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Lugal dreamt of a oasis.
Nestled within the endless dunes, the oasis shimmered beneath the blazing sun, its still waters gleaming like glinting like molten gold while towering palms swayed against the scorching desert sky.
On one of the dunes, a small sight of stragglers defiantly clung to the sand. Every once in a while, a man or woman would slowly crawl toward the water. To the left of the lake lay bountiful fruits and vegetables; to the right, a cluster of boulders and trees acted as a shield against the sun. Small desert tornadoes clashed with the boulders and trees every once in a while, persistent and unrelenting.
Suddenly, the sun lowered beneath the horizon. The moon rose from the east, zoomed across the sky, and vanished into the west. Haboobs formed in the distance, tearing through everything in their wake. Then the realization struck Lugal.
Time was moving forward.
In less than a millisecond, thousands of years flew past him. The countless dunes surrounding him vanished, revealing a new empire. Awe coursed through Lugal as he stared at golden buildings sprawling across the desert. Moments later, many of those structures disappeared, replaced by something even grander and mightier than the city itself a Palace.
At last, time slowed, stopped, and then resumed its natural flow.
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]
"What… how the fuck is this happening?"
A sharp sense of ease radiated throughout Lugal's entire body as he sat upon a throne. His thin toga perfectly balanced the heat and cold of the atmosphere. Resting upon his head was the most comfortable piece of all—a crown that sat lightly against him, sending a smooth, pleasant sensation through him whenever he moved.
"This is an amazing sensation so far! I wonder if that other kid is feeling the same way."
Lugal lifted his head, looking from side to side. Massive pillars lined a long runway, while several people knelt before him with joy shining in their eyes—high-ranking figures, just like him. Heaps of gorgeous clothing were spread on them. A broad-shouldered man with a wiry build stared silently at the silvery carpet beneath him. Beside him knelt a forthright-looking woman with piercing yellow eyes and a furtive younger man with bronze eyes, both kowtowing to the floor. The room was as silent as a chapel; from time to time, Lugal could hear nothing but their breathing.
There was only one way to describe it:
Impressive.
Lugal felt more awe than fear. True, these circumstances could be considered grander to what First Nightmares were usually like. Newly chosen Aspirants often found themselves placed into scenarios that granted them a fair amount of freedom. They would become members of armies or organizations with access to weapons and resources necessary for survival.
Starting as a king—or perhaps an emperor—comfortably seated upon a throne was far more ideal than anyone could realistically hope for.
However, the Spell was always fair in both challenge and balance. As the police officer had said, these were trials, not executions. So Lugal was fairly certain that, to balance out this stellar beginning, the Spell would eventually burden him with something terrible.
A weak Aspect, at the very least and a decent at the most.
"If I'm correct, all I have to do is think about my information."
Sure enough, the moment he focused, shimmering runes filled his vision. Though he could not understand the ancient alphabet before him, the meaning was perfectly clear.
He swiftly found the section describing his Aspect…
…and adrenaline flooded his body.
"Theres no fucking way!"
Name:Lugal Vi Britannia
True Name: —
Rank: Aspirant.
Soul Core: Dormant.
Memories: Crown of decree:Transcendent -(A legacy of a long-lost tyrant, once instilling fear and commanding respect from its subjects, its tyrannical aura can be felt from miles away.)
Echoes: —
Attributes: [Fated], [Dreamspawn], [Child of Vigor], [Composed King]
Aspect: Hollowed Prince
Aspect Description:
["A prince is destined to inherit glory, authority, and loyal subjects.
A hollow prince inherits only echoes.
Though you are still an emperor's son… even empty crowns are feared."]
Amazed and speechless, Lugal stared at the runes, trying to convince himself that he was seeing the wrong thing. Surely, he could not be that lucky.
"He was right… no, more than right. There are no useless Aspects!"
The moment the thought crossed his mind, a sigh of relief escaped his lips. As soon as it did, the athletic-looking man standing at the front inquired:
"Your Imperial Majesty, are you alright?"
With a swift motion, Lugal dismissed the runes that no one else could see and answered in an upright, composed posture.
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
The man responded immediately in a silky voice, never lifting his head.
"Your attitude and demeanor seem different from the last time I was here, Your Majesty."
Before Lugal could respond, the woman in the back—her smooth chestnut skin contrasting with her short, dark coffee-brown hair—spoke sharply.
"Sol, are you questioning our Majesty? You know the consequences of such a decision, do you not?!"
The shady-looking man looming beside her roared:
"Silence, Sahara! How dare you speak out of turn while our Majesty is addressing Sol? This is disgraceful to our lord!"
A few seconds later, his tone softened.
"I am deeply sorry, Your Majesty, for this outburst. Please allow me, your loyal subject, Fintan Van Thorne, to punish this insolence."
Lugal silently laughed and rubbed his forehead.
"No, I'll excuse it this once. But do not let it happen again."
Lugal tried his best to portray the image of an authority figure, and honestly, he thought he was doing a fairly good job.
Suddenly, all of them responded at once:
"Yes, Your Grace! Long live the Empire! Long live the Emperor!"
A smile spread across Lugal's face. He never thought he would find himself in a moment like this.
But then realization struck him.
They could not possibly be gathered here for no reason. Should he ask why they were here, or had they already told him?
Lugal's smile faded as he decided to take the risk.
"Why is it that you stand in my presence?"
The man identified as Sol suddenly seemed panicked, realizing he had delayed delivering his message.
Hurriedly pulling a scroll from his pocket, he unfurled the bottom half and declared:
"The rebels who fled our lands have officially declared war."
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Please let me know what you all think of this, because I was planning on dropping it. However, I have already completed one chapter and wanted to see people's thoughts on it.