Once again, Faraam found himself in the endless space between dream and reality. All around him, there was nothing but a boundless black void, which was illuminated by a myriad of bright stars. Between those stars, countless strings of silver light were woven into a beautiful and inconceivably complex pattern.
Faraam looked around the endless space... it was such a breathtaking scene, and Faraam let himself enjoy the inner space of the Nightmare Spell.
For a while he didn't talk or move from his place; he felt at peace. After years of struggling, he finally succeeded in achieving his goal... no, he surpassed even his goals.
Not only could he hide behind the Song clan if Valor found out about him, but he believed he could win against any awakened in the wakening world and maybe escape an Ascended!
Faraam let out a deep breath; these three years were the most stressful in his life.
Happy with the outcome, Faraam summoned his runes.
Name: Faraam
True Name: —
Rank: Dreamer.
Soul Core: Dormant.
Soul Essence Devoured: [1000/1000]
Memories: [Sword of Despair], [Bloodbane], [Moonlight Shard]
Echoes: [Holy Guardian], [Formless Ichor].
Attributes: [Freewill], [Heaven Curse], [Unbreakable].
The [Soul Conduct] attribute was gone since he left the Crimson Spire, and the [Zombie Parasite] echo was gone too with the death of Gunlaug.
It seems he hasn't received any memories from killing the sleepers of the Forgotten Shore.
'Well, it didn't matter; the most they can give me is a dormant memory anyway.'
"Hmm? What is this?"
Below his runes there was another runes that belonged to someone else.
Name: Sunless.
True Name: Lost from Light.
Rank: Dreamer.
Shadow Core: Dormant.
Shadow Fragments: [1000/1000]
'Shadow Core and Shadow Fragments? Is that unique to his aspect?'
Faraam didn't linger much, he will know the answer eventually.
Memories: [Ordinary Rock], [Midnight Shard], [Endless Spring], [Weaver's Mask], [Dark Wing], [Mantle of the Underworld]
'That is quite a lot of memories...' He sure wasn't jealous...
But suddenly a memories caught his eye.
"Isn't Weaver the Daemon Of Fate? How in the seven gods did he get his mask?!"
He quickly summoned the memory runes... and Faraam was dumbfounded.
Memory Rank: Divine.
"It's... divine," he whispered... "It's a fucking divine memory!" then screamed.
Faraam was 100% sure that there is no divine memory in the world, at least publicly, and yet a slum rat has one?!
"This is just not fair!"
Now he was sure: if they ever meet again, he will definitely take this memory.
With nothing he can do, he continued reading.
Memory Type: Tool.
Memory Description: [Weaver believed that knowledge was the origin of power and so always hid behind numerous lies, wearing them as a mantle. No one knew Weaver's thoughts, Weaver's face, and Weaver's heart. Even the gods could not see what hid behind the mask.]
"So, I guess one of its enchantments lets the one who wears the mask be concealed completely. That is very useful... especially if it's work against seers."
Faraam looked at the runes of other memories; nothing caught his interest except the [Mantle of the Underworld], but he already has the [Formless Ichor].
Echoes: —
Shadows: [Marble Saint]
Faraam summoned the runes of the shadow.
Shadow Rank: Ascended.
Shadow Class: Demon.
Shadow Fragments: [80/200]
Shadow Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Spark of Divinity].
Shadow Description: [Shadow Saint was created by the treacherous Lost From Light in the cursed darkness of the Forgotten Shore.]
That was lazy from the Spell...
'So a shadow is like an echo that can ascend in ranks... sigh, I wish my [Formless Ichor] can ascend in rank too.'
With nothing more to see, he read Sunny's attributes.
Attributes: [Fated], [Spark of Divinity], [Child of Shadows], [Blood Weave]
[Fated] Attribute Description: "The strings of fate wrap tightly around you. Unlikely events, both good and bad, are drawn by your presence. There are those who are blessed, and there are those who are cursed… but rarely both."
"So it wasn't Changing Star who was blessed by luck; it was him."
How ironic... the slave is blessed, but the master is cursed.
[Ember of Divinity] Attribute Description: "Deep within your soul, an ember of divinity shines, almost ready to erupt into a radiant flame."
'So he has divinity of like the gods? Well, good for him, I guess...'
[Child of Shadows] Attribute Description: "Shadows recognize you as one of their own."
"Right, he is an emo..." he muttered.
Faraam glanced at the description of the last attribute; his eyes widened in disbelief.
"No, actually, what the fuck?! This is not fair!" Tears were threatening to fall down. "Is that what it means to be blessed by fate...?"
[Blood Weave] Attribute Description: "You have inherited a part of Weaver's forbidden lineage. Your blood has been altered and imbued with odd tenacity."
'Not only Weaver's mask but also his lineage! Is he hunting Weaver's remains or something?'
He sighed and read the next runes... Faraam started laughing.
Aspect: [Shadow Slave].
Aspect Rank: Divine.
Aspect Description: [You are a miraculous shadow left behind by a dead god. As a divine shadow, you possess plenty of strange and wondrous powers. However, your existence is empty and lonesome; you mourn the passing of your former master and long to find a new one.]
"This world isn't fair... Blessed by the Shadow God and has the Daemon of Fate lineage; what more, what does this man want more?"
Innate Ability: [Shadow Bond]
Ability Description: [Find a worthy master and let them know your True Name. Once they recite it out loud, you will be bound to their will, unable to disobey any command. It is improper for a shadow, let alone a divine one, to walk around without a master.]
Faraam nodded his head.
'Indeed, I should be honored to be the master of such a great slave.'
It was definitely not the other way around.
Aspect Ability: [Shadow Control].
Aspect Ability Description: [Your shadow is more independent than most. It is an invaluable helper.]
'Vague...'
Aspect Legacy: [Shadow Dance].
"Hmm? An Aspect Legacy, huh?" Faraam had heard of them. Every aspect has a legacy, but only a few have awakened them, and the ways to awaken them are different from each aspect.
Shadow Dance Description: [Once an elegant dance, now a deadly battle art. This mysterious style was created by the treacherous Lost From Light after witnessing a graceful slave dancing with her shadows. Who else could have taken something so beautiful and turned it into something so vile?]
Shadow Dance Mastery Level: [1/7].
First Relic: Unearned.
Second Relic: Unearned.
Third Relic: Unearned.
Fourth Relic: Unearned.
Fifth Relic: Unearned.
Sixth Relic: Unearned.
Seventh Relic: Unearned.
Faraam was really, really jealous.
He looked at the flaw; he had already lost all of his spirit.
Flaw: [Clear Conscience].
Flaw Description: [You cannot lie.]
"Fate... why, why did you choose him instead of me?"
Compared to his flaw, this was nothing.
With his spirit crushed he waited patiently for the Spell voice.
And after few moments the spell voice echoed everywhere.
[Your Aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve Aspect?]
"What?" Faraam was dumbfounded again.
Never has he heard of an aspect evolving after the Dream Realm.
"What the fuck is going on today? Did the Spell just decide to become generous?"
He took a deep breath and spoke, "Yes."
[Transcendent Aspect Caulborn is evolving…]
[New Aspect acquired.]
[Aspect Rank: Supreme.]
[Aspect Name: Faceless One]
Faraam wasn't happy at all; after he saw Sunny's aspect, he had a high hope of getting a divine aspect or at least a Sacred one.
"Sigh. I raised my hope too much..."
[The Second Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers…]
'Oh, he almost forgot about this...'
Just like after the First Nightmare, Faraam suddenly sensed something waking up within him. Back then, it felt as though this new power came from inside his soul as opposed to some external source. This time the feeling was very similar, only more intense, more defined.
It was coming from his Soul Core.
They were radiating an ethereal but almost palpable heat. The energy was circulating through his entire body, changing it, making it stronger. It was somewhat similar to the strange feeling he got every time he received a shadow fragment, but so much more powerful.
…A thousand times more powerful.
And deeper, too.
It was soul essence; he is finally able to control it.
The Spell spoke again, not letting him enjoy the feeling for a while.
[Awakening Aspect Ability…]
[...Aspect Ability acquired.]
[Aspect Ability Name: Mimicry.]
Faraam didn't waste time and summoned his aspect runes.
Aspect: [Faceless One].
Aspect Rank: Supreme.
Aspect Description: [You are a being that thrive in blood, those who you kill will be your strength and those who you devour will become part of you.]
Innate Ability: [Devourer].
Ability Description: [By killing a pure — uncorrupted being, you can absorb some of their soul essence. The stronger they are, the more you can absorb — but at the price of being unable to absorb the essence of a profaned being.]
Aspect Ability: [Gluttony]
Aspect Ability Description: [Devouring the dead allows you to gain their memories.]
Aspect Ability: [Mimicry]
Aspect Ability Description: [Transform into those who you devour, and wield their powers, but be aware of losing yourself.]
"Haha... Hahahahahah! This is it. This is what I was waiting for!"
The amount of potential of his aspect ability was endless! Just imagining using some abilities like those of Changing Star made his saliva drip from his mouth.
Though the "be aware of losing yourself" was concerning, he was sure he can find a way around it.
After seeing Sunny's runes, Faraam never thought he would be satisfied, but now? He sure was! But then the voice of the spell echoed once again.
[Awakened Faraam, receive your boon!]
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Bearer of Curse.]
"Ah... I'm must be in heaven."
[Wake up, Bearer of Curse!]
The black void spun and disappeared.
***
In the Crimson Spire, Nephis watched as Sunny stood up barely holding his sword. He was bleeding from every part of his body. His eyes lifeless.
He was walking toward her slowly... he shouldn't be able to do that, but the order made him.
"Just go..."
Nephis shook her head, "I can't leave you here."
Sunny remained silent as he attacked Nephis, with the latter dodging effortlessly.
"Do you want to me to go back where that monster is? So I can be slaved around?"
"No... I just can't leave you here. I'll stay with you."
Nephis eyes was full of determination.
"So you can be attacked by me every time?"
"It doesn't matter I'll defeat you every time."
Sunny laughed a hollow laugh.
"I don't need your pettiness. Go back to the waking world and succeed in your goal... and there is something I want you to do for me."
"I've a sister, you see... and I can't leave her around when that fucker goes around in the waking world, so I want you to protect her... This is my last request."
"Sunny, I can't do that..."
"Please... I beg you."
Nephis heart broke more as tears fell down Sunny eyes.
She gritted her teeth and walked toward him and... hugged him.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."
Sunny raised his sword from behind her back and stabbed her with his sword.
But she didn't make any sound, and continued apologizing.
"...Thank you."
With that Nephis left with Cassie, and only Sunny remained. The gateway broke, and Sunny walked toward the exit tired, as the Crimson spire crumbled.
But Suddenly there was light behind him. The runes of the gateway lighted once again like ember.
And from the portal something was sent flying rolling on the ground.
As soon as Sunny saw who it was anger and hatred overflow all of his emotion. He wanted to go and lunge at the man, but he was too tired.
The man had medium length black hair, dark eyes, strong physique. The man looked around in confusion and disbelief. Then he laughed. He laughed like a madman.
"Hahahahahah! What a joke! ...Ah I should have knew it, I should've seen this coming."
Faraam looked at Sunny, and smiled
"I'm dead."
[End of Volume One: Golden Demon.]