Ranobes » Shadow Slave » Chapter 1677: Spark of Longing.
Options
Bookmark
Chapters list

Chapter 1677: Spark of Longing.
Shadow Slave

A towering golem made from crumbling stone, its cracked body overgrown with red moss, raised a hand. There was a corpse.entombed within it. The soldier of an annihilated civilization had perished.thousands of years ago, but their sorcerous armor still lived, infected by an abhorrent.corruption.

The creature, an Asura of Condemnation, was holding a diamond cleaver in its hand. When the cleaver rose, the world seemed to tremble in fear. When the cleaver fell, reality itself seemed to split apart.

A giant tree, its adamantine bark hard enough to resist the end of days, was cut down in one slash and toppled slowly. The wind raised by its fall fanned the flames that had been spreading through the jungle, and bitter smoke permeated the air.

The tree had been dead for countless years, and its heart had long rotted away. There was a cave-like hollow between its roots, which was now revealed.

Two terrified Sleepers had been hiding in that hollow, and were now hugging each other as they looked at the sinister abominations in horror..

The diamond cleaver rose again, spelling their doom.

…Before it could fall down to reap their lives, however, an equally menacing fiend appeared from the darkness, crashing into the great golem with a ferocious growl. It had sharp claws, twisting horns, and a long tale, its bestial body encased in a fearsome onyx carapace. The darkness itself moved, shrouding it like a mantle.

And a moment later…

The eyes of the two Sleepers widened.

A beautiful young woman wearing a fluttering white tunic fell from above, surrounded by pure light. Her skin was fair and flawless, like polished alabaster, and her silver hair shone brilliantly in the dim twilight of the jungle. Her figure was slender and graceful, and her beauty… was breathtaking.

She held an incandescent sword in her hands.

Landing on the shoulder of the ghastly golem, she delivered a terrible blow and severed its damaged neck.

The headless abomination continued to.resist furiously even after being decapitated, but the strange pair — the fearsome demon of darkness and the beautiful spirit of light — cooperated seamlessly, swiftly bringing it down.

The diamond cleaver shattered and fell apart. The stone carapace crumbled. The mummified corpse that had been entombed within it turned to ash.

The creature was dead before the falling tree collapsed to the ground, making the ancient ruin quake.

Nephis jumped off its corpse and inhaled slowly.

The Lord of Shadows had been wounded in that last clash, but his towering body was already repairing itself. She was unscathed… for now.

Most importantly, they made it to the two Sleepers in time.

Turning around, she walked to the remains of the giant tree and looked into the hollow space between its roots, where two ashen- faced teenagers were staring up at her with wide eyes.

Both were girls, their faces smeared with ash and dirt. One of them seemed to maintain a shred of composure, holding the other tightly. The other girl… didn't look too good, and seemed to be slowly falling unconscious.

The first Sleeper opened her mouth and said, stuttering:

«You're… y-you're… Changing Star?»

Nephis smiled in an effort to calm the girl. That calming smile was not natural to her, but she had practiced her communication skills diligently. After all, she was both a leader and a public figure now… knowing how to make the right impression was one of the skills she had to master, and had mastered despite not having an innate talent for it.

«Yes. I am Saint Nephis of the Immortal Flame clan. This is Saint Shadow… of no clan. We are here to bring you two to safety.»

The young girl lingered for a few moments, looking at her with a complicated expression.

That expression was not what Nephis had expected.

«Is she… wary of me?»

Eventually, the girl nodded and said in a tone that was meant to be steady, but betrayed a slight tremor:

«I am… Tamar of the Sorrow clan.»

«Ah

Nephis lingered for a moment.

Sorrow was a vassal clan of Song. So… this girl was technically her enemy.

It was indeed a bit awkward.

The Lord of Shadows stared at her, as if curious to see what she would do. His demonic shell had almost entirely repaired itself already.

Nephis jumped down into the shallow pit, put her sword down, and looked at the second teenager. Then, she turned back to young Tamar.

«What is wrong with your friend?»

The girl glanced at her black sword, then gripped the other Sleeper tighter.

«Some… kind of infection. She scraped her hand on a vine

Then, her eyes trembled slightly.

«Wait, did… did Ray find you, my lady? Is he alive?»

Nephis nodded and kneeled near the unconscious Sleeper, looking at her with concern.

«He is safe and sound. You don't have to worry.»

The three must have bonded during their harrowing time in Godgrave. Before that, they had probably spent a lot of time together at the Academy. It wasn't strange for them to care about each other… in fact, Nephis was the strange one, having formed no bonds at the Academy.

There had been a reason for that, of course. She did not know which of the fellow Sleepers had been sent to kill her, at the time… Cassie had had her circumstances, too. Still, these girls reminded her of the two of them.

Granted, there had been no third member to their small cohort on the Forgotten Shore… there had been no…

A moment later, Nephis shook her head lightly, having lost her train of thought.

Concerned for the unconscious girl, she gently placed her hand on her gaunt body, and frowned. The girl's skin was as hot as a furnace, and her pulse was weak… she wasn't just infected… she was dying. Nephis lingered for a moment, and then glanced at Tamar. She forced herself to smile again.

You are safe now. The worst part is almost over. Fear not, for we are here. And we will get you and your friend out, no matter what.»

The young girl stared at Nephis for a few moments, then took a trembling breath and nodded. Then, she suddenly slumped, as if finally allowing her exhausted body to collapse. Her eyes glistened with moisture, but she gritted her teeth and held the tears back.

«Thank you… thank you Lady Changing Star.»

Nephis nodded and turned away, secretly gritting her teeth.

Then, she activated her Dormant Ability and endured the blinding pain, sending a wave of healing flame into the second Sleepers body.

The infection was persistent, and had spread to the girl's heart. Nevertheless, it was burned away by the purity of soul flame, leaving no trace behind. It just took a little longer than Nephis had expected. She healed most of the damage dealt to the body of the unfortunate Sleeper, as well.

The shadows around her stirred, betraying her companion's restlessness.

The Lord of Shadows spoke from above:

«They're drawing close.»

At the sound of her voice, Tamar flinched and looked at Nephis, trying to hide her fear:

«This is… this is Godgrave, isn't it? Can we really escape?»

Nephis dismissed her flames and took a deep breath.

«Of course. I promised, didn't I?»

The young girl stared at her for a few moments, then nodded gravely.

«I'll… trust in you, Lady Changing Star. I strive to survive, no matter what.»

Her voice sounded resolute.

Neph's smile faltered for a moment.

Good. Strive well.»

While saying that, she could already feel it…

A spark of longing igniting in the soul of young Tamar, and then turning into a gentle flame.

Connecting the two of them together, and making her a tentative part of Neph's nascent, unrealized, almost non-existent Domain.

Shadow Slave
Chapters list

Comments 32

  1. Offline
    Gerhman_Sparrow23
    Gerhman_Sparrow23
    + 14 ⋅ 0 -
    So she got her domain related powers as an ascended (longing attribute was given to her in her ascension)
    And another thing, maybe she is trying to ascend to Supreme naturally without the help of Spell and a 4th nightmare. She knows about it, she was there when Ananke told them that awakening without Spell is possible.
    Read more
  2. Offline
    ArMiks
    ArMiks
    + 11 ⋅ 0 -
    There were even many people inspired with a straightforward carnal desire because of her looks. It was a bit awkward for her to sense the kind of yearning they had for her when she was out and about, and pretend not to notice.


    These persons better not let lord shadow get a whif of this desire, of they might just get added to a hunting list regardless of their status.
    Also, leave it to these two to start a skit right before facing a haunt of abominations 😏😏
    Read more
  3. Offline
    Pro100zver25
    Pro100zver25
    + 18 ⋅ 0 -
    1679: Beacon of Hope.

    There were two ways to build a Domain.

    One was provided by the Spell, and depended on the Citadels.

    By becoming the master of a Citadel, or having a person who had accepted your authority become one, a Supreme could empower and expand their Domain over vast territories. A Citadel was much more than just a stronghold containing a Gateway it was a daunting construct of impossible sorcery that forcefully subjugated the part of the world surrounding it and brought it under the rule of a Supreme.

    That was why both the King of Swords and the Queen of Worms, who controlled most of the human territories in the Dream Realm, were so immensely powerful.

    The second way was innate to each Transcendent, and unique to their Aspect.

    Nephis suspected that most Domains were territorial in nature, which was the reason why the Spell had based its method on territory.

    But not all of them were.

    Take the King of Swords, for example. He used the path provided by the Citadels to expand his Domain, but that did not mean that he limited himself to it. The true vessels of his authority were not lands, but people — every warrior wielding a sword forged by him was a part of his Domain, and thus empowered it.

    Ki Song collected the dead. There was the mysterious Asterion, as well, who didn't seem to rule any Citadel.

    As for Nephis herself, the only way for her to build a Domain was to inspire people, igniting the flames of yearning in their souls. At least that was her belief.

    It had taken countless hours of contemplation and meditation for her to learn how to truly sense the underlying source element of her Aspect. She had noticed the subtle shift in her presence first… or maybe that subtle quality had always been there, too weak to be discerned.

    The souls of people shone brighter in Neph's presence, their innermost hopes and aspirations igniting with a stronger flame. Her presence was like kindling for their passions, turning desire into yearning.

    And if that yearning was inspired directly by her, or even the idea of her, then a subtle connection was established between them and Nephis, making the inspired a part of her source element.

    She had not learned to sense these connections swiftly, though. In fact, it had taken a small breakthrough in mastering her Aspect Legacy for Nephis to grasp the deeper meaning of [Longing].

    Her Aspect Legacy was a tree of knowledge that bore seven fruits, She had reaped the benefits of one of them and comprehended the Knowledge of Fire in Twilight.

    Since then, Nephis had made strides in comprehending a few others.

    Facing the First Seeker in Verge, she had advanced considerably toward the Knowledge of Corruption. And in the last four years, she had not only fully mastered the Knowledge of Destruction, but also started on the path of comprehending Knowledge of Passion.

    It was that last branch of her Aspect Legacy that had helped her fathom the underlying nature of her Aspect better, as well as what she was concentrating on mastering now.

    Nephis had learned how to sense the subtle connections formed between her and those she inspired. She had also earned the ability to vaguely feel the passions and desires of those around her, which were like sparks and flames burning in their souls.

    Of course, not everyone was easy to read… the Lord of Shadows, for example, was like a closed book, especially when he wore that mask of his.

    In any case, after Nephis had gained that understanding, she found out with a bit of surprise that there were already countless people in the world who were connected to her.

    As it turned out, her fame was the reason. From the day she had led the Dreamer Army to siege the Crimson Spire and failed to come back with them, the mighty propaganda machine of the government churned, exaggerating her inconceivable achievements and making her into a tragic hero. A truly brilliant figure — Indomitable Changing Star, the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan.

    They had even built on the legendary fame of her father and grandfather, turning her into a symbol of human valiance and perseverance.

    …For as long as Immortal Flame burned, humanity would not be extinguished. These words were spoken often now by the people born into the era of the Nightmare Spell.

    There were even movies made about her, horrendous as they were.

    Her sensational return as the only Sleeper in history to conquer the Second Nightmare had only deepened the reverence and veneration people felt toward her, followed by her adoption into Valor, which added the Great Clan's storied prestige to her own.

    So, by the time Nephis became a Saint, there were already numerous people for whom she was an inspiration.

    And after she became a Saint, their numbers only continued to grow. She could feel it clearly… some were inspired to strive for martial strength. Some were inspired to cultivate the nobility of their characters. Some were inspired to live their lives with earnest confidence, and so on.

    There were even many people inspired with a straightforward carnal desire because of her looks. It was a bit awkward for her to sense the kind of yearning they had for her when she was out and about, and pretend not to notice.

    In any case, the foundation of her future Domain was already vast and potent.

    But it wasn't vast enough, and it wasn't potent enough.

    And so, in the past four years, Nephis had endeavored tirelessly to make it even more solid.

    To touch the souls of even more people. She had learned how to carry herself, how to present a perfect facade to the masses. She poured her intellect into grasping the Knowledge of Passion.

    More importantly, she put her sword where her mouth was.

    In that sense, the way Clan Valor treated her was ironically of great help. They always sent her to the most deadly battlefields, dispatched her into the epicenters of the most dreadful calamities, as if wishing for her to die. Wherever there was a crisis, Changing Star and her Fire Keepers would arrive, dissipating a flood of Nightmare Creatures with their swords.

    Nephis played along with the will of Clan Valor, using these opportunities to show the world her incorruptible will and brilliant radiance, which made her fame even more wide-spread and exalted, Cassie, meanwhile, worked behind the scenes to guide the narrative and fan the flames.

    Nephis herself, the Ivory Tower, the Chain Breaker, the Fire Keepers — everything was now a recognizable symbol of selflessness, strength, and nobility. They were beacons of hope in a dark and tumultuous world, bringing people solace… and Inspiration.

    The number of those touched by her light grew every day, forming countless connections to her soul. Not all of these connections were equal. Some were tentative and feeble, some were radiant and deep. The deepest connections by far were those of the Fire Keepers — her most loyal followers. It was to a degree that she could even reach them with her Aspect Abilities from a distance.

    That was one part of what Nephis was doing — the easier part.

    The harder part, by far, was coming up with a way to actually turn this spiderweb of connections the nascent form of her future Domain — into an actual one.

    Nephis… still had no idea how to take this step. She had spent some time studying the changes that had happened to her Soul Sea after she bound the Ivory Tower and let the Fire Keepers place their anchors there, hoping to find a clue from the mysterious mechanisms of the Nightmare Spell. But that had turned out to be a dead end.

    So, for now, Nephis was left with no choice but to search… and wait.

    She had hoped that she would find a hint before the war started, but now that both of the Great Clans were on the move, that didn't seem possible anymore.

    Which was why it was so important for her to establish a foothold in Godgrave, and ready herself for what was going to happen here.

    Anvil and Ki Song had to fall before the war was over.

    Because if one of them truly defeated the other, their authority would spread to all of humanity.

    …Once that happened, even becoming a Supreme would not be enough to slay them.
    Read more
    1. Offline
      Pro100zver25
      Pro100zver25
      + 12 ⋅ 0 -
      1680: Spirit of Light.

      The unconscious Sleeper slowly opened her eyes, staring at Nephis with a dazed look. She smiled reassuringly and rose, picking up her sword again.

      There was not much time left. The enemies were approaching.

      Towering above the three of them — Nephis and the two teenage girls — the Lord of Shadows said coldly:

      «It's sweet that you promised to save them. But how are you going to do it? Once we start fighting with those abominations, a single shockwave will be enough to finish these two off.»

      Nephis climbed out of the pit and helped the girl she had healed up. Tamar followed.

      «Good question.»

      There was no time to run away, because the asuras were faster than them. Flying away wasn't an option, either, because they would be perfect targets in the air. One toss of a diamond weapon, and there would be no escape.

      Even if Nephis could evade, she had to carry at least one of the Sleepers, and neither of the girls would survive the crushing pressure of such maneuvers,

      She considered countless strategies in a single second and looked up at the Lord of Shadows.

      «You take them and retreat. I'll hold the enemy off, and then join you.»

      He remained silent for a moment, and then said flatly:

      «I refuse.»

      Nephis blinked.

      «Huh!»

      She had not expected that answer.

      «Why?»

      The shadow demon bent down, bringing his onyx helmet level to her face. The darkness nestling inside it was deep and impenetrable.

      «You might be fine dying for these Sleepers, Changing Star. But I am not fine with you dying.»

      One of his onyx claws pointed at her.

      «You still owe me a favor, remember? Wouldn't I be cheated if you died before repaying me?»

      Nephis tilted her head.

      At that moment… she thought that she felt a hint of desire from the Lord of Shadows. Some people's longing was like a spark, some people's longing was like flame. His, though… to her, it felt like a towering pyre that dwarfed everything around.

      As it turned out, the Lord of Shadows was a man of dire passion behind that cold exterior.

      She couldn't make out the details of what exactly he yearned for, but his unwillingness to see her dead — before she made good on her promise, at least seemed rather sincere.

      It looked like the favor he intended to ask from her was not simple.

      A moment later, his soul was shrouded in darkness once again, and she couldn't feel anything.

      Nephis sighed.

      «What do you propose, then?»

      The Lord of Shadows lingered for a moment.

      Then, he scratched his horned head, the onyx claws scraping piercingly against the surface of his helmet.

      Finally, he sighed.

      «I'll take them to the Nameless Temple and return. You… stay alive while I'm gone.»

      Wasn't that basically what she had suggested?

      Nephis raised an eyebrow.

      «How long will it take you to make it back to the Citadel and return, Lord Shadow?»

      He raised one of his four hands and bent a few fingers, then answered evenly:

      «…About six seconds.»

      She stared at him silently.

      Then… she stared some more.

      «Huh?»

      «You could make a trip from the Citadel to here in three seconds, this whole time? Why did we fight our way here through the jungle, then?»

      Usually, Nephis had to make an effort to put emotions Into her naturally deadpan voice. But now, she was actually struggling to maintain composure and make it sound calm!

      It was an extremely rare occurrence.

      The Lord of Shadows shrugged indifferently.

      «It would have consumed too much of my essence. Carrying these Sleepers is fine, but you… are too heavy of a burden.»

      Nephis stared at him silently for a moment, then glanced down involuntarily.

      Her body was lithe and slender, like it had always been.

      Definitely.

      «…Huh.»

      The Lord of Shadows remained silent for a moment, too, then added suddenly, his cold tone suspiciously close to sounding a tiny bit rushed:

      «Because you are a Transcendent. Your soul is too vast and powerful, that was what I meant.»

      He took a step forward and placed two of his four hands on the shoulders of the speechless Sleepers.

      «Anyway… time is of the essence… so, I'd better go.»

      A moment later, the three of them dissolved into shadows, leaving Nephis alone in the small clearing.

      «A spatial movement Ability.»

      She remained motionless for a second, then looked at herself again.

      A quiet mumble could be heard:

      «…Did I gain muscle?»

      Sure, she was not as delicate and pretty as Cassie. And not as elegant and graceful as Seishan. But Nephis was pretty confident in her figure… granted, it wasn't as generous as Effie's…

      «What am I even thinking about?»

      Just at that moment, the jungle around her exploded, and seven ghastly golems lunged at her from all sides, the world groaning in agony from the violent force of their passing.

      Nephis was still looking down.

      Before they could reach her, though, her body exploded with a brilliant radiance, and their towering figures were consumed by blinding light.

      —— —— ——

      Nephis had transformed into a spirit of light.

      In that state, her graceful body seemed to be woven out of immaculate white radiance. That radiance contained an unfathomable ocean of furious flame instead of flesh and bone, and was a beautiful vessel for her fiery, titanic soul.

      She was like a brilliant star that had taken the form of a human.

      The moisture permeating the humid air instantly evaporated. The rotten leaves blanketing the ground turned to ash. The remains of the dead tree blackened and caught fire, being consumed at startling speed.

      But the speed with which the mystical wood was being consumed by the white flame was nothing when compared to the speed with which Nephis moved.

      Unconstrained by the limitations of mundane flesh, her power exploded.

      The whole clearing was flooded with blinding light, and the towering figures of the asuras dissolved in that light. They weren't destroyed, but the red moss covering their cracked armor was immediately incinerated. The mummified flesh within the stone carapaces blackened and smoldered.

      The seven diamond weapon fell in unison, but Nephis effortlessly danced out of the way.

      Almost at the same time…

      She was suddenly in front of one of the abominations, her radiant fist brushing lightly against its stone breastplate.

      The massive creature was thrown back. The armor on its chest cracked and melted, and the thick armor plate on its back exploded, shards of stone turning into molten rain as they fell to the ground.

      The world was stark and clear, awash in annihilating pain.

      «Three more seconds…»

      Nephis wondered how many of these Nightmare Creatures she would be able to kill before the Lord of Shadows returned.
      Read more
      1. Offline
        BlankDjinn
        BlankDjinn
        + 2 ⋅ 0 -
        Thank you as always :)

        Good chapters damn good chapters and a pretty full explanation on domains was a treat I’m happy it sounds like you just need to impose and make manifest your own power how that presents is different kind of sad Nephis’s is people based but it’s expected at least it seems Sunny’s doesn’t need to even think about people and may be more like songs with the dead or just shadow
        Read more
      2. Offline
        Corokicho
        Corokicho
        + 1 ⋅ 0 -
        Women.
        Read more
  4. Offline
    ZEXOS
    ZEXOS
    + 19 ⋅ 0 -
    1679. Beacon of Hope


    There were two ways to build a Domain.

    One was provided by the Spell, and depended on the Citadels.

    By becoming the master of a Citadel, or having a person who had accepted your authority become one, a Supreme could empower and expand their Domain over vast territories. A Citadel was much more than just a stronghold containing a Gateway it was a daunting construct of impossible sorcery that forcefully subjugated the part of the world surrounding it and brought it under the rule of a Supreme.

    That was why both the King of Swords and the Queen of Worms, who controlled most of the human territories in the Dream Realm, were so immensely powerful.

    The second way was innate to each Transcendent, and unique to their Aspect.

    Nephis suspected that most Domains were territorial in nature, which was the reason why the Spell had based its method on territory.

    But not all of them were.

    Take the King of Swords, for example. He used the path provided by the Citadels to expand his Domain, but that did not mean that he limited himself to it. The true vessels of his authority were not lands, but people - every warrior wielding a sword forged by him was a part of his Domain, and thus empowered it.

    ة

    Ki Song collected the dead. There was the mysterious Asterion, as well, who didn't seem to rule any Citadel.

    As for Nephis herself, the only way for her to build a Domain was to inspire people, igniting the flames of yearning in their souls. At least that was her belief.

    It had taken countless hours of contemplation and meditation for her to learn how to truly sense the underlying source element of her Aspect. She had noticed the subtle shift in her presence first... or maybe that subtle quality had always been there, too weak to be discerned.

    The souls of people shone brighter in Neph's presence, their innermost hopes and aspirations igniting with a stronger flame. Her presence was like kindling for their passions, turning desire into yearning.

    And if that yearning was inspired directly by her, or even the idea of her, then a subtle connection was established between them and Nephis, making the inspired a part of her source element.

    She had not learned to sense these connections swiftly, though. In fact, it had taken a small breakthrough in mastering her Aspect Legacy for Nephis to grasp the deeper meaning of [Longing]

    Her Aspect Legacy was a tree of knowledge that bore seven fruits, She had reaped the benefits of one of them and comprehended the Knowledge of Fire in Twilight.

    Since then, Nephis had made strides in comprehending a few others.

    Facing the First Seeker in Verge, she had advanced considerably toward the Knowledge of Corruption. And in the last four years, she had not only fully mastered the Knowledge of Destruction, but also started on the path of comprehending Knowledge of Passion.

    It was that last branch of her Aspect Legacy that had helped her fathom the underlying nature of her Aspect better, as well as what she was concentrating on mastering now.

    Nephis had learned how to sense the subtle connections formed between her and those she inspired. She had also earned the ability to vaguely feel the passions and desires of those around her, which were like sparks and flames burning in their souls.

    Of course, not everyone was easy to read... the Lord of Shadows, for example, was like a closed book, especially when he wore that mask of his.

    In any case, after Nephis had gained that understanding, she found out with a bit of surprise that there were already countless people in the world who were connected to her.

    As it turned out, her fame was the reason. From the day she had led the Dreamer Army to siege the Crimson Spire and failed to come back with them, the mighty propaganda machine of the government churned, exaggerating her inconceivable achievements and making her into a tragic hero. A truly brilliant figure - Indomitable Changing Star, the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan.

    They had even built on the legendary fame of her father and grandfather, turning her into a symbol of human valiance and perseverance.

    ...For as long as Immortal Flame burned, humanity would not be extinguished. These words were spoken often now by the people born into the era of the Nightmare Spell.

    There were even movies made about her, horrendous as they were.

    Her sensational return as the only Sleeper in history to conquer the Second Nightmare had only deepened the reverence and veneration people felt toward her, followed by her adoption into Valor, which added the Great Clan's storied prestige to her own.

    So, by the time Nephis became a Saint, there were already numerous people for whom she was an inspiration.

    And after she became a Saint, their numbers only continued to grow. She could feel it clearly... some were inspired to strive for martial strength. Some were inspired to cultivate the nobility of their characters. Some were inspired to live their lives with earnest confidence, and so on.

    There were even many people inspired with a straightforward carnal desire because of her looks. It was a bit awkward for her to sense the kind of yearning they had for her when she was out and about, and pretend not to notice.

    In any case, the foundation of her future Domain was already vast and potent.

    But it wasn't vast enough, and it wasn't potent enough.

    And so, in the past four years, Nephis had endeavored tirelessly to make it even more solid.

    To touch the souls of even more people. She had learned how to carry herself, how to present a perfect facade to the masses. She poured her intellect into grasping the Knowledge of Passion.

    More importantly, she put her sword where her mouth was.

    In that sense, the way Clan Valor treated her was ironically of great help. They always sent her to the most deadly battlefields, dispatched her into the epicenters of the most dreadful calamities, as if wishing for her to die. Wherever there was a crisis, Changing Star and her Fire Keepers would arrive, dissipating a flood of Nightmare Creatures with their swords.

    Nephis played along with the will of Clan Valor,

    using these opportunities to show the world her

    incorruptible will and brilliant radiance, which

    made her fame even more wide-spread and

    exalted, Cassie, meanwhile, worked behind the

    scenes to guide the narrative and fan the flames.

    Nephis herself, the Ivory Tower, the Chain Breaker, the Fire Keepers - everything was now a recognizable symbol of selflessness, strength, and nobility. They were beacons of hope in a dark and tumultuous world, bringing people solace... and Inspiration.

    The number of those touched by her light grew every day, forming countless connections to her soul. Not all of these connections were equal. Some were tentative and feeble, some were radiant and deep. The deepest connections by far were those of the Fire Keepers - her most loyal followers. It was to a degree that she could even reach them with her Aspect Abilities from a distance.

    That was one part of what Nephis was doing - the easier part.

    The harder part, by far, was coming up with a way to actually turn this spiderweb of connections the nascent form of her future Domain - into an actual one.

    Nephis... still had no idea how to take this step. She had spent some time studying the changes that had happened to her Soul Sea after she bound the Ivory Tower and let the Fire Keepers place their anchors there, hoping to find a clue from the mysterious mechanisms of the Nightmare Spell. But that had turned out to be a dead end.

    So, for now, Nephis was left with no choice but to search... and wait.

    She had hoped that she would find a hint before the war started, but now that both of the Great Clans were on the move, that didn't seem possible anymore.

    Which was why it was so important for her to establish a foothold in Godgrave, and ready herself for what was going to happen here.

    Anvil and Ki Song had to fall before the war was over.

    Because if one of them truly defeated the other, their authority would spread to all of humanity.

    ...Once that happened, even becoming a Supreme would not be enough to slay them.
    Read more
    1. Offline
      ZEXOS
      ZEXOS
      + 19 ⋅ 0 -
      1680. Spirit of Light


      The unconscious Sleeper slowly opened her eyes, staring at Nephis with a dazed look. She smiled reassuringly and rose, picking up her sword again.

      There was not much time left. The enemies were approaching.

      Towering above the three of them - Nephis and the two teenage girls - the Lord of Shadows said coldly:

      "It's sweet that you promised to save them. But how are you going to do it? Once we start fighting with those abominations, a single shockwave will be enough to finish these two off."

      Nephis climbed out of the pit and helped the girl she had healed up. Tamar followed.

      'Good question.’

      There was no time to run away, because the asuras were faster than them. Flying away wasn't an option, either, because they would be perfect targets in the air. One toss of a diamond weapon, and there would be no escape.

      Even if Nephis could evade, she had to carry at least one of the Sleepers, and neither of the girls would survive the crushing pressure of such maneuvers,

      She considered countless strategies in a single second and looked up at the Lord of Shadows,

      "You take them and retreat. I'll hold the enemy off, and then join you."

      He remained silent for a moment, and then said flatly:

      "I refuse."

      Nephis blinked.

      Huh!

      She had not expected that answer.

      "Why?"

      The shadow demon bent down, bringing his onyx helmet level to her face. The darkness nestling inside it was deep and impenetrable.

      "You might be fine dying for these Sleepers, Changing Star. But I am not fine with you dying."

      One of his onyx claws pointed at her.

      "You still owe me a favor, remember? Wouldn't I be cheated if you died before repaying me?"

      Nephis tilted her head.

      At that moment... she thought that she felt a hint of desire from the Lord of Shadows. Some people's longing was like a spark, some people's longing was like flame. His, though... to her, it felt like a towering pyre that dwarfed everything around.

      As it turned out, the Lord of Shadows was a man of dire passion behind that cold exterior.

      She couldn't make out the details of what exactly he yearned for, but his unwillingness to see her dead - before she made good on her promise, at least seemed rather sincere.

      It looked like the favor he intended to ask from her was not simple.

      A moment later, his soul was shrouded in darkness once again, and she couldn't feel anything.

      Nephis sighed.

      "What do you propose, then?"

      The Lord of Shadows lingered for a moment.

      Then, he scratched his horned head, the onyx claws scraping piercingly against the surface of his helmet.

      Finally, he sighed.

      "I'll take them to the Nameless Temple and return. You... stay alive while I'm gone."

      Wasn't that basically what she had suggested?

      Nephis raised an eyebrow.

      "How long will it take you to make it back to the Citadel and return, Lord Shadow?"

      He raised one of his four hands and bent a few fingers, then answered evenly:

      "...About six seconds."

      She stared at him silently.

      Then... she stared some more.

      'Huh?"

      "You could make a trip from the Citadel to here in three seconds, this whole time? Why did we fight our way here through the jungle, then?"

      Usually, Nephis had to make an effort to put emotions Into her naturally deadpan voice. But now, she was actually struggling to maintain composure and make it sound calm!

      It was an extremely rare occurrence.

      The Lord of Shadows shrugged indifferently.

      "It would have consumed too much of my essence. Carrying these Sleepers is fine, but you... are too heavy of a burden."

      Nephis stared at him silently for a moment, then glanced down involuntarily.

      Her body was lithe and slender, like it had always been.

      Definitely.

      ‘...Huh.'

      The Lord of Shadows remained silent for a moment, too, then added suddenly, his cold tone suspiciously close to sounding a tiny bit rushed:

      "Because you are a Transcendent. Your soul is too vast and powerful, that was what I meant."

      He took a step forward and placed two of his four hands on the shoulders of the speechless Sleepers.

      "Anyway... time is of the essence... so, I'd better go."

      A moment later, the three of them dissolved into shadows, leaving Nephis alone in the small clearing.

      'A spatial movement Ability.’

      She remained motionless for a second, then looked at herself again.

      A quiet mumble could be heard:

      "...Did I gain muscle?"

      Sure, she was not as delicate and pretty as Cassie. And not as elegant and graceful as Seishan. But Nephis was pretty confident in her figure... granted, it wasn't as generous as Effie's...

      ‘What am I even thinking about?'

      Just at that moment, the jungle around her exploded, and seven ghastly golems lunged at her from all sides, the world groaning in agony from the violent force of their passing.

      Nephis was still looking down.

      Before they could reach her, though, her body exploded with a brilliant radiance, and their towering figures were consumed by blinding light.

      ***

      Nephis had transformed into a spirit of light.

      In that state, her graceful body seemed to be woven out of immaculate white radiance. That radiance contained an unfathomable ocean of furious flame instead of flesh and bone, and was a beautiful vessel for her fiery, titanic soul.

      She was like a brilliant star that had taken the form of a human,

      The moisture permeating the humid air instantly evaporated. The rotten leaves blanketing the ground turned to ash. The remains of the dead tree blackened and caught fire, being consumed at startling speed.

      But the speed with which the mystical wood was being consumed by the white flame was nothing when compared to the speed with which Nephis moved.

      Unconstrained by the limitations of mundane flesh, her power exploded.

      The whole clearing was flooded with blinding light, and the towering figures of the asuras dissolved in that light. They weren't destroyed, but the red moss covering their cracked armor was immediately incinerated. The mummified flesh within the stone carapaces blackened and smoldered.

      The seven diamond weapon fell in unison, but Nephis effortlessly danced out of the way.

      Almost at the same time...

      She was suddenly in front of one of the abominations, her radiant fist brushing lightly against its stone breastplate.

      The massive creature was thrown back. The armor on its chest cracked and melted, and the thick armor plate on its back exploded, shards of stone turning into molten rain as they fell to the ground.

      The world was stark and clear, awash in annihilating pain.

      'Three more seconds...'

      Nephis wondered how many of these Nightmare Creatures she would be able to kill before the Lord of Shadows returned.
      Read more
  5. Offline
    Pro100zver25
    Pro100zver25
    + 19 ⋅ 0 -
    1678: Path to Supremacy.

    Nephis had not been dismissive when she answered the question posed by the Lord of Shadows…

    How could one kill a Supreme?

    After years of striving bitterly to maneuver herself into a position where resisting the Sovereigns was not a foolish, futile, and frivolous delusion, she had come to understand that the only plausible way to defeat them was to attain Supremacy herself.

    Years ago, she had come back to the waking world after an eternity of being lost in the Dream Realm, defeated and broken. Back then, she had made a decision to join the Great Clan Valor, knowing that there would be no better way for her to come to know her enemy.

    When Nephis killed a Nightmare Creature, she dissected the carcass to examine its anatomy and learn how to slay such abominations better. But she couldn't dissect a Great Clan… so, joining one was the best way to study the enemy from within.

    She had also harbored other aspirations — to earn the trust of the King of Swords and therefore place herself in a position where striking him down would be tenable. Nephis was a master of combat, after all, of which deceit and misdirection were Integral parts, Life wasn't that different from combat… her life was not, at least.

    But, although she had attained some success in her ambition to Infiltrate the Great Clan and become trusted by its King, the more Nephis learned about the enemy, the more hopeless her burning desire to vanquish the Sovereigns seemed.

    Even if she knew everything there was to know about Valor, and even if the King of Sword lowered his guard one day… she wasn't confident at all that she would be able to defeat him, despite all her power as a Transcendent Titan.

    So… Nephis had to become a Supreme Titan, instead.

    The problem was that she was not allowed to even try.

    Times had changed, and there were many more Awakened, Masters, and Saints walking the world today. The Sovereigns had relaxed their iron grip on achieving greater power… a little. But they still demanded fealty from the absolute majority of Transcendents, and would certainly never let someone rise to the throne of Supremacy and become their equal.

    Anvil and Ki Song could not even tolerate the existence of each other. How could they allow someone else to become their rival?

    Not to mention someone like Nephis, who had a perfectly justified reason to hate them and plot their downfall.

    They would never let her challenge the Fourth Nightmare. Even if she found a suitable Seed, entered it without permission, and survived… she would be slaughtered Immediately after returning to reality. The might of a Sovereign lay in the power of their Domain, after all, and hers would not be established yet right after achieving Supremacy.

    A newly crowned Supreme was only inconsequentially more powerful than a Transcendent, considering the perilous threat of the older Domains.

    For these reasons, there was only one path for Nephis to take. She had to attain Supremacy without the help of the Nightmare Spell, by following in the footsteps of the Awakened from ancient times.

    Not only that, but she had to do it in secret.

    …Needless to say, that path was just as problematic.

    Nephis had learned a little about how the ancient Awakened walked the path of Ascension from Ananke. However, the old priestess had not known anything about the leap between Transcendence and Supremacy — after all, there had been no Supremes in Weave.

    In fact, the only Sovereign of the River Civilization had been the Serpent King, a stranger from a realm consumed by the Nightmare Spell.

    It meant that Nephis could not learn the natural way to Supremacy from somebody else, She had to invent it herself, discovering the long-lost truth without anyone's help.

    The task seemed unreasonable even for her, but having no other choice, she had been striving to accomplish it for the last four years.

    She had not been able to come anywhere near becoming a Sovereign. But she was mostly sure that she had discovered the key to Supremacy… or rather, the correct lock to it.

    Just like the Awakened of ancient times learned to control their essence before forming their soul cores instead of the other way around, Nephis believed that she had to realize a Domain first to become Supreme.

    The Nightmare Spell gave humans a chance to challenge the Fourth Nightmare, attain Supremacy, and therefore the ability to manifest a Domain. However, without the Nightmare Spell… Nephis had to claim that authority herself. It was her ability to be the ruler of a Domain that would make her a Sovereign, and not the other way around.

    However… she had no clues about how to manifest a Domain, either.

    In the beginning, that was.

    Now, four years later, Nephis was at least on the right track — at least she thought she was.

    The secret to going further on the Path of Ascension was, reasonably, hidden in the changes that the soul of a living being underwent during Transcendence.

    The soul of a Saint broke the limits of the mundane and expanded, coming into contact with the world and becoming intertwined with a part of it. The soul of a Sovereign, then… had to not only become fused with the world, but also claim authority over its part.

    That was the essence of Supremacy. To be a ruler.

    But every Saint was unique. The nature of the connection they shared with the world was unique, as well. Therefore, each Transcendent had a unique path to Supremacy.

    For Nephis herself… that path was easy to understand, but impossibly hard to tread.

    After becoming a Saint, her soul had become capable of being nourished by the ambient essence of the world, the spirit essence. Of course, it was only so for the spirit essence born from a particular source.

    Most people assumed that her source element was flame, some assumed that it was light. But all of them were wrong.

    In truth, Neph's source element, the foundation of her future Domain… was longing.

    In hindsight, she should have known it much sooner. It had always been there, in the description of her Aspect…

    Aspect: [Light Bringer].

    Aspect Rank: Divine.

    Aspect Description: [You are a creature of light that was banished and doomed to exist in the darkness. You bring radiance and warmth to wherever you go, but with it comes indescribable longing].

    The spirit essence Nephis could absorb was born from the souls of those living beings she inspired to yearn for something. It didn't matter what they longed for — and, unlike the loyalty demanded by the King of Swords and the Queen of Worms, she didn't need to be the subject of their yearning. Any kind of aspiration born from knowing her, or knowing about her, became the source of spirit essence for her.

    Her [Longing] Ability also seemed to have evolved after her Transcendence, fusing with her presence. Over time, Nephis had noticed that when people were in her presence, their souls grew more susceptible to inspiration, and the flames of their desires burned brighter.

    That was the foundation of her future Domain, which she had already built without even knowing it.
    Read more
    1. Offline
      Rei-absolute
      Rei-absolute
      + 3 ⋅ 0 -
      the other chapters released
      Read more
      1. Offline
        ArMiks
        ArMiks
        + 5 ⋅ 0 -
        Patience friend, they know
        Read more
  6. Offline
    Aitho
    Aitho
    + 3 ⋅ 3 -
    I just thought about something : If Sunny isn’t linked to the spell, why is he still compel to say the truth when he talk ?
    Ananta didn’t have a weakness so it’s strange
    Read more
    1. Offline
      ArMiks
      ArMiks
      + 9 ⋅ 0 -
      I think that's because flaws abd aspects are naturally outside the spell. They already existed long before the spell was intriduced and what the spell does is simply put their effects in writing to assist the user. Think of a crutch or training wheels.
      As for sunny's current predicament, i believe that is the natural state of things w/o the spell's influence where he needs to take time to figure out how his skills and memories and shadows work.
      If i remember correctly, parts about ascention nefore the spell appeared was briefly discussed in passing during the hope-arena arc with his new buddy. Tho correct me if i'm wrong.
      Read more
    2. Offline
      Xenko
      Xenko
      + 7 ⋅ 0 -
      We didn't know if Ananke had weakness or not, but everyone who has Aspect has a weakness, it's more of a fundamental law of the world than spell thing, it was created when the gods were born, so yeah, spell just works around it
      Read more
    3. Offline
      Gerhman_Sparrow23
      Gerhman_Sparrow23
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      Because Flaws are a part of aspect and not tge Spell. Remember in Sunny's second nightmare, there was no Spell for people of nighmare but they still had Flaws like Solvane (anyone who looked at her would be attracted to her)
      Read more
  7. Offline
    Dummybaron
    Dummybaron
    + 1 ⋅ 0 -
    Quote: Verdant
    Maybe his domain is a shadow of his master's domain? Like if he desides to follow Nephis and puts her on a throne, he'll automatically gain it?

    Well, he also has a fragment of Shadow realm, so maybe that helps him somehow.

    Good Idea actually, but the question is how his powers going to work if he copy someone's Domain, why Shadows Domain was Death? Because he copyed Life's Domain or what? What happens if he copy Domain of creation and destraction? what Domain he gets? Domain of Nothin(cus well creation and destraction are already exist in other Domain)? I really highly doubt that he can just "copy" Domain, Shadows are not reflections after all, each Shadow is uniqe and different even from it's owner.
    Ok guys I have a small theory, Nephis Domain from what we see(or from how I interpreted it) is powered by Hopes and Dreams(dream like a goal and not like when you sleep) and using Verdant's theory that Sunny 'shadows' masters Domain, his Domain is going to be Hopelessnes and Regret. But that just my thoughts.
    Read more
    1. Offline
      Verdant
      Verdant
      + 4 ⋅ 0 -
      Well, Neph's domain is Longing, more similar to Desire (and with desire came direction), so if his is the opposite, it can be Repose (and Death, maybe, considering his 'haunted' Soul sea) . It's more in line with the original Shadow God.

      PS: Really, an interesting thought. When I wrote that, I didn't think so deeply about it x)
      Read more
      1. Offline
        Dummybaron
        Dummybaron
        + 1 ⋅ 0 -
        Yeah your interpretation is better welldone
        Read more
      2. Offline
        Verdant
        Verdant
        + 1 ⋅ 0 -
        Just a thought, but Neph can heal... With her flames... that come from the Lord of Light... So, um, Life and Light? And he is Death and Shadow?... I mean, besides before mentioned.
        I feel like I'm going a bit too far with the symbolism, but hey, Gods had multiple domains? Aspects? Anyway.... ahaa
        Read more
      3. Offline
        Verdant
        Verdant
        + 1 ⋅ 0 -
        Or maybe he just steals and controls people's shadows, instead of stealing their hearts like normal sovereigns do in his usual treacherous manner wish

        Well, not only people's...
        Read more
    2. Offline
      Cj.17
      Cj.17
      + 2 ⋅ 0 -
      If sunny is gonna have domain I would say it would be more of a peaceful one like u find peace. A lot of the humans wouldn't agree even including nephis but shadow god also said something along those lines so I would say death(peace essentially). U don't have to struggle anymore cus god of war said struggle and life is cus of her so in that case shadow god is the opposite. And the only time when ppl will realise this is when they are desperate and have no way out like the saints in the second nightmare and(like noctis) and wind flower.
      Read more
  8. Offline
    argus234
    argus234
    + 15 ⋅ 0 -
    1678 Path to Supremacy

    Nephis had not been dismissive when she answered the question posed by the Lord of Shadows...

    How could one kill a Supreme?

    After years of striving bitterly to maneuver herself into a position where resisting the Sovereigns was not a foolish, futile, and frivolous delusion, she had come to understand that the only plausible way to defeat them was to attain Supremacy herself.

    Years ago, she had come back to the waking world after an eternity of being lost in the Dream Realm, defeated and broken. Back then, she had made a decision to join the Great Clan Valor, knowing that there would be no better way for her to come to know her enemy.

    When Nephis killed a Nightmare Creature, she dissected the carcass to examine its anatomy and learn how to slay such abominations better. But she couldn't dissect a Great Clan... so, joining one was the best way to study the enemy from within.

    She had also harbored other aspirations - to earn the trust of the King of Swords and therefore place herself in a position where striking him down would be tenable. Nephis was a master of combat, after all, of which decelt and misdirection were Integral parts, Life wasn't that different from combat... her life was not, at least,

    But, although she had attained some success in her ambition to Infiltrate the Great Clan and become trusted by its King, the more Nephis learned about the enemy, the more hopeless her burning desire to vanquish the Sovereigns seemed.

    Even if she knew everything there was to know about Valor, and even if the King of Sword lowered his guard one day... she wasn't confident at all that she would be able to defeat him, despite all her power as a Transcendent Titan.

    So... Nephis had to become a Supreme Titan, instead.

    The problem was that she was not allowed to even try.

    Times had changed, and there were many more Awakened, Masters, and Saints walking the world today. The Sovereigns had relaxed their iron grip on achieving greater power... a little. But they still demanded fealty from the absolute majority of Transcendents, and would certainly never let someone rise to the throne of Supremacy and become their equal.

    Anvil and Ki Song could not even tolerate the existence of each other. How could they allow someone else to become their rival?

    Not to mention someone like Nephis, who had a perfectly justified reason to hate them and plot their downfall.

    They would never let her challenge the Fourth Nightmare. Even if she found a suitable Seed, entered it without permission, and survived... she would be slaughtered Immediately after returning to reality. The might of a Sovereign lay in the power of their Domain, after all, and hers would not be established yet right after achieving Supremacy.

    A newly crowned Supreme was only inconsequentially more powerful than a Transcendent, considering the perilous threat of the older Domains.

    For these reasons, there was only one path for Nephis to take. She had to attain Supremacy without the help of the Nightmare Spell, by following in the footsteps of the Awakened from ancient times.

    Not only that, but she had to do it in secret.

    ...Needless to say, that path was just as problematic.

    Nephis had learned a little about how the ancient Awakened walked the path of Ascension from Ananke. However, the old priestess had not known anything about the leap between Transcendence and Supremacy - after all, there had been no Supremes in Weave.

    In fact, the only Sovereign of the River Civilization had been the Serpent King, a stranger from a realm consumed by the Nightmare Spell,

    It meant that Nephis could not learn the natural way to Supremacy from somebody else, She had to invent it herself, discovering the long-lost truth without anyone's help.

    The task seemed unreasonable even for her, but having no other choice, she had been striving to accomplish it for the last four years.

    She had not been able to come anywhere near becoming a Sovereign. But she was mostly sure that she had discovered the key to Supremacy... or rather, the correct lock to it.

    Just like the Awakened of ancient times learned to control their essence before forming their soul cores instead of the other way around, Nephis believed that she had to realize a Domain first to become Supreme.

    The Nightmare Spell gave humans a chance to challenge the Fourth Nightmare, attain Supremacy, and therefore the ability to manifest a Domain. However, without the Nightmare Spell... Nephis had to claim that authority herself. It was her ability to be the ruler of a Domain that would make her a Sovereign, and not the other way around.

    However...

    She had no clues about how to manifest a Domain, either.

    In the beginning, that was.

    Now, four years later, Nephis was at least on the right track - at least she thought she was,

    The secret to going further on the Path of Ascension was, reasonably, hidden in the changes that the soul of a living being underwent during Transcendence,

    The soul of a Saint broke the limits of the mundane and expanded, coming into contact with the world and becoming intertwined with a part of it. The soul of a Sovereign, then... had to not only become fused with the world, but also claim authority over its part.

    That was the essence of Supremacy. To be a ruler.

    But every Saint was unique. The nature of the connection they shared with the world was unique, as well. Therefore, each Transcendent had a unique path to Supremacy.

    For Nephis herself... that path was easy to understand, but impossibly hard to tread.

    After becoming a Saint, her soul had become capable of being nourished by the ambient essence of the world, the spirit essence. Of course, it was only so for the spirit essence born from a particular source.

    Most people assumed that her source element was flame, some assumed that it was light. But all of them were wrong.

    In truth, Neph's source element, the foundation of her future Domain... was longing.

    In hindsight, she should have known it much sooner. It had always been there, in the description of her Aspect...

    Aspect: [Light Bringer].

    Aspect Rank: Divine.

    Aspect Description: [You are a creature of light that was banished and doomed to exist in the darkness. You bring radiance and warmth to wherever you go, but with it comes indescribable longing.]

    The spirit essence Nephis could absorb was born from the souls of those living beings she inspired to yearn for something. It didn't matter what they longed for - and, unlike the loyalty demanded by the King of Swords and the Queen of Worms, she didn't need to be the subject of their yearning. Any kind of aspiration born from knowing her, or knowing about her, became the source of spirit essence for her.

    Her [Longing] Ability also seemed to have evolved after her Transcendence, fusing with her presence. Over time, Nephis had noticed that when people were in her presence, their souls grew more susceptible to inspiration, and the flames of their desires burned brighter.

    That was the foundation of her future Domain, which she had already built without even knowing it.
    Read more
    1. Offline
      James005
      James005
      + 2 ⋅ 0 -
      according to this theory , what domain can a slave have?? if sunny hadn't become fateless ??
      Read more
      1. Offline
        Verdant
        Verdant
        + 2 ⋅ 0 -
        Maybe his domain is a shadow of his master's domain? Like if he desides to follow Nephis and puts her on a throne, he'll automatically gain it?

        Well, he also has a fragment of Shadow realm, so maybe that helps him somehow.
        Read more
        1. Offline
          Xedvig
          Xedvig
          + 1 ⋅ 0 -
          Shadows and death?
          Read more
        2. Offline
          Xenko
          Xenko
          + 2 ⋅ 0 -
          My guess is, he won't copy one specific domain, but the act of copying, shadowing itself will be his domain.

          Just imagine how all those hordes of nightmare creatures in his soul rise from the ground within his domain, that would be one hell of a sight
          Read more
  9. Offline
    KingAbused
    KingAbused
    + 6 ⋅ 0 -
    Fear not, for we are here


    turned into all might for a sec there
    Read more
  10. Offline
    Yog-sothsoth
    Yog-sothsoth
    + 6 ⋅ 0 -
    Granted, there had been no third member to their small cohort on the Forgotten Shore… there had been no…

    A moment later, Nephis shook her head lightly, having lost her train of thought.

    My poor, poor heart

    A spark of longing igniting in the soul of young Tamar, and then turning into a gentle flame.

    Connecting the two of them together, and making her a tentative part of Neph's nascent, unrealized, almost non-existent Domain.

    I see Nephis is doing some scheming herself. As expected
    Read more
1 2