I have delayed writing this entry for quite some time.
Not because the records were difficult to acquire, nor because the events themselves were particularly confusing. No, the truth is far simpler. Every time I sat down to write about the boy, I found myself staring at a blank page for several hours, wondering whether I was documenting the rise of a hero, the birth of a monster, or the opening chapter of a catastrophe that future generations will curse my name for preserving.
In the end, however, facts remain facts.
And I, Calliandros, the Great Librarian and Keeper of the Stories and Legends, have never been permitted the luxury of ignoring them!
So let us begin.
Eirwen was born in the waking world, the sole heir to a wealthy family whose fortune was built upon war, politics, commerce and the suffering of countless others. Such stories are hardly uncommon. Wealthy families tend to create wealthy children, and wealthy children tend to become either insufferable idiots or ambitious tyrants. Yet Eirwen proved somewhat unusual. Though he inherited his father's intelligence and ambition, he never inherited the man's complete disregard for others. At least that is what the boy thought, when in reality he was far worse than his father. Unfortunately, he also inherited a dangerous amount of confidence and the pride that naturally came with the excess of it.
His family expected greatness from him long before the Nightmare Spell ever chose him. Masters trained him. Resources were poured into his education. Knowledge regarding Nightmare Creatures, combat, survival and the Dream Realm was forced into his head from an early age.
Then the Spell finally arrived, as expected.
Some people spend their lives fearing the Nightmare Spell, while others spend their lives waiting for it.
Eirwen belonged firmly within the second category.
When the Spell called, he entered his First Nightmare with confidence.
That confidence lasted approximately five minutes.
His trial began within a vast and ancient kingdom, though he did not know this at the time. Instead, he awoke chained to a bed, restrained like livestock awaiting slaughter, surrounded by Followers of the Underworld who proceeded to murder him in increasingly unpleasant ways. They gutted him. They skinned him. They carved him apart. They removed his eyes. They sacrificed him again and again in service of purposes he could not yet understand.
And every single time he died, he woke up at the beginning. Now, many Aspirants would have broken under such circumstances.
Many stronger individuals certainly would have.
Eirwen, however, possessed three qualities that made him uniquely difficult to destroy:
The first was stubbornness.
The second was spite.
And lastly it was his pride.
During these repeated cycles of death, he eventually discovered the nature of his Aspect. Frosted Mirror was unlike most abilities recorded by the Spell. Rather than granting overwhelming strength or obvious power, it rewarded observation. Through reflections and repetition, Eirwen began imitating what he witnessed. Every movement performed before him became a lesson. Every death became another opportunity to learn.
Slowly, the balance shifted and the prey had become the hunter.
Eventually, Eirwen escaped his chains, slaughtered the Followers of the Underworld and ventured deeper into the Nightmare. There he discovered more. He was not inhabiting his own body. Instead, he occupied the body of a prince whose fate appeared intertwined with the destruction of an entire kingdom.
The kingdom itself was already dying. Nightmare Creatures roamed the streets and battles raged beyond the castle walls.
The influence of Hell spread through every corner of the realm like rot spreading through flesh.
Among the few allies he encountered was Bernard, commander of the Red Cloaks and one of the last loyal defenders of the kingdom. Through Bernard, Eirwen learned fragments of the truth. A Transcendent named Marcel had betrayed the realm. Trusted protectors had been murdered, monstrous creatures had been unleashed.
As Eirwen ventured deeper into the Nightmare, fighting creatures, gathering Memories and uncovering clues, the true scale of the disaster gradually revealed itself. Yet even now many questions remain unanswered. Why was the prince important? What exactly had the Followers of the Underworld been attempting to accomplish? What role did the mysterious explosion at the center of the kingdom play in everything?
I confess that I do not possess those answers. Yet.
Which irritates me greatly.
Regardless, the Nightmare eventually reached its conclusion.
And that is where matters become considerably more concerning.
Most Aspirants leave their First Nightmare with an Aspect, a few Memories and perhaps a useful lesson. Eirwen left with the attention of something else.
Something ancient, something connected to the Underworld itself.
The exact details remain unclear, but before the Nightmare ended, a mysterious being touched the young Dreamer's forehead and branded itself upon his fate. Whether that encounter was planned from the beginning or merely coincidence remains unknown.
Personally, I do not believe in coincidences.
Upon returning to the waking world, Eirwen discovered that his growth had only just begun. His Aspect evolved beyond Frosted Mirror, granting him new capabilities and greater control. More importantly, another presence entered his life at the end of his Trial.
Leviathan.
Ah.
There it is again.
Even writing the name causes my hand to tremble slightly.
How annoying.
For those unfamiliar with the name, Leviathan is not merely a creature. Nor is He merely a god. He belongs to a category of existence so ancient and dangerous that even discussing it casually feels irresponsible.
One of the remaining Void Beings, one of our creators, one of the entities imprisoned beyond reality itself.
And somehow, for reasons I still fail to comprehend, He took an interest in Eirwen.
Whether Leviathan is guiding the boy, manipulating him or preparing him for some greater purpose remains unclear. What is clear is that His influence grows stronger with every passing day the boy lives.
After surviving his Nightmare, Eirwen reunited with Gale and Andromeda. The latter deserves mention, for despite lacking Eirwen's talent, power or absurd luck, she has remained at his side through every disaster thus far. Loyalty is a rare thing in any age, but particularly within ours.
Together they entered the hidden world of Awakened society. There Eirwen encountered Merlin, Puppeteer and numerous other influential figures. He acquired additional Memories, explored the underworld markets and learned more about the world hidden beneath ordinary civilization.
During this period another aspect of Eirwen's personality became increasingly apparent.
The boy enjoys fighting far more than is healthy.
I realize this observation contributes little to our understanding of current events, but I felt obligated to record it.
The arena incident serves as excellent evidence.
Operating under the name Wrath, Eirwen entered underground fighting pits where he proceeded to display a level of aggression that alarmed even experienced Awakened. Several opponents died. Others suffered considerably. The incident drew the attention of individuals far above his Rank and revealed a worrying truth.
Eirwen was becoming stronger far faster than anyone expected.
Yet power rarely arrives alone!
New companions soon entered the story.
Raijin and Seraphiel.
Two brothers whose significance continues to grow.
Raijin, wielder of lightning. Seraphiel, calm and terrifying in equal measure.
Together with Andromeda and Eirwen, they would eventually form the core group whose actions continue to shape current events.
Their paths converged fully during the Fissure Incident.
A Great Nightmare Creature known as Elfenlied emerged, forcing Masters and Saints into battle. The young Dreamers witnessed powers far beyond anything they had previously imagined. Entire landscapes shook beneath the clash. Creatures capable of exterminating cities fought against humanity's strongest defenders.
The incident served as a brutal reminder to the kid.
No matter how talented Eirwen appeared among Dreamers, he remained insignificant compared to the true monsters that inhabited the world.
Yet once again, the boy survived.
An increasingly common trend.
Important for this matter is also to mention that the boy had awakened a True Name after his Trial: Archon of Wrath and Mercy.
A title so contradictory that I spent several days rereading the records to ensure nobody had made an error, but apparently not.
More troubling still was the transformation of his soul.
Somehow, Eirwen developed both a Sacred Core and a Cursed Core simultaneously.
This should not be possible.
Many things regarding the kid should not be possible.
As his powers continued to evolve, another Attribute emerged.
Gluttonous Depths.
Even now I struggle to decide whether this development is brilliant or horrifying.
Perhaps both.
The Attribute grants powers related to consumption, devouring and assimilation. Corpses provide strength. Souls provide growth. The boundaries surrounding the ability remain unclear, but every new revelation appears more dangerous than the last.
Recent developments suggest that Eirwen may eventually gain characteristics from those he consumes.
Should this prove true, the implications are obvious and unpleasant.
Then came Cocytus, the Ninth Circle, the Graveyard of Gods.
The frozen wasteland where the current story unfolds.
Honestly, I still cannot believe they entered that place willingly.
Within Cocytus, Eirwen, Andromeda, Raijin and Seraphiel faced Nightmare Creatures, survived impossible battles and explored regions touched by ancient authorities. Along the way they were joined by Eliot, another Dreamer whose role continues to expand.
Meanwhile, Leviathan's influence grew stronger and ancient powers stirred beneath the ice.
And Eirwen's connection to the Sea Serpent deepened.
The Dreamers now wander through a land older than civilizations, a land where even Saints tread carefully. Ancient armies sleep beneath the ice and forgotten powers wait in silence.
Worst of all, Cocytus itself is no ordinary region.
As I have written elsewhere, the Ninth Circle was once known as the Graveyard of Gods until the Shadow God created his own Death and afterlife. Countless horrors remain buried beneath its frozen surface. Whether those horrors should remain buried is a question I suspect the Dreamers will answer shortly.
And so we arrive at the present.
Eirwen continues to grow stronger while Leviathan continues to watch.
Andromeda, Raijin, Seraphiel and Eliot continue to walk beside him.
The mysteries surrounding the Underworld remain unresolved.
The truth behind the Sacred and Cursed Cores remains unknown.
The purpose behind Leviathan's interest remains hidden.
The objectives before the Dreamers remain simple: Survive, grow stronger and escape to the Waking World, thus becoming Awakened fully.
The unholy hero—or villain if you wish—meahwhile has his own objectives entirely: Uncover the truth about himself and Leviathan. Find out what he is becoming before it is way too late.
As for my own conclusion?
I have studied tyrants, Saints, Sovereigns, Void Beings, Gods.
Yet none of them concern me quite as much as a young man who repeatedly survives situations that should kill him, grows stronger every time he does, and possesses the personal guidance of Leviathan Himself.
History rarely creates individuals like Eirwen.
And when it does, entire ages tend to be remembered by their names.
— Calliandros, Great Librarian, who sincerely hopes he is being overly dramatic.
**********
Eirwen's Stats
Name: Eirwen
True Name: Archon of Wrath and Mercy
Rank: Dreamer
Cursed Core: Dormant
Sacred Core: Dormant
Souls consumed: [52/500]
Souls satisfied: [1/500]
Memories: [Whistle of Dread], [Bone Gauntlets], [Shadow Mantle], [Ashneedle], [Latchclaw], [Dwarf's hand], [Bulwark Harness], [Seraphic Visage], [Steel Shroud], [Solid Point], [Heavy Argument], [Behemoths Step], [The Sanguines Necklace], [Undying Rage], [Hydra's choice], [Raven's Embrace]
Echoes: ----
Attributes: [Lucky Bastard], [The child of Gods], [Gluttonous Depths], [Echoes of the Drowned]
[I prob forgot to mention some Memories but that's not that important]