of the Call wash over her mind. Before too long, however, another figure appeared by her side, having risen from the shadows. Sunny looked at the looming ziggurat and frowned. "Worry? Who's worrying? These kids are way too overqualified for a measly Second Nightmare. Why would I worry, huh?" He gave Rain a disapproving look and shook his head. "So you shouldn't worry, either. You know, I died about a thousand times in my Second Nightmare. And look at me! I'm still alive. Well... one can argue that I'm actually dead, but when has it ever stopped me?" Rain turned to him and remained silent for a short while. Eventually, though, she could not help but chuckle. "Right. It hasn't stopped you yet." 🎧

2750 A Lesson in Patience They walked back in silence. Sunny could simply whisk Rain away through the shadows, but she was not ready to return to the embrace of civilization just yet, so instead, they traveled through the ashen expanse of the hollowed out Hollows on foot. It felt nice and nostalgic, reminding her of the long hikes back to Ravenheart they had often taken after her hunts. The pleasant sense of fatigue, the warm feeling of sharing her teacher's company, the pride and satisfaction of having slain a Nightmare Creature with her own mundane hands... Times had been so much simpler back then. Eventually, her brother stopped near the scorched remains of an ancient asura and gave it a little kick. "Hmm. These ones are different from the asuras of Condemnation. I wonder what they were called" He sighed. "Sometimes I miss being infected by the Spell. Its whispers were quite convenient at times, for things like finding out what this city had been called or what kind of deity had ruled it once before becoming swallowed by Corruption" Rain lingered for a moment. "Asuras of Desolation. Tamar had investigated everything connected to the Seed quite thoroughly, so she learned how these abominations were called from a Saint who had slain one during the war. In fact, she tracked down everyone who had slain Nightmare Creatures in these ruins and convinced them to share their knowledge with her." She looked at her brother intently. "Things like the details of local abominations, Memory descriptions, scouting reports from both armies... and so on. But you already knew that, considering that you had helped her with the investigation — to increase her chances of becoming a Master." Sunny smiled. "Well. She is a subject of my Domain, after all" Rain studied him for a few moments, then sighed and looked away. "I wonder when I'll become a Master, as well." Her voice was full of wistfulness. Sunny hesitated for a short while, then raised an eyebrow. "I see that arrogance runs in our blood." Shaking his head, he turned away from the fallen Asura of Desolation and continued walking. "I understand how you feel. It must be a bitter pill to swallow, being left behind by your friends. However, you mustn't be impatient. It has not even been two years since you Awakened and unsealed your Aspect. People used to spend a decade preparing to challenge the Second Nightmare... things move a bit faster these days, but two years is still far too fast." He glanced at her. "And that's for the carriers of the Nightmare Spell, who already walk the Path of Ascension at an astonishing speed due to its cruel gifts. You are doing things properly, unlike them. So, it is only natural that things are going to take longer for you." Rain smiled bitterly. She followed him in silence for a while, then said: "You say that I must be patient, but at the same time, you pushed Tamar to enter the Seed earlier than she had planned." Sunny shrugged. "I wouldn't have if I thought that she was not ready." Rain glanced at his back and frowned slightly. She hesitated a little before speaking again. "But that is not everything there is to it, is it? You hide it well, but I can tell... you are worried." Sunny gave her an inscrutable look. Eventually, he averted his eyes. "Yes, there's more to it. I might have been inclined to believe that it would be good for your friends to be away for a while." Rain's frown deepened. "So you are worried, after all." She remained silent for a while, then said in a somber tone: "I am not sure that I want to know what can make a Supreme nervous" Sunny grinned. "Oh, a great number of things. But I am already worried enough for the both of us, so you don't have to feel worried as well." Rain looked at him cautiously. "Or you can share your worries and see if doing that would alleviate some of them." He chuckled. Sunny continued to walk across the ash in silence for a while, then said: "It's just a new enemy. Well, rather, an old enemy — the newest old enemy I've had. That enemy is a tricky one, too... he's unlike anyone I've faced. He is hidden in the shadows, while we are out in the open. Quite ironic, isn't it? He also doesn't have anything to lose, while we stand to lose everything. All of it makes me uncomfortable." He winced, and then added in a low tonе: "We recently encountered an enemy that we couldn't kill. And now, we are up against an enemy that we cannot even fight. How can one win a war if the enemy refuses to engage in battle?" Rain scrunched up her face, trying to discern what he was talking about. Her brother was a demigod, so it was not always easy to understand his point of view. Demigods had different problems from mortals like her, after all. "So, it's like... guerilla warfare?" Sunny smiled. "Come to think of it, yes. It's somewhat like that." Rain fell into a thoughtful silence. After a while, she said: "From what I remember from school, the best way to counter guerrilla warfare is to destroy the enemy's source of power — which is usually founded in the support of the local population. Once you get the poрulation on your side, the enemy won't be able to replenish their numbers, move freely, or hide among the people. Then, you can eradicate the insurgents through a series of targeted offensive operations. Something like that." Sunny stared at her in bafflement. "Just what are they teaching you in schools? Why would they teach kids how to counter guerrilla warfare and suppress insurgencies?" Rain blinked a couple of times. "What else would they teach us? All kinds of situations are possible in the First Nightmare. So, children are taught how to handle various types of conflict effectively — well, at least we were in my school. Granted, it was quite an elite establishment." Sunny kept staring at her for a bit more, then looked away and shook his head. "Actually, what you just said made me worry even more." He paused for a moment. "Because it sounds suspiciously like what that bastard is trying to do to us!" Rain scoffed. 'Who is he talking about?' The public was buzzing with rumors about the evil deeds of the King of Nothing, but Rain knew that he couldn't be the enemy Sunny had mentioned. After all, she was a member of the Shadow Clan, too. So, she knew who was behind the seemingly endless string of clandestine arrests — or, simply put, kidnappings. Come to think of it, she had been meaning to ask her brother about what was up with that. Surely, there had to be a good reason. Rain had almost asked the question when her brother suddenly froze. He remained motionless for a short while, and even though Rain could only see his back, she could tell that his entire demeanor had changed abruptly. None of his usual carefree attitude remained, replaced instead by tension and sharp focus... and a hint of anxiety, as well. Rain could not help but tense up, too. "What is it?" Sunny turned to her slowly, his face a few shades paler than usual. His eyes were cold and dark. "It's Cassie." Even his voice sounded like it was brimming with cold darkness, and a chilling wind suddenly blew across the Hollows, making Rain shudder. The presence of the Sovereign of Death spread like a frigid tide, drowning the ashen expanse around them. Sunny added in an even tone: "I just received a message from her. I think... it was a call for help." 🎧

2751 A Mousetrap for the Demigod [Sunny. I think I walked into a trap.] Sunny froze when Cassie's voice suddenly resounded in his mind. It sounded calm, but concerned - a dire proof that whatever danger Cassie had found herself in was grave enough to make her fear for her safety. It had to be. Otherwise, she would not have contacted him at all. His mind spun, entertaining innumerable possibilities. The most probable reason was that the thralls locked up in the quarantine facility in NQSC had escaped their cells. possibly Asterion was finally making a move... it was unlikely that a group of enthralled Awakened could pose a threat to a Saint, but possibly the Supreme pulling on the strings behind the scenes had empowered them, somehow. "No, wait..." Was Cassie even in the abandoned factory at the moment? She had been spending most of her time there, but today, she was supposed to meet with Wake of Ruin. Sunny thought that it was today, at least. His mind settled as he prepared to take action. [Where are you?] The answer came a split second later. [NQS...] But she never finished the sentence. Her voice disappeared abruptly, a dead silence filling his mind in its place. Sunny remained still for a moment. "Cassie?" There was no response. At this point, his composure finally revealed a crack. "Damn it all!" Sunny assessed the situation. Cassie was somewhere in NQSC, facing danger - possibly mortal danger. Unless it was already too late, and she was... she was... Unwilling to finish the thought, he shifted slightly. In any case, there was no point in considering that possibility, since there was nothing he could do if it was already too late. If it wasn't, however, he had to act fast and base his decisions on the assumption that Cassie was still alive. He had to travel to NQSC and find her as quickly as possible. Sunny's thoughts moved at a speed far greater than that of a mundane human, so no more than a single heartbeat had passed since Cassie sent him the message. His incarnations were scattered across the Dream Realm. Ravenheart, Bastion, Godgrave, and the Forgotten Shore... each one was performing an important task, but nothing was as important as ensuring Cassie's safety. The question was, which one would he send? Just as he began considering thе question, his eyes widened slightly. That was because several things happened at the same time all across the Dream Relm. In the Forgotten Shore, he sensed the shadows moving erratically beyond the walls of the Dark Castle, in the prison camp. There, a storm of ethereal sparks suddenly exploded to obscure the somber buildings, beginning to coalesce into hundreds of monstrous Echoes. In Ravenheart, the ground tremblеd as a deafening groan of shattering rock resounded from the depths of the volcano. A jagged crack suddenly appeared on its slope, sending enormous boulders rolling downward and threatening to drown the outer reaches of the city in lava. In Bastion, bells suddenly rang in the towers of the ancient castle, announcing that a powerful Nightmare Creature had entered the estuary of the Mirror River and was now moving upstream, threatening to attack Rivergate. And those were merely the places Sunny was watching over from the shadows. Even if he did not have any proof at the moment, he was convinced that similar situations were happening in other areas of the Dream Realm - and Earth too, possibly. He frowned. "What terrifying timing..." Too terrifying to be a coincidence, no less. Sadly, that did not mean that they could ignore these acts of sabotage. Eradicating the Echoes summoned by the thralls among the captives was simple enough. Revel could handle them herself, but if he wanted to avoid any casualties, he would have to lend her his help and guidance. The unknown threat to Rivergate was serious enough for the watchmen to raise the alarm, but Effie would most likely be able to handle it alone. Still, considering that Asterion seemed to be behind the attack, there was a real possibility that it was a trap, so Sunny would have to go take a look personally to ensure a good outcome. "A trap..." The situation in Raveneart was similar. Kai had long been prepared to deal with anything the volcano could throw at him, and he had plenty of helpers on top of that. Morgan alone could probably stop the lava from reaching the city. However, Sunny was still going to watch over them, in case there was more to the sudden earthquake than it seemed. All of these emergencies were quite easy to handle. Which meant that... "It's a trap." What other reason would Asterion have to deliver such trifling attacks to the Human Domain? Either he was trying to distract them from something, or it was a carefully set trap. "Cassie... needs my help..." A good trap was incomplete without a perfect lure, though. Sunny and Nephis were not going to let their cities suffer. But nothing would lure them out better than a threat to their closest friend and confidant's life... out there in the waking world, no less, where their powers would be suppressed. Sunny was suddenly sure of it... The Dreamspawn had prepared a trap for them, and Cassie was the lure. 'It seems he has a very low opinion of our intelligence' Naturally, Sunny had to rescue Cassie. But he was not going to walk into a trap unprepared. At the very least, he had to inform Nephis of the danger and take her with him. Effie and Kai would be tied up dealing with the emergencies, Jet as well, most likely, but there were still a few powerful Transcendent allies he could call upon to act in the waking world without being suppressed by its laws. So, Sunny would have to collect them before venturing across the realm boundary. A simple plan swiftly formed in his mind, and he nodded resolutely. His incarnations were already preparing to depart in order to enact the plan when Sunny stopped himself and frowned. Something was bothering him. Something... It felt like he was overlooking some small detail. A small detail, but important nonetheless. But what was it? His frown deepened. 'Cassie... needs my help.' A cold shiver ran down his spine as he realized something. It was the frightening fact that ever since Cassie had contacted him with a plea for help, his thoughts had been a little strange. His thoughts had been a little suspect. They were not irrational, really, but his priorities seemed oddly skewed. He had surrendered the urgency of the situation in favor of caution too easily, at the very least. 'What... the hell was I thinking about, wanting to waste time gathering helpers when Cassie might be hurt or dying right now?' Sunny's eyes widened, and he inspected himself carefully. It was only then that he realized that his thoughts and emotions were being manipulated by someone. The realization hit him like a bucket of cold water. Sunny possessed very formidable mental defenses, and it was only because of that powerful resistance that he had been able to notice the unnatural course of his thoughts. If he hadn't, he would have continued to act on the circumspect plan, oblivious to the insidious mental assault. ...Which of his other thoughts and emotions were not his own, then? A piercing, unpleasant feeling grasped his heart. There was no time to examine his every thought and feeling, though. He had already wasted too much of it. Muttering a quiet curse, Sunny rose from his throne and pulled on his tether. The realm boundary offered too much resistance to his vast existence, though, so he gritted his teeth and roughly forced his waу into the waking world. Appearing on the deserted streets of the outskirts in a violent whirlwind, he inhaled deeply, and then extended his shadow sense to cover all of NQSC. Immediately, billions of shadows flooded his mind, hundreds of millions of them belonging to living beings. A vast expanse of tangled streets, numerous buildings extending both high into the sky and deep into the ground, a myriad of moving humans, the gaping holes in the fabric of the world where the active Nightmare Gates stood, surrounded by alloy fences and contamination domes... He had to find a single individual among them. Even with Sunny's capabilities, it took him a little time to locate Cassie. And when he did, his blood ran cold. Letting out a growl, Sunny stepped into the shadows and emerged from them on a quiet, peaceful street... or at least it had been peaceful, once. Now, one of the homes here seemed to be on the verge of collapsing, and blood was smeared on the smooth surface of the concrete pavement. Cassie was here, maimed and bleeding... but still alive. And behind her... Just as Sunny focused his attention there, a gargantuan Dream Gate suddenly tore the fabric of reality apart in the middle of NQSC. 🎧

2752 Echoing Absence It only took Sunny a split second to register every minute detail of his surroundings. The world was drowning in the soft embrace of the night, shrouded by encroaching darkness. The warmth of the dying summer had already surrеndered to the cool indifference of the fall. The stars were nearly invisible, having retreated from the stark radiance of electric lights. A silver moon was climbing the velvet expanse of the dark sky. The lamps that were supposed to illuminate the desolate street had all been extinguished, but it was bathed in moonlight. The residences here were small and clinging to each other with no space between - a far cry from the spacious homes in more affluent districts, but still a step above standard family units in residential towers. They were the kind of homes that families of modest standing could sometimes afford if they lived diligently and budgeted their incomes wisely. One of these cozy homes was a ruin now, revealing its decimated interior through a shattered wall. A red trail led from it to the middle of the road, where Cassie was laying motionlessly, awash in blood. She was still breathing, and her shadow was still that of a living being... but, for some reason, her wounds were not healing, as if Nephis could not reach her with the soothing blessing of her flames. A middle-aged woman with blonde hair and a lovely kind of beauty that felt familiar enough to draw a connection was kneeling in the puddle of blood near her, a strangely blissful smile playing on her lips. And behind them... Sunny let out a quiet hiss. A towering Dream Gаte had just sliced the fabric of the black sky like a razor-sharp blade, biting into the surface of the road and hungrily drinking in the moonlight. Inside it, a darkness far more terrifying than the night hid like a predator. That hungry abyss felt both boundless and insatiable - enough so that, for a moment, Sunny could not tell if he was looking at a Nightmare Gate instead. A tall man with tan skin and black hair was standing in front of the Gate. For a moment, he cast a gaze of his glistening golden eyes at Sunny and smiled slightly. Then, with a small bow, he took a step back and disappeared into the Gate. It happened so fast that Sunny could not do anything, leaving him to seethe with a dark, murderous fury. His killing intent was so overwhelming that the grass around him withered, and the trees lost their yellowing leaves. At that moment, he knew that the man with golden eyes was none other than Asterion, the Dreamspawn, in the flesh. That bastard had escaped the Moon, after аll. Sunny stared at the abyssal Dream Gate for a moment, then slowly tore his gaze away and looked at Cassie. So many things were happening at the same time, but this one was the most important. Taking one step, he appeared near her unconscious form and kneeled. Reaching forward, Sunny carefully turned her over and assessed her wounds. His breath caught for a moment. Cassie's body was bloodied and battered, littered with cuts and lacerations. These wounds alone were not enough to kill a Saint, but... what shocked him was how terribly she was maimed, with one eye missing and the entire left side of her face covered in blood. A painful mix of fury and powerlessness grasped his heart. 'There's... no time for that!' There was no time for sentiment, indeed. Asterion had just revealed himself, and on top of that, he opened a Dream Gate in the middle of NQSC. That alone was enough to inform humanity that there was an unknown Supreme out there somewhere, but Sunny already knew that it was only half of the problem. The Dreamspawn could have retreated to anywhere in the Dream Realm, making the task of finding him again all but impossible. And yet, Sunny already knew exactly where he had gone. "This is not good... not good at all..." Just a minute before, his incarnation in Bastion was following Nephis as she commanded the Fire Keepers to take the Chain Breaker to Rivergate. The flying ship rose from the placid lake of the Ivory Island and plummeted toward the Castle, where Effie was already donning her armor and retrieving her spear. "Should one of us go with her?" Sunny sounded uncharacteristically unsure of himself. That was because even while one of his incarnations was searching NQSC for Cassie's familiar shadow, he was questioning his every thought and decision. Who knew which ones had already been tampered with by Asterion? Nephis gave him a short look. "Effie is more than capable enough to handle that threat. Don't overthink it... The Dreamspawn did mess with our minds, but he is not powerful enough to enthrall a Supreme Titan. Now that we know what to look out for, further manipulation would be difficult." Sunny grimaced. Difficult did not mean impossible. The Madness of Kanakht had failed to consume Neph's mind, and Asterion was probably not going to succeed either. Granted, his power seemed to be subtler and more insidious - more akin to Nightmare's Dream Curse than anything, accumulating slowly as it poisoned its victims. Sunny and Nephis both knew his name, which meant that they were already carriers of the idea of Asterion. However, that did not mean that he could control them... at best, he could attempt a subtle manipulation or compel them to say his name aloud without noticing it. Asterion had already tried to launch a full-scale mental assault on both Nephis and Sunny, and all that bought him was a few dozen seconds of disorientation. The nature of his powers also meant that such an attack would be less effective the second time around... hopefully... so there was no reason to worry too much. About this facet of the threat posed by the Dreamspawn, at least. "What is the situation?" Without Cassie, their fastest means of receiving important information was gone. The familiar means of communicating with the members of the cohort were gone, as well. There were alternatives, of course, but none were as swift or efficient. It was no surprise that Sunny and Nephis had grown dependent on the quiet and unassuming blind seer. In her echoing absence, Sunny's seven incarnations scattered across the world weгe the closest there was to a replacement. As Nephis walked toward the balcony, summoning her armor and the Blessing, he followed with a hard expression. "I am dealing with the Echoes in the prison camp as we speak. That one is easy enough. Morgan had blocked the crack in the slope of the volcano, and Kai is directing the consequent measures. There would be no damage done to Ravenheart. We will have to hear more about the minor attacks in other areas, but for now, everything seems to be under control." Nephis's brow creased slightly. "What about Cassie?" Sunny lingered for a moment. "Cassie..." He narrowed his eyes, then let out a relieved sigh. "Found her. She's... wounded, but alive. The man who attacked her..." Sunny did not get the chance to finish the sentence, though. Because just then, Asterion had opened his Dream Gate. Its entrance opened on a desolate street in NQSC. While its exit... As Nephis stepped out onto the balcony of the Ivory Tower, she could see the exit perfectly well. Asterion's Dream Gate was there, below them. Towering above the Mirror Lake in the heart of Bastion. 🎧

2753 The Road to Hell Unlike NQSC, which was already in the embrace of a dark night, Bastion was still basking in sunlight. The surface of the lake glistened placidly, reflecting the blue sky, the walls of the castle, and the stunning silhouette of the Ivory Island drifting between the clouds above it. Bastion was usually a bustling city, and today was no exception. Countless people were out and about, some working, some taking a break from their duties. For the latter, the most popular destination was the parks and promenades running along the lakeshore. Those who resided inside the castle, meanwhile, often took walks on its piers аnd outer walls. All of them paused in the middle of what they were doing when a cold breeze blew from the water. It was not unpleasant or strange, really, but there was something about the cool wind that made them stop and look in the direction of the lake. It was then that the water rippled, growing restless for a moment, and the spectacular rift of a Dream Gate split the sky above the lake. For citizens of Bastion, the sight of the Dream Gate was nothing new. Most of them had entered the Dream Realm through the Gate opened by the King of Swords, after all - their memories of it were hazy, though, since they were under tremendous stress while escaping the Chain of Nightmares. But they saw Changing Star's Dream Gate almost every day, and many even took trips to admire the view of its radiant depths from close by. The Dream Gate that opened on the surface of the Mirror Lake now, however, was nothing like that luminous portal. It was dark and eerie instead, and those who looked into its depths shuddered because it felt like the Gate was looking back. A moment later, though, that eerie feeling was gone. The Dream Gate disappeared, as well, and all that remained of it... Was the figure of a tall, handsome man standing on the surface of the water. Inhaling the fresh air of Bastion with a full chest, he smiled softly, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked across the water with easy steps. The man was walking toward the Castle. The clouds reflected on the water he treaded upon. Because the reflection of the Castle was surrounded by the clouds, pеople of Bastion now called it Cloud Castle... so, it seemed as if the man was walking both on water and across the sky, like a guest from the celestial realm who had somehow gotten lost in the mortal world. His golden eyes and pleasant smile only made that impression stronger. The people who stood on the walls of the Castle all looked at him, fascinated and mesmerized. Their faces betrayed expressions of curiosity, fascination, and awe. "Who... who is that man?" "Hе came from a Dream Gate. Is he a Supreme?" "Can he be the King of Nothing?" "No, of course not. He doesn't look like that villainous monster." "Do you know what the King of Nothing looks like, then?" "Well... no. But this man is definitely not an evil man." "Who is he, then? Is there another Supreme?" While the citizens watched Asterion cross the lake with wonder in their eyes, Sunny and Nephis were having an entirely different reaction. They were stunned for a short moment. The Dreamspawn was supposed to be sealed on the Moon, after all... they had taken the possibility of his escape into account, but neither expected that Asterion would one day just show up in the middle of Bastion, completely in the open, instead of biding his time and hiding somewhere in the Dream Realm. "He's here." Neph's voice was even. Sunny studied her face quietly for a moment. "Cassie is in rough shape. She'll live, but... your flames do not seem to be working." Nephis lowered her gaze. "...I know." Sunny could not help but stare at the distant figure of Asterion. The implications of his coming to Bastion were too difficult to predict, at this point, but all of it was bad. In fact, it was all worse than bad. On the other hand, the adversary was finally here, right in front of them, and while he could not be killed, it was possible to defeat and contain him. It was just that they still knew too little about the Dreamspawn... they did not even know what his purpose was, let alone what aces he was hiding in his sleeves. Sunny frowned. "So, do we just... attack him?" Nephis stared at the Dreamspawn for a moment, her eyes burning with a cold, scathing hatred. However, in the end, she slowly shook her head and dismissed the Blessing. "No. If we fight here, all of Bastion might be wiped off the map. Sunny grimaced. He was aware of the fact, as well. It was just thаt... Even if he would never sacrifice Bastion and all its people, he had an ominous feeling that they would one day regret not stopping Asterion right here and now. It was an appalling feeling, to know that you would regret something and still have no choice but to do it anyway. "So what do we do?" Nephis exhaled slowly, then stepped onto the parapet of the balcony. "For now... I guess we'll have to talk to him." Down below, Asterion had reached the middle of the lake. There, he stopped and looked at the people gathered on the walls of the Castle with a smile. The Mirror Lake was vast, so there was no way for his voice to reach them. But, somehow, it did. In fact, it could be heard both from the walls of the Castle and from the lakeshore, where a far greater crowd was gathered, looking at him with wonder. The Dreamspawn said: "Citizens of Bastion... people of the Human Domain. My name is Asterion, and once upon a time, I fought against the Nightmare Spell by Broken Sword's side. My dear friend is gone now, and I have become Supreme." He glanced up at the graceful silhouette of the Ivory Island... at Nephis. Then, Asterion looked back at the people, and his smile widened. "I am here to help." 🎧

2754 A New Supreme Asterion regarded the citizens of Bastion with a benevolent smile and fell silent. His bold proclamation had caused a great shock among the people, who were onlу now learning about the existence of another Supreme. As they discussed the stunning news excitedly, he lingered for a moment and then looked up. Up there, above the Mirror Lake... the chains of the Ivory Island rattled as it began to descend. The people noticed that the celestial island was moving soon. Their excited voices fell silent, and they watched breathlessly as it glided down from the sky. Eventually, the flying Citadel landed on the water and plunged into it, raising a wave as it became no different from a mundane island. The Ivory Tower now stood between Asterion аnd the Castle, as if shielding one from the other... or perhaps welcoming him to the Human Domain. That was how the people saw it, at least, since Changing Star had never brought her heavenly court down to the ground before. Asterion remained standing on the turbulent surface of the lake with a calm expression, observing the Tower of Hope curiously. Then, his gaze traveled to the shore of the island, where a woman of sublime and holy radiance was standing at the edge of the water, her silver hair moving faintly in the wind. Nephis and Asterion regarded each other silently for a while. Then, she willed the water to support her weight and stepped off the emerald grass, walking across the lake to meet him. The people held their breaths, watching their goddess and the golden-eyed Supreme meet. Nephis stopped a few meters away from Asterion, regarding him coldly. He studied her for a few moments, as well, then glanced briefly at her shadow. Then, he cast an amused gaze at her reflection on the surface of the lake. Finally, Asterion looked up and smiled warmly. "My dear Nephis. How well you have grown up." She did not answer, continuing to watch him with an expressionless face. He chuckled. "It warms my heart to see that even if my friends are gone, their daughter is alive and well. You took up the torch that had fallen from their cold hands and raised the banner of Immortal Flame high... higher than ever before, shining a radiant light to guide humanity through the darkness. They say that humanity will not be extinguished as long as Immortal Flame still burns, after all." His golden eyes suddenly glinted with amusement. "As long as the last daughter of Immortal Flame still stands unbroκen." The people on the walls of the Castle and on the shores of the lake exploded with cheers. For Sunny and Nephis, though, that last remark carried quite a sinister undertone. Nephis lowered her chin a little. She was most likely searching for a way out of the appalling situation they had found themselves in — and discovering none. Sunny knew because he could not find a solution, either. Asterion had them exactly where he wanted them. He had no hope of defeating them in battle, so he took the population of Bastion hostage to prevent them from attacking him — just like he had taken the lives of people infected by the knowledge of his name hostage to stop them from preventing its propagation. Not only could they not engage Asterion in battle despite finally confronting him face-to-face, but they could not even stop him fгom announcing his name to the entirety of Bastion. Modern Bastion was an enormous city. By the end of the day, every human living here would be exposed to Asterion's name — and it would not stop there. Merchants would carry it to other cities in the East, while ships would bring it to the Stormsea — from there, it would enter the basin of the River of Tears and travel north to Ravenheart. It would also travel by the Road of Shadows to traverse Gograve in the north. But even that was not the worst part... there were countless Awakened in Bastion, and while some of them had come here through a Dream Gate, others were still traveling to the Dream Realm from the waking world every night. Once these people returned to Earth, Asterion's name would become unstoppable. No matter how tightly the government controlled the network, even the mighty propaganda machine could not suppress news as eχplosive as the emergence of a new Supreme. Soon enough, every human in existence would know the name of Asterion. Despite how much effort Sunny and Nephis had put into containing it, it had all been for naught. It had all been useless. And the most disturbing part of it all was that they had never even stood a chance. No matter how much Sunny thought about it, he could not imagine how they could have prevented this disaster... Short of obliterating all of Bastion, that was. He felt it again, then — the ghastly feeling of powerlessness. 'He got us good.' Of course, the war was not lost yet. With the number of infected people increasing exponentially, the number of exposed people who were especially susceptible to the disease would increase, as well. Far more of them would end up enthralled. Cassie had already been barely handling their numbers, so even if she recovered from her wounds, the quarantine facility in NQSC would prove woefully insufficient. Therefore, they would have to invent more drastic measures of removing the thralls from the board. In this situation, the resistance of the population to the plague of Asterion would become even more important... Which meant that Sunny and Nephis would have to do anything in their power to make sure that belief in the Human Domain remained as strong as ever, while Asterion would, without a doubt, attempt to undermine it. As Nephis and Asterion looked at each other — one expressionless, the other smiling warmly — they both were probably thinking about just that. It was why Nephis had not allowed herself to express her hatred, knowing that he would turn any display of hostility against her. Asterion raised an eyebrow. "Are you not going to welcome me home, dear Nephis? I've been away for so long." Met with silence, he chuckled and shook his head. "Then again, you were shy even as a little girl. There's nothing wrong with being a little emotional when reuniting with someone precious, though... that's just human nature." With that, he took a step forward and walked the remaining distance separating them. Stopping a hair's breadth away from Nephis, Asterion looked down at her and slowly raised his arms. Then, as countless people watched, he reached forward and pulled her into a tight embrace. Lowering his head to her ear, he whispered: "Of course, we've never been humans to begin with, you and . Right, Nephis?" 🎧

2755 Honeyed Words "Remove your hands unless you want to lose them. I might not be able to kill you, parasite, but I can make you wish that you were dead." Neph's voice was even and quiet, so no one except her and Asterion could hear it... well, and Sunny, of course, who was hiding in her shadow. It was so emotionless as to sound inhuman, but the cold threat contained within it was only more palpable as aresult. Asterion broke his embrace and took a step back. When he spoke again, his words did not resonate across the lake, leaving the people watching them with rapt attention from afar none the wiser as to what was being said. "How time flies. You really are all grown up, sweet Nephis." He gave her an evaluating look. "I've endured plenty of pain, you know. What makes you think that you'll be able to hurt me more thаn any of the countless ghastly beings that I've met?" She pierced him with an impassive look. "Have you ever met a being who could reduce you to a shrieking pile of charred flesh, then heal you, then burn you to ash all over again? Until you lose even the ability to curse the day you became immortal and forget how to beg for mercy" Asterion regarded her silently for a few moments, then glanced away with a faint smile. "Ah. Still so sweet, I see." Ignoring his nonchalant tone, Nephis allowed her brow to crease slightly and asked in a cold tone: "What do you want?" He gave her an amused glance. "Are you really not going to invite me inside? I don't mind, really. If anything, talking in front of all these people works better for me." Nephis inhaled deeply, then turned and invited him into the Ivory Tower with a gesture. Asterion walked past her and headed for the great pagoda, looking around the island. In the distance, the people exploded with another wave of cheers. The Dreamspawn, meanwhile, studied the bones of Dragon Sevirax, the Ivory Lord, with curiosity. Choosing not to say anything, he passed through the dragon's maw and entered the Ivory Tower. The Fire Keepers stationed on the island had left, taking the Chain Breaker with them, so it was just the three of them inside the great pagoda at the moment. As soon as they were hidden from the gazes of the crowd, Sunny rose silently from the shadows and regarded the Dreamspawn with murder in his eyes. Asterion met his gaze calmly. "The Lord of Shadows... Sunless, was it? This is our first proper meeting, I think. My name is Asterion. Ah, but you already knew that." It took all of Sunny's composure not to move. One of his incarnations was carrying Cassie across the realm boundary at that moment, his clothes soaked with her blood — so, he was in the mood to mangle and maim, not hold polite conversations. Still, he held himself back. Asterion looked around the great hall of the Ivory Tower, his gaze lingering on the chains forming the Gateway ring on the floor. Eventually, he let out a wistful sigh. "You've achieved so much, Nephis." He gave her a look that seemed almost... proud. "No, truly. You gave me quite a start. I did expect you to makе your parents proud, but I never imagined that you would attain Supremacy аnd conquer the world. You brought down two Supremes..." Asterion looked at Sunny. "And seduced the third. How very devious of you. Well done." Nephis gritted her teeth. "I will repeat myself. What do you want?" He looked at her with a surprised expression. "Didn't I say? I want to help." At that point, Sunny could not help but scoff. "Please. Don't make me laugh." Asterion sighed and strolled around the Gateway, studying the magnificent interior of the brightly illuminated hall. "I felt it already, but the two of you seem to harbor a deep animosity toward me. I've never done anything to deserve such hostility, so I truly cannot help but be perplexed. Why do you treat me as an enemy?" White flames ignited in the depths of Neph's eyes. "You dare ask? I could not help but notice how you dared to utter the name of my father with that dirty mouth of yours, as well. My father, whom you killed." Asterion stopped and turned to face her, a concerned expression settling on his handsome face. He let out a sigh. "Indeed, I did. However, you should know by now why Broken Sword had to be killed. Do you think that I felt joy while watching my closеst friend die? On the contrary, it felt as if my own heart was being pierced. But it had to be done, and so, we did it. To prevent the Forgotten God from awakening!" Nephis looked at him with scathing hatred. Sunny smiled darkly. "Oh... I see. You were the good guy all along. Why were Anvil and Ki Song terrified of you, then? Why did they trap you on the Moon?" Asterion gave him a confused glance. Eventually, he said as if explaining something self-evident: "Isn't it only natural for villains to fear a good man? I don't see a reason why I, the victim of their treachery, should be condemned for it. Not to mention that Nephis is only alive because I prevented them from coming after her in full force. Who knows? That might have been why they turned against me, in the end." Nephis chuckled. "How admirable. A good man, though? How shameless are you? Would a good man put a mind hex on numerous people, turning them into obedient thralls?" Asterion smiled wryly. "And after turning them into obedient thralls, I commanded them to do... what, exactly? Continue with their lives as if nothing was the matter, doing their best to contribute to society? How dreadful. I must truly be a monster." He shook his head. "Let us be honest, Nephis. Those people might have fallen under my power, but I've never done anything to abuse that power or harm them. If anything, you two are the ones doing them harm. And besides..." He looked at her with a faint smile. "Haven't you done exactly the same? Haven't you lied, manipulated people, and twisted the tгuth to win their loyalty? From the Forgotten Shore to Godgrave, you did everything you could to enthrall and subjugate those around you — that was how you conquered humanity. Ah, but don't get me wrong. I am not judging you. If anything, I am impressed... it was beautifully done, really. And from such a weak position, no less!" Asterion raised his hands and clapped a few times, seemingly enjoying himself. "Can you rightfully admonish me, though?" His pleasant voice sounded a little reproachful. 🎧

2756 Most Insidious of Foes Sunny stared at Asterion, not knowing how to react. Was he mocking them? Nephis, meanwhile, frowned deeply. "That is not the same." Asterion chuckled. "Why? Because I use my Aspect, while you used underhanded schemes and the propaganda machine of the government? I am sorry, but I will have to disagree. To an ordinary person, those two are equally impossible to overcome. The soft power you wield is in no way inferior to the mystical powers I command. It can even make people die for you — and countless did die... with a happy smile on their faces. Ah, how eerie." Sunny had had enough of this unabashed nonsense. Taking a step forward, he spat through gritted tеeth: "What kind of crap are you trying to pull? Do you think that spouting lies in a confident tone magically makes them true? You've never done anything to abuse your power or cause your thralls harm? Please! Your thralls are staging a suicidal attempt to escape their prison. At the same time, Ravenheart is at risk of being drowned in lava. At the same time, Nightmare Creatures are storming Rivergate! All of it is your doing!" Asterion blinked a few times, looking at him with a confused expression. "You kidnapped all those people and put them into a harrowing prison. Naturally, they would want to escape... they don't need me to manipulate them into trying to regain their freedom. People value freedom above all else, after all. As for erupting volcanoes and attacking Nightmare Creatures, it feels like you're just looking for random things to blame on me now. What do I have to do with these unfortunate events?" Sunny felt like he was going insane. Asterion was clearly lying — they knew that he was lying, and he knew that they knew that he was lying... and yet, he continued to lie with a sincere expression and an utter lack of shame. "You... you caused these unfortunate events, bastard." Asterion simply gave him a look of incomprehension. Nephis let out a heavy sigh. "I guess you did not attack Cassie, either?" He turned to her and studied her expression intently for a few moments. Then, Asterion shook his head. "No... I did attack your friend, Song of the Fallen. I had to." His golden eyes seemed to lose their mesmerizing gleam, turning a shade darker. "I had to take her power away... in order to protect you. After all, I am here to help." Sunny suddenly felt tired. "What the hell are you talking about, you lunatic?" Asterion remained silent for a while, studying them quietly. In the end, he inhaled deeply and sighed. "The two of you seem dreadfully wary of my Aspect. Well, it's only fair — commendable, even. Those who are capable of manipulating the mind аre the most insidious of foes, after all. I have faced persecution because of the nature of my powers my entire life." He turned away with a somber expression and looked at the chains that had once bound Hope. "And yet, you are strangely trusting of your suрposed friend, Song of the Fallen, who possesses the power to manipulate and alter memories. You do not seem to ever ask yourselves if that power had been turned against you... which is a bit strange, don't you think? For two people as cautious as you." Taking a step forward, he shook his head again. "It is not just strange, it is outright startling — if we consider the fact that Nephis and all those who entered the Third Nightmare with Song of the Fallen are suffering from unexplainable gaps in their memories, with entire swathes of their lives missing... as if intentionally erased." He turned and looked at Nephis. "Those gaps in your memory... they start from your days on the Forgotten Shore, don't they? From the time you met the woman named Cassia for the first time." As Nephis stared at him with a concerned expression, he sighed. "So how is that you never questioned a woman who can erase and alter memories despite missing countless memories of your own? How is it that you allowed her to become your closest aid and confidant without ever questioning her loyalty? Is it because you trust her implicitly... or is it because your real memories of her were replaced with memories of her earning your implicit trust?" Asterion smiled wistfully. "How many of your memories do you think might have been falsified by her? Song of the Fallen's power is too insidious. It's too dangerous. That is why I had to take that power away." Sunny stared at him with wide eyes. 'Hell.' The bastard was the one who was too dangerous and insidious. The lies he wove were a little too convincing. If Sunny was not the cause of Neph's missing memories while retaining the knowledge of what had happened himself, even he would have been tempted to believe what Asterion was saying — and grow suspicious of Cassie... even if only for a moment. Nephis, however, did not remember the truth. So, she had no weapon to cut the net of lies. She stared at Asterion еxpressionlessly for a while. Eventually, though, she asked in a low tone: "Is this fun for you?" As the air in the great hall suddenly grew hot, the promise of an incinerating white abyss ignited in her eyes. "Was I supposed to believe these pathetic lies?" Asterion looked at her with an expression of sincere surprise, as if stumped by her unjust accusation. Then, however, his expression cracked, revealing a delighted grin. He laughed quietly. "Ah... perhaps? I thought they were quite entertaining. Admit it — you almost believed me, for a second." His expression turned cold. "That little oracle of yours was proving to be troublesome, so I had to take her eyes. Ah, but I only managed to take one. What a pity... but do not worry" He flashed her a smile. "I'll rip out her other eye sooner or later." 🎧

2757 The Three of Us Asterion's smile did not vanish despite the savage words he had spoken. However, it did change. The difference was both subtle and chilling — it was as if all warmth drained from his eyes, revealing the cold, ruthless void beneath. In the stark absence of pretense, his stunning golden eyes did not seem human at all. Then, finally, his smile disappeared as well. "Actually, I lied." With his hands still clasped behind his back, Asterion did not look too threatening. His stance was wide open, and he neither wore armor nor wielded a weapon — and yet, the sound of his voice forced Sunny to move slightly, shifting his weight to his dominant leg. Asterion walked toward Nephis slowly. "Earlier, when I said that you grew up well, Nephis... that was a lie. In truth, you are a disappointment." Stopping a few steps away, he looked at her with displeasure. "Well, I will not deny the fact that you are remarkable in your own way. In truth, I never expected you to take out Anvil and Ki Song... natural Supremacy, huh? How ambitious! You gave me quite a start. To be honest, it forced me to alter some of my plans." Sunny had been meaning to explain which parts of Asterion's body he was going to slowly saw off with a dull blade if the bastard dared to touch Cassie again, but held himself back. After all, if his enemy was in the mood to ramble about his past plans, Sunny would be a fool to interrupt him. Asterion, meanwhile, sighed. "Initially, I meant to begin slowly preparing for my eventual return sometime after the Chain of Nightmares. But your antics in Godgrave made me change the timetable... you have a habit of ruining things, don't you, Nephis? Ah, but of course. You are Changing Star, after all... the Star of Ruin." Sunny tilted his head slightly. 'Interesting.' If he were to believe Asterion's words, it seemed like the Dreamspawn had been planning to escape the Moon for a long time. Curiously enough, these plans had been in place before the Sovereigns fell — meaning that the measures they had put in place to prevent his return had not been as effective as everyone believed. It was also unnerving to see just how well-informed Asterion was about everything that had happened in his absence. Even if Sunny expected no less from the Dreamspawn. 'Why did he accelerate his plans when Nephis usurped the throne?' Sunny was not sure yet... but one thing had already become painfully apparent. Asterion was somewhat fixated on Nephis, maybe because of their old connection. He did not pay the same amount of attention to the role Sunny had played in the fall of the original Domains at all. "My, oh my." Sunny felt something that he used to experience often, but had not had the pleasure of enjoying for quite some time — to the point that it was difficult to remember the feeling. It was the wonderful feeling of being underestimated. Asterion gave Nephis a look that was full of contempt. "Still, despite your many achievements, everything about you is distasteful. Aren't you tired of maintaining the charade, pretending to be human? Or have you actually deluded yourself into believing that you are one of them?" He shook his head. "What a shame." Turning away, Asterion regarded the chains of Hope once more. He remained silent for a few moments, then spoke, his voice echoing in the bright expanse of the great hall. "There were seven gods. There were seven daemons, as well. Plenty of Terrors and Titans... countless Chaos Creatures hiding in the Void..." His tone turned sharp. "But there are only three Dreamspawns in the world. You, me, and that Transcendent brat — the rest are all dead. In the wake of the Chain of Nightmares, meanwhile, countless children have been born in the Dream Realm... but none of them are like us. That is because they never belonged to both worlds — from the second of their inception, they had already belonged to the Dream Realm. The waking world will be gone soon, too. Do you understand what that means?" Asterion's gaze grew heavy. "It means that there will never be a fourth Dreamspawn. We three are all there is, and all there'll ever be. And since the youngest is still a child, you are the only other member of our kind to have reached adulthood. And yet... you have denied your own nature, discarding it in favor of pretense and self-deception." He smiled coldly. "Do you understand my disappointment now? You have limited your own potential. Yоu have crippled yourself, burying half of yourself in the ground. All this time, you have been fighting with one hand tied behind your back — incomplete, imbalanced... mutilated. All that of your own accord — and for what? To be a human? One of those pitiful, constrained creatures?" Asterion shook his head. "I guess I should not be complaining, since that only plays into my hand. Still, I can't help but feel... offended. It is offensive, to see the only other member of my tribe debase herself so thoroughly" He grimaced. "And yet, you and your lover deem yourselves my enemies?" Suddenly, Asterion let out a laugh. "Make no mistake... I have no enemies. I have no rivals, either. All you are is an obstacle, at best." Sunny regarded Asterion with a dark expression. 'He has no enemies...' Asterion did not mean that he was a friend to everyone, of course. Instead, he meant that no one — not even the two of them — was qualified to be his enemy. Because he was that much more fearsome than anyone else. "Arrogant bastard..." And what was with that whole speech about how Nephis failed to behave like a proper Dreamspawn? It sounded completely unhinged, but also strangely... sincere. Well, of course it did. If Asterion did not consider them worthy of being his enemies, he would have no reason to go out of his way to lie to them about every little thing, either. He could have expressed his earnest distaste. 'I guess Mordret was right.' Mordret had told Sunny once that Asterion did not consider himself to be a human. It had sounded like an insult back then, but now, Sunny saw that it was simply a dispassionate truth. Asterion did not think of himself as a member of the human race. However, he did not consider himself a Nightmare Creature, either. Rather, he believed himself to be a member of an entirely different tribe — a unique being that belonged to both worlds. A Dreamspawn. A being who was neither a human nor an abomination, but inherited some traits of both. Nephis smiled darkly. "Sorry to disappoint. If it makes you feel any better, though, please know that no matter how much I disgust you... you disgust me more." She frowned then. "This is the third time I am asking you, Astrerion. What do you want?" But Sunny... Sunny did not hear her. Because at that moment, something clicked in his mind, and a hint of a dreadful understanding made his eyes widen slightly. 🎧

2758 Dire Ambition When a seed of a troubling theory formed itself in Sunny's mind, he tried his hardest to suppress his shock. However, he must have let something show, because the shadows across the Ivory Tower suddenly grew restless. Nephis spared him a brief glance and continued her verbal duel with Asterion. Sunny, meanwhile, was too preoccupied with exploring his suspicion, wanting to turn it into certainty... and dreading that certainty, as well. ‘It can't be. Can it be?' He examined the facts. All of them were things he had already known. However, only after meeting Asterion face-to-face did it become possible to assign real weight to these tidbits of knowledge and, therefore, draw connections between them. The first hint... Was the timing of Asterion's supposed return. He had mentioned having to push his plans forward because of Neph's unexpected ascension to the throne of Supremacy. But what about it had made Asterion feel hurried, exactly? Maybe the answer to that question was not as important as the question itself. Asterion had mentioned planning to escape his lunar prison soon after the Chain of Nightmares, as if it held some hidden meaning. He had spent decades imprisoned on the Moon. So why would he only want to escape after Antarctica fell, and not at any point before? The death of the Sovereigns had apparently nothing to do with it, even if they had been responsible for ruthlessly ensuring the continued non-existence of his insidious Domain. There were numerous potential answers to that question. The fact that the Sovereigns had finally revealеd themselves, for example. The arrival of the Skinwalker and other Great Ones on Earth; the Dream Realm beginning to devour the waking world piece by piece. The conflict between the Great Clans moving toward open war, thus distracting the original Supremes... But what if the real reason was something else? Sunny was suddenly reminded of the conversation between him and Morgan that had happened in the Nightmare Desert soon after the disastrous Battle of the Black Skull. She had been planning to leave them and escape with the Summer Knight, while Sunny had been planning to challenge the Third Nightmare as a means of escape. So, he had asked Morgan if he would face consequences for attaining Transcendence without the permission of the Great Clans... and she told him that he did not have to worry about that. Because critical mass had already been reached, and the waking world's collapse could not be delayed anymore. So... The Chain of Nightmares was when the Sovereigns had stopped artificially suppressing the number of emerging Saints. That was when Asterion had begun to plan his return. Sunny remembered another conversation, as well. That one was not a conversation with Morgan — instead, it was a conversation with her sinister brother, Mordret. It happened back in Mirage City, where Mordret revealed to him how Asterion had ended up on the moon, as well as the fact that he would inevitably return and pose a grave danger to everyone. Mordret had described Asterion as what Nephis was supposed to be, but taken to a logical conclusion. A being that walked оn the edge between a human and a Nightmare Creature. Nephis and Asterion were like two sides of the same coin, or perhaps twisted reflections of each other. Nephis had denied the Nightmare Creature part of herself, so much so that she became the epitome of humanity, as well as its ruler. Asterion, meanwhile, embraced the creature part of himself fully, to the point that he did not even consider himself to be human. Now that Sunny had heard Asterion personally confirm Mordret's description, he was struck by a sudden revelation. In hindsight, it felt almost obvious... like most things were. And the key to that revelation was a third conversation Sunny remembered. That last conversation had nothing to do with the Valor siblings. Instead, it was a conversation with Nightwalker, who had been betrayed and abandoned by Asterion in the Eternal City. It was not about the Dreamspawn himself, though. It was about a diffеrent monster... The primordial human who had been cursed by Shadow God at the dawn of time, Kanakht. Kanakht had become the ruler of the first human kingdom, in the end. However, he was not satisfied with his historic throne — instead, Kanakht wanted to become a god. * To achieve Apotheosis. No matter how much he tried, though, godhood eluded him. His kingdom slowly turned into a land of nightmares, ruined by his obsession, but eventually, Kanakht did find a way to become a deity. He learned how to achieve Apotheosis through consuming his kingdom, as well as all its citizens... and he would have succeeded if the Demon of Repose had not stopped him. ‘Damn... ation’ Nightwalker had explained something else to Sunny, as well. It was the way Tyrants became Terrors. They became Terrors by consuming the minions. So, now... Here was a man named Asterion, who did not consider himself human and thought of himself as a creature instead. Creatures walked the Path of Ascension in a different manner from humans. Wouldn't that mean that Asterion, born to the zealots of the Path of Ascension cult, could strive to emulate that manner himself? He was not a Tyrant, though, and did not control an army of minions. Instead, he was a Supreme who controlled a Domain. Just like Kanakht had controlled the first human kingdom. So if Asterion — the descendant of the God of Hunger — expanded his Domain to encompass all of humanity... could he attempt to consume humanity in order to fuel his Apotheosis? Sunny sensed a cold shiver run down his spine. 'T—that... that lunatic.' Asterion might not have spent decades on the Moon because he couldn't come back. Instead, he might have simply remained there, far above Earth... waiting for humanity to fatten up. And only when the number of powerful humans began to rise exponentially in the wake of the Chain of Nightmares, thus offering him a big enough feast, did he decide to come back. 🎧

2759 Just a Monster Sunny felt an echo of an old, mostly forgotten hatred. It was the hatred he had felt when the truth of the Forgotten Shore was finally revealed to him. The seven heroes of that cursed land had performed a dreadful hecatomb to create a new sun and dispel the darkness — a bloody sacrifice to fuel their artificial god. 'It's always the same revolting story.' The heroes of the Forgotten Shore had sacrificed countless people to create the Nameless Sun. Thousands of years later, that sun became the Crimson Terror and consumed every living being on the Forgotten Shore to become an even greater horror. Kanakht had wanted to consume his kingdom in order to become a god. And now, Asterion wanted to devour all of humanity for the same reason. 'Ah... I hate it!' Back when Asterion had gotten himself trapped on the Moon, humanity had been incomparably weaker than it was today. There had been barely any Saints around, and very few Masters. The entire Awakened population of the waking world could be gathered in a single dormitory tower of NQSC... granted, those human hives were quite enormous. The power of humanity had grown gradually over the decades, and then exploded in the wake of the Chain of Nightmares. By the time the Domain War happened, there were no fewer than a hundred Saints, thousands of Masters, and more than a million Awakened out there. These numbers continued to grow with startling speed after Nephis came to power — much faster than before the war, even, since her policy was more or less the opposite of what the original Sovereigns had enforced. She did not attempt to limit or control the number of Awakened and Masters challenging the Seeds of Nightmare. Not only that, but she earnestly supported their pursuit of greater strength, encouraging as many people as possible to challenge the Spell. As a result, countless people had perished in the jaws of Nightmares... but the power of humanity had swelled greatly, as well. Which meant that humanity had become powerful enough to satiate Asterion's hunger. In fact, it was developing so swiftlу that he had deemed it necessary to push forward the day of his return. ..That was most likely the reason why he had maimed Cassie instead of simply killing her — even if killing her would have been much simpler. Because if she died, there would be one less Saint for him to use as fuel for his Apotheosis. And not just any Saint, at that — despite her unassuming ways, Cassie was one of the most powerful Transcendents in existence. In fact, one could argue that she was the most powerful. 'That wretched bastard...’ Having deduced the answer to the mystery that had been plaguing them for a long while — their enemy's motive — Sunny felt dazed. The Dreamspawn had always been a mysterious and sinister figure, so Sunny anticipated that his goals were far from benign. However, the idea of consuming all of mankind to fuel one's Apotheosis was so preposterously wicked that it gave him pause. ‘He's... he's a damn cannibal.' The god of cannibals, really. But no, that was not an apt description. Asterion did not consider himself human, after all, so from his point of view, he would not be devouring beings of his own kind. He was not a cannibal... He was just a monster. Sunny shifted slightly, casting a somber gaze at Nephis. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to share his sudden discovery with her... but sadly, Cassie was unconscious, so they lost the familiar means of silent communication. 'Is there even a point of keeping quiet, though?' Sunny had already been feeling apprehensive, but at that moment, he could not help but sense a cold shiver run down his spine. 'Damnation.' He knew that Asterion could read people's thoughts. There had to be some limit to that ability, but they did not know what that limit was. So, their minds could very well be like an open book to Asterion... even if Sunny doubted it. The Dreamspawn could definitely glean at least some of their thoughts, but overcoming the mental defenses of two Supreme Titans had to be a challenge even for him. Cursing quietly, Sunny divided his countless streams of consciousness into two. Then, he divided the multitude of these mental partitions by two several more times, until keeping them isolated from each other became a strain even for his deific mind. Finally, he hid his current train of thought in only one of these thousands of partitions, making it close to impossible to find. Asterion spared him a curious glance, then turned back to Nephis. "You asκed what I want?" He raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it obvious?" Asterion looked around the Ivory Tower, then cast the gaze of his golden eyes at the two of them and grinned. "Everything. I want everything" He spread his arms, as if wanting to embrace the world. "I want your Citadels. I want your soldiers. I want your people, too." "I can sense some of your true desires, as well. So... no. There will be no deal." 🎧

2760 Soul Devourers Nephs studied Asterion for a few moments, then continued in an even tone: "In truth, you do not really want our Citadels. You do not want to rule humanity or conquer both worlds, either. All you want is... to grow. All you want is to use the Human Domain as fertilizer for your growth. Ah, I've never felt a more abominable hunger." Asterion met her gaze with a nonchalant smile. “So you knew what I wanted all along, but still went to the trouble of asking three times? All that just to refuse me..." He sighed. "This is the problem with those who were nurtuгed by the Nightmare Spell. Your power is exceptional, but you are too militant. You are too used to solving problems with a sharp sword, so nо one knows the value of good negotiations." Smiling faintly, he shook his head. "Still. You are only reluctant to strike a deal with me because you are under the illusion that there is a different choice. Your mind will change once you taste true despair... of course, by then, I won't be offering such reasonable terms." Sunny scoffed. "I was right. You really do like the sound of your own voice... well, no surprise. You are quite eloquent, after all. However, I could not help but notice your peculiar choice of words earlier. What was it? We'll get to live the rest of our lives in peace if we agree?" He gave Asterion an unamused look. "You forgot to mention that the rest of our lives would not amount to much, didn't yоu? A handful of years, at best. Goodness, something tells me that you are not approaching this supposed deal in good faith." He turned to Nephis. "Actually, I figured out what this lunatic wants already. He is aiming for natural Apotheosis... maybe unnatural is a more fitting word in this case, though. He wants to achieve what Kanakht failed to achieve and attain godhood through feeding on his own Domain — not as a human, but as a creature. In short, he wants to enthrall all of humanity, then devour it." Turning to Asterion, Sunny added in a dark tone: “What a guy." In response, Asterion gave him an amused look. “You figured me out so quickly? My, my... I guess you did not become Supreme by accident, after all." His tone was friendly and easygoing, not at all fitting the hideous darkness of his genocidal intent. A heavy silence hung in the air, overflowing with tension. An unexpected sound then suddenly broke the silence, surprising both Sunny and Asterion. It was the sound of laughter. Nephis was laughing... her laugh was dry and joyless, but she was laughing nonetheless. "So, that's it?" She looked at Asterion, her eyes full of contempt. "That is all the great and terrible Asterion amounts to? All these years of waiting, the ominous mystery surrounding you, the fear of you everyone seems to share... and in the end, you are no different from the other two." His smile dimmed a little. "Ouch. That was uncalled for." Nephis, meanwhile, gritted her teeth. "All of this because you're just another cowardly deserter who is afraid to challenge the Fifth Nightmare." Her eyes blazed with white flames. "Anvil and Ki Song convinced themselves that they could not abandon the waking world or risk leaving humanity without the guardianship of Supremes. But you don't care about the waking world or humanity. So, what is your excuse?" Asterioh met her fiery gaze with a relaxed smile. "Why do I need an excuse?" He looked at her, then shifted his gaze to Sunny in confusion. "And why do I need to gamble my life away in the Fifth Nightmare when there is a safer, better way to become a deity?" Sunny exhaled slowly. "Why? Oh, I'm not sure... has it ever occurred to you that consuming the souls of countless humans — of all humans — is the vilest, most appalling way of attaining godhood one can imagine, perhaps?" Asterion raised an eyebrow. "Really? Remind me, please... how was it that you two became Supreme Titans? Was it through pacifism and natural enlightenment, maybe? Or was it through murder, slaughter, and bloodshed?" He shook his head. "How many souls have the two of you consumed to get to where you are?" Sunny scowled deeply. "Too many, perhaps. However, are you really comparing the souls of Nightmare Creatures to those of humans?" Asterion laughed. "Oh, and you two have never killed humans? The piles of corpses left in Godgrave tend to disagree. And even then, is there really such a difference? You treat Nightmare Creature as if they do not count. But they are living creatures, too... most of them are beasts, but many are just as sentient as you and I. It's just that their sentience differs from your own, so you don't feel the need to extend them the courtesy of counting them as individuals." Sunny stared at the Dreamspawn, feeling dizzy. He really could not tell if Asterion was simply a pathological liar or actually insane. Perhaps it was both. The Dreamspawn was not mentally ill, but his worldview was so outside the norm that he could not be considered a sane person, either. At the same time, he lied as easily as he breathed. However, his lies were always masterfully hidden between truths, cunning omissions, and baseless assumptions presented as facts, which made conversing with him a horrible headache. Asterion's deceit was so believable and spoken so confidently that even Sunny found himself involuntarily accepting it as truth sometimes. The worst part was that the bastard was not even seriously trying to deceive them, considering that all his lies crumbled easily as long as one examined them just a little. Take this last claim, for eхample... on the surface, it sounded like a bold, but oddly logical accusation. Of course, Asterion had failed to mention that all Nightmare Creatures shared an overwhelming compulsion to kill and devour humans. If there were peaceful abominations out there, Sunny and Nephis would have never attacked them of their own accord. "There is indeed a difference. They are the aggressors — we are merely defending ourselves out of necessity. We are simply trying to survive" Asterion gave him a pitying look. "Isn't that what I am doing, as well? Do you think humans were never the aggressors from whom I had to defend myself? To me, you humans are no different from Nightmare Creatures — strangers whо stand in the way of my survival. Do not forget that I was born here, in the Dream Realm. This is my home. You, on the other hand, are the invaders" Sunny smiled darkly. "I think you're lying through your teeth." Nephis stared at Asterion with scathing intensity. Her voice, however, remained even. "There is a huge flaw in your reasoning, though." He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is there?" She nodded. "It is quite misguided of you to assume that conquering the Human Domain — which Sunny and I rule — will be safer and more conducive to your survival than challenging the Fifth Nightmare." Asterion remained silent for a while, looking at her with a strange smile. Then, he sighed. "I guess you don't know. It makes sense, considering that the elders of your clan passed away a long time ago, while Anvil and Ki Song regarded you as a threat. The chain of inheritance was broken, and plenty of knowledge seems to have been lost." Asterion shook his head. "The Fifth Nightmare... it's different from all the rest. Challenging it is a far greater gamble than challenging the previous four. Chances of conquering it are slim." He fell silent for a moment, and then added somberly: "And even if you succeed, you won't be the same." 🎧

2761 Cautionary Tale Nephis and Sunny looked at each other. ‘Ah. I don't like it.' Even knowing that nothing Asterion said could be trusted, Sunny still felt intrigued. After all, they were planning on challenging the Fifth Nightmare while knowing nothing about it. Information about it was scarce... in fact, there was no information about it at all. The Sovereigns could have known something, though. By now, Sunny had learned more about the greatest secrets of the world than they had ever learned, but that did not mean that there was no knowledge they had possessed that he did not. The original Supremes had been around for far longer than Sunny and Nephis, after all. They had hoarded knowledge like treasure — or, rather, wielded it like a weapon to build their kingdoms. Asterion, meanwhile, had been the foremost explorer and historian among them. It was no coincidence that he had visited both the Eternal City and the Nightmare Desert long before the rest of humanity discovered them. Where else had he been? What secrets had he gleaned, and what mysteries had he uncovered? It was quite a tantalizing question. So, Sunny lingered for a while, and then asked: "What makes the Fifth Nightmare so different? And how do you even know about it?" Asterion chuckled. "I'll admit, it seems improbable that I would know anything about the Fifth Nightmare. After all, no Awakened from our cycle of the Nightmare Spell has returned from it — so, it is not like I could ask someone. Right? The phantoms who dwell within the Nightmares, meanwhile, all lived long before the Spell was completed. I understand your suspicion." He looked at them quietly. "However, that does not mean that the Awakened from the previous cycles did not know anything, either. If one searches diligently, finding traces that they left behind is not impossible... granted, there is barely any of those traces left, considering the obliterating conclusions of all the previous cycles." Sunny frowned. "Cycles..." He understood what Asterion was talking about. Earth was not the first realm infected by the Nightmare Spell — in fact, it was the last. In the past, the Spell had infected five other Divine Realms, giving its dwellers a chance to conquer the Nightmares and find salvation... just like the humans of the War Realm were fighting for their salvation now. It was just that none of those ancient people had succeeded. The Twilight Sea had been swallowed by the Dream Realm and became the Stormsea. Heart Realm was the Burned Forest now. A piece of the Sun Realm had become Godgrave. Moon Realm was nowhere to be found, even if Sunny suspected that Moonriver Plains had once been a part of it. And the Shadow Realm... well. Sunny had no idea who the Nightmare Spell would have infected there, but it had been swallowed by the Dream Realm in the end, as well. Asterion was claiming that he had discovered knowledge about the Fifth Nightmare in the ruins left by one of those fallen civilizations. Sunny did not know if that too was a lie, but he was willing to hear the Dreamspawn out. Judging by the faint smirk on Asterion's face, he must have read that thought in Sunny's mind. Shaking his head lightly, he continued to stroll around the ring of chains forming the Gateway. "You should be familiar with Godgrave quite well, no? The ruins hidden inside the Hollows there are what remains of a civilization that, like ours, was infected by the Spell and strived to resist the encroaching Nightmare. Naturally, they failed in the end — but they had achieved quite a few startling feats before succumbing to their fate. Several Awakened of their cycle even became Spirits, no less." He smiled. "Condemnation, Desolation — and a few others, as well. Of course, they went by different names back then... before Corruption. And among the ruins of the cities where their temples stood, there were fragmented remains of the chronicle depicting their deeds. That is where I learned a few things about the Fifth Nightmare." Sunny looked at him incredulously. 'Huh.' So, according to Asterion, Condemnation had not always been a Nightmare Creature. That fallen deity had been a fellow human once... a carrier of the Nightmare Spell no different from Nephis or Sunny, no less, albeit far more accomplished. Not that it helped, in the end. 'What a sobering revelation.' But one that could be easily believed, actually, considering that Sunny himself had once fallen prey to Corruption. If not for the nature of the Tomb of Ariel, he might have been a Great Titan now, not a Supreme one. He might have been the Mad Prince. "Why would the Fifth Nightmare be so different from the rest?" Asterion smiled. "Why wouldn't it be? After all, among all the steps on the Path of Ascension, the fifth one is the most profound. It is the step of attaining godhood. There is a vast abyss between those Supreme and those Sacred — that abyss is far greater than the gap between Supremacy and all the lesser Ranks combined. In fact, it is far greater than the gap between being Sacred and being Divine, as well. The latter is mostly a question of scale... of quantity. The former, however, has to do with the inherent quality of one's being instead." He looked at Sunny and Nephis with a wry glint in his golden eyes. "Look at you. You have only recently become Supreme, and you are already barely holding on to your humanity. Can you even remember what it feels like, to be mundane humans? And why would you? Your powers as Supremes are already incompatible with consciousness that is mundane, and therefore human. Imagine what you must become to wield the power of a god." Asterion shrugged. "How would the Spell guide one to such a fundamental transformation? It is not a matter of gaining raw power or attaining a deeper mastery of your Aspect. It is a matter of shedding the remains of your mortаl self and being reborn as something greater. It is only natural that the Fifth Nightmare would be different from all the rest." Nephis frowned. "So, what exactly is the difference?" Asterion flashed her a smile. "Ah, I am afraid I cannot answer that. Asking me to be exact is asking too much — even I am not omniscient, after all. All I know is that the Fifth Nightmare shares more in common with the First Nightmare than it does with the rest. It involves not one, but two trials — one personal, tailored specifically to the challenger, and one collective, like they usually are. Both are unimaginably brutal, and failing either one means death." He looked up with a wistful expression. "If you succeed, however... well, the Spell will do its thing and help you achieve Apotheosis in record-breaking time. Quite miraculous, really." His expression darkened. "The problem is that there is risk involved in causing such a transformation with brute force. The changes your consciousness — your very sense of self — will undergo as a result of the Fifth Nightmare cannot be controlled. After all, the Spell does not care if you are still yourself at the end of the Nightmare. All it cares about is that you have attained a new Rank." Asterion turned to Sunny and Nephis, looking at them with a dark expression. "That was what destroyed the civilization of the Sun Realm, in the end. Their cycle did not end because of the Nightmare Creatures or because of the Dream Realm swallowing their world. Instead, it was the very thing that had been meant to save them that ended up becoming their doom." The Dreamspawn smiled. "That's right. It was the Spirits that the Sun Realm civilization had given birth to that devoured and destroyed it, in the end. Because they lost themselves to godhood." He fell silent for a second and then asked in an amused tone. "Now, do you still want to challenge the Fifth Nightmare?" 🎧

2762 Demon of Hunger Sunny hesitated. The tale Asterion had told sounded compelling. The knowledge of how the civilization of the Sun Realm had fallen was both poignant and darkly fascinating. The information about the uniqueness of the Fifth Nightmare was fascinating and believable. It conformed to what Sunny had learned from Eurys, after all. He had already known that a profound transformation of one's consciousness was a necessary requirement of achieving Apotheosis... it only made sense that Weaver would have designed a special trial to let the Spell push its carriers to godhood. It also madе sense that such a transformation would threaten the challenger's humanity and sense of self — Sunny himself had been wary of that aspect of becoming a deity, let alone of becoming one in a rushed and forceful way. However... Asterion was also personally biased against the prospect of his enemies attaining godhood, not to mention being a highly manipulative, masterful liar. So, how much could his words be trusted? Trusting him implicitly would be imрossibly foolish. At the same time, simply assuming that everything he said was a lie was a sure way to end up fooled, since accomplished liars always hid their deceit between truths. In fact, those who were truly good at deception could be completely honest at times — specifically because they expected their words to be seen as lies, thus blinding others to the truth. Sunny would know, since he had mastered that particular manner of deceit all the way back at the Awakened Academy. ‘Ah, I don't know...’ Why couldn't people just be honest? There was no telling which parts of what Asterion had said about the Fifth Nightmare were true. If Sunny were to guess, though... he would assume that most of it was. Asterion had definitely omitted some information and exaggerated the rest to make the act of challenging the Fifth Nightmare seem even more dangerous than it was. However, the core of it should have been true. Which did not mean that his conclusions were correct. Sunny smiled. “Well, why not? After hearing you out... actually, I want to challenge the Fifth Nightmare even more." Asterion was striving to attain godhood without the assistance of the Spell for two simple reasons. Firstly, it was because he could. He had no moral compass whatsoever, and neither did he harbor any emotional attachments to humanity. So why wouldn't a appalling creature like him choose an easier and safer path? Secondly, Asterion's grasp on his sense of self had to be tentative at best. A person driven only by hunger and ambition, unmoored from everything and everyone else, could hardly rely on something external to anchor his personhood in the storm of Apotheosis. That was why he was wary of the dire trial of the Spell. Sunny and Nephis were different, though. Sunny was a master of maintaining his self intact — more so than anyone else, perhaps. That was because his very nature as a shadow was formless and shapeless. As such, he had trained relentlessly to never forget himself through Shadow Dance, so much so that even the mists of the Hollow Mountains failed to erode him into nothingness. Nephis, meanwhile, was connected to billions of humans and their most ardent wishes through the Longing Domain. That connection itself would most likely be enough to preserve the core of her being... but even if she entered the Fifth Nightmare entirely stripped of her Domain, she would possess an overwhelming advantage in tethering herself to her sense of self. It was her own ardent desire, her own longing — an absolute and uncompromising resolve to not only conquer the Nightmare Spell and destroy it, but also do it in a way she deemed worthy. It was no coincidence that she possessed the [Longing] Ability, after all, which made her soul incorruptible. So, even while choosing to believе Asterion in the matter of the Fifth Nightmare, Sunny did not think that it would be impossible for them to both conquer it and remain if not the same, then at least faithful to the core of what made them who they were. They did not have a lot of choices, anyway. Nephis smiled darkly. “Whetheг we challenge the Fifth Nightmare or not is not for you to decide, ghoul. However... I do have a question of my own for you." She regarded Asterion with cold contempt and then asked in a dispassionate tone: “What for? What are you doing this for? Is it really for no other reason than to satiate your hunger?" She shook her head. “What happens after you satiate it by devouring humanity and become a minor deity, then? Are you going to rule over a pile of corpses, all alone in an empty world? Or are you intending to surrender yourself to Corruption and become one of the profane gods of the Nightmare?" Nephis pursed her lips. “You know about the Forgotten God, it seems. That means that you must know that he will wake from slumber one day, destroying all of existence. Do you truly not intend to challenge the trials of the Nightmare Spell to stop him?" Asterion studied her with a wry smile for a while, keeping silent. Eventually, he chuckled. "That was more than one question, I would say. Still... allow me to answer. Why not?" Walking up to them, he faced Nephis and looked down at her. “You questions... ah. I'd say that they betray a lack of imagination. Who says that my hunger will be satiated by devouring humanity?" A faint smile twisted his lips. "No... no, far from it. I do not intеnd to stop at consuming all of humanity. I'll feast on all the fallen gods of the Dream Realm, too — and every Nightmare Creature there is. Destroying only humans would be somewhat unfair, don't you think? So, I'll swallow all nightmare creatures as well, so that no one's feelings are hurt." His smile widened. “After all, why leave it for Forgotten God to destroy all of existence when I can consume it all myself? Then, by the time the Dream Realm is truly empty and only bones remain — when I am Divine — I will challenge the Seventh Nightmare and face the Forgotten God..." Asterion's charming smile turned into a grin, a hint of a strange, eerie light igniting in his golden eyes. "...And I will devour him, as well" The Dreamspawn laughed. "I'll feast on his Flame, rise above Divinity, and swallow the world. I'll bask in the endless darkness of the Void. Then, I will devour the Void, too — I'll try, at least. Wouldn't it be thrilling, to see what lies beyond? And feast on the beyond, of course." Shaking his head, Asterion looked at Nephis and Sunny affably. “Ah, I see. Judging by your expressions, my plans sound... overly ambitious. But wouldn't you agree? To live is to aspire. One has to have at least this much ambition to live a satisfying life in this dull, dying world..." 🎧

2763 Endless Growth ‘He's insane. He's actually unwell...’ That was the only thing Sunny could think of as he regarded Asterion with a frozen expression. But no... Sunny had already established that the Dreamspawn was of sound mind. It was just that nothing about the way he saw the world was within the bounds of what humans would consider normal, while his thinking process was completely free of all preconceptions that most people shared. After all, why would Asterion not want to devour humanity, the Forgotten God, the entire world, and the everlasting Void on top of that? The notion was no more preposterous than a random orphan from the outskirts of NQSC becoming an immortal demigod who commanded a legion of dead souls and ruled half of humanity. To someone who did not know Sunny very well, his strange story would sound like the ravings of a madman. Just like Asterion's confession had sounded just now. 'He truly is a worthy heir of Heart God.' The god of growth and hunger. Asterion was more or less a flawless embodiment of insatiable hunger and unending growth. Nothing could ever satiate him, because his endless growth would always demand more fuel. So... in a sense, it was only natural that his ambitions went far beyond what Sunny and Nеphis dared to want to achieve. ‘Hell...’ Just what had those damn Path of Ascension zealots done to raise Asterion into the eerie creature he was today? Was it their fault that he had turned out this way? Or had his mind become twisted as a result of their isolated colony in the Dream Realm being annihilated, instead? No one knew much about the fate of that mysterious group. It had always been dismissively described as a fringe cult, but really, those supposed zealots were quite exceptional in their own way. They had been some of the first Masters of humanity, just like Immortal Flame, Warden of Valor, and Nightwalker... one of them had claimed the Lineage of Heart God, as well. It was just that their beliefs clashed with the emerging Legacy hierarchy, so they decided to аbandon the waking world entirely instead of being pushed out. That was how Asterion came to be born in the Dream Realm. Their Citadel had fallen at some point, though, leaving him the only survivor. Come to think of it, Sunny did not know the details of how the Path of Ascension cult had been destroyed... however, there could have been only a few possible causes. The most probable cause was that their settlement had been overrun by Nightmare Creatures. Alternatively... it could have been attacked by humans, instead. It was an established fact that the Legacy regime had been born in bloodshed, after all, having eradicated all other rising factions. Would they have really left a fringe group like the Path of Ascension cult to develop in peace? Looking at Asterion now, Sunny realized that there was a third possible cause. The Dreamspawn could have slaughtered the Path of Ascension zealots himself. Considering his current disposition, it was not difficult to imagine that he would have began on his journey of endless growth by consuming the very group that had created him. There was no way to know. Sunny exhaled slowly. ‘He wants to devour the Void, huh’ In short, Asterion wanted to become equal to the seven great gods and declare war on the Void, as well as on the harrowing creatures that dwelled within it... just like the gods had done once. In a sense, that war had never ended, so he would resume where the gods had left off — after inheriting their legacy. No wоnder he was hunting down all the Divine Lineages. ‘No, wait..." Sunny suddenly felt a little dazed. The gods had not been able to destroy the Void, they had only been able to seal it. But Asterion was not planning to succeed where they had failed by relying on the same amount of power. He was planning to attain power greater even than what the gods had wielded. After all, if he really did manage to consume all humans, all Nightmare Creatures, the Forgotten God, and existence itself... Then he would not simply become equal to one of the great gods. No, he would unite that which had been scattered all along... he would contain within himself all of the Flame of Desire. So, he would become as powerful as the source that had given birth to the gods, not the gods themselves. Seen in that light, his ambition to devour the Void suddenly did not seem quite as baseless. ‘He's still mad, though.' Sunny sighed. "Do you suppose that we will just let you gobble up humanity?" Asterion turned and looked at Sunny silently for a few moments. Then, he asked in a pleasant tone: “But what can you even do?" Chuckling quietly, Asterion looked away. "You can't kill me. You can't seal me, either — because to do so, you'll have to sacrifice the lives of the very same humans you want to protect from me" The sound of his voice was almost compassionate. "Ah, but of course, by sparing them, you are only ensuring that I will get them all, eventually. Goodness gracious, I really do not envy you. You really are in a tight spot... it's almost like the whole situation has been designed by someone to trap you." He grinned. Looking at that grin, Nephis said in a calm tone: "Do you really think that I will not burn all of Bastion down just to end you?" A cold smile twisted her lips, as well. “Do you think that there is anywhere in this world — in all worlds — that you can escape to if I decide to find you?" She looked at him evenly. "Go on, provoke me more. Let's see which one of us is ready to make sacrifices.’ Asterion remained silent... and Sunny did as well. At that moment, even he did not really know if she was bluffing. Eventually, Nephis shook her head. “Your arrogance is impressive, but your bluff is too simple to call. You try to pretend that neither of us poses any danger to you, and yet you spent years doing nothing but hiding. You even felt so threatened by a mere Saint as to ambush her — most pitifully of all, your ambush failed." She frowned. “Countless humans have been infected by the idea of you already, but how many havе you been able to make your thralls? The Human Domain stands strong, and all your efforts to shake its foundations have amounted to nothing. Yes, you are devious and dangerous... but do you really think that you can win?" Sunny was not sure if that confidence was a bluff, either. Asterion stared silently at her for a long while, as if unwilling to answer. Then, suddenly, he grinned. “Alright, it seems that you really are unwilling to make a deal with me. So, then... how about a bet, instead?" 🎧

2764 Bet Against the Devil Sunny raised an eyebrow. "A bet?" Asterion shrugged. “Well, I do hate to admit it, but the young lady is somewhat correct. Indoctrinating subjects of her Domain has indeed proven to be... more difficult than I anticipated. You really did a number on them, didn't you, Nephis?" He shook his head. "I don't even think that I could have done better myself. They truly are devoted — disgustingly so, really. As if you were already a goddess. Ah, but no matter. I'll get to them, eventually. The question is... what will the three of us do in the meantime?" Raising a hand to rub his temple, Asterion said in a pensive tone: "As I see it, there are two avenues to resolve our dispute. One is to make it a spectacle. You know, the usual repertoire of modernity — burning citiеs, rivers of blood, piles of corpses. You can unleash the full force of your Aspects upon me, while I will escape and command my thralls to begin a campaign of terror and sabotage across both worlds, dealing devastating damage to humanity and undermining the public's confidence in your leadership.’ His expression soured. "Naturally, that avenue will leave both parties unsatisfied. You will lose the lives of countless people you wish to protect... while I will lose the opportunity to devour those people. The drawbacks of this solution are substantial." Asterion fell silent, then continued as if nothing was the matter: "The other avenue is a more civil manner of resolving a dispute. We simply do... nothing." Sunny scoffed. "Nothing? You expect us to do nothing?" Asterion raised an eyebrow. “Why not? Ah, but in this case, nothing is simply a manner of speech. What I meant to say was that we will limit ourselves to aboveboard measures — for a time, at least. After all, haven't you just proclaimed your confidencе in the unity of the Human Domain?" He smiled ominously. "So, let us test it." Nephis frowned. “What exactly do you mean?" Asterion gave her a reserved look. "It is just as I implied. I will endeavor to undermine the unity of your Domain and make it mine — without resorting to bloodshed or acts of sabotage that can actually hurt it. You, meanwhile, can take measures to strengthen the devotion of your followers and prevent them from falling into my hands. It will be a war of public opinion... a war of ideas, if you will." Sunny and Nephis glanced at each other. At this point, it was clear... that Asterion was trying to con them. It could hardly be called a con, reallу, because he was not even trying to hide his intentions. Naturally, it would be in everyone's best interest if the clash between the three Supremes transpired without any blood being spilled. However, Asterion's powers were tailored for exactly that kind of warfare — for manipulating public opinion and propagating ideas that he deemed worthy. So, he would inevitably receive an advantage if they agreed to this temporary, deceptive ceasefire. It was just that Sunny and Nephis did not really have other options. Asterion had been right. At the moment, they could not contain him without causing destruction on a colossal scale, and that was not something either of them was ready to perpetrate... or at least ready to perpetrate just yet. The Human Domain, meanwhile, was indeed robust and strong. Neph's popularity was universal, and she was both revered and beloved by humans all across the two worlds. Some venerated her as a symbol of humanity, some regarded her as their best hope to survive the apocalypse, while some simply worshipped her like a goddess. That reverence was partially a result of a tremendous propaganda campaign that had spanned, in some shape or form, many decades, from the day Neph's grandfather became the first human to Ascend until her rise to the throne of humanity. But it was also a result of Neph's own efforts and her radiant powers, which had saved countless lives — and were saving them still. Such a foundation was not simple to destroy, even for Asterion. Sunny had a sinking feeling that they would still end up on the losing end of a war of ideas... but that did not even really matter at the moment. Whether Asterion was trying to con them into accepting a losing proposition or not was not as important as the implications of accepting his bet. The main one being that they would receive more time. And if they wanted to find a way to regain control of the situation and deal with the Dreamspawn, time was something that they needed the most. ‘Why does it feel like delaying the inevitable, then?’ Sunny sighed. He nodded subtly, signaling his opinion to Nephis. The corner of her mouth twitched slightly, betraying her displeasure, but she seemed to be of the same opinion as him, in the end. After a long bout of silence, Nephis finally spoke, her voice echoing in the vast hall: “Are there any stakes to your bet, I wonder?" Asterion simply laughed. “Why, of course. If you win, I will be captured and sealed. If I win, you will become my thralls. Naturally, when the time comes, either side can decide not to honor the agreement... but the beautiful thing about this bet is that its very terms leave the loser no way out. It is not that different from a self-fulfilling prophecy." Sunny and Nephis looked at each other once again. They were in a dead end. Asterion might have presented his offer as a bet, but in truth, it was an ultimatum. All they could do was agreе... for now. Once they regrouped and had a chance to discuss the situation, they could find a better solution. Kai, Effie, and Jet would be able to offer their opinions, as well... and Cassie would be with them again, too. Her advice might prove vital, considering how fixated Asterion was on eliminating her. Nephis grimaced. “Fine. I'll accept your bet.’ The words were spoken. Asterion smiled, then gave her a mocking bow. "A wise decision.” In the silence that followed, Sunny asked in a disgruntled tone: "Are you just going to stand there, then?" The Dreamspawn chuckled. "No... it's time for me to go, I think.’ Nephis raised an eyebrow. “And where exactly will you go?" Turning away, Asterion headed toward the exit with the same light steps. "Well, now that I have revealed myself, I'll need a residence. I can't very well ask you to provide me with accommodations, can I? Luckily, I happen to own a wonderful property right here in Bastion." He looked over his shoulder and smiled. "It's a scenic church on the edges of the city. Grаnted, all its worshippers have mysteriously vanished one night... ah, but it's not a problem." Just as he was passing through the gate, he added in a pleasant tone: "Something tells me that it will have a great number of new visitors soon..." 🎧

2765 No One to Trust Asterion had left. However, even if he was gone, his presence stayed in the Ivory Tower - not the metaphysical kind of presence powerful Awakened possessed, but simply the impression the weight of his existence left on the world. Sunny looked at Nephis and remained silent for a few moments. "Neph..." She inhaled deeply. "I know." Letting out a sigh, Nephis gave him a composed look. "At the moment, all we can do is deal with the pressing issues. One step at a time, Sunny... in order of priority. We must resolve the crises the Dreamspawn orchestrated first. Check up on Effie. Contact Jet and Kai, as well." She fell silent for a moment. "Bring Cassie here." Nephis looked at him and added in a distant tone: "If you don't mind." Sunny offered her a faint smile, then nodded and dissolved into the shadows. It did not take him long to reach Rivergate. Despite his worries, the battle had already concluded by then, the remains of what looked like a gargantuan Great Monster lay at the bottom of the dam, its eerie limbs reaching all the way to its battlements hundreds of meters above. Judging by how savagely the gargantuan body was mangled, Effie must have torn it apart with bare hands. Hiding in the shadows, Sunny pursed his lips. 'Really, now? What did I give her that spear for?' The Chain Breaker was looming in the sky above the dam, while Effie herself seemed to have disembarked. He cast his shadow sense outward, searching for her. As it turned out, she was close by, standing near the person in charge of the Rivergate Hydroelectric Plant with her arms crossed. Beth was busy shouting out orders. "Check the turbines! Make sure that the water doesn't flood the generator chamber! And by the dead gods, somebody, get Quentin! He has to repair the cracks before the entire damn dam collapses!" Letting out an infuriated huff, she looked up at Effie and added in an exasperated tone: "Saint Athena... thank you for your prompt assistance, really, but you are not going to leave that thing lying there, are you? It's blocking the outflow channel! So, cаn you transform again and drag the carcass away? Just a few hundred metres will do. No, better yet, chop it into little pieces so that my Awakened could transport them with their own strength..." Processing the carcass of a Great One was a logistical nightmare unless a Saint or two were at hand, so Sunny could understand the urgency in her voice. However, Beth was going to be disappointed - Effie was needed elsewhere, so he could not allow her to waste time here. Becoming a shadow, Sunny made himself into a human once more - this time, simply by using Shadow Manifestation instead of manifesting a true incarnation. He changed his facial features and appearance in the process, as well as contained his presence within himself, so that none of it could leak. Getting the skin tone to look natural was a bit difficult, but he managed just fine. In the end, a man who looked nothing like Sunny emerged from the shadows and walked up to Effie, giving her a polite bow. "Saint Athena. I bring a message from the Immortal Flame. Your presence is urgently needed in Bastion." She looked at him with a confused frown. "Who..." Then, her eyes widened a little. She remained silent for a few moments, then asked in a wary tone: "Did you say urgently?" Sunny nodded. "The matter is of grave importance. You must return posthaste." Effie gave him a long look, then turned away and bellowed: "Everyone back aboard! We are returning to Bastion!" Beth stared at her with a startled expression. "Returning? Who is going to get rid of that ugly thing, then?!" Sunny spared her glance, thinking about the times they had spent together in Antarctica. It was not that he particularly missed the Chain of Nightmares, but being a complete stranger to her made him feel wistful. 'Sorry, Beth...' "Apologies, Chief Bethany. Someone will be sent to assist with the removal and processing of the carcass soon. In the meantime, please direct your Ascended specialist to ascertain the potential value of salvageable material." With that, he followed Effie to the Chain Breaker. Soon enough, the flying ship was soaring through the sky, rushing back to Bastion... the Fire Keepers seemed to be in high spirits, celebrating a swift victoгy. None of them knew that the world had fundamentally changed in their short absence. That the Human Domain they had been defending so fervently was under immense threat, poised to be completely destroyed. Sunny envied their ignorance. At the same time, he was studying their faces quietly. He had known these people since the Forgotten Shore, and there was no one in the world more devoted to Nephis than they. But, still... How many of them would fall victim to Asterion's powers one day soon? It was difficult to imagine, but he was slowly coming to terms with the fact that nobody could be trusted in this stark new reality. The Dreamspawn was simply too powerful, and his powers were too insidious... Maybe taking away the trust people had in each other was the first step in his ghastly plan to undermine the Human Domain. "What the hell happened, Sunny?" Effie's voice sounded even, but she was visibly anxious. No surprise - her family resided in Bastion, after all. Hearing that her immediate presence was required because of something that had happened there must have rattled her. 'That reminds me... we must assign additional protection to Little Ling. Considering how interested in the Dreamspawns Asterion seems to be, there is no telling what he'll do.' Sunny sighed. "What happened? Well... we had a guest at the Ivory Tower." The more he spoke, the more Effie's expression seemed to dim. Soon enough, the shining surface of the Mirror Lake appeared on the horizon. Almost at the same time, a different incarnation of Sunny arrived at Bastion through a radiant Dream Gate. That one was carrying the unconscious, bloodied figure of Cassie in his arms. 🎧

2766 A Bitter Reversal By the time Effie and Sunny reached the Ivory Tower, the rest were already there. They had seen the unusually lively streets of Bastion on the way. The growing crowd of prominent champions of the Human Domain gathered on the pier of the Castle, waiting for a ferry to come and take them to the Ivory Island... where, without a doubt, representatives of the Immortal Flame clan would shine a light on the preposterous rumors quickly spreading across the world. The rumors that Asterion, the Dreamspawn, was back from the dead and claiming his place as the third Sovereign of humanity. 'Damn it all.' Things had gone much more smoothly when Mordret suddenly attained Supremacy. Now, everything was in chaos. The Fire Keepers were supposed to deal with the turmoil, but with one of their leaders gravely wounded and the other busy treating her wounds, they fell into inaction. None of them knew who Asterion was, anyway... Because simply knowing about his existence had seemed perilous once. And it was. Everyone either already knew or would soon know about him, though, and therefore everyone was already in danger. "How is she?" Cassie was laying on the bed in Neph's personal quarters on the highest floor of the Ivory Tower, while Nephis herself was kneeling beside her, soft light slowly disappearing from under her skin. She gave Sunny a somber look. He could see the answer himself. Some of Cassie's wounds seemed to have closed, but the gaping hole where heг left eye had been remained exactly the same. The bleeding had stopped, at least. Her bloodied face looked incredibly pale in the bright sunlight pouring into the windows. As she lay there, vulnerable and unconscious, Cassie seemed younger than usual... no, actually, she finally looked her age. Not that age still held the same meaning for beings like Sunny, Nephis, and her. Both physically and mentally, they were more or less ageless. "I managed to heal most of her wounds. But her eye simply refuses to recover... it is as if it was never there. As if missing an eye is the natural state of her body, so restoring it goes beyond the concept of healing." Casting a gaze at her friend, Nephis gritted her teeth and said, her voice shaking with fury: "I have no idea how he did that. I do not know how he prevented me from healing her remotely, either. Ah... he really prepared that ambush well." Sunny frowned. "But not well enough. Otherwise, Cassie would be missing both eyes right now." Nephis looked at him with a hint of misery in her eyes, which made his heart ache a little, then nodded somberly. "Yes." She remained silent for a moment, then sighed and looked to Kai. "Kai, can you ask one of the Fire Keepers to bring us water?" She turned back to Cassie and brushed a few stray strands of bloodied hair away from her face. "She shouldn't have to stay that way..." Kai and Jet were there with them, as well. They had arrived with the second incarnation of Sunny from Ravenheart via the Dream Gate, and were now standing behind Nephis in grim silence. When Kai left, she turned to Jet. "What is the situation?" Jet lingered for a moment. "The news has already reached the waking world. We are suppressing the spread on the network, but we can't stop people from talking. The djinn is out of the bottle, Nephis... well, уou must already know that. By tomorrow - two days at best, all of humanity will know that the Dreamspawn has returned. So, we can't cover it up. The best we can do is frame the story in a way that benefits us." Nephis looked at her with a dark expression. "Only we can't. Because he won't be sitting idly, either - he'll make sure to spread his own version of the story to cement his starting position. Then, he will start an information campaign to discredit us." Jet pursed her lips. "He might be a Supreme, but we still control the infrastructure. All the means of directing the flow of information are in our hands." Sunny shook his head. "No. The Dreamspawn himself is a means of controlling the flow of information. The most powerful one there is. He is a Supreme whose Aspect is all about controlling thoughts and emotions. We cannot prevent him from poisoning our people with his ideas." He paused somberly. "All we can do is inoculate them against the poison with ideas of our own." 'Maybe.' Effie, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke: "This is not our area of expertise, though. Isn't it too arrogant, to think that we can beat that monster at his own game?" Sunny and Nephis both looked at her. Eventually, it was Nephis who spoke, her voice low: "Arrogance has nothing to do with it. It's just that we have no other choice... we have been left with no other choice. So what's the point of cowering in fear?" Effie grimaced. "Can't we just lure him somewhere and turn him into a puddle of blood? Oh... and then feed that puddle to some Unholy horror. Even if he is immortal, that should keep him occupied for a while." Sunny sighed. "We can't. He is too cunning to walk into a trap - he is a human, after all, despite all his proclamations. And fighting humans is so much more difficult than fighting Nightmare Creatures. Even if we do manage to lure him away from human cities, though, it's... unclear whether we can defeat him in battle. Or rather, defeat him before he can escape." Effie frowned. "You killed Anvil and Ki Song alright." Sunny shook his head. "We had been preparing for that battle for years. We had usurped their Citadels, stolen the loyalty of their people, and attacked them unexpectedly when the power of their Domains was lower than ever..." He paused for a moment, thinking how eerilу that described what Asterion must have been planning. Swallowing his unease, Sunny continued: "...While they were already exhausted from fighting each other, no less. They had not even entertained the thought that we might attain natural Supremacy, either. But we did - by then, the outcome of the battle was already a moot point." Kai had returned with a basin of water and a clean cloth. Nеphis wetted the cloth and washed the blood off Cassie's face, speaking quietly: "We are strong... much stronger than Asterion, most likelу. But strength alone does not decide the outcome of battles. Do not make the mistake of underestimating him - he has been Supreme decades longer than we have, after all. He wields four Divine Lineages, as well: Heart God, War God, Storm God, and Beast God. He inherited the power of all four, no less." Maybe that could explain some of his unexplainable powers. Nephis sighed. "It would have been good if we could join forces with the King of Nothing. But he made his unwillingness to ally with us clear - in fact, he completely isolated himself in the Hollow Mountains, avoiding all contact with humans." A crooked grin twisted her lips. "He must have known that humans would become a liability once the Dreamspawn returns. At best, they are hostages that he uses to manipulate his enemies. At worst, they are his willing thralls, infecting everyone who comes in contact with them with his disease." Mordret had hidden himself in the mist of the Hollow Mountains, eventually cutting all contact with humanity. Of course, Sunny did not think that he was merely planning to hide from Asterion with his tail tucked... the bastard was definitely brewing his own plan. He had to know how meaningless hiding from Asterion was, at the very least. Sooner or later, the insatiable monster would come for him, as well. After meeting Asterion, Sunny could suddenly see where many facets of Mordret's personality had come from - some of his habits and mannerisms, even. One had been raised by the other, after all. It was amazing how Mordret suddenly seemed far less of an unhinged monster when compared to his former captor and guardian. Who knew that he would seem sensible one day? In any case, there was no point in expecting assistance from Mordret. "We still can..." Before he could finish the sentence, Nephis interrupted him by raising a hand. In front of her, on the bloodied bed... Cassie let out a quiet groan and then slowly opened her one remaining eye. 🎧

2767 End of Mercy Cassie opened her one remaining eye... however, Sunny knew that she could not see anything, still. For a brief moment, her pale face twisted in an expression of pain and fear. It was only after she activated her Awakened Ability that it relaxed a little, betraying her disoriented state. "Cassie." Nephis called her name quietly, holding one of her hands. "You are in the Ivory Tower. You are safe... have you shut down your mental network during the attack? You can activate your marks again now." Sunny walked closer, lowering himself to the floor near the bed. "It's just you, me, Nephis, Effie, Kai, and Jet here. How do you feel?" Cassie remained motionless for a few long moments, then drew a deep breath and sat up, using Nephis for support. Her voice sounded weak. "My... mom?" He hesitated a little. "She is safe, too. But she... seemed out of sorts. So, one of my incarnations brought her to the quarantine facility — she is still under obseгvation there." Jet added from behind him: "l've also sent someone to recover your father. He is in protective custody now" Cassie nodded slowly. Then, her hand hesitantly reached toward her face, where a gaping wound had replaced the gorgeous blue ocean of her left eye. Her fingers hovered just above the wound, trembling slightly. Nephis gritted her teeth. "I haven't been able to heal it yet. We'll... find a way, soon. Don't worry." Cassie did not respond. She remained silent for a while, then lowered her hand, exploring the changed geography of her face with a gentle touch. Eventually, she asked in a hoarse voice: "What happened? Tell me everything... no. That will take too long" She turned to Sunny, a silent question written in the subtle shadows on her face. He nodded simply, giving her permission. "Go ahead." Cassie's remaining eye drew him like a boundless abyss, and as she activated her Transcendent Ability, Sunny felt something pouring over his memories. He saw flashes of past events before settling on what had happened after he received Cassie's call for help. Before he could fully relive the memory, though, Cassie suddenly let out a piercing scream and fell back to the bed, clutching at the left side of her face. Crimson blood flowed from between her fingers, painting the sheets red. "W—what... what's the matter?" Kai stepped forward, shocked. Nephis leaned forward, her hands igniting with healing light. Sunny just remained frozen in place, powerless to do anything. Then again, Neph's flames did not seem to have any effect, either. Cassie's scream turned into a tortured groan, then into a deafening silence. She stayed quiet for a while, gritting her teeth in pain. Then, slowly, she lowered her hands, revealing the bleeding wound of her missing eye. "It's... alright." Cassie seemed to stare at the ceiling, her expression slowly becoming still. "It's alright... a little bleeding won't kill me." She paused for a moment, then asked: "So he came here, to the Ivory Island?" Sunny and Nephis glanced at each other. He studied Cassie for a brief momеnt, then said cautiously: "Yes. But, how is your... can you still use your Transcendent Ability?" A pale smile twisted Cassie's lips. "..Somewhat." She remained silent for a while, then added quietly: "Barely. It's difficult, with only one eye. The strain is too severe for me to handle... at least without causing myself harm." A somber silence hung in the brightly lit hall. It was good that Cassie had not lost her Transcendent Ability completely. However, if she had to harm herself so severely every time she used it, it was as good as gone. Which meant that their only way of curing Asterion's thralls was effectively gone, too. Perhaps Cassie would be willing to sacrifice herself in order to cleanse the minds of especially vital people, should they fall victim to the Dreamspawn... but Sunny was not sure that he would be willing to let her, especially not for such marginal gains. He suppressed the desire to curse and stood up with a sigh. "It's alright. We will simply find another way." Now that everyone in the world knew Asterion's name, the number of thralls was bound to explode. The quarantine facility and Cassie would not have been able to handle the flood of infected, anyway — so, Sunny and Nephis would have had to resort to more radical means of containing them regardless. Cassie exhaled slowly. "The thrall who attacked me in the lounge bar... he was a Master. There were others, as well." Her expression remained still. "We have only encountered enthralled Awakened before. But now that the Hunger Domain has sufficiently grown, the Dreamspawn seems to be capable of claiming Ascended, too." She remained silent for a few moments, then added in an even tone: "The ambush could only have been prepared in advance. I was supposed to meet Wake of Ruin... he was the one who had chosen the location, as well. There might be thralls embedded into his immediate circle of subordinates, but we can't exclude the possibility that Saints are becoming susceptible to the Dreamspawn's influence either.' Jet looked at her with a dark expression, lingered for a while, and then said somberly: "I will investigate Cor." Cassie nodded slowly. "In any case, it is more important than ever to keep our strongest vassals confident in the authority of the Immortal Flame throne. Seishan and her sisters, Morgan, the White Feather clan, the Saints of Night... and others. They must be waiting for an explanation. Time is of the essence, so we must reassure them first." She turned her head, facing the members of the cohort. "You must address the population immediately after that, Neph. You cannot reveal the Dreamspawn's true nature and goals, though... doing so will only cause widespread fear and panic, which will weaken the integrity of the Human Domain in turn. We must choose our words carefully." She took a deep breath, drops of blood still rolling down her face. "This bet he offered you... we cannot win it. He will inevitably defeat our efforts to prevent him from stealing the Human Domain. However, we can slow him down." She paused for a moment. "And using the time we gain by slowing him down, we will find a way to destroy him." Cassie gritted her teeth, then pushed herself into a sitting position once more. "I will command the Fire Keepers to start preparations for receiving high-ranking guests. I will send a message to the Saints of the Human Domain, as well, announcing an emergency council. There is no time to waste." Nephis gently prevented her from standing up. "The rest can do that — and more. You should rest and recover for now. Take care of yourself first." Cassie faced her with an unreadable expression. She remained silent for a few moments, then said: "I am not a cripple yet, Neph-" Then, Cassie softly pushed her hand away and staggered to her feet. "And none of us has time to rest. The Dreamspawn has returned, so I don't need to tell you... a war for the survival of humanity has begun. Even if there are no armies marching to destroy each other — yet — you know that this war will be far more ferocious and harrowing than the war in Godgrave. You cannot afford to pity me. You cannot afford to pity anyone, or show anyone mercy." Cassie faced them somberly, the crimson blood on her face contrasting sharply against the vivid blue intensity of her remaining eye. She exhaled slowly, and then said in an even tone: "And I shall not show anyone mercy, either." 🎧

2768 Bloodied Message 'Ah... I remember that pain.' The being who had been Song of the Fallen once almost lost herself in the torment of the dark, dreary memory. The iron stench of blood, the warmth of sunlight shining upon her bruised face, the texture of the blood-soaked bedsheets, the familiar scents of her friends and companions... She remembered it all now. In fact, even if she wished to... unless she wished to... she would never be able to forget a single excruciating detail. She knew now how the calamity had begun, and who the foe was. So, these memories were of no significance anymore — the memories of what followed were more important. Perhaps they could explain how she had ended up in this peculiar and eerie state. So, she wanted to abandon the memories of that day and turn her attention elsewhere... But before that, she could not help but pull one last recollection closer. That memory was not at all important, in the grand scheme of things. But it was important to her. In that memory, Cassie returned to the waking world after leaving it bloodied and broken. She had left in the evening and returned on the cusp of dawn. The streets of NQSC were still dark, and the desolate expanse of the abandoned outskirts was utterly lightless. Not that it made any difference to her, who spent most of her life in the darkness. Cassie exited the PTV with a tentative step. She had washed away the blood and donned a new attire, appearing no different from her usual self. The empty socket where her left eye had been was pulsing with a dull pain, but its gaping hole was hidden behind a blindfold. Nobody would know that she had been maimed unless she took the blindfold off. Cassie was blind and had not perceived the world with her own eyes for more than a decade. Her eyes were useless to her, so losing one should not have affected her much. And yet, she felt its absence. Without her left eye, she felt peculiarly unbalanced. Cassie was hurting, but far worse than the pain was the cold recognition that she had been maimed. 'How will I show my face to people?' The question startled her. Without the protection of the blindfold, everyone would see how gruesomely she had been brutalized. There was no shame in that, but... Cassie almost smiled. 'I guess I have some vanity left, after all' She knew, naturally, that she was beautiful... had been beautiful, at least. She had assumed that it was of little importance to her, and she had definitely never put any meaning into her looks. But now, Cassie realized that they mattered to her far more than she had thought. Perhaps it was because she could not see, but she cared about how people saw her deeply. Schooling her expression, Cassie entered the abandoned factory. She did not want to appear rattled to the staff of the quarantine facility... to them, she was like a messenger of their goddess. A saintess in the true meaning of the world, not the Rank designation brought upon by the Spell. If a messenger of heaven appeared bloodied and afraid, how would simple mortals feel? Passing the security checks and entering the quarantine facility, Cassie soon stumbled upon a familiar face. Despite the early hour, Awakened Yutra was dragging an alloy crate somewhere... naturally, it was a crate of synthetic beer, and he was dragging it to the generator room, where he always hid it. Cassie stopped, listening to the sounds Yutra made quietly. He had managed to replace the beer every time she wiped his memories, never breaking the cycle. Cassie had even joined the tenacious Awakened and his drinking buddies in the generator room once to sample the cheap beer... not that any of them would remember it. And despite that, she still had no idea where he procured the synthetic swill, let alone how he managed to procure it without fault each time. It was actually quite astonishing. Yutra, meanwhile, finally noticed her presence. "S—Saint Cassia, m'am!" He stood straight, looking at her with admiration and awe, as if he met a living deity. That expression of his never changed. Cassie forced herself to smile. "Good morning, Awakened Yutra." He scratched the back of his head shyly. "Oh, is it morning? It's hard to tell here, underground." Cassie remained silent for a while, looking at herself through his eyes. She felt deeply regretful that she could not see his face instead. Her hand hovered close to her waist, as if wanting to rest on something. But then, Cassie froze. 'Oh... right. Quiet Dancer is gone.' The loss of her trusty rapier hit her more than the loss of her eye. She slowly made a fist, then relaxed her hand and lowered it. Cassie had told Nephis that she would show no mercy to anyone... and that included showing mercy to herself. The world did not afford them the luxury of being sentimental at the moment. Her smile dimmed a little. "Actually, Awakened Yutra... I was wondering if you could do me a favor." Cassie sensed the muscles of his face move, forming an expression of surprise. "A favor? How can I... I mean yes, Saint Cassia! Just say the world." She nodded in gratitude. "Could you please gather all the staff in the main production hall? I have some news to share." Yutra threw a furtive glance at his crate of beer, then nodded energetically. "Of course! I'll gather them right now." Abandoning the beer, the man hurried away. Cassie, meanwhile, remained in place. The smile slowly drained from her face. Soon enough, she was standing in front of an alloy door. Behind it, the staff of the quarantine facility was waiting in the darkness of the empty production hall, whispering as they excitedly discussed what kind of news Song of the Fallen had brought. Cassie inhaled deeply, then exhaled, then inhaled again. After a while, she put on a confident expression and opened the door. Dozens of eyes immediately aimed intense gazes at her. All of these people had been thralls once, and all of them were freed from the jaws of the Dreamspawn by her. Then, they volunteered to stay and help her treat other patients. After all the time they had spent together, she knew them all well. Yutra... Tegrot... Rit... And all the rest. Cassie faced them with a smile. "Greetings, everyone. Today, I have an announcement to make." She fell silent, the benevolent smile glued to her face. Then, it widened a little. "First of all, I want to sincerely thank each of you for the work you've performed under my command. Your conduct has been stellar, and your contributions to the safety of the Human Domain are deeply appreciated. It has been a personal pleasure of mine to lead such an exemplary group of individuals." The members of the staff listened to her with rapt attention. There were a few cheerful smiles and excited whispers, but most seemed shy and embarrassed. Cassie forced herself to keep smiling. "So, it is with pride and satisfaction... that I announce the conclusion of our mission. The threat we've been battling is thwarted. You have all done well. There is no need for this quarantine facility anymore, so you can all go home.' The staff members fell silent. Cassie lowered her head and sighed quietly. Then, she repaired her expression and faced them once more. "Senior members of the Fire Keepers will arrive shortly to handle the handover and begin decommissioning this facility. In a few days, you'll be free to return to your families and enjoy the fruits of your service. That is all. Congratulations!" She could not treat the enthralled anymore. So, there was no point in maintaining the quarantine facility anymore. She could not treat the staff members either, so they had to be separated from the thralls. So, she was going to set them free. That was thе least she could do, after all they had sacrificed for the Human Domain. Cassie cast one last gaze at the production hall — through the eyes of the Awakened gathered there, of course. Yutra was confused and baffled. Standing by his side, Tegrot seemed excited. Rit was frowning, like she usually did. There was nothing she could do for these people anymore. Bowing awkwardly, Cassie turned around and left before they could ask any questions. She deactivated the marks she had left on them, as well, leaving herself alone in the darkness. Without anyone to escort her and lacking the support of the Quiet Dancer, Cassie had to navigate the quarantine facility by memory. Luckily, her memory was absolute, so she remembered each crack on its walls perfectly. Things always changed in a place where so many people worked and lived, though, so she bumped into a few things on the way, regardless — or rather, she would have if not for her Awakened Ability, which allowed her to experience these stumbles beforе they actually happened. Tracing a cement wall with her fingers, Cassie walked down a dark corridor and stopped in front of a thick door of a patient cell. She remained standing in front of that door for a while, as well, gathering her courage. Finally, she unlocked the door and walked inside. A familiar voice came from the darkness: "Cassie! Thank the gods! I was so worried!" A weak smile appeared on her face. "I'm alright, Mom. You don't have to worry anymore." For the first time in a long while, Cassie felt happy to be blind. She did not think she could have endured the sigh of her mother locked in a barren patient cell. She hesitated for a few moments, then said in a bright tone: "Dad is also fine. Oh... our home might need extensive repairs, though." Her mother suppressed a gasp. "Home? Who cares about our home right now, Cassie?" Cassie walked slowly to the cot and sat near her mother, sensing a familiar, calming scent. "Right. Who cares? I am wealthy enough to buy us a new home. In fact, why don't we all settle in Bastion? What do you think, Mom?" Her mother did not respond, though. Instead, what met her was an unsettling silence. Then, a shaking hand reached and pulled down her blindfold. Cassie heard a sob. "Oh, baby..." She caught her mom's hand, squeezing it in hopes of sharing warmth. She did not know which one of them needed warmth, though. "How could this have happened?" Her mom's voice was brimming with pain and anguish. "It's terrible..." Cassie smiled weakly. Her mother, meanwhile, continued in the same pained, loving tone: "It's terrible that you still have your second eye, Cassie. Didn't Lord Asterion want to take it? Oh, baby, you should have let him rip it out..." Cassie's lips trembled. She remained silent for a while, holding her mother's hand. Eventually, she asked: "Should I have?" Her mother answered in a stern voice: "Of course! Lord Asterion only wants the best of you! For all of us." Cassie smiled. "Alright." She inhaled deeply and then turned a little, casting the unseeing gaze of her one remaining eye at her mother. "Don't worry anymore, Mom. It's all going to be alright." As the light in the cell seemed to dim, the beautiful blue depths of her eye changed. And as her mother froze, falling into a trance, red drops rolled down Cassie's cheek. They fell to the floor and scattered in the dust, disappearing. But more drops fell soon. 🎧

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