Shadow Slave novel Chapter 2966

Chapter 2966 Tainted Heavens

Forgetting about Cor, Cassie paled and backed away, holding her dagger between herself and the Dreamspawn...

As if a dagger was going to help her. Asterion's soldiers entered the workshop behind him, crowding at the end of the stairs. However, following his mental command, they all stayed back, giving him and Cassie space to talk.

‘Wh... what now?'

Thoughts swarmed feverishly in her mind. Cassie took another tentative step toward the stairs leading to the fourth floor of the Ebony Tower, licked the blood off her lips, and asked in a hoarse voice:

“There is a whole Supreme somewhere out there for you to deal with. And yet, you are following a mere Saint... I am flattered, of course — I really am — but to what do I owe the honor?"

Asterion looked a little bit worse for wear, his clothes ragged and torn. His face, too, was paler than usual — it seemed that traversing nothingness and battling the beings who dwelled within it had not been an effortless feat, even for him.

But overall, he seemed perfectly fine.

More than fine to destroy Cassie in the blink of an eye, at least.

Taking a deep breath, Asterion looked around and shrugged.

"How do I put it? I have already defeated Mordret countless times before, and I can defeat him again, no matter what he does. He is a known variable. The other two wielders of Divine Aspects, however, are a mystery. Well, I doubt they'll be able to do anything — but at this point, my tolerance for uncertainty has worn quite thin. And you, young lady... Song of the Fallen... hold the key to finding out what they are up to."

He smiled.

“I have a bad feeling about you, as well. I had it for a while, actually. It takes a lot to make me feel that way, you know? So you should be proud of your accomplishments, young lady."

Cassie took another tentative step back.

"I don't know where they are. I..."

Asterion interrupted her in a relaxed tone:

“Erased your own memories, I know. But I am sure that there are a few clues left in that eerie head of yours. And I intend to find them, even if I have to crack it open to have a good look."

He studied her for a moment and then added:

"Also, you made a mistake. You called Mordret Supreme... but he's nothing but a Great Beast now, is he?"

Cassie shivered.

She knew that Asterion was only humoring her with a conversation in order to give his powers enough time to crawl into her mind and subjugate it. But what else could she do? If she tried to run, he would simply catch her. He would break her legs or cut her tendons in order to have a nice chat without anything getting in the way.

So, she said:

“It was you, wasn't it? You did something... you planted something into his mind. That was why he failed his Apotheosis and succumbed to the Corruption."

Asterion laughed.

“Me? Oh my, you are giving me too much credit."

He shook his head.

"I had nothing to do with his failure — it had already been preordained. He simply never stood a chance. Ah, the arrogance of youth... the boy should not have attempted Apotheosis without learning all its secrets first."

Cassie frowned.

“What do you mean?"

Asterion shrugged.

“What do you think Apotheosis is, young lady?"

He studied her for a moment and then explained in a friendly tone:

“Apotheosis is the process of ascending to godhood. More precisely, it is the process of becoming a Spirit. But what are Spirits? What differentiates them — what differentiates all gods — from mortals?"

He paused briefly before continuing:

"It might be easier to understand if you limit the scope of the comparison. What differentiates Spirits from Sovereigns? A Transcendent's soul expands beyond the confines of their mortal shell. A Supreme's soul draws on their source element and grows to encompass a Domain. A Spirit, meanwhile... a Spirit is an embodiment of their source element. They are beings whose souls encompass an entire realm, fusing with the laws that govern it. A Divine being, meanwhile — a true god — is someone whose essence encompasses all of existence, woven into the universal laws that rule it."

Asterion looked at Cassie and smiled.

"Do you see the problem here, young lady?"

He shook his head.

“Mordret failed to achieve natural Apotheosis because that is the fate awaiting all of you, children of the War Realm, if you dare to try. That is because your own realm denies your existence... so, you are left with no choice but to attempt it here, in the Dream Realm. But what do you think will happen to someone who tries to fuse their soul with the laws of the Realm of Corruption?"

Asterion scoffed.

"He wasn't ready to become a god. He wasn't even ready to withstand the darkness nestled between the roots of this cursed realm. So, as much as I'd like to take credit, the fault is all his. The failure is all his, as well, even if it was inevitable.”

Cassie took another step back, almost reaching the stairs, and raised her chin slightly.

“Are you planning to do the same? Won't you end up just like Mordret, then?"

Asterion laughed.

"Unlike all of you, I was born in the Dream Realm. I belong to this world. I saw its darkness already, and emerged unscathed on the other side... I am a Dreamspawn, after all. The Nightmare you all fear so much was my cradle."

Looking behind Cassie, he paused for a moment, and then sighed.

"Now, it's time to see what is hidden inside your head, young lady. Oh... and I made a promise to you, didn't I? I promised to take your second eye as well. I think I'll fulfill that promise first. It wouldn't do for the ruler of humanity to become a liar, would it?"

Looking at the hollow-eyed figure of Saint Cor, the soldiers grasped their weapons tighter. Asterion threw an indifferent gaze at the one standing closest to him, and then said evenly.

“Restrain her."

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