Novelori.
English
Site language
EnglishРусскийEspañol
Shadow Slave

Asterion's Plague

Spoilers ahead: this article covers the full story.

At a glance · Asterion's Plague
Novel
Chapter 2721-2999 (279 Chapters)
Article contents
  1. Asterion's Aspect
  2. Bet
  3. Second Front
  4. Memories of the Plague
  5. Plans
  6. Solution
  7. Ending the Plague
  8. Trivia
  9. References
  10. Site Navigation
SPOILER WARNING!
This article contains HEAVY SPOILERS for the Shadow Slave webnovel. Please read at your own risk.


“ ...Who says that my hunger will be satiated by devouring humanity? No... no, far from it. I do not intend 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 abominations as well, so that no one's feelings are hurt. 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...And I will devour him, as well. 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. ”

― Asterion to Nephis and Sunny about his ambitions,
Chapter 2762 Demon of Hunger


The name of the Dreamspawn, Asterion, is described as possessing the power to spread. Once an individual learns the name, it roots itself in their mind, compelling them to repeat it unconsciously in conversation. This repetition causes further transmission, as anyone who hears the name also becomes a carrier. There is no cure existed since the name functioned as an idea that acts as a virulent virus.[1]

His power spread through human thought, as he was both a man and an idea—specifically, an expression of his Supreme Will. Exposure to the idea of Asterion was inherently dangerous, as merely learning of it could result in infection, making conventional methods of ideological warfare ineffective against him.[2]

Asterion's Aspect

Asterion's Aspect centered on mental and spiritual manipulation, allowing him to sense and influence the thoughts and emotions of others, as well as feed on them to grow stronger, at least within the scope of his Dormant, Awakened, and Ascended Abilities.[3]

His influence can spread like a memetic virus, where mere exposure to his name infects people with his power, producing varied effects that range from no visible symptoms, to compulsively uttering his name, to having one's thoughts and actions entirely altered, creating agents of the Dreamspawn within the human world. Some individuals appear to be consumed completely by his power, falling under total control and possibly becoming avatars, described as mere extensions of Asterion rather than true individuals.[3]

He is capable of reading thoughts effortlessly, bypassing mental defenses and perceiving both Cassie and those connected through her Aspect, and can exert indirect control over others' perceptions and actions, demonstrated when all of Cassie's marks simultaneously closed their eyes, plunging her into blindness.[3]

It is also implied that, as a Supreme, he can manipulate a person's feelings and thoughts on a vastly higher level, potentially reshaping them entirely.[3]

Bet

Asterion proposed a bet as a more civil manner of resolving their dispute, contrasting it with a violent spectacle of burning cities, rivers of blood, and widespread terror that would leave both sides unsatisfied. Under the terms of the bet, all three would "do nothing" in the sense of limiting themselves to aboveboard measures for a time: Asterion would endeavor to undermine the unity of the Human Domain and make it his without bloodshed or acts of sabotage that could actually hurt it, while Nephis would take measures to strengthen the devotion of her followers and prevent them from falling into his hands. This contest was framed as a "war of public opinion… a war of ideas", testing the proclaimed unity of the Human Domain. The stakes were explicit: if Sunny and Nephis won, Asterion would be captured and sealed; if Asterion won, Sunny and Nephis would become his thralls. Asterion noted that either side could choose not to honor the agreement, but claimed that the very terms of the bet left the loser no way out, likening it to a self-fulfilling prophecy, turning the offer into an ultimatum that Nephis ultimately accepted.[4]

Second Front

Asterion had been cheating in the war of ideas from the very start, because he could freely manipulate human minds with his eerie influence, making truth, facts, and one's views or ability to communicate those views meaningless, since all that mattered was how susceptible one was to his insidious Aspect as a descendant of Heart God — the god of souls, emotions, and hunger — and as a Supreme, there were few beings in the world who could resist him.[5]

Sunny and Nephis had anticipated this outcome early on, realizing how the war of ideas was going to end, so they had been searching for a way to cheat as well, specifically a way to seal Asterion without slaughtering every person who knew of his existence and who thus carried the idea of him in their minds, meaning they had never really intended to win his bet and had only been buying time until a solution was found. In the end, Cassie found that solution, but the way to cheat Asterion out of consuming all humanity was no less difficult and in many ways far more dangerous than waging an all-out war on him, and it was not something that they could make happen immediately.[5]

Memories of the Plague

Note: These memories where seen and absorbed by Cassie. See also Cassie's Fragmented Memories.

Plans

In Chapter 2818, Asterion's plans had changed, and he was no longer satisfied with simply waiting. He commanded Seishan to conquer the Jade Palace, stating that a Saint like her should not be without a Citadel and that it should have been hers to inherit instead of surrendering it to a stranger. He also declared that he wanted to act and take the Citadels of the Human Domain even if their masters had not seen the light yet, meaning that the Saints whom he had already enthralled would have to conquer the Citadels of those whom he had yet to turn to his side. The Song sisters appeared to be an important part of his new scheme, and he had targeted them especially, using their fatigue and hopelessness caused by the crushing defeat at the hands of Mordret to sway them to his side, with the intent to subdue Seishan and bring her under his control as well.

In Chapter 2827, it was mentioned that Saint Thane had been developing a new version of Dreamspace to serve as a means for distant Citadels of humanity to communicate with each other. He had previously been one of the two government Saints alongside Wake of Ruin, and Jet was very familiar with him because of this role. It was unclear when Asterion had enthralled Saint Thane, but his involvement caused grave unseen damage to the Human Domain through infected dreams, which accelerated the spread of the plague and made countless people across the Dream Realm far more susceptible to it, with Red Hill being targeted especially severely. Despite being enthralled, Saint Thane remained a subject of the Longing Domain until the very end, demonstrating that Asterion's control over his thralls extended beyond simply making them blindly loyal to his cause.

Solution

Reveal

After discovering that the Dreamspawn had been sealed by making information about him sparse and continuously culling those who fell under his influence, Cassie searched the government archives for clues but found nothing, leaving her feeling that there was no hint of a solution. Later, by diving into the memories of Awakened Yutra, whom she had previously cured, she uncovered a forgotten encounter from when she was still a Master, during which she had asked, "How does one defeat an idea that spreads like a plague?" and then answered her own question: "…The answer is oblivion".[6]

Cassie revealed that the message she had left for herself about how to defeat the Dreamspawn was framed as a question and answer: "How does one defeat an idea that spreads like a plague? The answer… is oblivion". She explained the obvious meaning, namely that the plague can be cured by erasing the victim's memories of knowing the Dreamspawn, something she had already been doing, even if her personal abilities were not enough to make a real difference. She also noted that Oblivion was the title of one of the daemons and suggested there could be a connection that required thorough research. However, Sunny stated there was no need to research anything, because he already knew what the answer meant, identifying it as the description of the Estuary Key—a Memory he himself had created, or rather, one created by the Mad Prince.[7]

The phrase "The answer is oblivion" was used by the Mad Prince to describe the Key of the Estuary, and it held several layered meanings.[8]

  • First and most plainly, it answered the question of who was buried in the Tomb of Ariel: Oblivion — the Demon of Oblivion, who could hardly be remembered by the world, entombed in the great pyramid after dying a lonesome death, with both her passing and burial forgotten, her cause of death and final resting place unknown to anyone except Weaver, the Mad Prince, and Sunny. In a broader sense, the tomb itself had been built by Ariel to forget the unbearable truths he wished to be free of.[8]
  • On a personal level, the Mad Prince imbued the phrase with his own meaning: The Mad Prince sought to conquer the Third Nightmare and escape the Tomb of Ariel alongside Nephis. However, his soul had been infected by the Defilement, and because of the Sin of Solace, he was forced to remember the same forbidden knowledge that had originally corrupted him at the beginning of every loop. This recurring remembrance trapped him in an inescapable paradox. At the same time, the Sin of Solace paradoxically prevented him from fully succumbing to Corruption. Ultimately, the Mad Prince devised a method to silence the loathsome apparition and erase his memories of the Defilement by escaping into the next loop while carrying the Estuary Key—an impossible Memory he had created to fulfill his desperate wish. His ultimate means of liberation was oblivion.[8]
  • Although the true key to the Mad Prince's liberation had been oblivion, the connection between the Mad Prince, the Estuary Key, the Tomb of Ariel, and Asterion lay in Cassie's cryptic message. As an oracle, Cassie had no inherent need to phrase her prophecies vaguely; in fact, doing so would normally be counterproductive. Her cryptic message, though delivered to herself, was intended for Sunny, who alone retained clear memories of the events in the Tomb of Ariel and the description of the Estuary Key. Unlike her previous straightforward prophecy regarding Sunless, this message consisted of a single enigmatic sentence, deliberately phrased so that only Sunny could comprehend its meaning. This approach ensured that Asterion, the Dreamspawn—whose knowledge of past and present events was vast and systematic—would remain unaware of its significance, especially since his memories of the Third Nightmare were obscured by the fog of fatelessness like those of the rest of the world. Anticipating that Asterion might one day become a dire adversary, Cassie embedded within the message guidance meant to aid in his defeat, while preventing him or others from understanding it even if intercepted. Ultimately, the message functioned not merely as a riddle but as a call to action, directing Sunny back to the Tomb of Ariel.[8]
  • The more correct statement is entering the real Tomb of Ariel for the first time, not the phantom version conjured by the Spell that Sunny had previously endured. No human of the War Realm had ever entered the true Great Pyramid, and even Asterion had failed to overcome the Nightmare Desert. Cassie's message meant that Sunny and Nephis were going to step into the actual Tomb, thereby leaving their mark on the Great River, which flowed from the future into the past, and connecting them to the Nightmare placed by the Spell.[9]

The Tomb of Ariel presented several possible keys to defeating Asterion:[9]

  • The far-fetched possibility of using the bird's power to steal Asterion's fate, since his existence depended on being remembered.[9]
Asterion's name constitutes the foundation of both his existence and his power. His main source of power and what makes his existence possible is the fact that people know about him and remember his name. The continued propagation of the idea of him across countless minds sustains not only his presence in the world but also serves as the basis of his Domain.[9]

It is suggested that if his fate were stolen in the same manner as Sunny's, the memories of him — including his name — would be erased from the great tapestry of fate and from everyone's minds. Because Asterion is described as nothing more and nothing less than a living, infectious, malevolent idea, the loss of remembrance would not merely weaken him; he would simply cease to exist.[9]

However, reaching the real Tomb was almost impossible, requiring passage through the Nightmare Desert at night, where two dead armies from the Doom War continued their eternal fight, and inside, the Great Pyramid could be infested by the First Seeker, the Defilement, or endless mass of corrupted flesh. Ultimately, Cassie's message gave weight to the possibility of success, calling Sunny to face the Vile Thieving Bird, reclaim his fate, and escape oblivion by being remembered once more.[9]

Ending the Plague

Main article: Ending the Plague


Trivia

  • In Chapter 2781, Hel's prophecy warned that they would not die, but instead would be brainwashed and turned into obedient slaves, with their free will trampled upon by a wicked Supreme. She described their minds being broken, followed by shame, humiliation, and anguish.
  • In Chapter 2815, Asterion had shown the ability to appear when his name was invoked. As soon as Kai whispered the Dreamspawn's name, there was a subtle shift to the world that every living thing on the bloody shores of the Lake of Tears had felt, and all of them thought about Asterion, invoking his name in their minds. And so, Asterion appeared among them, as if he had always been there, walking by their side.
  • Asterion regarded Jet with great interest and admiration, describing her as one of the most impressive people he had ever met.[10]
    • Asterion noted that there were only two Transcendents who had managed to make him act personally.[10] (Kai in Chapter 2815 and Jet in Chapter 2824. See also Asterion's Relationships)
  • Gilead was the most impervious to Asterion's plague, as his single-minded and uncompromising loyalty to the king he had sworn to serve prevented him from submitting to any other authority.[11]
  • The Shadow Clan was susceptible to the plague, although their resistance to it was quite high compared to others in the Human Domain. This increased resistance was attributed to the fact that each member knew their Sovereign personally, unlike most subjects of the Longing Domain, for whom Lady Nephis was merely an abstract symbol. Despite this resistance, they had still lost a few agents to the Hunger Domain, though identifying infected members was far easier because the Mark of Shadows rejected them, which could be visibly detected through their serpent tattoo.[12]
  • Asterion had shown his ability to subjugate people without stealing them from the Domain of the Supreme they were loyal to.[13] (Refer to Saint Thane's situation.)
  • After Red Hill fell, Nephis and the others conducted an investigation into what had happened. Their investigation eventually pointed at Saint Thane, the Dream Merchant, and his treachery was revealed. It was discovered that he had been enthralled, connected to Asterion's influence, demonstrating Asterion's ability to subjugate people without stealing them from the Domain of the Supreme they were loyal to. When the truth of his betrayal came to light, Nephis, consumed by wrath, confronted the Dream Merchant and began burning him with her immolating white flames, repeatedly destroying and restoring his body in order to break Asterion's hex that controlled him.[14]

References

  1. ↑ Chapter 2554 Infohazard
  2. ↑ Chapter 2739 Quarantine Measures
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Chapter 2723 Herald of the Dreamspawn
  4. ↑ Chapter 2764 Bet Against the Devil
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Chapter 2804 Second Front
  6. ↑ Chapter 2831 Memory Key
  7. ↑ Chapter 2835 Alternative Solution
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Chapter 2836 Fateless Encryption
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 Chapter 2837 Ray of Hope
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Chapter 2824 Civil Engineering
  11. ↑ Chapter 2820 Throne of Blood
  12. ↑ Chapter 2829 Abandon Ship
  13. ↑ Chapter 2843 Where It All Began
  14. ↑ Chapter 2843 Where It All Began

Sources & history

Asterion's Plague · Shadow Slave Wiki

Source revision 42455

Adapted from Fandom. CC-BY-SA

Retrieved 2026-11-04 · Article version 1