Shadow Slave

1073 The Fourth Step

Sunny remained silent for a while, looking at Nephis with a somber expression.

Eventually, a dark smile appeared on his face.

"Pray tell."

Neph sighed, then stood up and started gathering the dirty plates. Her movements were calm and unhurried, as if they had not been discussing matters that could very well decide the fate of the whole world.

"Help me do the dishes?"

Sunny blinked, amused by the mundane banality of her request. He lingered for a moment, then shook his head and went about giving Changing Star a hand. As they cleaned the plates in the cold water produced by either a Memory or the Ivory Tower itself, she started talking:

"I've known for a long time that the great clans - especially Song and Valor - were opposed to each other, despite being outwardly unified. The symptoms of the approaching war were quite apparent, if one knew where to look. However, the reasons for this animosity have always eluded me. Ki Song and Anvil had been comrades once, after all... well, I guess it doesn't really matter. My father was their comrade, too.

Sunny hesitated for a moment.

"Do they really need a reason, though? Power is already reason enough. Both have an unimaginable amount of it, but in my experience, those who possess great power are the. ones most greedy for more.

Nephis slowly shook her head.

is too ill-timed, anti too destructive. The great clans stand to lose more from it than they would gain. There are other powers to consider, too - the House of Night, for example.

paused for a

recently. I still don't know why the hostility between the two great clans has

by tense anticipation. It felt as though he was about to learn a great secret... one that would finally let him see the full picture clearly, or

could have uncovered this mystery... but Changing Star herself had infiltrated one of the great clans,

calmly wiped the last plate; put it on the drying rack, and turned to him. White sparks ignited in her

has to do with the Sovereigns... and

He raised an eyebrow.

people use that word. However, I still don't

toward the stairs to

if you

her a dark look. then followed. As they ascended

existence of the Sovereigns, Domains are synonymous with their rule. so,

a deeper secret here. As I found out, Domains are not just an abstract concept... in fact, they

at her silently. He had suspected as

he had no idea what

the Transformation Ability that

Neph frowned.

powerful, at that. You might call it a supreme, ultimate, or pinnacle Ability, I guess. But a Domain is something separate from the Supreme Ability. It is another innate function of the Aspect, just like controlling soul essence or accessing

for a

could. The point is, each step of the Path of Ascension... as well as