After making the bold proclamation, Sunny paused for a moment, and then added in an emotionless tone:
"Or rather, two worlds. One more, one less... it doesn't really make a difference.
Jet chuckded at his words, while the others just nodded with varying degrees of seriousness. Only Nephis did not react, simply looking at him calmly.
Sunny sighed, leaned back a little, and said evenly:
"However, let us return to the initial conversation. Lady Nephis, you said that your source element is the people whom you inspire, and that they are the foundation of your Domain. However... what comes next? How do you plan on building upon that foundation to actually reach Supremacy?"
He was quite stumped. It seemed that Nephis was half of a step ahead of him - she had dived deeply into the nature of her source element, to the point of being able to enhance it. Sunny, however, had never even questioned whether his connection to the shadows could be deepened.
What was he supposed to do? Actively try to build rapport with the wild shadows? Turning them into his zealous followers? Would that bring him closer to Supremacy, as well?
'No, I am thinking about it wrong.’
Nephis had said it herself, and he knew it too - each Aspect was unique, and the process of realizing a Domain differed for each Awakened. What worked for her would not work for him, and vice versa.
She had to weave a vast tapestry of yearning souls, inspiring people one by one. But his source element was shadows - as their Lord, he already enjoyed the veneration of every shadow in existence.
Sunny had no need to build a foundation for his domain...
Or did he?
If there was a process of accumulation involved in the initial stages of attaining Supremacy, then what was he supposed to accumulate?
The thought resonated with him so deeply that even the humble shopkeeper stopped what he was doing, far away in Bastion, frowning for a moment.
‘...Isn't it quite obvious?’
Unseen, Sunny's eyes gleamed under the mask. Had he not been accumulating something from the very start of it all?
The legion of silent shadows dwelling in his soul... were they the foundation of his future Domain?
Shadow God had been the God of Death as well, after all. Was Sunny limiting himself by ignoring the connection shadows had with death?
If so... what the hell was the nature of his Domain supposed to be?
He grimaced, feeling more lost than he had been a minute ago.
'Maybe Nephis will enlighten me.’
Sunny waited patiently for her answer.
...Sadly, he was doomed to be disappointed.
When Nephis finally spoke, a slight frown twisted her brow:
"That... I am not sure about. As I've said, I know the path to Supremacy, but am unable to walk it yet. There has to be some kind of catalyst that will ignite the foundation I've built, turning it into an actual Domain. The soul, the source element, the world once all three are fused together by will, a Sovereign is born. But how to fuse them? I do not know."
‘...Damn it.'
Sunny sighed secretly.
Well, it would have been too easy if the answer was handed to him on a platter.
He remained silent for a while, then asked somberly:
"So, what you are saying is that you must become a Supreme to defeat the Sovereigns without drowning the Dream Realm in the blood of mundane humans, However, you have no clue how to actually achieve it. Therefore, this whole uprising of ours... is a gamble?”
Nephis smiled faintly.
"When has anything been without risk in this life? If you know a way to become Supreme, Lord Shadow, I am all ears."
He tilted his head and stared at her emotionlessly.
"If I knew a way, would I still be a Saint? The last Sovereign I killed was not very talkative, so I didn't have a chance to ask."
In fact, Daeron of the Twilight Sea had been entirely incapable of speech by the time Sunny killed him.
Kai's chair suddenly wobbled.
Nephis spared him a glance, then chuckled.
"Indeed. However... it is not entirely up to fate. In fact, I have a reason to believe that there will be progress soon."
Sunny raised an eyebrow behind the mask.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Shadow Slave