For a few minutes after that, I simmered in a bad mood. Perhaps, something much more complex. But, eventually, I forced myself to smile, even if it took every little ounce of willpower within me, to do so.
"Aah…"
I exhaled. At least I am still alive. And that's all that mattered.
I told myself, even if that did little to quench the fire burning within me.
"Now that I am alone, with practically no one to disturb me."
Well, no one except for Mia who stood guard against any sudden threat or… in worst case scenarios, eldritch horrors.
— It was time to go through them.
'Let's see… how do I do this?' I mused, brows tightly furrowed together.
If memory serves me right, it should be l-ike this,
"...!"
In that moment, I concentrated and thought about words like status, myself, and so on. And, indeed, as soon as I focused, shimmering runes appeared before me.
They materialized out of thin air, as though they'd always been before me.
And although they were in an ancient language of sorts. Strangely enough, I could understand them word for word, not needing the spell's translator trait.
"Interesting."
I muttered under my breath, raising a brow as I went through my stats. If it could be called one that's.
Name: Dean
Origin name: UNKNOWN
Dark Core: Dormant
Dark Fragments: [6/1000]
Soul/ Arcane Relics: [Forgotten Blade]
Traits: [Contingency], [Scion Of Divinity And Profanity]
Aspects: [Scion Of Emotions]
Innate Ability: [Foresight.]
"..."
"Hmm, weird."
I tilted my head a little.
"Since the origin name is unknown, doesn't that mean that I have one but…"
In that moment, my eyes widened at the chilling realization. The spell couldn't either talk about it, or… couldn't identify it!
Whichever one it was, honestly, didn't really sit well with me. After all, if memories served me right, they were few to nothing in this world that the spell couldn't talk about.
And, what were the chances that I just had to have one?
I felt like face-palming myself, but at the end of the day, I could only let out a deep, indignant, exhalation.
"It isn't necessarily a bad thing."
'I really hoped it wasn't…'
Being in the possession of such a thing, just like the eldritch horror; the chaotic blue flame, didn't really sit well with me. With an exasperated sigh, I focused on the runes.
"Hopefully I find something useful."
Focusing on the traits, I willed the spell to describe them.
And then-
Flick!
Trait: Contingency
Trait description: [The strings of fate wrap tightly around you, as though… preordained.]
This, as opposed to how it sounded, was rather straightforward. If I had to guess, then it's as a result of my regressive ability.
Though, does that mean I still possess it? I wasn't sure, but I wasn't tempted enough to find out.
Not when failure meant certain death.
Thinking about dying. Again. I couldn't help but shudder instinctively. A few moments later, however, I returned my attention back to the shimmering runes.
Trait: [Scion Of Divinity And Profanity.]
Trait description: [ Born from what is holy. What is cursed, and… forbidden. You are a child of both profanity and desecration, or rather… damnation.]
'Uh?'
This certainly came as a surprise to me.
"So your typical seraphim then," I muttered with a raised brow, a dark smile creeping up on my features.
"Not bad."
I nodded.
"Though, I wonder who's the holy one between these said parents of mine?"
The question brought a smile, yet, at the same time, a dark, grim expression to my face.
"Huh…"
Letting out a deep, tense breath, I went through the rest of the stats. Hoping to find something even more interesting.
Aspects: [Scion Of Emotions]
Aspect rank: —
Aspect Description: [Born to embody the soul's deepest currents. You are the perfect vessel for passion, sorrow… and all that lies between.]
"Can't say I'm surprised."
My ability to sense others' emotions, alone, said it all. As for the spell's inability to determine my aspect's rank. At this point, I couldn't bother to think about it.
What use was that when I could do nothing about it?
Aspect Innate Ability: [Ember's bloom, Emotional Crest, Ninefold Heartleaf.]
'Uh?'
I was at first confused by the long string of attachments, considering I only possessed one aspect, innate ability. However, it was then that it dawned on me.
Since the spell translated the ancient languages, it stands to reason that a word could mean a variety of other things, if interpreted differently.
"Well that explains it then."
Ability Description: [With but a touch, you are able to invoke into others, your emotions.]
...And that does what?
I was somehow disappointed, considering the fact that emotions were rather powerful. If used wisely that's.
Even Garren attested to that. But this…
How was it in any way useful?
I wondered for a few minutes or so. Disappointed, I was about to move onto the next description, when I suddenly froze, heart pounding in my chest at the chilling realization.
I didn't think about it before. No, not in that direction.
However, now that my thoughts lingered on it, I realized that, to your average person, my emotions could be rather… devastating.
If used wisely, this aspect ability could be a... game-changer!
The thought of being able to channel the fear, dread and sorrow I'd felt during my endless regressions, especially my encounters with various eldritch horrors, made my breath quicken, adrenaline, along with a faint sense of dark joy rising within me.
Honestly, I couldn't wait to test this out!
However,
Aspect Flaw: [To invoke onto others, your emotions, you have to go through them.]
The flaw just had to make me rethink that.
I knew just how I had managed to survive. How I had managed to keep my sanity intact, if only barely, despite the various encounters I had with those nightmarish horrors.
I had to shove the memories into the depths of my mind. Into a fracture, a space, where a single crack could spell my doom.
Just great! Possessing an ability that can't be used. How wonderful that's!
Clenching my fists as a grim expression crept onto my features, I suppressed the urge to growl in anger and annoyance.
Suppressing the plethora of emotions boiling within me, I read on:
Innate Ability: Foresight.
Ability Description: [You are able to glimpse into the strings of fate.
…If only for a few moments.]
Interesting. So kind of like a seer of the seer pathway?
Though, this ability had never revealed itself. I guessed it probably had circumstances to do so.
The question now, however, was, what were those circumstances?
Of course, I knew trying to find out about that, with the little clues I had, was nothing short of being stupid. Hence, I simply waved it off. Begrudgingly I did so.
"Huu…"
Letting out a deep breath, I was about to go to bed, when-
"Oh, that's true."
The forgotten blade.
"Can't believe I almost forgot."
In that moment, as I focused on the ancient runes describing the Arcane relic, only a single thought came to my mind:
Please, at the very least… be useful!