Shadow Slave novel Chapter 2900

Supreme Mordret stared at Saint Mordret, both of them reflecting in each other's eyes. One wore an expression of contempt, the other of wistful sympathy.

One was the captor, and the other was the captive.

Eventually, the captor said:

“But you don't seem to hold it against him, do you?"

He lingered for a few moments, and then smiled bitterly.

“You know, it's funny. What was it that she said? The one in the basement is nice, but the other one is a horror show... of the two of us, you are the one people tend to perceive as the better version. But they all fail to realize that even if I am not nice, you are the real horror show between us."

Mordret leaned forward, almost pressing his forehead against the mirror.

“I might not be entirely human, but you... you are barely a human, at best. You lack so much. You can't feel anything — not resentment, not anger, not hatred. Not the feeling of being hurt, not the feeling of being betrayed. Not even the painful shame of being discarded. Which one of us deserves to be called the King of Nothing, really?"

He shook his head.

“People don't seem to understand that a person who is a friend to everyone is loyal to no one. Your nice act is simply a facade that hides how crippled and inhuman you are. You smile blissfully at that girl, the Princess of Shadows... but if the Dreamspawn was here, killing her, you'd smile blissfully at him too."

His reflection sighed.

"You are probably right. But... I like to think that I'd at least ask him to stop." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Mordret looked at the reflection chillingly.

"And yet if he refused to listen and tortured her to death, you wouldn't hold it against him. You wouldn't be capable of holding it against him... so how can they look at you and see someone nice?"

He paused for a second and then smiled.

"Maybe it's because you are so blank that all they can see in you is a reflection of themselves. No one really understands how empty you are, so they simply project their own image of what a human should be on you. And since people love nothing more than themselves, you receive their sympathy. Must be nice."

Mordret took a step back and laughed.

“Well, it's not like I need anyone's sympathy. And it's not like I would feel the inclination to do something if that girl was being tortured and killed in front of me, either... so I guess neither of us has that good of a claim on being human. Which is just as well. Who would want to be human, anyway?"

He grinned.

“In truth, I am only keeping the girl alive for two reasons. One is to have her as hostage in case I need to force Song of the Fallen to do something she doesn't want to do... or deter her from doing something that I don't want her to do. The witch knows to be on her best behavior unless she wants to see her little friend tortured, broken, and killed."

His grin dimmed a little.

“The other reason is insurance in case the Lord of Shadows does come back. Until the Dreamspawn is dealt with, it's best to have a cordial relationship with that man — and I don't think that he'll take the death of his prized pupil well. Having him throw a fit in the middle of a war against the Dreamspawn would be most problematic."

The other Mordret studied the King of Nothing for a while, not saying anything. Eventually, though, he asked:

"You don't usually feel the need to explain yourself to me. Why are you so talkative today, brother?"

Mordret just stared at him, a subtle frown twisting his brow.

"Yes, indeed. Why am I so talkative today?"

His reflection sighed.

"It's because you are nervous, isn't it? You are."

Mordret smiled.

“Why should I be nervous? I am having the time of my life. An all-consuming war against the entire world, with nothing impeding or constraining me... ah, I am having a blast. You can't imagine how liberating it is, to finally be free of the need to pretend to be something I'm not. To be free of the need to reflect all those people back on themselves so that they'd see me as one of their own."

He chuckled.

"You know, that thing that defined us and our entire despicable clan — the lineage of War God. I used to think that it was severely misunderstood. They went around giving us titles like the Prince of War, the Princess of War... the Sovereign of War. But War God was also the Goddess of Life, the deity of technology and progress. She was the patron deity of humanity, as well."

Mordret shook his head.

“Our father and grandfather were praised and exalted as conquerors, as consummate warriors. But they were both craftsmen first, and fighters second. They were artificers who wielded Utility Aspects... they created things. So, I always thought that focusing solely on the War aspect of War God was misguided."

He looked around and grinned.

"But now that I am waging absolute war against all of existence... ah, I finally understand the allure. It feels natural to me. I like it — I am enjoying myself way more than I ever expected. I think it really is in our blood, war."

Mordret looked at his counterpart and grimaced.

"Although someone as pathetic as you would never be able to understand it."

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