Shadow Slave

Cassie left the part of Mordret trapped inside the mirror in a pitiful state, crumbled on the floor and crying — she would have liked to share parting words, but sadly, he was in no condition to hold a conversation. It was no surprise. After all, the King of Nothing could only endure the weight of his memories because he knew no regret, and therefore no remorse… no compassion. His other self, however — empty as he was — knew compassion all too well.

To him, the memories of all the gruesome things Mordret had perpetrated, as well as all the ghastly things Mordret had endured, were like poison. Experiencing them as memories was no different from torture. One he had chosen for himself, but torture nonetheless.

So, Cassie simply left. She wasn’t feeling all too well, either.

…The next day, she tied a piece of fabric around Rain’s face, covering her eyes, and helped her push Smile of Heaven’s wheelchair to the highest floor of the Ebony Tower, past the hall where the walls were carved with myriad runes.

“…What is so dangerous about those runes, anyway?”

Rain’s voice was subdued.

Cassie lingered with the answer.

“There are things in this world that will destroy you simply by knowing them, or even by being too close to those places where the knowledge of them was transcribed. There is also knowledge that was forbidden by the will of the gods. Actually, the runic hall of the Ebony Tower is not too dangerous — at least not to an Ascended like you. But…”

She hesitated.

“Most Awakened are protected from understanding the forbidden runes, and therefore gaining knowledge that will destroy them, by the Spell. But you are not a carrier of the Spell, so nothing is protecting you. More than that, you are exceptionally sensitive to the Names and, by extension, to the runes. Places like this are dangerous to you, Rain… at least until you grow stronger.”

Smile of Heaven remained still and expressionless as her wheelchair floated up the stairs, held up in the air by the power of Rain’s Epithets. Finally leaving the eerie level behind, they arrived at the highest floor, where the portal archway rested in the darkness.

Rain removed the piece of fabric from her eyes and sighed.

“So, what is the plan? If things go south, we open the portal and run away again?”

Cassie remained silent for a while, then slowly shook her head.

“No. There’s nowhere left to run. You won’t be able to open the portal again, anyway.”

Turning slightly, she pointed to the runic circle surrounding the archway.

“See there? A portion of the enchantment is destroyed. I destroyed it. You should recognize the runes I crossed out: space, desire, web, connection… I taught you these runes already.”

Rain did not answer immediately.

“Why did you destroy the runes?”

Cassie pushed the wheelchair away from the entrance to the stairwell and turned to face her.

“Because now that the Ivory Island is back among the Chained Isles, anyone can use it to gain entrance here. I had to make sure that we won’t be attacked from inside the Ebony Tower, so… I chose to destroy the runes that you can restore one day. Just in case I am not here to help you.”

She seemed at ease, and her voice was as calm as ever. Rain simply stared at her for a long while, trying to keep her own emotions under control.

Eventually, she asked:

“What am I supposed to do here, then? Just wait and listen, wondering what is happening outside?”

Cassie offered her a reassuring smile.

“This is the safest place in the tower. Here, nothing will happen to you during the battle. If the battle drags for too long… there is food, blankets. Everything you need to spend a few days in relative comfort.”

Rain raised her chin a little.

“What about after the battle? What happens if I stay safe and sound while everyone else dies?”

Cassie seemed to study her for a moment. “Well… I don’t think anything terrible will happen. The Dreamspawn needs as many people as possible to stay alive and well, especially powerful Awakened like you. So, you will probably have to spend a few more months under his mind hex — then, Sunny will come back and find a way to break it.”

Rain shook her head.

“You just called me a powerful Awakened. So, you should let me stay with you and help!”

She gritted her teeth.

“You said that you needed my help, that you needed me to be your eyes… who is going to be your eyes if I’m here?”

Cassie smiled gently.

“Rain… it will be hard even for me to be of any use in this battle. A Master like you won’t be able to change anything. Plus, you are already helping. Haven’t you given me the Epithets? I can feel them. I am much stronger because of you.”

Her gentle words were in sharp contrast with her pale face and the blood seeping through her blindfold.

Rain bit her lip, then turned away and faced the obsidian wall.

After a while, she spoke again, her voice tone:

“I’ve been trying out my Ascended Ability, you know? I’ve been trying to talk to the Ebony Tower.”

Cassie tilted her head a little.

“Oh? Did it say anything?”

Rain hesitated for a few moments, then shrugged.

“It is not really a conversation. But I can feel… something. An impression. Like hearing an echo of the thoughts that belonged to a sleeping giant.”

She turned slightly and said:

“This tower was flawlessly white once, you know? Just like its sister high in the sky. But after myriad years of burning, it turned black, like the darkness around it.”

Cassie smiled.

“It must be glad to be here in the Sky Above, then — bathed in the light and caressed by the winds.”

Rain turned to the wall once again and shook her head slowly.

After a while, she said:

“It misses the fire.”

Cassie tilted her head.

Eventually, she walked up to Rain and gripped her shoulder softly.

Then, she turned away and left.

Now alone, Cassie slowly descended the steps of an ancient black tower. With each step, a dull pain radiated from beneath her bloodied blindfold. All around her, Mordret’s vessels were preparing to face the final siege of the war — even if they had little chance of winning it.

She passed the hall where the forbidden runes were inscribed on the walls, the shrine of the Goddess of Black Skies, the workshop of the Demon of Destiny, the great brazier where the flame that had once destroyed the Kingdom of Hope still burned, and the living quarters on the ground floor as well.

Walking out of the Ebony Tower, Cassie 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 — these ones forged by humans, not by the mythical beings of the distant past — the forces of humanity were arrayed against her and Mordret.

The great army of the Hunger Domain was positioned on the islands around the Ebony Tower, surrounding it from all sides. Hundreds of thousands of Awakened, thousands of Masters, more than a hundred Saints… there were vast swarms of Echoes and myriad enthralled Nightmare Creatures, as well.

Seishan and her sisters were among them. So were Nightwalker and the Saints of Night, Sky Tide and Roan… even her own Fire Keepers.

And their master, of course — their new master, that was.

Asterion.

All of them were ready to attack the Ebony Tower.

“Quite a sight, isn’t it?”

She turned her head slightly, acknowledging the man who had spoken to her — the wicked monster with eyes that reflected the world back on itself… Mordret of Nowhere, the King of Nothing.

Her last and only ally.

Cassie lingered for a moment, then said evenly:

“I wouldn’t know.”

Mordret laughed.

Once the echoes of his laughter were swallowed by the wind, he 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.”

If the rulers of the Longing Domain had been willing to let him cull humanity before Asterion took it, they would not have been driven into a corner. The Dreamspawn would not have become unstoppable. Mordret paused briefly, looking at the enthralled army that had belonged to the obliterated Longing Domain once, and asked:

“So, what does defeat taste like?”

Cassie lingered for a long time.

When she finally spoke, her dark voice was full of defiance:

“…I am not defeated yet.”