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.

There are other powers to consider, too - the House of Night, for example. Even the government,

paused for a

although I only learned of it recently. I still don't know why the hostility between the two great clans has suddenly escalated so much now, of all the times it could have... now seems like a terrible time to go to war-However. I think I

a great secret... one that would finally let him

Star herself had infiltrated one of the great clans, while

it on the drying rack,

has to do with the

He raised an eyebrow.

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

then headed toward the stairs to

if

dark look. then followed.

existence of the Sovereigns, Domains are synonymous with their rule. so, one might say that they belong to a Domain, meaning that they serve. one

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

suspected

that, he had no idea

it is an Ability, like the Transformation Ability that the Saints possess? One that

Neph frowned.

is tremendously powerful, at that. You might call it a supreme, ultimate, or pinnacle Ability, I guess. But a Domain is something separate

for

don't know everything about it just yet. I've just gleaned bits and pieces of information where I could. The point is, each step of the Path of Ascension... as well as of the Path of Corruption... has its