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.

Was that what awaited Sunny if he somehow became Supreme one day, himself?

Feeling as if the world was spinning around him, Sunny frowned, and then asked in a dark tone:

"...What happens if one becomes Sacred, then? Would they lose their connection to the real world entirely?"

Nephis shrugged.

"I don't know. No one knows. No one had ever conquered the Fifth Nightmare, after all."

A heavy silence settled between them. After a while, Sunny suddenly asked:

"...What are Domains?"

He had not forgotten that detail, either. Back on the Ashen Barrow, Nephis had asked him which Domain he belonged to. He had not known what she meant then, and he did not know now.

Neph sighed.

"That… I am not entirely sure, myself. All I know is that each Sovereign rules over a Domain. 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 as people that serve them."

She paused for a few moments, and then added grimly:

"The Sovereigns are already immensely powerful… but within their Domains, they are practically invincible. Not even Saints can hope to challenge them."

Sunny let out a stifled laugh.

"And these… these are the people you want to destroy?"

Changing Star smiled.

"Why not? Nothing is absolute, Sunny. Two years ago, I would have never challenged a Sovereign. Today… today, I am still too weak to do it. I am still insignificant. But will it still be the case two years from now? Will I still be as weak, and will they still be as powerful? What about in five years? Things never remain the same. Everything is always changing… even gods can die. Asterion, Ki Song, and Anvil of Valor are no gods, so why should they be spared?"

Sunny shook his head.

"I don't know. Forget about two years from now, or five, or ten. How are you going to survive now? How are you going to avoid being squashed by them today? What is your actual plan?"

Nephis looked at him for a long time, and then sighed.

"I don't have a plan."

She remained silent for a moment before adding evenly:

"...Yet."

Sunny did not know what to say, so he simply shook his head.

It was pointless trying to dissuade her from her obsession, regardless. Nephis wanted to destroy the Spell, and the Sovereigns stood in her way. It was as simple as that, with an added weight of good old-fashioned vengeance.

He was not so sure that she was completely misguided, either… not anymore.

Sunny wanted nothing to do with the Sovereigns and the great clans, but was there really a choice? Simply by daring by be someone and possess something, he put himself in their crosshairs. As long as he had something of value, others would want to either take it away or make him serve them.

That was the nature of the world. Since the great clans insisted on being in control of humanity, there was no escape from them. Unless Sunny wanted to spend the rest of his life as a hermit in the Dream Realm, he would have to interact with the… Domains… in one way or another.

He would have to allow himself to be controlled, as well.

A bitter smile appeared on his lips.

'Isn't that ironic…'

Why was it so hard to gain even a tiny bit of freedom in this damned world? Sunny wanted to become strong to be free, but the stronger he became, the more formidable powers wanted to subjugate him.

Now, it seemed that the only choice he had was to either give up, or become even stronger still… stronger than anyone, and anything.

Which was more or less exactly what Nephis was trying to achieve, even if for a different reason.

He sighed, and then waved a hand dismissively.

"Anyway, I'm tired of this conversation. Want to spar?"