Nephis woke to something warm pressing against her forehead.
Once.
Twice.
Then again.
A faint smile appeared on her face before she was even fully awake.
Another soft peck landed just above her brow.
Nephis opened one eye.
Sunless was beside her, leaning over slightly with a small, affectionate smile on his face.
"Good morning."
Nephis stared at him sleepily for a moment before her eye narrowed faintly.
"Where were you?"
Sunless blinked.
"Had to run a few errands."
Nephis continued looking at him.
"In my defense, I came back a few hours ago."
Her expression softened almost immediately.
Nephis lifted one arm and loosely wrapped it around him, pulling herself closer until her face pressed against his chest.
"Were the errands important?"
"A little important, yes."
Sunless lowered his head and kissed her hair.
"But not more important than you."
Nephis smiled against him.
Without another word, Sunless shifted onto his back and gently pulled her with him. Nephis followed without resistance, settling partially over him until her head once again found its familiar place against his chest.
One of Sunless's arms wrapped around her waist while his other hand slowly ran through her white hair.
Nephis opened one eye faintly.
Morning sunlight had already begun spilling through the room.
She closed it again.
"How are you feeling?" Sunless asked quietly. "Tired?"
"A bit."
His fingers continued combing gently through her hair.
Nephis nuzzled closer.
Sunless looked down at her.
'So cute.'
His lips curved upward.
'Adorable.'
He pressed another kiss against the top of her head and tightened his arm around her slightly.
"Tell me when you want to get up."
Nephis murmured something that might have been an agreement.
Within minutes, her breathing had evened out again.
Sunless smiled.
He didn't move.
Some time later, Nephis woke properly.
Her eyes fluttered open as she remained sprawled comfortably over Sunless.
For a moment, she simply listened to his heartbeat.
Then her gaze wandered upward.
And stopped.
There were faint marks along his shoulder.
A few thin scratches.
And—
Nephis's face slowly warmed.
She lifted herself slightly for a better look.
There were several other marks scattered along his skin as well.
Evidence.
Her evidence.
Nephis stared at them for a moment before the corners of her lips slowly curled upward.
'My artwork.'
She probably should have felt embarrassed.
She did feel embarrassed.
But she also felt strangely pleased.
Sunless opened his eyes just in time to catch the expression on her face.
"Enjoying the view?"
Nephis looked at him.
Then, without answering, she leaned down and captured his lips in a kiss.
Sunless made a faint amused sound against her mouth before kissing her back.
When she pulled away, Nephis buried her face against the side of his neck for a few seconds, hiding the warmth in her cheeks.
Eventually, though, she sighed and began pushing herself up.
Sunless caught her lightly by the arm.
"Leaving me so soon?"
Nephis looked back.
He was lying beneath the covers with a terribly wounded expression that was betrayed entirely by the amusement in his eyes.
"Leaving me here?" he continued. "All alone?"
Nephis stared at him for a moment.
Then she smiled.
"Sorry, Sunless."
Something in his expression softened immediately at the lack of title.
Nephis noticed.
Her own smile grew.
"But now I'm only yours, so you're going to have to deal with me."
Sunless froze.
Nephis watched the tips of his ears turn red.
Then he looked away.
"...That's hardly a punishment."
Nephis's smile became decidedly pleased.
She slipped out of his grasp and stood.
Sunless glanced back toward her.
Nephis had already pulled her garb around herself, wrapping it securely enough to cover her shoulders and fall above her knees.
She caught him looking.
Sunless immediately became deeply interested in the ceiling.
Nephis suppressed a laugh and walked toward the bathroom.
There was something peculiar about being tired this morning.
She had known exhaustion.
She had known the bone-deep fatigue that followed battle, injury, sleepless nights, and overusing her Aspect.
This was nothing like that.
Nephis splashed cool water over her face.
'So this is what being refreshingly tired feels like.'
Her cheeks immediately heated again.
She looked up instinctively.
Then paused.
There was no mirror.
Nephis looked around.
There had never been mirrors in Sunless's house.
She had noticed it before, vaguely, but never really questioned it.
Her gaze lowered instead.
That was enough.
Sunless had apparently left some artwork of his own.
Nephis stared at the faint marks visible along her skin.
Her face became considerably warmer.
"...Sunless."
There was no accusation behind the mutter.
If anything, she sounded almost pleased.
She shook her head and continued with her morning routine.
A small collection of her own essentials had already been placed neatly within the bathroom.
Nephis blinked.
Those had been in the guest room before.
Now they were here.
She touched one of the containers thoughtfully before smiling.
'Errands.'
Apparently, at least some of Sunless's extremely important nighttime errands had involved moving her things into his room.
After a quick bath, Nephis dressed properly and stepped back into the bedroom.
Then she stopped.
The bed had already been changed.
Fresh covers.
Fresh sheets.
Everything neatly arranged.
Nephis frowned faintly.
"He didn't even ask me to help."
She looked toward the door.
Apparently Sunless had decided to deal with the aftermath by himself while she was getting ready.
That was very much like him.
Nephis left the room.
On her way down the hall, she stopped beside another door.
Carefully, she opened it just enough to look inside.
Orphne was still asleep.
The little girl was buried beneath her covers, only part of her black hair visible above them.
Nephis smiled.
She quietly closed the door again.
By now she was properly refreshed, dressed, and presentable.
She had just started toward the kitchen when Sunless rounded the corner.
Nephis immediately took half a step back.
He was carrying a tray.
Sunless stopped when he saw her.
"Perfect timing."
Nephis's gaze lowered.
Scrambled eggs seasoned generously.
Fresh fruit.
Juice.
A portion of Nightmare Creature meat prepared alongside them.
A few smaller dishes.
Enough for two people.
Sunless shifted the tray slightly.
"I thought we could have breakfast a little earlier than Birdy today."
He glanced toward the porch.
"Just the two of us."
Nephis blinked.
Then smiled.
It was a small smile.
But inwardly, something brightened considerably.
Breakfast with Sunless.
Early morning.
On the porch.
After the first night they had spent together.
That sounded...
'Perfect.'
Wonderfully perfect.
"I'd like that."
Sunless smiled and tilted his head toward the porch.
"After you, Neph."
Nephis stopped.
Just for a moment.
Her heart gave a tiny, ridiculous flutter.
Neph.
She had asked him to call her that last night.
She knew that.
And yet hearing it from Sunless still felt strangely intimate.
Cassie called her Neph.
People close to her had called her Neph.
But hearing it from him was different.
Perhaps because for so long she had been my lady.
Nephis looked toward him.
Sunless seemed entirely unaware of what the single syllable had done.
Or perhaps he wasn't.
His smile was suspiciously gentle.
Nephis walked past him and lightly caught his wrist along the way.
Sunless glanced down.
She did not let go until they reached the porch.
Soon, they were sitting together in the morning light, eating quietly as the world around them slowly woke.
For a while, they simply enjoyed the food.
Eventually, Sunless leaned back.
"Birdy has another test today."
Nephis looked toward him.
"Addition and subtraction?"
"Unfortunately."
Nephis took another bite of her breakfast.
"I'll supervise."
Sunless raised a brow.
"Brave."
"She needs to learn."
"That's what I tell her. She disagrees."
Nephis smiled faintly.
"I'll handle it."
"My hero."
She gave him a look.
Sunless grinned.
Their conversation eventually drifted toward the rest of the day.
Sunless had preparations to make.
The café could not simply remain open once they left for Godgrave, so there were things he needed to wrap up before their departure.
At the mention of it, Nephis's gaze shifted toward the house.
Sunless noticed.
"Neph."
She looked back.
"Don't worry."
Nephis frowned faintly.
"But the café..."
"I'm not that attached."
Her expression made it obvious she did not entirely believe him.
Sunless rested his shoulder against the side of his chair and looked at her.
"I like it."
His gaze wandered briefly toward the familiar building.
"I like the quiet. I like cooking. I like having somewhere peaceful."
Then his eyes returned to her.
"But it isn't more important than everything else."
His smile became teasing.
"Besides, if going to war means I get to stay close enough to keep an eye on you, I think I'll survive."
Nephis blinked.
Then smiled despite herself.
"But, Sunless..."
There it was again.
No Master.
Sunless's expression softened faintly.
Nephis looked around the porch.
The house.
Orphne's room somewhere behind them.
The café attached to it.
The places where they had eaten together.
Where Orphne had laughed.
Where Nephis had gradually found herself spending more and more of her time.
"We'll have to leave the house behind too."
Her voice had grown quieter.
Sunless blinked.
Nephis looked toward him.
He seemed confused.
"What?"
Nephis frowned.
"The house."
"Yes?"
"We're going to Godgrave."
"Yes."
"The Ivory Tower."
Sunless continued staring.
Nephis tilted her head.
"Sunless, what are you confused about?"
Then realization slowly crossed his face.
"Oh."
Nephis waited.
Sunless set his fork down.
"The Ivory Tower is an island, right?"
She blinked.
"Yes."
"A floating island."
"...Yes."
"And there's enough empty space?"
Nephis stared at him.
"There should be."
Sunless nodded as though the problem had just solved itself.
"Then we'll bring the house."
Silence.
Nephis looked at him.
Sunless looked back.
"...Sunless."
"Hm?"
"How are we supposed to move an entire house onto a flying island?"
He blinked.
Then his eyes lit with sudden realization.
"Ah."
Nephis narrowed hers.
"Ah?"
Sunless smiled.
"I forgot."
"Forgot what?"
His smile became distinctly mischievous.
Sunless leaned back.
"Oh well."
Her eyes narrowed further.
"It'll be a new surprise."
"A surprise?"
"Mhm."
"Sunless."
He calmly took another bite of breakfast.
Nephis watched him chew.
He swallowed.
"Wait for it."
She continued staring.
Sunless smiled innocently.
Eventually, Nephis shook her head.
"Fine."
She reached for her juice.
"If that's how you want to do it, I'll wait."
Sunless's smile widened.
Nephis gave him one last suspicious look before taking a drink.
Whatever Sunless was planning, apparently moving an entire house onto the Ivory Tower was somehow involved.
At this point...
She wasn't even sure why that surprised her anymore.
...
The morning had begun relatively innocently.
It could have remained that way.
Unfortunately, the two adults were far too young and far too in love.
Sunless and Nephis had embraced for no particular reason, and eventually the embrace had carried them toward the bed, where they lay down together more comfortably.
However, Nephis seemed to have other plans.
Sunless had barely settled onto his back before she shifted over him, turning their innocent embrace into something considerably more passionate.
She climbed on top of him and straddled his waist, both hands resting against his chest.
Sunless merely smiled as he looked up at her, amused by the predicament he had suddenly found himself in while the morning sunlight continued pouring through the room behind them.
Nephis said nothing.
She simply leaned closer.
Her hands caught the edges of the V of his tunic and gently pulled them farther apart.
One hand slipped beneath the fabric, pressing against the firm warmth of his chest before she lowered herself and buried her face against the side of his neck.
Then she breathed him in.
Deeply.
Sunless's expression changed faintly.
Affected by the gesture, he placed one hand against her waist before sliding it slowly around her back.
His other hand wandered over her upper body, moving gently along the small of her back before tracing the curve of her hip.
It rested there for a moment.
Then continued downward, settling against the back of her thigh and pulling her closer.
Sunless turned his head slightly and nuzzled his nose against her shoulder.
For some time, they simply remained like that.
Discovering each other as if it were the first time.
There was little sound beyond their muffled exhales as they breathed in one another's presence.
Eventually, Nephis pulled back.
She looked down at him while they both breathed a little heavier than before.
She remained seated over Sunless, the tips of her fingers moving lightly against his exposed chest while her body shifted almost constantly above him.
Their eyes met.
Both gazes were slightly hazy.
Sunless finally spoke.
"It's time to wake Birdy up, Neph—"
A finger pressed against his lips.
Nephis smiled faintly.
"Birdy's a good girl. I think she's earned the right to sleep in a bit."
She leaned closer.
The tip of her nose pressed against his.
Then she brushed her cheek against his before moving toward his ear.
"And you've been really good too, Sunless."
Her voice lowered.
"I believe you deserve a reward too."
She received exactly the reaction she wanted.
Sunless's hold around her waist tightened instinctively.
She felt something move where she was sitting and smirked in triumph.
A hint of a smirk appeared on Nephis's lips when she noticed.
She pulled back slightly, keeping one hand against the upper part of his chest.
"Tell me, Sunless."
Her eyes remained on his.
"What do you think a good boy deserves?"
Sunless stared at her.
Then felt the familiar pressure of his Flaw beginning to build.
The truth was—
even he wasn't entirely sure how to answer that.
His Flaw demanded that he answer anything asked of him truthfully.
Otherwise, the pain would continue increasing.
The problem was that even Sunless did not know exactly what answer she wanted.
Then a faint smile appeared on his lips.
He wrapped one arm more firmly around her waist and pulled her closer.
Nephis followed the motion willingly.
Sunless tightened his jaw to suppress a sound before answering.
"I believe a good boy deserve rewards."
It was about as vague an answer as he could manage.
Nephis smiled.
Then leaned closer again.
"What kind of reward would a good boy like, Sunless?"
Sunless looked up at her.
"How would I know?"
His smile widened faintly.
"It's not as if I'm a good boy, right?"
He answered while slipping a question of his own into it.
Nephis smiled back.
Her face moved closer until only inches remained between them.
"Oh, but I think you have been."
Her voice softened.
"Well..."
She let the word linger.
"I suppose now you're acting more like a bad boy."
Sunless kept one hand against her waist.
His other slid down to the small of her back, pulling her closer.
Nephis continued.
"Tell me, Sunless."
Her smile deepened.
"Don't you think bad boys deserve punishment?"
Sunless smirked.
Their faces were now so close that their warm breaths brushed against one another's lips.
Then his hand slid upward from the small of her back to her upper back.
He pulled her firmly against him.
"How would I know?"
His voice was quiet.
"It's not like I'm a boy, am I?"
And suddenly—
he moved.
Nephis let out a faint gasp as the world turned around her.
A moment later, she was lying on her back, staring up at the amused smirk on Sunless's face.
A smirk she found far too attractive.
Sunless adjusted himself over her before gently gathering her wrists and guiding them above her head.
Then he leaned down.
Nephis couldn't suppress her smile.
Her heart pounded as Sunless lowered his face and nuzzled his nose against her neck.
She tilted her head back instinctively, giving him more room.
Then his voice reached her.
Warm breath brushed against her skin, making her toes curl.
"You see..."
He paused.
"I'm a man."
His hold remained gentle.
"A man very madly in love with a woman."
Nephis's smile softened.
"And when that woman acts so excitedly..."
He leaned closer.
"It does things to me as well."
Another pause.
"Things that can be very inconvenient for someone who already changed the clean bedsheets this morning."
Nephis did not hold back.
Her eyes remained closed.
Her head was still tilted back.
Then she whispered:
"And what if I want to make a mess of these sheets as well?"
Sunless froze.
Only for a moment.
Then Nephis felt the shape of a smirk against her skin.
Her breath caught.
Two soft kisses landed against her collarbone.
Then she heard his answer.
"Well..."
Another kiss.
"Then I suppose we'll have to change the bedsheets a second time."
He released her wrists.
Nephis immediately reached for his back, fingers catching the fabric of his tunic as she tried to pull it away.
Sunless dismissed the garment entirely.
Nephis pulled him closer.
The warmth of his body pressed against hers as her hands wandered across the muscles of his back.
"Sunless..."
She whispered his name as she drew him nearer.
And so—
the innocent morning continued becoming considerably less innocent.
Until—
"Mama? Papa?"
A small, groggy voice came from the doorway.
Both adults froze.
Their heads snapped toward the door.
It had opened slightly.
Orphany stood there.
Still half-asleep.
Her hair was messy, and one tiny hand rubbed at her eyes.
Sunless and Nephis panicked.
For one terrible moment, neither of them seemed capable of producing a single intelligent thought.
Then—
Sunless grabbed the edge of the comforter.
With one frantic movement, he rolled himself and Nephis beneath it, covering them both completely.
...
The hall was quiet.
Or, at least, as quiet as it could be when anyone within it could decide to watch practically anything happening across the world.
Eurys had spent some time doing exactly that.
After realizing the shadows could show him far more than desolate lands crawling with undying corpses, ancient battlefields, or the darkness of the Shadow Realm, he had begun looking at what civilization had become.
He had to admit—
mortals had done rather well for themselves.
Especially considering what remained of the old Divine Realms.
The former Realm of the Sun Goddess was absurdly hostile to ordinary life. Great and Cursed abominations wandered beneath the enormous skeleton dominating the land, with even Unholy horrors existing farther beyond. Worse still, the merciless sunlight reduced almost anything moving beneath it to ash.
Civilization there was not merely difficult.
It was unreasonable.
Heart's old Realm had its own peculiarities. Colossal trees towered over almost everything beneath them, stretching upward as though trying to reach the heavens.
Storm's sea was simpler.
Water.
More water.
Scattered islands.
And enough abominations to ensure nobody became too comfortable.
Yet humanity remained.
Cities had risen. Kingdoms had formed. People lived.
Eurys supposed that was impressive.
Eventually, his curiosity shifted elsewhere.
Sunless had mentioned the current Sovereigns often enough.
Eurys decided to see what they were actually capable of.
Using the shadows, he searched for two of them.
The first appeared quickly.
A broad, powerful man stood inside what seemed to be a private forge, hammering away at heated metal.
Eurys watched him carefully.
Thousands of years of experience were brought to bear.
Eleven seconds later, he reached his conclusion.
The man could swing a hammer.
Eurys stared for another moment.
Then moved on.
The second Sovereign was a woman.
At first, she did nothing especially remarkable.
Still, something about her held his attention, so Eurys continued watching.
Exactly forty-three minutes and thirty-seven seconds later, he had reached a much more favorable conclusion.
The woman was exceptionally capable.
Composed.
Sharp.
Entirely worthy of her Rank.
There was something unsettling beneath that composure as well, something old and hungry enough to make Eurys genuinely curious that had nothing to do with his empty sockets followed the sway of her hips.
Then Ki Song finished her duties and entered her bath.
Eurys did not have much of a face.
He was a skull.
There were no eyes to widen, eyebrows to rise, or lips to betray him.
So determining what he felt was ordinarily rather difficult.
Nevertheless—
his empty sockets remained very firmly fixed upon the shadowy screen as Ki Song reached toward the thin straps of her long dress.
One slipped from her shoulder.
Then the other.
His jaw parted slightly.
"Bones?"
Eurys's head snapped sideways.
The screen rippled and immediately disappeared.
Several steps away stood the Seer of Paths.
The masked Sovereign looked at Eurys.
Then at the empty air where the screen had been.
Then back at Eurys.
That single word had already revealed far too much amusement.
For perhaps the first time in several thousand years, Eurys stuttered.
"I—"
The Seer of Paths tilted his head.
"Oh, Eurys."
A pause.
"I didn't know you had that in you."
"I was investigating her."
"Naturally."
"I was."
"And I may believe you."
"You absolutely will not."
"No."
Eurys stared at him.
The Seer of Paths shrugged.
"Though, to be fair, as the only woman currently standing at the rank of Supreme, she is technically the sexiest woman alive."
Eurys's jaw opened.
Then closed.
"That is an incredibly stupid way of phrasing it."
"Is it inaccurate?"
"...No."
"Then I see no problem."
A voice came from farther within the hall.
"I do."
Both turned.
The Lord of Shadows sat upon his throne, one arm resting lazily against its side.
Neither had noticed his arrival.
The Seer of Paths looked toward him.
"You disagree, Shadow?"
"I disagree with listening to the two of you discuss the Queen of Worms like drunken soldiers."
Eurys stared.
"That sounds surprisingly moral coming from you."
The Lord of Shadows slowly turned his head.
"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"
Golden threads appeared around another throne before vanishing.
The Keeper of Fate looked between them.
"...What have I returned to?"
"The corpse was spying on Ki Song while she undressed."
"I was not spying."
"You watched her for forty-three minutes and thirty-seven seconds."
"I was evaluating a Supreme."
The Keeper of Fate slowly looked toward Eurys.
Eurys pointed at the Seer of Paths.
"He counted."
"I only arrived at the end."
"Then how do you know the time?"
The Seer of Paths paused.
"...That is irrelevant."
A faint sound escaped the Keeper of Fate.
Eurys stared at him.
"You're laughing."
"Forgive me."
"You're all insufferable."
The Seer of Paths leaned against his throne.
"You're lucky, actually."
Eurys looked at him.
"How?"
"You can at least look."
A pause.
"...What?"
The Seer of Paths gestured vaguely toward himself.
"We aren't allowed."
Eurys slowly looked between the three masked men.
"Not allowed to what?"
"Sex."
Silence.
Eurys's jaw dropped.
"What?"
"Forbidden."
"By whom?"
The Seer of Paths gestured toward the grand throne.
"Him."
"Sunless?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
The Seer of Paths considered that.
"Because he's an asshole."
The Lord of Shadows gave him a long look.
"He decided we weren't ready when he made us."
The Keeper of Fate sighed.
Eurys stared.
"But that was like thousands of years ago."
"Yes."
"And he never changed his mind?"
"No."
"Never?"
"Never."
Eurys looked at the Lord of Shadows.
"So ignore him."
"He'll know."
Eurys went quiet.
"...That sounds terrifying."
"Yes," the Seer of Paths said.
"Quite," the Keeper of Fate agreed.
The Seer of Paths sighed.
"And that, Eurys, is why our romantic lives are almost nonexistent."
The Keeper of Fate looked toward him.
"Speak for yourself."
Silence.
The Seer of Paths slowly turned.
The Lord of Shadows did the same.
The Keeper of Fate immediately seemed to regret speaking.
"I take that back-"
"No, you don't." The Seer of Paths spoke.
The Lord of Shadows leaned back.
"Should we tell him about Hope, Keeper?"
"No."
Eurys leaned forward.
"Hope?"
"Absolutely not."
Eurys became interested immediately.
"Oh, this one."
The Keeper of Fate closed his eyes.
The Lord of Shadows continued anyway.
"Long ago, Keeper and I freed the Daemon of Hope from the Sun imprisonment."
"You were the ones who freed Hope?"
"Who else? She was useful."
The Keeper of Fate opened his eyes.
"Shadow handled the less diplomatic aspects of the mission. I dealt with Hope herself."
"And apparently dealt with her very well," the Lord of Shadows said.
The Seer of Paths laughed.
"She wanted to marry him."
Eurys stared at the Keeper of Fate.
The Keeper of Fate was quiet for a moment.
"That is an extremely simplified description of what happened."
"But true?"
A pause.
"...Unfortunately."
Eurys barked out a laugh.
"Wait. So what happened afterward?"
The Keeper of Fate ignored him completely.
The Lord of Shadows continued.
"Keeper disappeared before she could pursue the matter."
"Eventually she went looking for him," the Seer of Paths added, "and much later encountered Grace."
Eurys tilted his skull.
"And?"
"Their underlying nature was similar enough to confuse her briefly. Grace explained after one or two encounters that he was not Keeper and that the man she wanted wore a very particular mask."
"So she went looking for Keeper again."
The Keeper of Fate rested his head faintly against one hand.
"Yes."
"Did she find you?"
No answer.
Eurys leaned farther forward.
"Keeper?"
The Keeper of Fate turned toward the Lord of Shadows.
"How about we discuss you instead, Shadow?"
The Lord of Shadows became still.
The Seer of Paths immediately laughed.
"Oh."
The Keeper of Fate's tone remained perfectly pleasant.
"Didn't War eventually grow rather fond of your ability?"
Eurys looked between them.
The Lord of Shadows said nothing.
"After centuries of trying to kill you, of course."
"Keeper."
"And once you became powerful enough to earn her respect..."
The Keeper of Fate paused.
"...did she not tell you that you would make a rather fine father?"
The Seer of Paths's shoulders started shaking.
"Something about raising powerful children, wasn't it?"
"What!" Eurys let out.
Eurys slowly turned toward the Lord of Shadows.
"Wait."
The Lord of Shadows looked away.
Eurys's jaw fell open.
"Is this the same woman whose avatar you once cut apart?"
"Yes."
"The same one whose empire you attacked?"
"Yes."
"The same one who spent centuries trying to murder you?"
"Yes."
"...What the fuck?"
The Lord of Shadows gave a small shrug.
"It was complicated."
The Seer of Paths nearly doubled over.
"Complicated?"
"Shut up, Seer."
The Keeper of Fate gave a faint, satisfied sigh.
Then Eurys looked back toward him.
"But seriously. Hope. Did anything actually—"
Golden threads appeared.
The Keeper of Fate raised one hand.
"I believe I have work to do."
"Keeper."
"Farewell."
He disappeared.
The hall remained silent for half a second.
The Seer of Paths looked at the empty throne.
"Coward."
A faint voice carried through the last golden threads.
"I heard that."
Then they vanished completely.
Eurys laughed.
The Lord of Shadows looked profoundly unimpressed.
After a moment, Eurys's attention shifted.
"Wait."
The Seer of Paths looked toward him.
"If Hope could mistake Grace for Keeper because your natures are so similar..."
A pause.
"...do all of you carry Weaver's lineage?"
The hall quieted slightly.
The Seer of Paths tilted his head.
"Yes."
"And if any of you had children..."
Eurys stopped.
The Seer of Paths understood immediately.
"Oh."
The Lord of Shadows looked at him.
"No."
"Weaver's lineage can devour and overpower other Divine lineages."
"No."
Eurys slowly began laughing.
The Seer of Paths turned fully toward the Lord of Shadows.
"Shadow."
"No."
"You spent centuries desecrating the Divine."
"I know where this is going."
"You killed their warriors, destroyed their weapons, ruined their kingdoms—"
"Seer."
"And now we've discovered you could desecrate their descendants too."
The Lord of Shadows's voice became very calm.
"I will throw you into the Void."
Eurys laughed harder.
"Think about it, Shadow. Their heirs carrying Weaver's lineage instead of whatever was meant to persist through them."
"No..."
"One final insult to the dead."
"..."
Eurys suddenly stopped laughing.
Then looked toward the vanished image of Ki Song's bath.
"...Wait."
The Seer of Paths followed his gaze.
Another pause.
"Oh."
The Lord of Shadows rose.
"Seer..."
Eurys tilted his skull.
"Ki Song has daughters."
"Don't."
"And their blood isn't exactly ordinary either."
The Seer of Paths looked toward the Lord of Shadows.
"Didn't you threaten to kill some of them?"
The Lord of Shadows stared at him.
Eurys waited.
The Lord of Shadows remained silent for several seconds.
Then sighed.
Silence.
"Maybe... it's not so bad?" He said thoughtfully.
Eurys's jaw dropped.
The Seer of Paths stared at him.
"Desciare the Divine linegae huh? That might not be the worst idea you had."
Eurys shook his skull.
"Why would any of her daughters even accept you?"
The Lord of Shadows considered that.
Then glanced toward the vanished screen.
"Beastmaster."
The Seer of Paths froze.
"Moonveil."
Eurys stared.
"Seishan."
The Lord of Shadows turned away.
"They're mine."
"Shadow."
"What?"
"You cannot claim women like military objectives."
"I just did."
"That's not how this works."
The Lord of Shadows began walking back toward his throne.
"My tounge is as sharp as my blade; women appreciate it, especially when it's not used for talking alone."
He paused.
"Tell Grace to take his mask off."
Eurys blinked.
"Grace?"
"The Crown of Grace," the Seer of Paths said.
The Lord of Shadows resumed walking.
"I want the Attribute."
Eurys looked between them.
"What Attribute?"
The Seer of Paths sighed.
"[Jade Beauty]."
Eurys stared.
"...That's the name?"
"Yes."
"Seriously?"
"Unfortunately."
The Lord of Shadows sat there.
"Grace's mask suppresses it."
"Why?"
The Seer of Paths gestured vaguely.
"Lord Sunless already looked absurd enough for whatever Rank he happened to occupy. He did not want the Attribute making it worse. The mask was Woven to suppress [Jade Beauty], so the effect remains contained through him."
Eurys looked between them.
"And because all of you share the Attribute... If Grace removes his mask..."
"The suppression ends," the Seer of Paths said.
Eurys was quiet.
"Sunless is already offensively handsome."
"Yes."
"And whatever all of you look like beneath those masks is being made less ridiculous by Grace wearing his."
"Correct."
Eurys leaned forward.
"So if he takes it off, you become what? As handsome as beings purified all the way to the Divine Rank?"
The Seer of Paths rested his cheek against one fist.
"More."
Eurys stared.
The Seer of Paths gave a faint laugh.
"Quite a bit more."
"Even compared to Great Gods and Daemons?"
"We would sit comfortably above what mere Divine purification normally produces."
Eurys slowly looked between them.
The Seer of Paths shrugged.
"There was a reason so many Divine women developed unfortunate interests in us."
"Mostly Grace," the Lord of Shadows said.
"Grace was a bitch."
"He had an Attribute."
"Exactly. Bitch."
Eurys's jaw rattled with laughter.
The Seer of Paths sighed.
"And while Grace gets that, I am stuck in Ravenheart watching Song."
The Lord of Shadows glanced toward him.
"You were assigned there for a reason."
"I know."
The Seer of Paths went quiet for a moment.
Then his head tilted.
"...Wait, you're not targeting War Gods children right?"
The Lord of Shadows watched him.
"Morgan is still in Valor."
"Yes."
The Lord of Shadows paused.
"Truth has the Valor assignment."
"Yes."
The Seer of Paths slowly straightened.
"That bastard."
Eurys looked at him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
He muttered under his breath.
"Where is the Cursed of Truth when you need him? I need to switch assignments."
The Lord of Shadows scoffed.
"You want Morgan of Valor? Go against War?"
He paused.
"I approve. Go ask Truth."
"I might."
Eurys narrowed his eye sockets.
"You think you can woo the Song princesses after nearly killing one of them?"
The Lord of Shadows looked at him as shadows began gathering around his body.
"Battle is not the only art I'm proficient in, boy."
He glanced around the hall.
"Add Revel to that list. He can keep the other sisters. I'll take the four and their mother for myself."
"..."
"..."
Eurys slowly looked toward the Seer of Paths.
"He's really that full of himself?"
The Seer of Paths looked back at the skull.
"Well, you see..."
He paused.
Eurys narrowed his eye sockets further.
"After Grace, Shadow somehow happens to be the best among us at wooing women."
"He is?" Eurys sounded genuinely surprised.
"Somehow." The Seer of Paths gave a small shrug.
"Who knows what the hell that man is capable of anymore? His ability to understand others isn't limited to battle arts. He can break down psychological patterns through small habits. The way someone stands, the way they talk, the things they avoid looking at, the things they linger on."
He leaned back slightly.
"Battle makes it easier, naturally. Once he understands what a woman wants, what she responds to, and how she thinks, he can say the right things at the right time until she is completely entranced."
Eurys stared at him.
"...So he's a lady killer."
The Seer of Paths chuckled.
"More than that."
Eurys waited.
"You see, only one mask restrains the Jade Beauty Attribute to one of us at a time. If Grace takes his mask off, we can let one of its active abilities out."
"Active ability?"
"It's an ability that lets anyone targeted by it become entranced by our presence."
The Seer of Paths lifted one finger.
"It's absolute. Someone who likes you will like you more. Someone attracted to you will feel it more strongly. Someone who hates you will weaken it consederaibly."
He smiled faintly.
"Even someone who wanted to kill you might hesitate long enough to let you go."
Eurys's expression shifted.
"It works on higher ranks too?"
"Yes."
The Seer of Paths nodded.
"So even a Sovereign like Ki Song isn't entirely safe from it."
Eurys stared.
"And that's not all."
The Seer of Paths continued.
"The Song lineage carries the blood of the Beast God, whose authority included carnal desire and instinct. Those descended from Beast were always more susceptible to certain parts of us."
He gestured vaguely.
"Combine that with Shadow's ability to understand instinctive behavior, the Jade Beauty Attribute, and the fact that Beast's own blood carries those tendencies..."
His smile widened slightly.
"Let's just say the Song sisters and Ki Song are particularly susceptible."
Eurys frowned.
"So just because they carry the Beast God's blood, you have a better chance of bedding them?"
"Again, crude paraphrasing." The Seer of Paths nodded anyway.
"But yes."
"Isn't that unfair?"
"Hey, they wanted to inherit the Beast God's lineage." He shrugged.
"They can enjoy inheriting her weak points too."
Eurys stared at him for a moment before changing targets.
"And what about you?"
The Seer of Paths blinked.
"This Morgan of Valor."
Eurys tilted slightly.
"She's descended from the War God's bloodline, right?"
"Yes."
The Seer of Paths smiled.
"A beautiful one too."
He leaned back.
"Plus, she's good with a sword. Very much my type."
Eurys gave him a long look.
"And you think she'd like you?"
"I'm not that bad, you know."
The Seer of Paths sounded mildly offended.
"In fact, among all of us, I'm the only one without some grand scandal or story attached to me."
Eurys said nothing.
"I believe dear Morgan, being descended from War and living through battle her entire life, would appreciate a capable man who has fought Divine beings like Nether."
He smiled.
"To top it off, I'm the only one among the more combat-oriented ones who never personally fought the War Goddess."
He gestured loosely.
"So that's already an advantage over Shadow and Harbinger."
Eurys stared.
"Just say you're going to bank on Jade Beauty to woo the War God's descendant."
The Seer of Path pretended an attack an cluched his chest, "We've had many women wanting to bear our children after a single night."
The Seer of Paths defended himself without shame.
"Trust me when I say this, Eurys. It's only a matter of time before one of us succeeds."
Eurys continued staring.
The Seer of Paths shrugged.
"I'll admit, though, the only thing that might be as difficult as killing Gods and Daemons is conquering a maiden's heart."
He gestured toward the empty throne.
"We've already done one."
Eurys followed his gesture.
The Seer of Paths continued.
"Our Lord managed to win over the one woman whose Flaw and life made it nearly impossible for her to feel that kind of closeness toward anyone."
He smiled.
"Yet now Lord Sunless has conquered that maiden's heart."
Eurys's expression became strange.
"We can manage."
The Seer of Paths leaned forward slightly.
"Besides, I have another advantage."
Eurys looked at him suspiciously.
"Morgan of Valor's Flaw makes it so that anyone she touches is torn apart."
Eurys's eye sockets narrowed.
"It's a sensitive subject for her, naturally. The point is that she hasn't been able to touch anyone closely since she awakened."
The Seer of Paths's voice became more matter-of-fact.
"She has been a Master and then a Saint for years. There are very few people she can so much as hold hands with without cutting them."
He paused.
"Combined with her position as the princess of Valor, she has probably never had much of a chance to have an ordinary relationship."
Eurys listened.
"Now imagine someone strong enough and durable enough to stand beside her appears."
The Seer of Paths tapped his arm.
"Onyx Shell."
Eurys looked.
"Our skin itself is armor. As Saints, her Flaw wouldn't be enough to hurt us through it."
His smile returned.
"Now imagine that same man can hold her hand without being cut, fight beside her, understand battle, behave appropriately, be charming when he wants to..."
He raised a brow.
"You think a young woman wouldn't feel something?"
Eurys stared at him.
The Seer of Paths's smile became smug.
"And if she already considers the Lord Sunless handsome, then I merely have to take off my mask."
He tapped it lightly.
"We are made from him, or looks and face are just as good, top that off with Jade Beauty.
He leaned back.
"Game over in seconds."
Eurys remained silent.
For a long moment.
Then—
"You people are absurd."
The Seer of Paths chuckled.
Before disappearing, he looked toward Eurys.
"Try not to conduct any more forty-three-minute investigations."
Eurys immediately threw something at him.
The Seer of Paths vanished before it connected.
Silence returned.
Eurys sat alone.
He looked left.
Then right.
Waited.
Nothing.
Slowly...
very slowly...
he leaned forward.
Shadows stirred.
A misty screen rose before him.
Steam filled the bath chamber.
Eurys stared eagerly.
A moment later, Ki Song stepped out of the bath already wrapped and dressed, drying her hair as she walked through the opposite doorway.
The door closed behind her.
Eurys stared at the empty bath.
Drip.
A drop of water fell.
He remained motionless.
Drip.
Another.
His jaw slowly opened.
"...Damn those bastards!"
...
However, the conversation between the three was not being taken lightly.
Sunless and Nephis sat at the breakfast table as Orphne ate her meal, with Nephis sitting beside her with a smile.
Sunless was present.
His eyes were twitching.
'Maybe we need to go over the rules. It has been some million years now,' he thought.
He knew that since the Lord of Shadows had the special Weaver's Mask, all his claims were false. The man couldn't care less about pursuing anyone, much less the Song Clan.
The Seer of Paths had a habit of turning jokes into hypothetical scenarios, and the only way to quiet him down was to go along with them until he was satisfied.
And Jade Beauty couldn't be used so simply. It boosted hormones, not the entire nervous system, to create false emotions, and doing so consumed essence. Therefore, its only passive ability was to make them ridiculously handsome.
It was effective.
They became handsome enough that even Divine beings who hated them had let them go a few times or couldn't attack with their whole hearts, simply because taking away something so beautiful felt wrong to them.
Naturally, the likes of the Song sisters or Ki Song would feel its effects immensely more strongly. However, that didn't mean false emotions were being created.
As holders of the Beast God's Lineage, they would have a weakness for their charming looks. And the charm affected more than just their faces. Their very existence was that radiant, from their appearance and scent to their gestures and even the essence in the air around them, giving off a favorable impression.
It was restricted to making them divinely beautiful, not creating emotions.
There was a significant difference.
However, since the Song Clan had the Beast God's Lineage, the fact remained that, if nothing else, their beauty and strength would naturally bring out the women's carnal desires more strongly.
After all, what beast wouldn't want a charming and strong mate?
It was encoded into their underlying genetic structure. However, whatever emotions appeared within them would be their own doing, not Jade Beauty's.
If the Song sisters and Ki Song could not keep their horny-ness in check, then that had nothing to do with him or Jade Beauty.
The Attribute itself was something Fate had given them after he had encountered the Storm Goddess herself. Not one of her avatars, but the Goddess herself.
He had not been entranced by her appearance and had continued on his path toward his objective at the time, when the Greatest of Abominations was working toward becoming a Sovereign himself.
Naturally, the Storm Goddess had been quite taken aback by a mortal man being able to dismiss her appearance so casually. She had become interested in him as an intriguing mortal.
However, Fate had decided that this was reason enough to give him the Jade Beauty Attribute.
While it sounded worthwhile, the sudden change in appearance as a Transcendent had naturally led to beings of all Ranks—Mundane, Awakened, Ascended, Transcendent, and even the few Supremes alike—becoming interested in his existence.
That had created more than a few problems for him along the way. With so many influential Transcendents and their kingdoms wishing to possess him as their own, traveling had become extremely difficult without offending someone.
All in all, Jade Beauty was a trick from Fate to slow his progression.
Either way, those days had been dealt with.
However, the Seer of Paths had been behaving exactly as his name suggested.
Naughty.
And he had painted a very different picture of the Jade Beauty Attribute in Eurys's head.
To top it off, Gloomy had decided to calm him down this time, something Softy or Happy usually did, most likely just to mess with Eurys.
With the fact that he could lie—or rather, with his reversed Flaw, could only lie—he had gone ahead and boldly declared that they would court them.
The honest translation being that they wouldn't.
Meanwhile, Naughty had never claimed he would. He had only spoken about what was possible on Morgan's part.
As for himself, the closest he had come to saying he would was:
'I might.'
Which was a possibility, not a declaration of intent.
Moreover...
'What does he mean, which assignments? I haven't approved of anything.'
He paused.
'I should probably put someone else on spy duty. Not that it's doing any good.'
There was hardly anything either Sovereign could come up with that his war-refined mind hadn't already considered beforehand.
Despite everything, the fact remained that he had participated in many, many wars. The number of years he had spent fighting wars was greater than the number of years the Sovereigns had been alive.
When he had been their Rank, he had fought ninety-two wars back-to-back across mortal realms, amounting to nearly a hundred and twenty years.
That was nearly three times the three Sovereigns' entire lifespans.
When it came to war, life, and experience, Sunless could overwhelm them with mere fragments of his life, even after sealing away most of his memories.
'Let's take the spies back and send them to the Waking World to handle the Gate breaks,' he decided.
He looked up to see Orphne and Nephis.
A smile came to his face as he thought of the conversation.
'Well... I did kind of woo her, though that's not the wording I'd use.'
He smiled as he rested his chin on the table, his expression softening.
'Yeah...' he thought.
'She's definitely leagues above Storm and the other Goddesses.'
The girls looked at him in confusion and blinked.
Sunless blinked back.
Then a smile came to his face.
Five minutes later, they were outside on a blanket, with some books, colors, and snacks spread around them.
Orphne played a little before her test, while Nephis and Sunless rested against a legless sofa, smiling as sunlight poured over them.
Sunless pulled Nephis onto him, and she rested her head against his chest as his fingers gently massaged her scalp.
"So beautiful," he said, kissing the top of her head. "The most beautiful."
Nephis smiled and nuzzled into Sunless.
A gasp came from nearby.
"And me?!" Orphne asked as she crawled over to them on her knees, joining the hug.
Nephis let out a quiet laugh, while Sunless chuckled lightly as he picked Orphne up and placed her on the other side of his chest, pulling both girls close.
"You're the prettiest, Birdie."
He kissed her head with a loud—
"Muah!"
"Birdie is the prettiest, and Mama is the most beautiful," Sunless said as he repeatedly kissed both Nephis's and Orphne's heads, gathering them closer as the girls giggled.
...
"Right, sorry..." Eurys said.
"See? It wasn't so hard, right?" Sunless said as he gathered something from the Citadel into his shadow.
"See, Eurys, I don't mind you using the Citadel to watch things, but let's not be inappropriate, right?" he said.
Eurys grumbled and looked away.
"Like I said, I won't do that again."
"Thank you," Sunless said.
He raised his hands, and the vile birds perched nearby stirred as a Transcendent Titan manifested in his hands before disappearing into him.
"...Say, what are these Titans?" Eurys asked.
"These? They're weaving creatures Weaver made. They can't manifest as entirely physical entities. However, the Citadel also serves as a partial Soul Sea, so it's possible here," Sunless answered.
"What's their purpose, then?" Eurys asked.
"Mental cognition," Sunless answered. "They're creatures that can help with the mental calculations involved in weaving, basically providing a mental boost in general. They can also perform soul and mind attacks, create hexes in enemies, break them, and do some other handy stuff."
He continued.
"They can manifest as weapons, too. That's what Softy uses as his dual swords in battle, so he always has two or three. But both his and Gloomy's Soul Serpents are connected to me."
Eurys nodded.
"Ahh, wait. I had this question. How do you or your shadows even have access to so many Soul Serpents? The Shadow God made them for his followers, so one person could only have one. Being Divine explains how you can go around without yours, but what about having that many?"
Sunless walked over to the throne as the dead Gods remained still throughout the area.
One serpent appeared before him and turned into a long, black odachi.
"The seven Serpents are, in a sense, hatched from the Sacred one. It happened when they reached Sacred, actually. However, my original Soul Serpent is my first and proper one, you could say, and its Rank is related to my battle art, which has seven steps."
He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck before letting the Serpent turn back into its original form and disappear.
"It's not my actual blade, in all honesty. When my Soul Serpent became Sacred, it gained one more ability," he said as he walked toward the center of the hall.
Shadows gathered.
He dipped his hand into them and pulled something out.
Eurys stiffened for a moment as he felt its presence.
A black odachi appeared again.
However, this blade was far stronger.
A Sacred blade of the Seventh Tier.
"The Soul Serpent manifests in three ways. First is Blade Serpent, a tattoo around the body. Second is a weapon form that can shapeshift to the user's liking. Third is a creature form."
He paused.
"However, after becoming Sacred, it could manifest as a blade and a creature simultaneously. So I can use mine, which is a Sacred weapon instead of a Transcendent one, while the others can stay with the seven."
He let his blade turn into a tattoo and disappear beneath the sleeve of his wrist.
"Now, how do I explain a tattoo to Neph?" he muttered to himself.
"Wait, so do all seven have a Serpent and a weaving creature each?" Eurys asked.
Sunless looked at him.
"Kind of," he said.
"While the battle-focused ones have their own weapons, they can still need some assistance in the wild. Meanwhile, the others, mainly Creepy, Lazy, and Happy, may need their assistance or weapons every now and then. And we make a habit of not relying on Memories or weapons that aren't soulbound," he said.
Eurys blinked.
"Not relying on normal weapons?" he asked.
Sunless looked at him, smiled, and glanced away.
"Of course. I came to that realization as an Ascended and began following through with it after Transcending. But what kind of flimsy God would rely on a weapon to fight?" he said.
"Gods don't rely on weapons, my old friend, and neither did we. While in battle, soulbound relics are the best since they are part of one's being."
He continued.
"After becoming Supreme in the past, we didn't really use created weapons. Instead, we turned normal shadows into weapons. At that point, my authority over shadows was enough that I didn't need much thought or focus. So, painting a normal shadow into the shadow of a sword was my primary method, even when fighting Cursed Abominations."
Eurys stared at him.
"Cursed, too? You're one crazy bastard, you know that?" he said.
Sunless laughed lightly.
"Well, we were planning on reaching Godhood, so nothing less than that would have been acceptable for me," he said.
"I may look soft and lighthearted, but I am anything but that in life."
He took his throne and leaned back with a light sigh.
"Nothing good comes to you in life if you live easy, my friend. Though I suppose one doesn't need to live as long as us to know that."
...
The Shadow Realm was as dark as always.
Sunless stood before the gate to the Primordial Void, his eyes wandering across the constellation of Divine Shards.
For a while, he remained silent as his eyes lingered on seven specific shards.
"You know... I always thought it was your fault."
His lips curved faintly.
"Every disaster. Every impossible situation. Every time I survived one nightmare only to fall into another."
He looked upward.
"I thought you had cursed me."
A quiet breath escaped him.
"Turns out you were just making sure I survived long enough to reach this point."
Sunless shook his head, almost amused.
"Whatever, you damned Daemon."
His smile deepened.
"I'll finish what we started."
...
Chaos.
That was the only word to describe it.
As endless golden threads illuminated and filled existence itself, Sunless stared at the Tapestry of Fate, his consciousness working to fight against it.
Yet he knew.
He had already seen the attack coming.
His Fate would be taken away right after he was forced to sacrifice his powers and fall to a lower Rank.
A Cursed Terror was coming his way.
Yet he did not care.
Now was not the time.
Above him, a cataclysmic war was raging among the strongest forces of the Doom War.
The Seer of Paths was battling Nether in the starless sky.
The Keeper of Fate held back the Daemon of Hope and the Great God of Sun.
The Crown of Grace had trapped the Daemons of Hope and Mirage, along with the Great Goddesses of Beast and Storm, in a trap.
The Harbinger of Ruin was holding down the Daemon of Rime and the Great God of Heart.
The Cursed of Truth and the Child of Erasure were facing the Daemon Ariel.
The Lord of Shadows was fighting the Great Goddess of War and the Great God of Shadows.
As for Sunless himself...
He was looking down at the open gate to the Primordial Void as his legion of dead shadows—the Gods he had killed for this moment alone—poured into the open gate.
Countless members of his legion were defeating other abominations pouring in before they could escape into existence. Countless were being destroyed and sent back to his Soul Sea as well.
All the while, he himself focused on keeping the waking Forgotten God suppressed.
They had already realized the timeline.
The moment the Forgotten God appeared in existence, the Daemons and Great Gods should have been dead, and Weaver would have cast the net.
At the very last moment, they had defied Fate.
And this defiance would become the forced catalyst through which the suppressed Forgotten God's Will would decide that Sunless needed to be kicked out of Fate after sacrificing his power.
Fate was making a bargain: to give him what he desired, be resisted by his Will, and use that resistance as the price to lower his Rank and cast him out of the Tapestry of Fate.
With the Oblivion of his existence protecting him from being remembered, and his Ranks stripped away, he would fall into the endless, open Primordial Void as a Transcendent or Supreme at most.
And be eradicated.
The Daemons and Great Gods would die within moments as well, since all they had done was delay what Fate had already decreed.
However, Fate still had to let Weaver do their part.
And that was exactly what they were doing.
As six who had risen to Godhood, the six pillars of existence—the six Great Gods and the six Daemons—fulfilled their roles in Fate, fighting endlessly in the sky.
The seventh of each stood below.
The Unknown, the God of Corruption.
Weaver, the Daemon of Fate.
Sunless, the Third Paradox.
All stood in a triangle as Sunless and Weaver fought back-to-back, one forcing back the Void and the other keeping the corrupted God from waking faster.
Meanwhile, Weaver was finishing the Nightmare Spell, nearing completion with the addition Sunless had told them to make.
"It's done. Tell them to let the others die."
The Daemon of Fate spoke all too calmly, as if nothing was happening.
Sunless stared at the Tapestry of Fate, unbothered, with a serene expression as well.
The mental command went out to the others.
"My dear abomination."
Sunless glanced back.
Weaver's voice was almost amused.
"It was good knowing you."
Sunless smiled faintly.
"...Yeah. I think I can say the same, friend."
Something settled into his soul.
[Mask of Weaver]
Sunless paused, then he smiled faintly.
"Try not to lose it."
"No promises."
...
The Lord of Shadows sat on his dark throne as shadows covered the Nameless Temple.
...
The Keeper of Fate looked up at the dark skies above the burnt forest, the carcasses of Great Abominations scattered around him as the Child of Erasure lingered close by.
...
The Harbinger of Ruin sat on a boulder as the sand around him was drenched in the blood of abominations.
...
The Seer of Paths stood in a land of the Waking World as the Plague Abomination moved closer.
...
The Cursed of Truth walked away from another Nightmare Gate he had tackled.
...
The Crown of Grace stood in a snowy forest as he awaited the approaching conflict.
...In Ravenheart, Ki Song's corpses stirred as her Will passed through them. Her eyes shimmered with something grander as a smile played on her lips.
...
Within his forge, Anvil brought his hammer down once more, sparks flying.
...
Asterion sat upon the moon and watched the world in silence as a smirk crept onto his lips.
...
The Ivory Tower touched the lake as the café, which had been a Transcendent Creature all along, plucked itself out of the ground and moved onto the flying island itself, making it its new home.
Orphne's eyes widened as the massive landmass moved.
The Ivory Tower carried Sunless and Nephis toward war.
And as the horizon opened before them, Nephis caught the front of his tunic and pulled him into a kiss before they turned together to face what waited ahead.
...
The time for The Domain War had come.