Shadow Slave

After that statement, the room was silent for a while. Sunny frowned, thinking about what he had just heard.

He wasn't really surprised to learn that Mordret was a scion of the great clan Valor. He had already known that there was some connection there… he had also considered that one possible explanation for Mordret's strange insistence on calling himself a prince was a blood relation to one of the Sovereign.

Now, it was more or less clear that Anvil of Valor… was the mysterious prince's father.

What made Sunny frown, however, was that Welthe called Mordret the Prince of War. Was that an indication that clan Valor had inherited the lineage of War God, just like the Immortal Flame clan inherited that of Sun God?

If so… what lineages did the other two Great Clans possess?

…And where did it leave him, who was supposed to become the inheritor of Shadow God, but ended up stuck with a forbidden lineage of an elusive daemon instead?

Meanwhile, Cassie spoke, her voice slightly surprised:

"...of Valor?"

Master Welthe sighed again, then nodded.

"Yes. Prince Mordret was… is the eldest son of Saint Anvil, one of the patriarchs of our great clan. As a young child, he was given as a hostage to a… powerful ally. To keep peace and ensure prosperity for all. No harm was meant to come to him. And it didn't… or so we thought. Years later, the prince was returned to us as a valiant Awakened, to our joy and relief."

looked away. Welthe lingered for a few moments,

shortlived. Soon, it became apparent that the boy had grown up to be… disturbed. He was cruel, uncaring, and had… certain impulses that couldn't be controlled. The more

down,

the command of the elders, sought out a Seed of Nightmare to become a Master. Knowing that he was too dangerous to be allowed to Ascend… or even to walk freely in the waking world… it was with a heavy heart that a decision was made to eliminate him. Monster or not, he was our

rubbed his temples. There was a lot of new information in what they were told… provided it was true, of course. Which he wasn't sure that

"hostage"? Was he really disturbed and dangerous? Maybe he was, and maybe he wasn't… or had not been, at least. Whatever the case, Sunny had no doubt that it had no bearing on Anvil's decision to

Nightmare for that very reason… that was why he had come to the Chained Isles alone, seeking a Seed that had not been discovered — and thus, couldn't be guarded — by the forces of

led to

make a

Masters,

kill him? Why go to all this trouble and imprison

pause, it was Pierce who answered, his voice

that thing simply refused to die. Many of my comrades did in the process, however. In the end, we

at the

destroyed, and yet he still exists… how is that even

his mouth, then closed it… then opened

is his

and Welthe glanced at each other. In the

If one looks at him through any form of a mirror, their soul will be devoured, and their body will become his.

for a few moments, and absentmindedly touched the