Shadow Slave

Nephs studied Asterion for a few moments, then continued in an even tone:

”In truth, you do not really want our Citadels. You do not want to rule humanity or conquer both worlds, either. All you want is... to grow. All you want is to use the Human Domain as fertilizer for your growth. Ah, I’ve never felt a more abominable hunger.”

Asterion met her gaze with a nonchalant smile.

“So you knew what I wanted all along, but still went to the trouble of asking three times? All that just to refuse me...”

He sighed.

”This is the problem with those who were nurtured by the Nightmare Spell. Your power is exceptional, but you are too militant. You are too used to solving problems with a sharp sword, so no one knows the value of good negotiations.”

Smiling faintly, he shook his head.

”Still. You are only reluctant to strike a deal with me because you are under the illusion that there is a different choice. Your mind will change once you taste true despair... of course, by then, I won’t be offering such reasonable terms.”

Sunny scoffed.

”I was right. You really do like the sound of your own voice... well, no surprise. You are quite eloquent, after all. However, I could not help but notice your peculiar choice of words earlier. What was it? We’ll get to live the rest of our lives in peace if we agree?” He gave Asterion an unamused look.

”You forgot to mention that the rest of our lives would not amount to much, didn’t you? A handful of years, at best. Goodness, something tells me that you are not approaching this supposed deal in good faith.”

He turned to Nephis.

”Actually, I figured out what this lunatic wants already. He is aiming for natural Apotheosis... maybe unnatural is a more fitting word in this case, though. He wants to achieve what Kanakht failed to achieve and attain godhood through feeding on his own Domain — not as a human, but as a creature. In short, he wants to enthrall all of humanity, then devour it.”

Turning to Asterion, Sunny added in a dark tone:

“What a guy.”

In response, Asterion gave him an amused look.

“You figured me out so quickly? My, my... I guess you did not become Supreme by accident, after all.”

His tone was friendly and easygoing, not at all fitting the hideous darkness of his genocidal intent.

A heavy silence hung in the air, overflowing with tension.

An unexpected sound then suddenly broke the silence, surprising both Sunny and Asterion.

It was the sound of laughter.

Nephis was laughing... her laugh was dry and joyless, but she was laughing nonetheless.

”So, that’s it?”

She looked at Asterion, her eyes full of contempt.

”That is all the great and terrible Asterion amounts to? All these years of waiting, the ominous mystery surrounding you, the fear of you everyone seems to share... and in the end, you are no different from the other two.”

His smile dimmed a little.

”Ouch. That was uncalled for.”

Nephis, meanwhile, gritted her teeth.

”All of this because you’re just another cowardly deserter who is afraid to challenge the Fifth Nightmare.”

Her eyes blazed with white flames.

”Anvil and Ki Song convinced themselves that they could not abandon the waking world or risk leaving humanity without the guardianship of Supremes. But you don’t care about the waking world or humanity. So, what is your excuse?”

Asterioh met her fiery gaze with a relaxed smile.

”Why do I need an excuse?”

He looked at her, then shifted his gaze to Sunny in confusion.

”And why do I need to gamble my life away in the Fifth Nightmare when there is a safer, better way to become a deity?”

Sunny exhaled slowly.

”Why? Oh, I’m not sure... has it ever occurred to you that consuming the souls of countless humans — of all humans — is the vilest, most appalling way of attaining godhood one can imagine, perhaps?” Asterion raised an eyebrow.

”Really? Remind me, please... how was it that you two became Supreme Titans? Was it through pacifism and natural enlightenment, maybe? Or was it through murder, slaughter, and bloodshed?”

He shook his head.

”How many souls have the two of you consumed to get to where you are?”

Sunny scowled deeply.

”Too many, perhaps. However, are you really comparing the souls of Nightmare Creatures to those of humans?”

Asterion laughed.

”Oh, and you two have never killed humans? The piles of corpses left in Godgrave tend to disagree. And even then, is there really such a difference? You treat Nightmare Creature as if they do not count. But they are living creatures, too... most of them are beasts, but many are just as sentient as you and I. It’s just that their sentience differs from your own, so you don’t feel the need to extend them the courtesy of counting them as individuals.”

Sunny stared at the Dreamspawn, feeling dizzy.

He really could not tell if Asterion was simply a pathological liar or actually insane. Perhaps it was both.

The Dreamspawn was not mentally ill, but his worldview was so outside the norm that he could not be considered a sane person, either.

At the same time, he lied as easily as he breathed. However, his lies were always masterfully hidden between truths, cunning omissions, and baseless assumptions presented as facts, which made conversing with him a horrible headache. Asterion’s deceit was so believable and spoken so confidently that even Sunny found himself involuntarily accepting it as truth sometimes.

The worst part was that the bastard was not even seriously trying to deceive them, considering that all his lies crumbled easily as long as one examined them just a little.

Take this last claim, for example... on the surface, it sounded like a bold, but oddly logical accusation. Of course, Asterion had failed to mention that all Nightmare Creatures shared an overwhelming compulsion to kill and devour humans. If there were peaceful abominations out there, Sunny and Nephis would have never attacked them of their own accord.

”There is indeed a difference. They are the aggressors — we are merely defending ourselves out of necessity. We are simply trying to survive”

Asterion gave him a pitying look.

”Isn’t that what I am doing, as well? Do you think humans were never the aggressors from whom I had to defend myself? To me, you humans are no different from Nightmare Creatures — strangers who stand in the way of my survival. Do not forget that I was born here, in the Dream Realm. This is my home. You, on the other hand, are the invaders”

Sunny smiled darkly.

”I think you’re lying through your teeth.” Nephis stared at Asterion with scathing intensity.

Her voice, however, remained even.

”There is a huge flaw in your reasoning, though.”

He raised an eyebrow.

”Oh? Is there?”

She nodded.

”It is quite misguided of you to assume that conquering the Human Domain — which Sunny and I rule — will be safer and more conducive to your survival than challenging the Fifth Nightmare.”

Asterion remained silent for a while, looking at her with a strange smile.

Then, he sighed.

”I guess you don’t know. It makes sense, considering that the elders of your clan passed away a long time ago, while Anvil and Ki Song regarded you as a threat. The chain of inheritance was broken, and plenty of knowledge seems to have been lost.”

Asterion shook his head.

”The Fifth Nightmare... it’s different from all the rest. Challenging it is a far greater gamble than challenging the previous four. Chances of conquering it are slim.”

He fell silent for a moment, and then added somberly:

”And even if you succeed, you won’t be the same.”