Shadow Slave

Asterion stepped onto the empty chain and walked across it, wearing no armor and wielding no weapon.

And yet, with each step, it felt as if invisible pressure descended on the Ebony Island, making it hard to breathe.

Cassie exhaled, then straightened and rubbed her face tiredly. The pieces of shrapnel had left a few cuts on it, so her hand ended up bloody.

‘So, he decided to enter the battle personally, after all…’

Mordret, who was standing nearby, looked across the Tear and smiled faintly.

“Looks like this is my cue.”

His original vessel was the strongest he possessed — it was the body of a Supreme Titan, after all. So, if anyone could face Asterion in battle, it was him.

Mordret glanced at Cassie and hesitated briefly, then sighed.

“You know, I was really dissatisfied when you managed to escape from me back then — all those years ago, in the Night Temple. I couldn’t make you into a vessel, and I failed to kill you. Even though I am incapable of feeling regret, it was quite vexing.”

He chuckled.

“Who knew that I would feel lucky not to have killed you one day? Ah… the world has truly gone mad. See you on the other side, Song of the Fallen.”

With that, he grinned and walked toward the chain.

Morgan seemed to have managed to reattach the broken link, somehow. She assumed her human form once again and breathed heavily, then lowered herself to one knee when Asterion approached. He walked past her without acknowledging her bow, then stopped, facing Mordret. Mordret raised his sword and pointed it at the Dreamspawn.

“Get ready, old man. I am going to kill you today.”

Asterion sighed.

“Isn’t it the definition of insanity, to keep doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result? Boy… you know you can’t kill me. How many times have you tried? I cannot be killed, and so, all your efforts are futile. Your defiance is futile. All your accomplishments are meaningless, and no matter how many times you pierce me with that sword, I am not going to be destroyed.”

Mordret remained silent for a few moments, then smiled crookedly.

“Maybe. But it will feel very nice to kill you a few times, you know?”

He took a step back, and his smile widened.

“I realized something after my father died. It was that his death had left me dissatisfied… it was too quick, too fleeting. Before I could even enjoy it, the moment was already gone. So, to be honest, I am glad that you are immortal. I am giddy with joy, really. It means that I keep killing you, over and over again… forever.”

He laughed.

“Gods. What will I ever do if you actually die? Life will become so dull and uninteresting.”

Asterion sighed and then outstretched a hand.

“Morgan.”

A moment later, Morgan turned into a torrent of steel and flowed into his hand, turning into a radiant, terrifying, lethal sword.

Grasping the sword in his hands, Asterion looked at Mordret coldly and said:

“As for me, I have grown tired of killing you a long time ago. So, let’s make this the last time…”

***

On the other side of the Dream Realm, a vicious snowstorm had descended on Ravenheart, dressing its streets in a white shroud.

There were strangely few people on the great bridge that spanned the abyss between the mountain and the volcano, as if most of the Awakened had gone somewhere. There were even fewer people in the Jade Palace, even if there were some left to guard it.

Jet had gotten past them with ease.

She had no way of telling if they had been enthralled by Asterion or not, but her gut told her to stay away.

So, she had sneaked past them as a wisp of mist.

Reaching the opulent corridors of the ancient palace, she assumed the form of a wraith and looked around, a cold gleam igniting in her icy-blue eyes.

Jet had been gone from the Human Domain for a while, so she did not know how the situation had changed in her absence. From the look of it, however…

It seemed like Ravenheart had completely fallen into the hands of the Dreamspawn. That was not the kind of welcome she had wanted to receive… although it was the kind she had expected.

Her worst expectations had come true.

The question was…

‘What do I do now?’

Jet was lingering in the corridor, surrounded by chilling cold and dancing snowflakes, when two menacing flames suddenly ignited in the deep shadows beside her.

Then, something emerged from the shadows — or rather, someone.

It was a little abomination that only reached her waist, seemingly forged out of blackened metal and littered in jagged spikes.

The infernal gremlin looked up at her, then raised a clawed hand and waved it a couple of times, as if inviting her to follow.

Jet frowned.

“You’re… Ravenous Fiend, aren’t you?”

The last time she had seen the fearsome Supreme Devil, he had been dozens of meters tall. So, it was surprising to see him in such a miniature form.

Could that thing change its size at will? Fiend huffed, exhaling a puff of flame, and waved his hand again.

Jet blinked a few times.

“You… want me to follow you?”

The steel Devil nodded energetically.

She lingered for a few moments, then smiled darkly.

“Lead the way, then.”

Together, they delved deeper into the Jade Palace.

Soon enough, she discovered Kai.

Jet’s face fell.

“Gods. What have they done to you…”

***

Somewhere far away, Effie sprawled on the floor of her cell, drawing her arms as close to her body as the chains allowed her. Labored breaths escaped her chest, and her expression was grim.

“Free, free…”

Who was it that said it? That wolves… were meant to be.

“Ah, yes…”

It was that man, the Crimson Beast of Twilight. Noctis, the Wicked Warlock of the East.

Only it wasn’t Effie to whom he had said those words. She just couldn’t remember who it was, and how she had come to know them.

Unlike her, Noctis had not been chained. Instead, he had been a chain — a chain that bound Hope, the Demon of Desire.

He had still broken her chains, in the end. He had broken himself, as well. That was why the flying ship Cassie steered was called the Chain Breaker.

Only, weirdly enough, Effie could not remember who had given it that name. And, sadly, she wasn’t strong enough to break her chains.

So…

Did that mean that she had to break herself?

Effie’s cracked lips twisted into a dark smile.

…Who knew more about being broken than she did?

Kneeling on the cold stone floor, she pressed her forehead against it to support her weight.

Then, slowly, arduously, she dragged one of her arms to her face.

‘Wolves are meant to be free…’

She snarled and then sank her teeth into her own flesh.