Cassie tilted her head.
Eventually, she walked up to Rain and gripped her shoulder softly.
Then, she turned away and left.
Now alone, Cassie slowly descended the steps of an ancient black tower. With each step, a dull pain radiated from beneath her bloodied blindfold. All around her, Mordret's vessels were preparing to face the final siege of the war — even if they had little chance of winning it.
She passed the hall where the forbidden runes were inscribed on the walls, the shrine of the Goddess of Black Skies, the workshop of the Demon of Destiny, the great brazier where the flame that had once destroyed the Kingdom of Hope still burned, and the living quarters on the ground floor as well.
Walking out of the Ebony Tower, Cassie faced the familiar expanse of the Chained Island.
Out there, separated from the flying island by a vast chasm and the great length of seven celestial chains — these ones forged by humans, not by the mythical beings of the distant past — the forces of humanity were arrayed against her and Mordret.
The great army of the Hunger Domain was positioned on the islands around the Ebony Tower, surrounding it from all sides. Hundreds of thousands of Awakened, thousands of Masters, more than a hundred Saints... there were vast swarms of Echoes and myriad enthralled Nightmare Creatures, as well.
Seishan and her sisters were among them. So were Nightwalker and the Saints of Night, Sky Tide and Roan... even her own Fire Keepers.
And their master, of course — their new master, that was.
Asterion.
All of them were ready to attack the Ebony Tower.
“Quite a sight, isn't it?"
She turned her head slightly, acknowledging the man who had spoken to her — the wicked monster with eyes that reflected the world back on itself... Mordret of Nowhere, the King of Nothing.
Her last and only ally.
Cassie lingered for a moment, then said evenly:
“I wouldn't know."
Mordret laughed.
Once the echoes of his laughter were swallowed by the wind, he added in a mocking tone:
"It all could have been avoided if you had let me loose, you know? Ah, but alas. You and your senseless morality."
If the rulers of the Longing Domain had been willing to let him cull humanity before Asterion took it, they would not have been driven into a corner. The Dreamspawn would not have become unstoppable. Mordret paused briefly, looking at the enthralled army that had belonged to the obliterated Longing Domain once, and asked:
"So, what does defeat taste like?"
Cassie lingered for a long time.
When she finally spoke, her dark voice was full of defiance:
"...I am not defeated yet."