Shadow Slave

Unlike NQSC, which was already in the embrace of a dark night, Bastion was still basking in sunlight. The surface of the lake glistened placidly, reflecting the blue sky, the walls of the castle, and the stunning silhouette of the Ivory Island drifting between the clouds above it.

Bastion was usually a bustling city, and today was no exception. Countless people were out and about, some working, some taking a break from their duties. For the latter, the most popular destination was the parks and promenades running along the lakeshore. Those who resided inside the castle, meanwhile, often took walks on its piers and outer walls.

All of them paused in the middle of what they were doing when a cold breeze blew from the water. It was not unpleasant or strange, really, but there was something about the cool wind that made them stop and look in the direction of the lake.

It was then that the water rippled, growing restless for a moment, and the spectacular rift of a Dream Gate split the sky above the lake.

For citizens of Bastion, the sight of the Dream Gate was nothing new. Most of them had entered the Dream Realm through the Gate opened by the King of Swords, after all - their memories of it were hazy, though, since they were under tremendous stress while escaping the Chain of Nightmares. But they saw Changing Star’s Dream Gate almost every day, and many even took trips to admire the view of its radiant depths from close by.

The Dream Gate that opened on the surface of the Mirror Lake now, however, was nothing like that luminous portal.

It was dark and eerie instead, and those who looked into its depths shuddered because it felt like the Gate was looking back.

A moment later, though, that eerie feeling was gone.

The Dream Gate disappeared, as well, and all that remained of it...

Was the figure of a tall, handsome man standing on the surface of the water. Inhaling the fresh air of Bastion with a full chest, he smiled softly, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked across the water with easy steps.

The man was walking toward the Castle. The clouds reflected on the water he treaded upon. Because the reflection of the Castle was surrounded by the clouds, people of Bastion now called it Cloud Castle... so, it seemed as if the man was walking both on water and across the sky, like a guest from the celestial realm who had somehow gotten lost in the mortal world.

His golden eyes and pleasant smile only made that impression stronger.

The people who stood on the walls of the Castle all looked at him, fascinated and mesmerized. Their faces betrayed expressions of curiosity, fascination, and awe.

”Who... who is that man?”

”He came from a Dream Gate. Is he a Supreme?”

”Can he be the King of Nothing?”

”No, of course not. He doesn’t look like that villainous monster.”

”Do you know what the King of Nothing looks like, then?”

”Well... no. But this man is definitely not an evil man.”

”Who is he, then? Is there another Supreme?”

While the citizens watched Asterion cross the lake with wonder in their eyes, Sunny and Nephis were having an entirely different reaction.

They were stunned for a short moment. The Dreamspawn was supposed to be sealed on the Moon, after all... they had taken the possibility of his escape into account, but neither expected that Asterion would one day just show up in the middle of Bastion, completely in the open, instead of biding his time and hiding somewhere in the Dream Realm.

”He’s here.”

Neph’s voice was even.

Sunny studied her face quietly for a moment.

”Cassie is in rough shape. She’ll live, but... your flames do not seem to be working.”

Nephis lowered her gaze.

”...I know.”

Sunny could not help but stare at the distant figure of Asterion. The implications of his coming to Bastion were too difficult to predict, at this point, but all of it was bad.

In fact, it was all worse than bad.

On the other hand, the adversary was finally here, right in front of them, and while he could not be killed, it was possible to defeat and contain him.

It was just that they still knew too little about the Dreamspawn... they did not even know what his purpose was, let alone what aces he was hiding in his sleeves.

Sunny frowned.

”So, do we just... attack him?”

Nephis stared at the Dreamspawn for a moment, her eyes burning with a cold, scathing hatred.

However, in the end, she slowly shook her head and dismissed the Blessing.

”No. If we fight here, all of Bastion might be wiped off the map.

Sunny grimaced.

He was aware of the fact, as well. It was just that...

Even if he would never sacrifice Bastion and all its people, he had an ominous feeling that they would one day regret not stopping Asterion right here and now.

It was an appalling feeling, to know that you would regret something and still have no choice but to do it anyway.

”So what do we do?”

Nephis exhaled slowly, then stepped onto the parapet of the balcony.

”For now... I guess we’ll have to talk to him.” Down below, Asterion had reached the middle of the lake. There, he stopped and looked at the people gathered on the walls of the Castle with a smile.

The Mirror Lake was vast, so there was no way for his voice to reach them.

But, somehow, it did.

In fact, it could be heard both from the walls of the Castle and from the lakeshore, where a far greater crowd was gathered, looking at him with wonder.

The Dreamspawn said:

”Citizens of Bastion... people of the Human Domain. My name is Asterion, and once upon a time, I fought against the Nightmare Spell by Broken Sword’s side. My dear friend is gone now, and I have become Supreme.”

He glanced up at the graceful silhouette of the Ivory Island... at Nephis.

Then, Asterion looked back at the people, and his smile widened.

”I am here to help.”