Kai's words hung in the air.
"Song forces are here in Godgrave."
Saint Jet frowned immediately. "That can't be right. They can't start a war without public approval. They need a reason."
The young cohort exchanged uneasy glances, tension rising like a tide that none of them could stop.
Kai nodded slowly. "They haven't told the people. Not yet. They mobilized quietly. Only a few Saints and trusted Awakened."
Effie crossed her arms. "Then what's the reason? There must be something."
Kai hesitated, uncertainty slipping into his expression. "I've heard rumors. Song claims Valor has been moving forces in the waking world. Breaking the treaty."
Nephis's brows lowered. "What treaty?"
Kai answered, "The agreement forbidding any clan from performing war related activities on the waking world. No troop movement, no raids, no combat. Only supply distribution is allowed."
Nephis's eyes turned cold . "And who is going to stop them if they choose to break it?"
The room fell silent.
The older cohort exchanged looks. After a long, heavy pause, Jet finally spoke.
"Valor won't stand idle. They'll give a public reason to start the war soon."
Saint Effie frowned, her voice tight. "Why isn't Nephis back yet… and where the hell is Cassie?"
Kai's expression darkened. "Cassie hasn't returned since last night. I checked every corner of the temple."
Young Effie shifted uneasily. "She wouldn't leave without saying anything. Not now."
Sunny's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't say anything, but something cold flickered behind his gaze,a faint hint suspicion he'd been trying to ignore.
His suspicion took root because of a single moment,the moment Cassie appeared inside Saint Nephis's office, seemingly out of thin air. It might not have seemed suspicious to anyone else, but Sunny was an extremely paranoid person, especially when it came to Cassie. He still couldn't trust her after what she had done to him, and now… this.
As far as he knew, Cassie had no spatial teleportation ability. None. So there was only one explanation for how she had appeared there without walking through the door.
A saint's tether.
Saints could anchor a tether somewhere and traverse realms to appear at that exact location. Which meant Cassie had gone to the waking world. But that alone was not suspicious. After returning, she mentioned the strange behavior of Valor's forgemasters.
Not only that...she avoided going to the waking world despite it being safer than this hellhole, at least. She had a perfect reason to come here… on paper, of course. And now they were hearing Valor was dispatching troops into the waking world, and Song was already here in Godgrave...Nephis was late… and his elder self was nowhere to be seen.
There had to be some connection.
'Calm down', he forced himself to breathe. Everything about this situation was wrong. Why would Valor break the treaty? Why are their actions different from the previous timeline? As he pondered, a terrible suspicion gnawed at his mind.
****
Somewhere else,
The outskirts of the city were nearly deserted. Most residents had long evacuated toward the inner districts, leaving only empty streets and the faint hum of distant defensive wards.
A figure stepped quietly into a narrow alley, she was a exquisitely beautiful woman with grey skin and black hair, she wore a regal velvet dress,her steps light, controlled, almost silent.She scanned the shadows, brows drawn, She was Seishan of Song .
"You're late," a voice murmured from the dark alley.
A woman stepped out of the darkness , a beautiful woman with blonde hair, blindfold, her presence soft yet unsettling. Cassie stood with her cane resting lightly against the stone wall.
Seishan exhaled slowly. "Oracle Cassia."
Cassie tilted her head. "You have confirmed?"
"Yes." Seishan's expression tightened. "You warned us that Valor is moving forces in the waking world."
Cassie didn't hesitate. "Yes."
Seishan's jaw clenched. "If Song acts first, without public justification, we will be blamed for starting a war."
"You will have justification soon," Cassie replied, her tone quiet but certain.
Seishan's eyes narrowed. "You speak as though you've already seen it."
Cassie only tilted her head, offering no denial.
Silence settled, heavy and uneasy.
After a moment, Seishan asked, voice low, "This is about Nephis, isn't it? Is something… wrong with her?"
Cassie's fingers tightened faintly around her cane.
"That is not something you need to know." , she turned around walking towards the darkness, "Act fast you can win this war"
Seishan frowned, frustration flickering across her normally composed face. "Why? "
Cassie stepped back into the shadows, her voice almost a whisper.
"This is something that must be done."
****
Sunny looked at the older cohort, a faint dread forming behind his eyes. Before he could speak, Kai suddenly frowned and walked out of the room,his expression dark. Sunny still continued, his voice hesitant.
"Is it… is it possible that Anvil of Valor retained his memories too?"
Jet's eyes widened. Effie's face went cold as if they realised something terrible. The young cohort stiffened at once. Before anyone could answer, Kai stormed back into the room. His expression was unlike anything they had ever seen on the handsome archer cold, murderous even.
He held a message crystal in hand."I got a message from Saint Cor," Kai said, voice flat and tight. "Valor has given a public reason for war."
He paused, taking a deep breath. The tension in the air thickened until everyone felt it pressing on their lungs. When he spoke again, his voice held quiet malice."They said Song tried to assassinate Nephis and she's in critical condition."
He paused.
"And they showed proof."
Everyone of the them froze, their eyes darkening. It was almost impossible to critically injured Nephis,unless they were of the higher rank, and after Sunny's words earlier, they had an idea of what happened.
Young Effie whispered, "What kind of proof…?"
Kai didn't answer immediately. His expression alone told them it wasn't something he wanted to describe.
Jet stepped closer, her face pale. "Kai."
He exhaled shakily. "A recording. They showed her body battered, bleeding..collapsing in the Bastion courtyard. It looked real. Too real. Enough to ignite the public."
A cold wave washed across the hall.
The young cohort grimaced, fury reflecting in their eyes. Young Cassie bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Kai looked sick. Effie's fists trembled with anger.
Sunny's heart dropped.
His stomach twisted painfully. Shadows around his feet quivered restlessly, reacting to his growing rage.
Kai continued after a long moment.
"They said Nephis was conquering a death zone for the expansion of humanity when she was ambushed. And with Song already here in Godgrave… it makes the accusation even more believable."
Something inside Sunny snapped.
He turned sharply toward the young Cassie — but his fury wasn't aimed at her. It was aimed at the one whose actions she mirrored.
His voice cracked with fury.
"Your older version knew this! She knew something was wrong and she still sent Nephis out there ..with his shadows!"
The Midnight Shard appeared in his hand, shadows swirling violently as he raised the blade.
Saint Jet and Saint Effie lowered their gazes, unable to interfere.Rain tensed, frozen as the scene unfolded.The younger cohort moved at once, restraining Sunny before he could take a step.
But Sunny fought against their grip, eyes wild with grief and rage,however Saint Kai's voice cut through the hall, cold and absolute making him halt."Enough, Sunny. Calm down."
Sunny stiffened instantly as an unnatural calm washed through him. His muscles locked. It was easy to forget…Just because Kai was kind, patient, and smiling most of the time—did not mean he wasn't terrifying.
Especially when he decided to be, but that did litlle to soothe Sunny's anger, his killing intent flared,trembling against the invisible restraint. Shadows around his feet writhed like wounded serpents, fighting the command with feral desperation.
Sunny's eyes were wild, locked on Cassie, who was looking down with a pained expression on her face, tears were streaming down her pale face.
That was when Nephis suddenly stepped in front of him.Her movements were quick and decisive. She reached up and took his face gently in both her hands, forcing his eyes to meet hers.
"Sunny," she whispered, voice soft but steady, "calm down. Please."
Her gray eyes held his, unwavering. They were full of gentle concern. "She'll be fine," Nephis continued quietly. "You know how hard I am to kill."
Her thumbs brushed lightly against his jaw, grounding him further. Her touch was warm ...warm enough to melt through the layers of frenzy, grief, and terror clawing at his mind.
Sunny's breath came out ragged.
His furious shadows slowed. The midnight shard slipped from his grip and clattered to the floor.
The young cohort watched in stunned silence.
Sunny took a single step back. Nephis's hands slipped from his face as he turned away, breathing hard.He didn't look at anyone. Without a word, he walked toward the far end of the temple and vanished into the shadows.
The room remained frozen for a moment.
Then Cassie sank to the floor, her cane clattering beside her as quiet sobs shook her shoulders. Young Effie moved first, hesitating only a second before kneeling beside her and wrapping an arm around her trembling form. Kai stood behind them, jaw clenched, unsure whether to speak or stay silent.
Young Nephis silently picked up the fallen Midnight Shard and placed it on a nearby pedestal.
Saint Jet let out a deep breath. "We need to give them space," she murmured.
The older cohort nodded grimly and stepped away, gathering near one of the temple's broken pillars. Their voices dipped into low, urgent whispers.
Behind them, Cassie wept quietly, and the younger cohort tried to awkwardly comfort her.
Far away in the darkness of the temple, Sunny sat alone his fists clenched.