[Awakening Aspect Ability]
Finally, the Spell spoke again, pulling Dein from his thoughts.
[Aspect Ability acquired!]
[Aspect Ability Name: Soul Imbiber.]
'Soul Imbiber?'
At this point, Dein is now sceptical about getting something good. Everything he had received up until now are decent at best. Though his innate ability is quite interesting, he still doesn't know how it actually works. Though it seems to be connected with this one.
'Let's see how it works…' He thought, summoning the runes that explains his new ability. When he did, he saw all of his information about him. He grew curious and so he decided to give everything a read.
Name: Dein of Hearth
True name: –
Rank: Dreamer
Soul Core: Dormant
Soul Fragments: [0/250] [0/250] [0/250]
[0/250]
Soul Storage: [248]
…
Seeing the last two sections Dein has to stop. Because just, what the hell is that?
He understood why his Soul Fragments were cut in four parts, looking at the three beside him, reading the same thing already explained that. All four of them isn't really a complete soul after all. At least not without the others.
Individually, they're incomplete. But with the four of them, they become complete.
Looking at it like that makes Dein's mood sour again as he bit his lips. He liked the idea of having company of course. Even if he denies it. No one survives in the dream realm alone after all.
However, he doesn't like the idea that this three could be the reason for his death in the future. [Looming Fate] already confirmed that. That this sick situation of them sharing the same body could spell only disaster for Dein.
He sighed… 'that said, what the hell is Soul Storage?'
And it seems to store the amount of people Dein had massacred in his first nightmare. Even though almost all of that weren't done by his own hands.
Still confused, Dein tried to click on it but the voice of the Spell responded instead.
[Function currently unavailable]
"Really now?"
He exclaimed, disappointed. Nevertheless, it made sense, Dein is still inside the in between reality and dream after all. He shouldn't be able to use anything yet because he still wasn't done 'evolving'.
With that, Dein decided to quench his curiousity later and moved on. Scrolling through his runes.
Memories: [A Sister's Embrace] [Wood O'courage]
When Dein read the names of his memories, he felt bitter again. Especially when he read the name [A sister's embrace], it's like something is trying to crawl out of his chest. A something named guilt.
Dein gulped hard, but just then someone smacked his back. It was Serious.
"You did it to survive, you did nothing wrong"
Dein saw his own face, stern, collected, and calm. It feels like he's looking on a mirror but Dein knew better so he looked away, scrolling away from his memories.
"I know that…"
His runes continued.
Echoes: –
Attributes: [Looming Fate] [Dreadful Trepidation] [Distasteful]
Aspect: [Awakened Gremlin]
Aspect Rank: Awakened.
Aspect Abilities: [Soul Imbiber]
There it is! Fragment Absorber. Dein thought of the name and the description immediately showed itself.
Aspect Ability Description: [Your soul is a vast, unending ocean of nothing. And it wished to be filled. Mischievous as it is, it steals fragments of the souls of the beings you have defeated.]
For the first time, Dein finally let out a huge smile. He can steal fragments of a being's soul! Although he has to defeat them first. But that's fine. With his clan, they can just give him a surflux of Soul Fragments and then Dein would immediately have a saturated core!
And then he could just defeat anyone with that! It doesn't matter if his Aspect Ability isn't for fighting. He could just get battle memories from his Clan! So it wasn't a big deal.
What the big deal is that, he could fufill the requirements for his innate ability much faster!
'creating another soul! Does that mean there will be five us soon inside me?'
He doesn't like the thought but he's much curious to know what it does!
Yes yes… Dein could just ask his family for full support and he could focus on his innate ability. He grinned, satisfied at the thought.
But the Spell seems to have heard of his thoughts and saw the smug look on his face right now because it started speaking again.
[All power has a price.]
[You have received a Flaw]
[You're Flaw is Independent Mind]
All smile on Dein's face dissapeared when he heard that. He totally forgot about the price he has to pay for getting this almost useless but interesting abilities of him.
He forgot he has Flaw…
Gulping Dein slowly summoned the runes describing it.
'Please don't be too bad, please don't be too bad!'
He repeated in his mind, one eye closed as he cautiously read. But in the next moment, his eyes can't help but widened in anger.
"What the fuck is this?!"
Flaw Description: [Your being rejects anything you did not earn yourself]
Dein rubbed his eyes before reading the runes again. When it did not changed, he rubbed his eyes again, and then again. But it remains the same. Making Dein's anger rose even more.
He turned the three beside him and spoke.
"Hey, are you guys seeing this shit?"
The three of them looked at him, responding one by one.
"It is… a bit terrifying? I, I mean, if we can't even ask for help then how are we supposed to survive without an ability to fight?"
Said Scaredy. Speaking one of the things in Dein's mind.
"Does this mean we can't ask for food anymore mister?"
This time, it was the Little girl. Raising another point Dein had not yet consider. Does he have to learn how to cook by himself now? That's goinh be a nightmare!
"Sigh… it is difficult indeed. Having a Flaw that forces us to do almost everything on our own is quite… the work. Though others could still help us in some way even if we can't accept their help"
Hearing their opinion, Dein buried his face in his palm. They all have a point. No one survives alone in the dream realm. And Dein… it's seems he has to do everything alone. While having a useless Aspect, useless Aspect Ability, and an incredibly depressing flaw.
Forget his innate ability. With this Flaw, he doubt he could even survive a day in the dream realm.
Dein suddenly wasn't so sure about being a proud Legacy anymore. He wasn't even sure if becoming an awaken is something to consider 'good' anymore.
He sighed, cursing in his mind over and over again.
'Aghh! Fuck this shi–'
He was about to scream a curse but then the abyss spoke again. Whispering in his ears as if happy to see him out.
[Wake up Dein of Hearth.]
In the next moment, everything spun and dissapeared. It was as if Dein got smacked in the head and when he opened his eyes again.
…Two years had passed in the real world.