Mordret did not waste his time while imprisoned.
Bound in chains, surrounded by seven silent reflections, he built possibilities. Not simple plans — but entire structures of events, like an invisible tapestry being woven in his mind.
If destiny was already set, he only needed to learn where to pull the threads.
'So this is how it ends…'
The fused memories showed a clear future. He would achieve supremacy.
And nothing more.
Anvil would die by another hand.
Morgan would live.
Asterion would continue breathing.
The realization did not bring despair. It brought something worse.
Frustration.
A cold hatred began to emerge — only to be restrained.
"Ah, come on! It's not that bad. We're alive in the end." Mordret murmured into the emptiness of the prison. "That's not… insignificant."
'Alive?' The voice echoed within him, soft as glass sliding over stone. 'If we fail to kill that golden-eyed bastard, that can hardly be called a victory.'
One of the reflections smiled. Another remained impassive.
The division was not clear. It was not a second personality — it was a misalignment.
Sometimes he thought something and the response came before he could finish reasoning.
Other times, he felt emotions that were not exactly his.
Or were they?
"Resentment will not take us further than it did before. We should live a peaceful life in some café."
'Fool, complacency will lead us to the same defeat. I refuse to hold such a desire.'
Silence.
The chains clinked softly when he shifted his weight.
The future was there. Known.
"In the end, it does not matter much. The path is already clear."
But knowing did not mean controlling.
'We should not alter the course until the Third Nightmare,' he said calmly. 'The tapestry is still firm.'
"I agree."
A pause.
"But small variations do not tear a tapestry."
His silver eyes gleamed.
"Antarctica… perhaps we should visit it. I think it would be a good experience for you, to see the value of lives."
'Do not speak to me about the value of life when you know what awaits this world.'
One of the reflections laughed softly.
"Family."
'Empathy is weakness.'
"Understanding is the tool."
The discussion ceased when something changed.
A presence.
He felt it before he saw it.
The guest had arrived.
The seven reflections lifted their faces at the same time.
"Should we receive him as last time?" he murmured. "Or would you prefer something… different?"
"I do not think it would be good to make him an enemy."
'Fate stands on his side.'
"For now."
A thin smile appeared.
"Then we will not make him an enemy. Yet."
—
Through Sunny's eyes, Mordret contemplated the abyss beneath the chained islands. Flames burned at the bottom of the void, distant like dying stars.
The boy trembled.
Mordret let the silence stretch just enough to become uncomfortable.
"Ah," his voice echoed softly in the darkness, "I apologize. It seems I frightened you."
Sunny almost jumped.
"N-no, don't worry. I just… didn't expect to hear another human voice here. You, uh… you are human… right?"
'How about we scare him? That way he will stop asking stupid questions.'
"No."
A calculated pause.
"Forgive the disappointment, I am a Profane Titan sealed here in the era of the Gods..."
Sunny froze, the words dying before they could leave his mouth.
The silence grew heavy.
Then Mordret sighed, almost amused.
"Relax, I'm just joking. I'm human."
Sunny exploded, his face turning red.
"What kind of person makes that kind of joke?!"
The reflections smiled.
"Someone who spent too much time alone. It seems I lost my communication skills, I just wanted to break the ice."
The explanation was simple. However, the provocative tone suggested something else.
Sunny took a deep breath.
"Damn it... whatever! Are you or are you not human?" the short boy questioned.
"Yes," Mordret answered. "And no."
"I'm lost..." The melodious voice seemed to play with Sunny's mind, as if trying to make him imagine an unpleasant answer.
Confusion crossed the boy's face.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Mordret took a few seconds to respond.
"Have you ever heard of the Lost?"
His voice became lower. Closer.
"My body in the waking world was destroyed, but my soul continues to exist here, in the Dream Realm. I hope that explanation is clearer."
Sunny remained silent, absorbing it.
Mordret observed every microexpression through the reflection of his soul.
'Is this how internal monologues look from the outside?' he thought. 'Curious.'
Sunny's shoulders relaxed slightly.
"I'm sorry," he said. "But how can I hear your voice if I cannot see you?"
A reasonable question.
Mordret considered for a moment.
"Why would I reveal my secrets?" he replied softly. "As far as I know, someone descending into this dangerous place could also be a terrifying beast pretending to be a foolish boy."
Sunny's teeth audibly ground together.
"Who are you calling foolish?! I'm not descending into the Under Sky — I'm falling! I got stuck on an island because of the Crushing, it broke loose, and I had to jump!"
He sounded confident.
Proud.
Mordret almost laughed.
Almost.
"I see."
Sunny frowned.
"Wait… dangerous place? Why is it dangerous? I haven't seen anything dangerous anywhere in this terrible pit!"
A light sigh escaped Mordret.
"You will."
Silence.
"When you reach the stars… you will see."
Then Mordret fell silent.
The sentence fell like a drop into still water.
Sunny stared into the darkness, slightly disturbed. A serious expression appeared on his face.
"What does that mean? What happens when I reach the stars?"
Mordret did not respond.
He let the void do the work.
Sunny waited.
Waited longer.
Then he cursed, frustrated.
"What the hell was that?!"
In another part of the prison, a low laugh echoed.
It became more intense when Sunny used the Common Stone to listen to the recording — and was met only with his own voice speaking alone in the dark.
He looked confused, doubting his own mind.
His shoulders tensed again.
'Indeed…'
The seven reflections smiled.
'There are certain advantages to being Mordret!'