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.

war of theirs 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. Even the government, or Asterion,

paused for

don't know why the hostility between the two

one that would finally let him see the full picture clearly, or at least

mystery... but Changing Star herself had infiltrated one of the great clans, while Cassie was

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

has to do with the Sovereigns... and

He raised an eyebrow.

heard a few people use that word. However,

toward the stairs to the sixth, highest

uh, if

then followed.

with their rule. so, one might say that they belong to a Domain, meaning that

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

had suspected as much, hilt never had any

than that, he had no idea what that

Transformation Ability that the Saints

Neph frowned.

a Transcendent becomes a Supreme, they do unlock another Ability - one that is tremendously powerful, at that. You might call it a supreme, ultimate, or pinnacle Ability, I guess. But a Domain is something

lingered for a

is, each step of the Path of Ascension... as well as of the Path of Corruption... has its own meaning. The first path is the ascent toward divinity, while the second