Cassie's Fragmented Memories

In the wake of multiple unsettling disappearances—the Church of the Moon left empty, a rising battle sect's headquarters in Ravenheart abandoned, a black market auction shut down, smugglers vanishing without a trace, and a fallen Legacy clan disappearing along with its retainers—a considerable number of people went missing, yet the world moved on as Cassie focused on cleansing captured thralls and Sunny oversaw the isolation camp on the Forgotten Shore with Revel's help. Although the prisoners were initially cautious, unharmed, and provided with food, water, shelter, and illuminated streets guarded by eerie shades, their tainted personalities soon led to disorder, with criminals preying on others, power-seekers exploiting lawlessness, food sources monopolized by force, and insidious mind games targeting the vulnerable, forcing Sunny to build an actual prison inside the settlement. After a brief calm, further complications arose when most captives proved to be zealots from various cults, resulting in bizarre religious behavior centered on the Black Wall of the Dark City—some believing paradise lay beyond it, others hell, and still others that they were already in hell performing penance—beliefs that spread rapidly, caused schisms, and led all groups to treat Revel as a divine being, until she later reported a new crisis of at least three dozen pregnant women in the camp.^[13]

Despite continued challenges, Sunny eventually stabilized the camp as new captives arrived, while the separation of true thralls from ordinary believers progressed smoothly, with Revel transporting identified thralls to a quarantine facility in an abandoned factory staffed by former thralls whose memories were routinely wiped to prevent reinfection by Asterion's plague. Though Sunny and Nephis anticipated retaliation, an eerie calm persisted even as Asterion's name continued to spread through undiscovered thralls and unwitting carriers, until late summer measures devised under Nephis' direction enabled large-scale identification of those who were not subjects of the Longing Domain, revealing and isolating hundreds of thralls and keeping Shadow Clan agents constantly busy while further damaging Mordret's reputation. Notably, the tools that exposed Asterion's thralls failed to discover any of his vessels hiding among the people, likely due to the mysterious ritual Mordret had performed in the Ebony Tower at the end of the Second Nightmare, which rendered him elusive to most forms of divination; despite his continued silence and retreat into the Hollow Mountains, the King of Nothing was implied to be watching. As a fragile equilibrium settled across the two worlds, Sunny and Nephis could not halt the spread of Asterion's name but did prevent it from bearing fruit by swiftly capturing new thralls, causing the prison camp population to peak, plateau, and then decline as more captives were transferred to quarantine, where Cassie worked relentlessly to cure them while also carrying out extensive duties for the Human Domain at great personal cost. Meanwhile, the Human Domain grew stronger in the Dream Realm through expanding territories, rising numbers of Awakened, Masters, and Saints, and high morale from victories, even as the waking world deteriorated with depopulating cities, mounting casualties, and widespread grief and anxiety—cracks through which Asterion's influence seeped—leaving Sunny waiting apprehensively for the Dreamspawn's eventual move, which came when he was still unprepared.^[14]

After Cassie urgently warns Sunny that she has walked into a trap before her connection is cut, simultaneous crises erupt across the Dream Realm as a diversion, leading Sunny to realize his thoughts are being subtly manipulated, force his way into the waking world, locate Cassie gravely injured in NQSC, and arrive just as a gargantuan Dream Gate tears open reality nearby.^[15]

Sunny arrived in NQSC to find Cassie brutally wounded but alive beside a ruined home as Asterion revealed himself in the flesh, escaped through a towering Dream Gate, and simultaneously opened its exit above Mirror Lake in Bastion, confirming a coordinated strike that left Sunny and Nephis scrambling to respond without Cassie's guidance.^[16]

In sunlit Bastion, a dark and eerie Dream Gate briefly opened above Mirror Lake and vanished to reveal Asterion walking across the water toward the Castle, mesmerizing the citizens, while Sunny and Nephis realized the sealed Dreamspawn had appeared openly, chose not to attack to avoid destroying the city, and instead listened as he introduced himself as a Supreme who once fought alongside Broken Sword and claimed he had come to help.^[17]

As Asterion proclaimed himself and faced Nephis before the gathered citizens of Bastion, the Ivory Island descended onto Mirror Lake and Nephis walked out to meet him, where he publicly praised her as the last daughter of Immortal Flame and embraced her, while Sunny realized that Asterion had effectively taken the city hostage and the spread of his name, making their containment efforts futile and leaving them powerless to stop his influence from spreading across humanity.^[18]

Inside the Ivory Tower, Nephis forced Asterion to release her, confronted him about his intentions and her father's death, and argued bitterly with him as he calmly claimed to be a benevolent Supreme who had killed Broken Sword to prevent the Forgotten God's awakening, denied abusing his thralls, and accused Nephis and Sunny of similar manipulation while presenting himself as a misunderstood victim.^[19] Asterion also provoked Sunny and Nephis by denying responsibility for the disasters and thralls, admitting he had attacked Cassie while weaving convincing lies that cast suspicion on her memory-altering powers, before revealing he was mocking them all along and coldly declaring his intent to finish blinding her.^[20] He dropped all pretense, coldly belittling Nephis as a disappointment while revealing that he had long planned his return and accelerated it after her actions in Godgrave, condemning her for denying her nature as a Dreamspawn and choosing to live as a human, declaring that only three Dreamspawns existed and that he had no true enemies, while Sunny realized Asterion did not see himself as human at all and began to grasp a disturbing new understanding of his true perspective and intentions.^[21]

As Nephis continued her verbal duel with Asterion inside the Ivory Tower, Sunny became consumed by a disturbing theory sparked by their confrontation, quietly reexamining past knowledge and conversations while suppressing his shock. He reflected on the timing of Asterion's planned return after the Chain of Nightmares, recalling Morgan's explanation that the Sovereigns had stopped suppressing the rise of Saints once the waking world's collapse became inevitable, as well as Mordret's description of Asterion as what Nephis might have become had she embraced her Nightmare Creature nature. Sunny then remembered Nightwalker's account of Kanakht, the primordial human who sought Apotheosis by consuming his kingdom, and the principle that Tyrants advanced by consuming their minions. Connecting these ideas, Sunny considered that Asterion, who rejected humanity and viewed himself as a creature, ruled a Domain rather than minions, and might therefore seek Apotheosis by expanding his Domain to encompass all of humanity and consuming it, realizing with dread that Asterion may have waited on the Moon until the Chain of Nightmares caused humanity's power to grow enough to become a sufficient feast.^[22]

As Sunny connected Asterion's intentions to past horrors like the sacrifice behind the Nameless Sun and Kanakht's attempt at Apotheosis, he realized with revulsion that Asterion had waited for humanity's power to grow after the Chain of Nightmares so it could become fuel for his ascension, explaining both his accelerated return and his decision to maim rather than kill Cassie. Struggling with hatred and dread, Sunny hid this realization by fragmenting his thoughts, wary of Asterion's ability to read minds, while the Dreamspawn openly revealed his true desire inside the Ivory Tower: to claim the Human Domain, its Citadels, cities, soldiers, people, the lineages of Shadow and Sun, and even Cassie herself, offering Nephis and Sunny peace in exchange for surrender. Sensing his hunger and rejecting the offer outright, Nephis coldly refused any deal.^[23]

Nephis and Sunny exposed Asterion's true goal of achieving godhood by enthralling and devouring all of humanity, rejected his justifications and negotiations as cowardly and monstrous, and confronted him over the moral abyss between survival and genocide, prompting Asterion to calmly defend his path as safer than facing the Fifth Nightmare while ominously warning that even victory there would destroy who they were.^[24] Intrigued yet wary, Sunny listened as Asterion claimed that the Fifth Nightmare was fundamentally different because it forced challengers through brutal personal and collective trials that transformed them into gods at the cost of their humanity, a process that had once doomed an entire civilization.^[25] After weighing Asterion's likely mix of truth and deceit, Sunny resolved to challenge the Fifth Nightmare anyway, confident that he and Nephis could retain themselves through Apotheosis, while Nephis confronted Asterion and learned of his boundless ambition to devour humanity, the gods, and ultimately all of existence.^[26]

Asterion proposed an ultimatum disguised as a bet in which he and Sunny and Nephis would wage a bloodless war of ideas over the Human Domain, forcing them to accept in order to gain time despite the stacked stakes, before departing to claim a church in Bastion as his residence.^[27]

After Asterion departed and left a lingering sense of unease, Nephis directed Sunny to address the Dreamspawn crises, leading him to secretly summon Effie back to Bastion after the battle at Rivergate while realizing the Human Domain was now deeply threatened, a truth underscored when another incarnation of Sunny arrived carrying an unconscious Cassie.^[28]

As rumors of Asterion's return plunged humanity into chaos, Sunny, Nephis, and their allies assessed Cassie's grievous injury, debated the futility of suppressing the Dreamspawn's influence, acknowledged his overwhelming cunning and power, abandoned hope of outside aid, and were abruptly interrupted when Cassie finally regained consciousness.^[29] After awakening blind and grievously wounded, Cassie confirmed that her Transcendent Ability remained barely usable at great cost, revealed that Asterion's influence had expanded to Ascended and possibly Saints, and resolved to lead an immediate political and strategic response to delay the Dreamspawn's inevitable advance.^[30] Remembering her maiming and loss, Cassie calmly dismantled the quarantine facility, bid farewell to those she could no longer save, reunited with her enthralled mother, and, suppressing her pain and mercy alike, used her remaining power to subdue her as blood silently fell from her ruined eye.^[31]

Rain walked the Road of Shadows with Sunny, reflecting on the legacy of what people built and discussing the emergence of a dangerous new Sovereign that hinted at an unfamiliar kind of war. After weighing her destinations, she decided to travel toward Bastion to focus on her work and Ascension, while Sunny chose to stay with her rather than leave her unprotected.^[2]

Sunny augmented Rain as she joined a merchant caravan on the Road of Shadows, where she was welcomed as a veteran defender and unexpectedly reunited with an old acquaintance from the road's construction. During the journey, uneasy talk of a third Sovereign named Asterion unsettled Rain, whose instincts and Sunny's warning suggested something deeply wrong with the rumors.^[33]

Rain helped protect the fast-moving caravan with her luminous arrows as they left the Road of Shadows and descended into the perilous Glass Hell, earning the guards' trust while remaining uneasy about the joking mention of Asterion. As the caravan crossed into the blazing, hive-infested plain toward Red Hill, the harsh heat and deadly environment underscored that their most dangerous stretch of travel had begun.^[34]

Rain crippled a glassy Nightmare Creature with precise archery before it was obliterated by a colossal arrow fired from Red Hill, revealing the overwhelming power of its ruling Saint (Dar) and leaving her unsettled by the comparison. After enduring relentless dangers in the Glass Hell, the caravan reached Red Hill intact, only for Rain to learn that the city was abuzz with news of a newly emerged Sovereign named Asterion, deepening her growing sense of dread.^[35]

Rain lingered in Red Hill, joking with her brother and the caravan guards while learning unsettling rumors about Asterion's past and supposed benevolence, which stirred both hope and unease among the people. When she prepared to leave for Bastion, Pill's sudden seriousness and reverence toward Asterion left Rain deeply disturbed, sensing that something about the new Supreme was profoundly wrong.^[36]

Cassie shifted to a memory in Bastion, where she was Saint Athena, Raised by Wolves, ruler of the city, her senses heightened and her body powerful, escorted by her loyal Awakened warriors known as the Wolves, who maintained peace and ensured her safe passage through the bustling streets. While inspecting the construction of the Northern Gate near the Bazaar and the Church of the Moon, Effie remained painfully aware of a dangerous presence: the Dreamspawn Asterion, who sat on the church steps carving a wooden figurine. Though a crowd kept their distance, a curious child approached Asterion, asking if he was a god, to which he replied he was not, and Effie observed the interaction darkly while maintaining her inspection of the fortifications and runic arrays.^[37]

Asterion engaged a mundane boy in conversation, teasing him with a riddle about whether he was a god, a human, or a Nightmare Creature, and promised a gift for a correct guess; after laughing and presenting a carved wooden figurine of a little wolf, he turned it to dust before the boy could take it, then instructed the child to fetch his mother, saying he would give gifts to both and introducing himself as Asterion. Effie observed the exchange, recognizing it as deliberate provocation and a veiled threat aimed at her and her son, Little Ling, but restrained herself, reassured by the presence of an incarnation of the Lord of Shadows hiding in her son's shadow as his guardian. She completed her inspection in tense silence and later returned home, where she relaxed with her husband, learned that Dumpling was studying with Teacher Julius, and reflected on the difficulties of balancing her roles as wife, mother, warrior, and ruler, especially raising a Transcendent child whose strength, Aspect, intellect, and need for careful education limited his social life. During dinner, her husband pressed her about the outcome of her visit to the Northern Gate, and after initially dismissing it as okay, Effie finally admitted that the situation was grim.^[38]

Effie compared her own doubts to the forced confidence of Sunny and Nephis, who had no one above them and no path of retreat, and admitted to her husband that Asterion was an unprecedented threat. Her husband revealed his anger over Asterion threatening their son and unsettling their family, and Effie considered but rejected isolating Ling, realizing that Asterion's influence had already spread and that even her powerful family was vulnerable. Troubled by fear for her family and city and by how humanity's enemies had shifted from simple abominations to corrupted humans and Supremes, she nonetheless resolved that they would overcome the Dreamspawn, cure the infection, and destroy his Domain again. After sharing a brief, affectionate exchange with her husband, Effie left for NQSC to attend Nephis' address to the leaders of the Human Domain.^[39]

Cassie searched for the answer to her condition by absorbing memories, grasping one in which she was Seishan, the Lost Princess of Song, learning the meaning of an unquenchable thirst tied to spilled fragrant blood. From a manor on the great bridge of Ravenheart, Seishan reflected on time as ash fell on the Jade Palace and the city stood transformed after her decade on the Forgotten Shore. She returned to a changed world where Awakened society had shifted, her sisters had surpassed her in Rank, and the Great Clans had risen and fallen, yet she endured by adapting. Calling her sisters together through Felise, she reflected on the Song clan's limbo and their scattered rule over Citadels across the River of Tears. They reunited in Ravenheart due to a dire situation, exchanging weary remarks and dark humor as Death Singer voiced fears of domination by a wicked Supreme.^[40]

The Song sisters learned that Asterion had returned, causing unease due to his past charm and unsettling nature. They discussed the threat he posed, with Seishan warning he would seek to make them part of his Domain. During the meeting, they learned Revel had joined the Shadow Domain under the Lord of Shadows. The sisters debated loyalty amid the coming clash between the Longing and Hunger Domains, expressing their personal stances, while Seishan emphasized that the Dreamspawn sought only thralls and declared they would fight for the Human Domain until the last drop of blood. She then told them to prepare, as Revel would meet them in NQSC and they would face the coming storm together.^[41]

On a tense summer day, the champions and representatives of the Human Domain converged on the Immortal Flame clan's estate in NQSC to attend a historic council convened by Nephis, concentrating nearly all of humanity's power in one place. The gathering aimed to quietly address the return of Asterion and prepare for an inevitable inter-Domain conflict, while maintaining a fragile deception to preserve confidence and prevent panic or manipulation.^[42]

Asterion arrived at the Immortal Flame manor, calmly confronted Nephis before the assembled champions, and openly addressed their fear of a new Domain war by claiming he sought cooperation, not conflict, to strengthen humanity against future threats. He then subtly challenged Nephis' legitimacy as the ruler of an absolute Domain, casting doubt among the gathered elites while presenting himself as a benevolent ally.^[43]

From the shadows, Sunny observed how Asterion's challenge unsettled the hall until Nephis deftly deflected it by letting Saint Nightingale expose his deceit, turning suspicion against the Dreamspawn instead. Undeterred, Asterion regrouped and escalated his attack by branding Nephis a tyrant who ruled solely by strength, invoking her ominous True Name to sow deeper doubt about her right to lead humanity.^[44]

Asterion intensified his attack by reframing Nephis' past as ruthless failure, using grim truths and selective comparisons to brand her a tyrant whose leadership doomed countless lives, forcing her supporters to react emotionally. Nephis calmly countered by redefining sacrifice as chosen defiance, asserting her unwavering resolve against the Nightmare Spell and exposing that, unlike Asterion, every member of her cohort still lived and served humanity.^[45]

Sunny realized that Asterion's true strategy was to weaponize carefully chosen truths to undermine confidence in the Human Domain, exposing Nephis' painful past and framing her rise as calculated vengeance rather than virtue. Although Nephis turned the revelations to her advantage and strengthened her image, Asterion revealed his real aim with a final insinuation that her resolve did not extend to saving all of humanity.^[46]

Asterion addressed the champions of the Human Domain, reflecting on how the Dream Realm and the Waking World had transformed during his absence and explaining that mundane people survived in the Dream Realm because the Will of the Sovereigns, aided by the Citadels of the Nightmare Spell, suppressed the First Nightmare. He warned that if the Sovereigns had been slain without replacement, hundreds of millions would have been thrown into the First Nightmare, resulting in a man-made genocide, and accused Changing Star of knowingly risking that outcome by turning her blade on the Sovereigns. He claimed her actions were a calculated, premeditated gamble with countless lives, which unsettled many in the hall. Nephis responded calmly, stating that no one had tried to stop her at the time and declaring that the argument was moot because she had never gambled at all, asserting that she knew with absolute certainty she would attain Supremacy and prevail, since it was her will and there could have been no other outcome.^[47]

Nephis coldly confronted Asterion, rejecting his insinuations and turning the exchange into an attack by accusing him of failing to save even his own followers, discrediting her achievements out of jealousy, losing the trust of all his former allies, and betraying her father while helping destroy the Immortal Flame clan. She challenged his claims of caring for humanity, stating that he neither valued human survival nor intended to save anyone. Her speech broke the hold Asterion's words had over the champions, restoring much of their composure. Asterion responded lightly at first, denying all accusations and claiming a genuine desire to save everyone, then exposed that he had manipulated his own thoughts and emotions to deceive Kai's Flaw. Dropping all pretense, he declared that he did not care about their opinions or fears and had come only to straighten the facts, concluding that he was not there to prove himself better than Changing Star, but to assert that she was no better than him, claiming that the two of them were exactly the same.^[48]

Hidden from view, Sunny observed Asterion's visit to the Immortal Flame manor and realized that his true goal was not to present himself as a better ruler than Changing Star, but to damage the idea of Nephis by planting doubt. Asterion's attacks on her past, her achievements, and her decisions were deliberate provocations meant to compromise conviction rather than convince through reason, exploiting the emotional nature of people. Sunny recognized that while the Saints and leaders present would recover quickly and remain loyal, they were not Asterion's real target; the danger lay in how Asterion's words would spread to the general population, who did not know Nephis personally. To them, the revelations that she had concealed major truths and had nearly gambled hundreds of millions of lives would feel like a betrayal, leaving a deep wound in her image. Unable to intervene openly, Sunny reflected bitterly on how the truth itself had become a weapon and found the situation terrifying.^[49]

After the council ended, the champions of the Human Domain remained loyal to Changing Star, reassured that no immediate war would erupt, though it was clear that Asterion was neither an ally nor to be trusted. Once most attendees departed, Asterion stayed behind to speak with Nephis, Sunny, and her cohort, revealing his emotional detachment and confirming that his plan was to slowly expand his Domain and eventually corner Nephis. Nephis acknowledged that her true goal was conquering the Nightmare Spell and implied she would not hesitate to discard humanity if it became an obstacle, unsettling Asterion. He responded confidently, claiming that by then his Domain would be vast enough to deal with even Divine Aspect carriers, before departing and leaving a heavy silence behind. As Asterion vanished, Sunny realized that their plan to stall for time had failed and that the time they thought they had was now much shorter.^[50]

In the days after the gathering at the Immortal Flame manor, rumors about the confrontation between Changing Star and Asterion spread rapidly across the world, despite government efforts to suppress them, focusing on Nephis' secrets and the sacrifice she had allegedly been willing to make. While faith in Changing Star largely endured, the anxiety caused by the animosity between the two Supremes weakened humanity's resistance to Asterion's insidious influence, turning the conflict into a war fought in people's minds rather than on battlefields. Asterion's followers slowly increased, his thralls blending into everyday life, while containment efforts proved ineffective. Sunny and Nephis worked to bolster morale through visible successes—new Citadels, expanded infrastructure, secured routes, and restored connections—but these gains only temporarily dampened the rumors. With no progress made toward sealing Asterion without great loss, events continued under mounting tension until Rain finally returned to Bastion.^[51]

Rain spent time in NQSC revisiting places from her childhood, but the city no longer felt like home, appearing decayed, oppressive, and unsafe, with quarantined Nightmare Gates, failing technology, and signs of decline everywhere. After visiting the ruined convenience store where Sunny had once found her, she overheard people discussing the clash between Nephis and Asterion, with rumors portraying Supremes as monsters and casting doubt on Changing Star, which angered her. Remembering Godgrave and having witnessed Nephis and Sunny defeat the Sovereigns, Rain rejected these accusations as ignorant. After a brief exchange with her shadow, she used a Shadow Clan connection to travel through a Dream Gate to Bastion, where the Dream Realm felt vibrant and full of life by contrast, though the whispers about Changing Star and the Dreamspawn followed her even there, lingering as she continued on her way beneath Ivory Island.^[52]

At her modest farewell party in Bastion, Rain announced that she was leaving to join the Ivory Tower custodial staff on Ivory Island, claiming she wanted to study the Tower of Hope and ancient architecture up close, though in truth she sought a safe place to focus on becoming a Master under her Shaping teacher. When one engineer voiced unease about Changing Star and repeated rumors that she had been ready to sacrifice countless innocents, Rain dismissed them, but Chief Bethany intervened, arguing that Nephis was not a goddess or queen, but a military commander in a war for humanity's survival, where painful sacrifices were sometimes necessary. Drawing from her own experience during the Chain of Nightmares, surviving only because others were left behind—Bethany refused to condemn Nephis and led a toast in her honor. Though Rain felt warmth and comfort among her colleagues, she also felt uneasy, reminded that reasonable and friendly people could change, and grew more determined to become stronger—while wondering how much pressure her brother must be under.^[53]

Rain arrived at a noticeably deserted Ivory Island and reunited briefly with Sunny, who admitted the situation was dire—not because defeat was likely, but because victory might demand a price too great to bear. The ominous mood deepened when Cassia, pale and missing her rapier, escorted Rain up the Ivory Tower. There, Rain glimpsed a barren bedroom and a mysterious woman in a wheelchair who resembled Nephis, serene yet hollow, before Nephis emerged carrying a subtle melancholy. Nephis encouraged Rain to focus on Ascension, hinting that others were nearing natural Awakening, and assigned her quarters near the top of the Tower.^[54]

Alone in her luxurious new chambers, Rain began meditating—only to abruptly awaken to chaos. The Ivory Tower was shaking, smoke filled the air, and Cassia, bleeding beneath her blindfold, urged her to move. Disoriented, Rain realized her body felt transformed: her essence deeper, stronger, and under far finer control. She appeared to have already become a Master. Staggering to the window, she saw the Night Garden looming in the sky, chained to Ivory Island and bombarding the Tower of Hope with cannon fire, each blast making the structure quake.^[54]

As the Night Garden continued bombarding the Tower of Hope, Rain struggled to comprehend why she was already a Master and why a Great Citadel of the Human Domain was besieging Ivory Island. Snapping into action at Cassia's shout, she discovered the Saint gravely wounded, a serpentine stiletto lodged beneath her ribs. At Cassia's command, Rain released the three Epithets—now assigned to Cassia instead of Tamar's sword—freeing her essence. Cassia healed as radiant light closed the wound, explaining she could not be killed unless done in one strike. Amid the shaking Tower of Longing and drifting smoke, Cassia revealed that Sunny and Nephis were fighting a different battle, somewhere far away. When the Master Sid of the Fire Keepers suddenly attacked, Cassia effortlessly subdued her. They then reached the barren chamber where the mysterious woman resembling Nephis sat in a wheelchair, revealed up close to be Hollow. As cannon fire continued and the Night Garden drew closer on immense chains, Cassia ordered Rain to push the wheelchair and use her Aspect at the stairs. When Rain fearfully asked if Cassia intended to invoke the Crushing to destroy the Night Garden, Cassia answered bitterly that they were not going to destroy it—they were simply going to escape.^[55]

Though relieved they were not invoking the Crushing, Rain was shaken to realize they were abandoning the Ivory Island. Assigning the Epithets Stable, Light, and Levitating to the wheelchair, she pushed the Hollow woman through smoke-filled corridors as Cassia effortlessly subdued multiple attacking Fire Keepers, revealing terrifying speed, flawless efficiency, and overwhelming strength despite fighting barehanded and keeping them alive. Outside, the Night Garden loomed like a dark wall, its cannonade shattering the island's defenses. When the runic array collapsed in silver light and a colossal presence, Nightwalker approached, Cassia ordered Rain to flee to a stone arch beyond a grove and invoke the True Names of Fire, Divinity, and Stepping Across Thresholds.^[56]

Reaching the arch after a violent blast hurled her down, Rain invoked the Names. Though mortals were not meant to command Divinity, her Mark of Shadows responded and helped her bear the crushing weight. The ivory arch transformed into a portal revealing a dark hall beyond. Cassia forced Rain and the wheelchair through before following herself, extinguishing the portal behind them. As Cassia fell to her knees, exhausted and bloodied, a tall man with mirror-like eyes emerged from the darkness, greeting them with a faint, sinister smile and welcoming Cassia to his Domain.^[56]

Sunny rushed to the Glass Hell as soon as he learned what had transpired there, but it was already too late, and Red Hill was gone. Half of the Longing Domain had already fallen, and both on Earth and in the Dream Realm, the authority of the Immortal Flame was collapsing as the plague consumed every human city and the Hunger Domain threatened to devour what remained, just as it had already done in the Glass Hell. Red Hill had become the first human city to fall entirely into the Dreamspawn's hands, and Sunny and Nephis were losing the bet Asterion had offered them, since Asterion could freely manipulate human minds with his eerie influence as a Supreme. However, Sunny and Nephis had anticipated this outcome and had only been buying time while searching for a way to seal Asterion without slaughtering every person who knew of his existence, and Cassie had ultimately found that solution, though it was far more dangerous and could not be carried out immediately.^[59]

When Sunny arrived, he saw that Red Hill had undergone a profound transformation, appearing as if there were two identical cities and Citadels, though this was caused by a colossal Dream Gate with a mirror-like surface reflecting the city. Both the real city and its reflection were filled with people and enormous Nightmare Creatures, forming a vast ocean of abominations with humans peacefully moving among them. Sunny realized that the millions of people and myriad Nightmare Creatures were actually vessels of Mordret, the King of Nothing, meaning the city full of people had been killed and turned into conduits of his fragmented soul. Beneath the tranquil glass plain, Mordret's vessels flooded the tunnels of the Hive, slaughtering abominations, harvesting some for meat and soul shards, and turning others into conduits of his soul. Sunny's reflection then spoke to him, revealing Mordret's presence, and Mordret explained that he had grown tired of being homeless and had made himself a home by claiming the city and Citadel, declaring that the Glass Hell suited him and that it was fitting for him to build himself a castle.^[59]

Sunny entered Red Hill and witnessed humans and Nightmare Creatures coexisting under Mordret's control, including a horrifying scene where humans willingly walked into abominations to be devoured as sustenance for his vessels. He confronted Mordret, accusing him of slaughtering the city, but Mordret argued he had not broken their deal since the city had already been lost to the Hunger Domain. Mordret then asserted his overwhelming power, revealing he had strengthened himself by conquering countless Corrupted souls and taking their vessels while warning Sunny that neither he nor Changing Star could destroy him.^[60]

Sunny felt ragged and ineffective as he struggled to fight multiple wars, prepare for the apocalypse, and confront Mordret, realizing he should have anticipated the massacre of Red Hill since Mordret had always planned to grow his power and eventually go on the offensive. He threatened that he could destroy Mordret by targeting his soul through his shadow, but Mordret remained confident in his survival and denied killing humans, claiming he only took vessels from those already lost to the Dreamspawn. Mordret then revealed his intention to conquer not just one but all Citadels, declaring he would take everything the Dreamspawn hungered after, leaving Sunny silently cursing inwardly.^[61]

Mordret declared that he would not stand idle while the Dreamspawn conquered the Human Domain and stated that Sunny and Changing Star had already failed, forcing him to act and eradicate the Dreamspawn himself. Sunny condemned him for destroying the possibility of saving the enthralled population of Red Hill, but Mordret argued that saving them was impossible because their existence made the Dreamspawn immortal, creating an inescapable paradox. When Sunny questioned his ultimate goal, Mordret admitted he had no grand plan beyond survival and coldly stated that if everyone else had to die for him to survive, then so be it.^[62]

Sunny realized that words would not change Mordret's resolve and understood that humanity's time had run out, as Asterion was weakening the Human Domain while Mordret prepared to expand his power by consuming the Hunger Domain, conquering Citadels, and invading key locations like the Glass Hell and the Lake of Tears. He concluded that the only way to stop Mordret was to eliminate Asterion, which meant he and Nephis had to leave soon to confront the greater threat. Before departing, Sunny attacked Mordret by shooting a black arrow through the throat of Saint Dar's body and unleashing his shadow creatures, then declared he would fight him another day before dissolving into the shadows and leaving.^[63]

At the Weeping Goddess above the Lake of Tears, Death Singer warned Seishan that the Gate was opening as the forces of the Human Domain defended the Citadel to allow the ongoing evacuation of civilians fleeing toward Ravenheart and down the River of Tears. Seishan and her sisters—Beastmaster, Moonveil, Lonesome Howl, Silent Stalker, and Death Singer—stood alongside Nightingale, Saint Kai, and other Saints such as Bliss, Helie, Ceres, and Siord, preparing to hold the line against the King of Nothing, Mordret, whose Dream Gate was about to descend, while Soul Reaper Jet and the Night Garden were absent and Revel could not join due to the sunlight. Despite knowing Mordret's immense power after attaining Supremacy, absorbing Nightmare Creatures, conquering the Glass Hell, and feasting on the Hive, and his ability to open portals between reflections, the Human Domain assembled a defensive force of Saints, Masters, and countless Awakened atop the plateau and along the lake. Soon, the Mirror Gate manifested as the waters of the Lake of Tears turned still like a vast mirror, and grotesque silhouettes, immense champions of the Mirror Domain, smaller abominations, and transparent monsters of the Hive emerged in great numbers, prompting Nightingale to command the archers to fire, sending a storm of arrows down as the waters exploded, turned red, and the battle against Mordret of Nowhere began.^[64]

The first ranged barrage unleashed by the forces of the Human Domain was devastating, destroying countless vessels of the King of Nothing and painting the Lake of Tears red with flesh, bone, chitin, and glass, while geysers of foaming water rose into the air. Seishan observed that humanity had grown far more powerful, with more numerous, stronger, and more seasoned Awakened who had been honed by the Chain of Nightmares, the Realm War in Godgrave, and subjugation crusades, gaining greater mastery of their Aspects, more potent Memories, and experience in large-scale warfare. From atop the cliffs, countless Awakened, Masters, and Saints—including Silent Stalker, Moonveil, Helie, Siord, and especially the Dragonslayer Nightingale—unleashed deadly arrows and Aspect Abilities, with Nightingale wielding a dark bow forged by the Lord of Shadows and firing enchanted arrows with unmatched precision while bolstering the warriors with his voice. Despite the devastating barrage, Mordret's vessels continued advancing with flawless unity under his control, reaching the shore, prompting Seishan to order Echoes and Beastmaster's thralls forward to form the first defensive line while winged defenders like Siord attacked from above. These Echoes and thralls slowed the swarm but were quickly destroyed, melting into sparks or being slaughtered, while crystalline wasps rose from the lake and massacred flying defenders. As the King of Nothing broke through the first defensive line and advanced toward the human defenders, Kai stated they needed to hold him back long enough for civilians to flee toward Ravenheart, possibly for a day or two. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Seishan prepared to fight personally, declaring she would try to buy them at least two hours before stepping off the parapet and plunging toward the battlefield below.^[65]

Seishan continued fighting against the vessels of the King of Nothing as hours passed, losing track of time while Mordret led simultaneous assaults below and above the Great Waterfall, as well as elsewhere in the Dream Realm. She slaughtered countless vessels, but the Spell did not acknowledge her kills since each was only a shard of Mordret's soul, while her Flaw left her dying of thirst even amid endless bloodshed. Transforming with her Dormant Ability, she tore apart Nightmare Creatures and drank their blood, growing stronger as more blood was spilled, aided by her Blood Sisters whose strength enhanced her own and replenished her essence. Despite her efforts and the relentless resistance of the Human Domain's seasoned warriors, the defenders were slowly pushed back by Mordret's perfectly coordinated swarm. Meanwhile, Nephis's distant blessing continued to heal wounded warriors like Siord, allowing them to return to battle, and even thralls of Asterion fought alongside humanity against Mordret. Seishan herself was wounded by a powerful Ascended vessel wielding a high-rank Memory, but allied Awakened pushed it back, allowing her to continue fighting. Above the battlefield, Nightingale assumed his Transcendent form and his song spread across the battlefield, while Seishan resolved to endure the battle for as long as possible, hoping they could last at least until dawn.^[66]

As night deepened over the Lake of Tears, Nightingale assumed the form of a midnight-scaled dragon and attacked both Mordret's forces and the Mirror Gate itself, unleashing a devastating sonic blast that rippled its surface and briefly drew Mordret's attention away from the defenders, giving them a moment of relief. Across the battlefield, the forces of the Human Domain were exhausted and suffering heavy losses, with Saints like Beastmaster, Death Singer, Lonesome Howl, Ceres, Helie, and Bliss struggling to hold their positions while Seishan and her Blood Sisters served as the anchor of the formation despite dwindling numbers and mounting fatigue. Mordret's vessels pressed relentlessly, breaching defenses and overwhelming many fighters, while Nightingale was eventually struck down and fell to the ground in his human form, gravely wounded. Seishan rushed to protect him, shielding him from approaching vessels and dragging him to safety as he reassured her that reinforcements were coming. Soon after, at sunrise, a radiant figure appeared, and the battlefield itself reacted as water rose to strike Mordret's vessels and a river of liquid metal surged through the Citadels, destroying enemies, while new Awakened forces descended from the cliffs. Seishan realized that Morgan had arrived from the east with the exiles of Godgrave, bringing long-awaited reinforcements to the desperate battle.^[67]

Cassie emerged from the torrent of memories and remembered that the battle at the Lake of Tears had marked the breaking point in the invisible war between the Longing Domain and the Hunger Domain, and as Cassie shared the senses of Seishan, she witnessed how the Human Domain was forced to retreat despite Asterion's intervention preventing total destruction, while whispers of his benevolence spread among the survivors fleeing toward Ravenheart. The defeat had come after Mordret invaded and neither he nor Asterion secured the Citadel, yet the Dreamspawn's influence grew stronger, forcing him to abandon caution and act more directly, possibly due to the absence of Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows. Through Seishan's perspective, Cassie experienced the refugees' difficult journey across the Moonriver Plains, the burden of protecting civilians, and the uncertainty about the Human Domain's fate, until Seishan discovered that Lonesome Howl bore a grave wound that had not healed with Changing Star's flames, leading to the shocking realization that she was no longer part of the Longing Domain.^[70]

Lonesome Howl revealed that she had defected to Asterion and delivered his message commanding Seishan to conquer the Jade Palace, declaring that Asterion was no longer willing to wait and would seize the Citadels of the Human Domain through enthralled Saints, which made Seishan realize that the order to separate from the refugees had been a trap; however, before she could react, Beastmaster stabbed her from behind, and all her sisters—Beastmaster, Moonveil, Death Singer, Silent Stalker, and Lonesome Howl—turned against her, believing Asterion to be their only hope and seeking to subdue her. Though wounded and shocked by their betrayal, Seishan fought back fiercely, drawing upon the Beast God's lineage she had inherited, which granted her power over her sisters, and ultimately defeated them, leaving them battered and bleeding on the ground; however, she could not bring herself to kill them despite knowing they had already fallen under Asterion's control and would eventually capture her. Overcome with grief, guilt, and despair, and unable to strike the final blow, Seishan broke down emotionally and surrendered, lowering herself to the ground and admitting that she could not kill her own sisters.^[71]

Cassie walked the corridors of the Ivory Tower, feeling isolated as Nephis, Sunny, and most Fire Keepers were absent, while Rain focused on her Ascension. Though physically on the Ivory Island, Cassie's mind spanned the Human Domain, sharing countless perspectives and coordinating humanity's response to simultaneous crises: surging Nightmare Gates in the waking world, Nightmare Creatures in the Dream Realm, the spread of Asterion's plague, and the northern invasion of the King of Nothing. Acting as humanity's leader, she issued constant commands—retreats, evacuations, rationing, and defensive preparations at the Black Mountains—while conceding losses like Ravenheart and the Lake of Tears. With Mordret seizing the Glass Hell and Godgrave nearly lost, Cassie endured immense strain from her Transcendent abilities while holding the collapsing front together and waiting for Nephis and Sunny to return.^[82]

Within days, the situation deteriorated drastically: Red Hill, the Sanctuary of Noctis, and the Lake of Tears fell, reshaping the Weeping Goddess, while Asterion enthralled Saints and expanded the Hunger Domain, weakening the Longing Domain tied to Nephis. Mordret conquered Godgrave and advanced toward the Black Mountains, while the plague reached its final stage in the south, causing widespread unrest or total enthrallment. Cassie detected thralls even among allies, severing connections when a Saint referenced the Minotaur and Ariadne, marking entire regions as lost. As darkness spread across her mental map, she feared what would happen if Nephis and Sunny failed.^[83]

Amid overwhelming reports—breached defenses at Whisper Peak, destroyed supply fleets, and catastrophic Nightmare Gate incidents—Cassie realized, from the gaps in her own memories, she had erased knowledge of Nephis and Sunny's mission to protect it from Asterion. Meanwhile, Rain discussed two Ascension methods: gradual transformation of the soul core or a dangerous destruction-and-reconstruction approach. Cassie also concluded the Ivory Tower was no longer safe after the Night Garden fell and Nightwalker and its Saints were enthralled, making the ship a mobile threat. Despite the chaos, what unsettled her most was the silence from those aboard the Night Garden.^[84]

As more people succumbed to Asterion, the voices in Cassie's mind dwindled, replaced by prayers to him as the Hunger Domain overtook the Longing Domain. Citadels like Red Hill, the Sanctuary, and the Night Garden fell, while Ravenheart was besieged and battles raged across the Black Mountains and the River of Tears. A fragile equilibrium collapsed as Asterion's influence dominated, and even resistance forces relied on his thralls to hold lines against Mordret. To avoid corruption, Cassie severed connections to the enthralled, shrinking her awareness until only a few remained—Kai, Effie, Rain, and scattered Fire Keepers. With nearly all voices gone, she resolved to act as the Dreamspawn's advance threatened Bastion, Ravenheart, and the Ivory Island.^[85]

Sensing a violent storm over the Ivory Island, Cassie realized Rain was undergoing a forced Ascension, her soul core fracturing under strain. As Asterion moved openly against the last resistors, Cassie activated the Tower of Hope's defenses while enthralled Fire Keepers abandoned their posts. Rain succeeded in Ascending by shattering her core, but immediately afterward, the Night Garden appeared and attacked. When Cassie confronted Rain, she discovered too late that Rain had been altered—her words overwhelming Cassie's mind before she stabbed her.^[86]

Through a prophetic vision, Cassie understood the attack had not yet fully occurred and deduced Rain had been enthralled by Asterion. Reacting in time, she avoided a fatal blow, subdued Rain, and removed her blindfold, realizing Asterion had manipulated Rain's perception to bypass her Flaw. Cassie explored Rain's memories, uncovering how Asterion exploited her insecurities and orchestrated both her Ascension and assassination attempt. As the Night Garden began boarding via Nightwalker's spatial manipulation, Cassie erased Asterion's influence from Rain's mind and prepared to flee.^[87]

Accepting that the Human Domain and Tower of Hope were lost, Cassie activated an unfinished runic array to delay the invasion while guiding a disoriented Rain through the collapsing tower. Despite injuries and ambushes from enthralled allies like Sid, she subdued enemies nonlethally and pressed on, aided briefly by Nephis's distant flames. As defenses failed and powerful enemies approached, Cassie led Rain toward escape, sensing Nightwalker descending upon the island.^[88]

Cassie sent Rain ahead to a portal and faced Nightwalker alone. Refusing to surrender, she engaged him using the Crushing, a vast force tied to the Dream Realm, focusing it into a concentrated attack to stall him. However, Nightwalker's ability to isolate himself from external influence allowed him to withstand her power and counter with devastating attacks, crushing her body and manipulating space to tear her apart. Cassie adapted by reshaping the Crushing to counteract spatial distortion and relied on a Supreme charm to endure the escalating battle as reality itself began to fracture.^[89][90]

Locked in a transcendent stalemate, Cassie realized she could not defeat Nightwalker and instead needed to force him to withdraw. As Rain prepared an escape, Cassie set the Ivory Island in motion, cutting her tether to the Tower of Hope and accelerating the island through the sky. She learned from Nightwalker that Asterion deemed her too dangerous to preserve, confirming her value as a threat. Using this, she created a dilemma that forced Nightwalker to choose between stopping her or preventing catastrophe.^[91]

Finally, Cassie surrendered her claim to the Tower of Hope, rendering it masterless and forcing Nightwalker to abandon the fight to secure it as the Ivory Island hurtled toward the Night Garden. Exploiting the opportunity, Cassie escaped through the portal with Rain and the remnant of Smile of Heaven. Emerging in the Ebony Tower, she collapsed from exhaustion—only to be greeted by Mordret, who awaited her arrival with a dark smile.^[92]

Some time later, Mordret was leaning against the wall in the circular hall of the Ebony Tower, where a stone archway stood. The Princess of Shadows was exploring the lower floors, while Song of the Fallen lay unconscious on a foldable army cot. When Cassia finally stirred, she sat up and asked how long she had been out. Mordret told her it had been a few hours and explained that everything was over: Nightingale had surrendered Ravenheart to Seishan and her sisters and was now being tortured, while Raised by Wolves was imprisoned beneath Mirage Castle and intended to be starved. He added that some individuals resistant or immune to the plague were being cleansed, but valuable captives like her friends would instead be weakened by the Dreamspawn to break their resistance.^[93]

Cassia appeared to react with quiet despair, but Mordret mocked her, accusing her of acting. He revealed that he had deduced she had modified the runic circle of the archway on Ivory Island in advance, predicting the failure of Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows and preparing an escape route, which meant she had already known the Longing Domain would fall. When he asked about their current actions, Cassia claimed she did not remember, and Mordret concluded she had erased her own memories. He acknowledged that, despite no diviner being able to see the future anymore, she had still predicted events almost perfectly.^[93]

Their exchange grew tense as Mordret questioned whether she had also predicted his actions. Cassia calmly confirmed that she had, calling him predictable and driven only by survival like a beast. Though irritated, Mordret restrained himself, noting he could kill her easily but acknowledging her confidence that he would not, since he needed her ability to erase the Dreamspawn's influence. However, he rejected the idea of allowing her into his mind, stating he viewed her manipulation as no different from the Dreamspawn's.^[93]

Mordret then reflected on his long-standing suspicion of Cassia, recalling how he had watched her since her arrival at the Night Temple and how he realized she had manipulated events to free him. He described how she had made others dance to her tune while remaining unnoticed, growing more unsettling after the Tomb of Ariel. When Cassia asked what he thought she was, Mordret claimed she was no longer truly a person but a "shell", implying her condition was self-inflicted. He connected this to the missing memories from the Tomb of Ariel, stating that although everyone had lost memories, Cassia had lost the most, leaving barely any of her remaining behind the blindfold.^[93]

Song of the Fallen remained silent as Mordret continued, pointing out that while everyone who entered the Tomb of Ariel had lost memories, her Transcendent Ability to erase and manipulate memories made her the most likely cause. He suggested that Torment, her Echo, might have erased them during the Third Nightmare, but Cassia simply replied that she did not remember. Mordret pressed further, linking her missing knowledge about Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows to deliberate self-erasure, and accused her of being responsible for the global loss of foresight among seers after her return. Despite his suspicions, Cassia calmly insisted that he would still have to rely on her, since he had no other choice.^[1]

When asked about his plans, Mordret stated that his only goal was survival, even if it meant becoming a god. Cassia questioned what would come after, describing a future where he would be utterly alone, with no one to witness or share existence with him. Mordret responded by listing possibilities such as creating new life, retreating into reflections, shaping the Nothing beings, or even shattering himself into pieces. Cassia then revealed her own plan: to keep both Mordret and the Dreamspawn locked in conflict for as long as possible, ensuring that neither side could win quickly. She explained that Mordret's victory would destroy humanity, while his defeat would leave the Dreamspawn free to achieve Apotheosis, and emphasized that the Longing Domain still existed as long as someone believed in it.^[1]

Mordret acknowledged that she was correct about his precarious position. He reflected on how the disappearance of Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows had disrupted his calculations, allowing the Dreamspawn to take control of humanity faster than expected. He foresaw that his forces would soon face an impenetrable resistance, eventually forcing him to retreat while the Dreamspawn advanced toward Apotheosis unopposed. Recognizing that he could not afford this outcome, he admitted that Cassia's assistance was necessary, even if he was reluctant to trust her.^[1]

He then remarked that Cassia was close to becoming Supreme but ultimately incapable due to being an "incomplete being", with too many missing memories to impose her will on the world. Cassia dismissed the need for Supremacy, stating she preferred to remain in the shadows and offered to stand behind him if he accepted her proposal. Mordret approached her and agreed to the arrangement, stating he would spare her life in exchange for her ensuring his mind remained free from the Dreamspawn's influence. When he urged her to remove her blindfold, Cassia reluctantly agreed, though she expressed reluctance, while Mordret falsely claimed he was looking forward to it.^[1]