Shadow Slave

A vast and somber expanse of white mist sprawled beneath a bleak, stormy sky. The surging storm clouds were heavy with rain, ready to explode with thunder and lightning;the sea of white mist was restless, flowing on the currents of ghostly winds.

A pale light was suffusing the clouds and pouring onto the misty sea below. There, in the tempestuous sky, seven radiant spheres were shining like suns, their cold rays falling through the tears in the veil of the storm.

It seemed as though vague symbols were carved into the surface of the pale suns, hiding beneath it like shadows.

A man was sitting on the surface of the sea, surrounded by mist, looking up at the silent tempest. The surging clouds, the rays of pale light, and the seven radiant spheres reflected in his eyes as if in a mirror. His gaze was solemn, and his expression was distant.

He was Mordret... the fragment of Mordret who had spent most of his life in the Palace of Imagination, living among people who he knew were no different from illusions, in a world that he knew was a mirage.

Now, even that mirage had been taken from him, and he found himself imprisoned here — in the hidden heart of his twin brother’s Mirror Realm.

Looking at the raging clouds, he sighed. This Mirror Realm was vast and nebulous, reflecting the tumultuous world back upon itself. However, its very heart — the place he was inhabiting — was different. It was hidden deeper and defended better, isolated, like a fortified inner keep behind the walls of a great fortress. It did not reflect the world... instead, it was a reflection of his brother’s Soul Sea.

There was a living space set up for him here. It was sparse and pragmatic, but also not without a note of fancy. His brother must have collected various items and amenities in preparation for their eventual reunion in the span of countless years — some of them were opulent and luxurious, worthy of belonging to a member of the most affluent Legacy clan, some would fit a mundane soldier better.

There was a modest manor with a tastefully decorated back garden standing in the mist. There was a massive military APC and camp kitchen set up in the mist nearby, as well as several alloy water tanks. There was a vast library full of books, writing and calligraphy utensils, elegant tea sets, and a large storage of varied food supplies.

There were paths to take walks, with various curios placed in the mist along them — rock formations, sculptures and relics found in remote regions of the Dream Realm, strange machines and mundane artifacts from Earth, towering carcasses of fantastical Nightmare Creatures his brother must have slain...

And much more. Mordret was discovering new things every day.

It was a bit of a letdown compared to his previous lifestyle, but he was comfortable. If a little lonesome... for now.

After all, his brother did not have time to visit at the moment.

The raging clouds, the restless currents in the sea of mist, the powerful winds that blew across the vast expanse of the Mirror Realm, as if trying to tear it apart — it was not how things were supposed to be. Instead, it was a sign that his brother’s soul was under assault. He was at war, fighting for his life. Even the innermost part of his Mirror Realm was in a tumultuous state, its walls trembling, so there was no saying what kind of fury and devastation was reigning outside.

As Mordret glanced up, subtle cracks appeared on the surface of one of the seven suns. Malignant tendrils or revolting darkness spread in those cracks, marring the radiant surface of the sphere and consuming it from the inside like a tumor. Before too long, the light of the Soul Core dimmed, and it came to resemble an appalling, diseased star that seeped grotesque black tears.

A moment later, the Soul Core shattered like glass. A rift opened in the sky, and its shards were forcefully expelled, taking the mass of spreading darkness with them.

The winds howled, and the mist surged. A twisting white pillar ascended into the sky, connecting the vast sea with the furious tempest above like a twisting tornado. As more mist poured into the clouds, a new, pristine Soul Core was slowly formed to replace the shattered one.

That was a reflection of his brother’s soul becoming infected with Corruption. He had torn one of his Soul Cores out, callously mutilating himself, to prevent the Corruption from spreading — then, using the vast reservoir of power he had absorbed after slaying the Castellan, he created a new one.

This way, the Prince of Nothing saved himself.

But it was of little use.

Because before too long, a different Soul Core dimmed, rotting with vile darkness. That one was shattered and expelled, as well, and a new one eventually took its place. The somber expanse of his Soul Sea reeled, the white mist surging under the assault of cold winds.

This was not the first or second time Mordret had observed the terrifying spectacle transpiring in the sky above him... and it wasn’t going to be the last.

This battle had been going on for days.

For now, his brother was managing to balance the price of continuously sacrificing parts of his soul to carve out Corruption, but how long would it last? He had gained a great deal after absorbing the essence of the Castellan, but that stolen boon was not endless. The sea of mist was overflowing for now... but it already seemed thinner than it had been before. 𝙧Ά₦ꝋʙЁʂ

What would happen when it vanished entirely, revealing the still water beneath? What would happen when Mordret saw a flawless reflection of the tempest above on the placid surface of his brother’s Soul Sea? What would happen when even the storm clouds vanished?

He was worried. He was restless. He wanted to help...

But what could he do?

Mordret was merely an Awakened, after all. Even then, he had lived most of his life as a mundane human. The scope and terror of the battle happening outside the walls of his comfortable shelter was far beyond his ability to comprehend, let alone affect.

He was of no use to his brother... to anyone. Taking a deep breath, Mordret finally glanced down.

Then, he closed his eyes and concentrated, a resolute expression appearing on his face. Nothing happened for a long while...

And then, a tiny tendril of white fog slowly rose from the surface of the misty sea, being drawn to him by some invisible force. Some time later, there was another.

Soon enough, dozens of thin streams of white mist surrounded him, being slowly absorbed into his body.

Mordret was not at all as capable as his powerful, terrifying brother... but at the core of their being, they were the same person. So, he could become someone capable, as well.