Shadow Slave

Noticing the astonished look on his face, Nephis sighed.

"You must have felt a change in your connection to the Dream Realm and the Waking World when you Ascended. Didn't you?"

Sunny slowly nodded, remembering how he first explored his ability to enter the Dream Realm physically. The process wasn't instantaneous, but it also wasn't too burdensome. He just had to concentrate, feel his connection to the anchor, and reach for it. After a few minutes, he would poof out of existence in reality and appear near the Gateway in the Ivory Tower.

Leaving a tether in the waking world wasn't hard, either, although it took more time and some essence. It was as instinctual as summoning Memories or commanding Echoes.

With the knowledge Sunny had received from being collared in the Red Colosseum, he understood that this hinted at the fact that traveling between the two worlds was one of the functions of the Spell, as opposed to something tied to his Aspect.

After he nodded, Changing Star continued:

"Awakened establish a connection with the Dream Realm by anchoring themselves to a Gateway. Ascended expand on that connection, making them less tied to the Waking World, and thus capable of traveling between the two at will. Transcendent exist in a state of perfect balance. They are connected to both worlds in equal measure, which makes them independent of Gateways. In a sense, they are the Gateway… which is why they can even bring another person with them in their travels."

She paused, and then added in a somber tone:

"However… that balance is broken once a person becomes Supreme. It shifts, tying them to the Dream Realm instead of the real world. In truth, I don't know much about the power of the Sovereigns. All I know is that it is restricted in the waking world, and that they can't enter it freely. That is why… that is why none of them could harm me directly."

Sunny stared, shocked.

That revelation… it made so much sense. It explained so many things, from how Nephis was able to survive to why the government still wielded a lot of power in the waking world.

It also gave credence to Master Jet's statement that the Sovereigns had long given up on reality.

that what awaited Sunny if he somehow became

was spinning around him, Sunny frowned, and then asked

Sacred, then? Would they lose their connection to the real world

Nephis shrugged.

No one had

heavy silence settled between them. After a while,

"...What are Domains?"

him which Domain he belonged to.

Neph sighed.

It is an expression of a… a function of the Aspect, distinct from Abilities, but sharing a lot in common with them. In practice, it is synonymous with their authority and the territories they control, as well

for a few moments, and then

their Domains, they are practically invincible. Not even Saints can hope

let out

these are the

Changing Star smiled.

years from now? Will I still be as weak, and will they still be as powerful? What about in five years?

Sunny shook his head.

don't know. Forget about two years from now, or five, or ten. How are you going to survive now? How

looked at him for a

don't have a

silent for a moment before adding

"...Yet."

to say, so he simply shook his