Hunger Domain vs Mirror Domain

The final battle of the last war began, with both sides refusing to retreat despite the certainty that humanity would be doomed regardless of the victor. The armies of the Hunger Domain assembled into seven formations around the Tear, preparing for either an aerial assault or a seven-pronged advance across colossal chains. As renowned warriors and ordinary soldiers alike braced for combat, three Awakened—Yutra, Tegrot, and Rit—reunited and resolved to fight, believing they would rescue Lady Cassia. The battle commenced with devastating volleys of projectiles, only to be stopped by Mordret's powerful Reflections shielding the Ebony Island. These Reflections, capable of mirroring others and growing stronger, formed a formidable defense, with one uniquely taking on Cassie's own likeness.^[1]

A Reflection mirroring Cassie enhanced Mordret's defenses by predicting the near future and coordinating with other Reflections, allowing them to repel the Hunger Domain's initial barrage. When Asterion shifted tactics, attempting to manipulate space through Nightwalker, Cassie and the Reflections countered, turning the assault back on the Night Garden. Anticipating a stronger follow-up attack, Mordret struck first by unleashing Nightmare Creatures through his Mirror Realm across multiple fronts, causing widespread chaos but failing to overwhelm Asterion due to his control over his forces. Despite the disruption, Asterion ordered a full assault, sending vast swarms of winged creatures to begin the decisive attack on the Ebony Tower.^[2]

Cassie, despite the risk, used her Aspect to witness the battlefield through countless minds, gaining full awareness while making herself vulnerable to Asterion's influence. Mordret's forces unleashed devastating attacks to counter the massive swarm of winged abominations, revealing it as a diversion while Asterion's true assault advanced across the seven celestial chains. Though deadly spores and mass casualties struck the soldiers, the enthralled army pressed forward without hesitation under Asterion's control. Mordret chose not to sever the chains, instead sending his Reflections and monstrous forces to meet the advancing legions head-on. The two sides ultimately collided in a catastrophic battle spanning both the skies above and the abyss below.^[3]

Overwhelmed by the scale of the battle, Cassie struggled with doubt but realized her thoughts were being influenced by Asterion, reaffirming her choice to stand with Mordret despite not wanting his victory. As the battle on the chains intensified, Mordret's Reflections slaughtered waves of human soldiers and even grew stronger, forcing Asterion to deploy his Saints, including the formidable Morgan, who began pushing Mordret's forces back. In response, Mordret escalated the conflict by unleashing more of his power and cutting off the enemy's reinforcements, fully committing to the fight. As chaos and slaughter consumed the battlefield and Asterion prepared to join personally, the balance shifted further when one of the celestial chains finally snapped.^[4]

Cassie narrowly avoided death as the Ebony Island's defenses began to fail under relentless bombardment, while Mordret remained cold and unmoved despite the immense suffering of his vessels. Across the battlefield, the war reached a brutal stalemate, with the decisive clashes unfolding along the seven chains. Morgan nearly secured victory by reaching the Ebony Island, but when the chain behind her snapped, she abandoned her advance to save her forces, holding the chain together and ordering a retreat. As both sides pulled back from the seventh chain, Asterion finally made his move and stepped off the Ivory Island.^[5]

Asterion stepped onto the chain and entered the battle personally, his mere presence exerting immense pressure on the Ebony Island. Mordret prepared to confront him, reflecting briefly on his past failure to kill Cassie before moving to face the Dreamspawn. The two exchanged words, with Asterion asserting his immortality and Mordret expressing twisted delight in killing him endlessly. As they prepared to fight, Asterion summoned Morgan, transforming her into a powerful sword, and declared his intent to end their long conflict once and for all.^[6]

Mordret had repeatedly inflicted fatal wounds on Asterion—piercing his heart, severing limbs, and even splitting him apart—but the Dreamspawn had continually regenerated, his existence sustained by the idea of himself and the will of humanity. Despite being the stronger and more skilled fighter, Mordret had been gradually overwhelmed as Asterion's power bent reality against him and even began influencing his mind. Meanwhile, the larger battle had turned against Mordret's forces, worsening his situation. Realizing direct victory was impossible, Mordret had secretly prepared a desperate plan while continuing to fight. In the end, after barely surviving Asterion's relentless assault, he declared his intent to withdraw, though Asterion immediately moved to stop him.^[7]

A catastrophic clash between Mordret and Asterion shook the Chain Isles, spreading tremors across all connected islands as invasion forces closed in on the Ebony Island. Cassie struggled to maintain the failing defensive array while multiple enemy factions breached the island from above and below, causing Mordret's defenses to collapse. As invaders flooded the stronghold and chaos erupted, Mordret withdrew, warning Cassie to retreat while he prepared a reckless plan. The Ebony Tower was transformed into a massive mirror by crystalline creatures, and in the end, it shattered, releasing an overwhelming flood of nothingness.^[8]

Cassie retreated into the Ebony Tower as Mordret unleashed a flood of nothingness, realizing he had torn open a path from the Hollow Mountains to consume the battlefield. While the mist annihilated many of Asterion's forces, it also inexplicably destroyed countless of Mordret's own vessels, erasing them without visible cause. Despite his grievous injuries and unstable demeanor, Mordret revealed he was risking everything in a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble. Outside, Asterion countered the devastation by anchoring his thralls with his will, allowing the strongest warriors to survive and resist the consuming mist.^[9]

Main article: Mordret's Desperate Gamble

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• Jet's Perspective
• Effie's Perspective