[Prepare for appraisal…]
I found myself in a space between dream and reality. It was an endless black void illuminated by a myriad of stars. Between those stars, countless strings of silver light were woven into a beautiful and inconceivably complex net, forming various nexuses and constellations. It was truly breathtaking.
'Dang..'
Even if I hated the spell, I needed to admit that the place it had summoned me into was truly beautiful.
I would have let out a sigh if I could. The stuff I had suffered during my fist nightmare was truly horrifying now that I looked back at it. I did not doubt that it had affected my mind rather greatly.
I was feeling rather detached right now.
'It is what it is..'
It was not all over.
[Aspirant! Your trial is over.]
[A girl trapped in a memory not her own clawed her way free of a devil's mind. Accused of a massacre she did not commit, she was cast into chains and thrown to the crowds. Starved, broken, and forgotten, she fed on flesh and wore her shame like armor. When salvation came with a mask, she ran beside it—then slit its throat.]
[You have defeated nine dormant humans, names unknown.]
[You have defeated five awakened beasts: Dream Puppets.]
[You have defeated two awakened humans, names unknown.]
[You have defeated an awakened human: Auro of the Nine.]
[You have defeated a fallen devil: Memory Thief.]
[You have went on a killing spree!]
[Final appraisal: glorious.]
Well, that was an unnecessary remark. But she really did kill so many beings, be it humans or creatures.
'Auro of the Nine... I'll never know what the Nine stood for.'
And what was up with glorious? She had heard of the appraisal rates before and glorious was not one of them.
[Dreamer Vera, receive your boon!]
'Mueheheh...'
I was not an aspirant anymore!
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Parhelion.]
'Um.. what?'
A true name? Parhelion?
My jaw dropped. I had received a true name! This was very lucky! Not even saints could boast about having a true name, yet I had received it on my first nightmare!
I am gonna get rich!!
As I was fantasizing about buying myself a two-wheeled PTV, the rewards kept coming.
[You have received an attribute: Spark of Divinity.]
'Neat.'
I knew what this attribute did as it was common among some awakened.
[Your Aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve Aspect?]
'Your asking bitch?'
I crossed my arms. "Fuck yeah!"
[New Aspect acquired.]
[Aspect Rank: Divine.]
I tripped on space, if you could ever trip on space that is.
[Aspect Name: Bury the Light!]
'Is this for real..?'
I stood up to my feet again.
Surely the spell was not playing tricks on me again, was it?
"Are you? Bitch."
'Perhaps I could call the spell bitch from now on. Suits it.'
Aspect: Bury the Light!
Aspect Rank: Divine
Aspect Description: [You are a powerful swordswoman. As the one who buried the light inside their own soul, you have wonderous abilities.]
Innate Ability: [Dawn.]
Ability Description: [You passively grow stronger the dimmer your surroundings. In dim light, you sword shall extend its range slightly. In darkness, you shall become nearly undetectable while only moving.]
'Hmm.. that is alright? It will come in handy in some situations I think..'
Well in the end her suffering had all been paid for. The spell did not put her through those scenarios without a good payback. But that did not make any of her hatred go away.
'Your getting your enemy stronger, foolish bitch!'
[The First Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers…]
'This better be good..'
I suddenly stirred and fell to my knees with a started cry. Clutching my chest, I tried to understand what was going on. The feeling was not unpleasant, yet it was something she had never ever experienced.
I felt some sort of energy fill every fiber of my being. I felt mind become sharper and clearer along with my emotions. I felt as though a star was burning inside my chest: waves of heat were radiating from it. Reaching my stomach and shoulders, then my arms and legs, then my hands and feet.
Under the heat, my bones, muscles, organs and blood vessels were being rebuilt and revitalized. I was becoming stronger, faster and healthier.
The feeling was euphoric.
After some time had passed, the star burning in my chest had finally cooled down. The heat was replaced with a soothing coldness. That coldness washed over my body, taking away all the aches and discomforts that had been accumulated there over the years. Then it reached my brain, I felt like it slightly eased the emotions I felt during the first nightmare.
Then it reached my eyes. Doubling my already great vision.
I was met with a very breathtaking scenery.
A silent clear sea, illuminated by a blue lonely sun.
There were three small spheres floating around the sun, those were her memories: [Not so mundane gem], [Leather Armor] and [Why did you kill me?]
The sky, it if could be called that, took my attention the most.
A top, the sky was shattered. However these were not your usual web cracks, the sky looked like it was slashed by a sword multitude of times. However only had left scratches on its surfaces.
On the sliced sky, I saw my own soul sea turned upside down. Another blue star stood above the original, the sliced sky separated the two. Like mine, it also illuminated a calm sea.
However on top of the sea.. I could see a figure. Laying on top of the water.
'What the helly..'
Was that me..?
Me(?) was laying on the sea. Her eyes were closed and she did not seem to be moving either.
I had thought at first that the soul sea on the other side of the sliced sky was a mirror of mine, but that did not seem to be the case since I was currently standing!
Who was that wench??
Well it was me practically but somehow different?
Why was my soul sea so bizarre anyways, shouldn't it just be a sun and a sea? Did divine aspect holders get a cool soul seas?
Did other divine aspect holders even exist???
My mind was running rampant with questions, but they were cut short by the boyish sound.
[Awakening Aspect Ability…]
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
[Aspect Ability Name: Cloak of Parhelion]
'Using my own true name huh.. you should work on your naming skills buddy..'
Then I was kicked out of my own soul sea, appearing in the darkness once again.
I summoned my runes.
Name: Vera.
True Name: Parhelion.
Rank: Dreamer.
Soul Cores: Dormant
Soul Fragments: [225/1000]
'Soul core's'?? What the hell does that even mean?'
It was most likely associated with my soul sea.
Memories: [Why did you kill me?], [A not so mundane gem], [Leather Armor.]
Echoes: -
Attributes: [Timeless One], [Eyes of ???], [The Way Of the Sword], [Spark of Divinity].
Aspect: Bury the Light!
Aspect Rank: Divine
Aspect Ability: [Cloak of Parhelion]
Aspect Ability Description: [You may cover yourself with a non-existent cloak. This cloak shall boost your speed. While active, your attacks shall repeat themselves at the same time you attack with an invisible force.]
'..Neat!'
This was a really good ability! It boosted her speed along with an invisible attack!
My thoughts were cut short as a new set of runes started appearing before me.
[All power has a price.]
[You have received a Flaw.]
[Your Flaw is: Empty Stomach.]
Flaw Description: [You won't be able to feel your hunger.]
'Ah..'
She pondered for a few seconds.
Was this good or bad..?
It did not cause a major drawback. But it could affect her if she did not pay attention to it.
'Um.. neat?'
Then suddenly the spell spoke again:
[Wake up, Parhelion!!]