Dein grimace in confusion as he read the runes.
N?me: Dein
Tr?? Na?e:
Ra?k: As??r?n?
?ou? C?re: ?o???nt
Me?o???s:
E???es:
A??rib??es: [L??m?ng ??te] [D??f?l Tr???????] [Dis???f?ul]
What is this? What the hell are this runes? Why are they like that? Dozens of questions flooded Dein's bewildered mind as he read the runes over and over again, hid eyes wide and confused.
After witnessing all that had transpired upon entering this damn nightmare, Dein had naively thought that nothing worse could happen any more. The world seemingly being ripped apart is one thing, him being trap inside the body of a freaking monster was another, but this? This was definitely something else!
Because there is no way that the spell, the thing that almost everyone revered about and treated as if it was a deity – to the point where some people even started forming cults to worship it – cannot read his runes!
It was definitely something. In all of Dein's life he was surrounded by awakened, people of high importance like his father, and even a damn saint whom everyone treated with high regard, and yet all of them bow down before the power the spell.
Though Dein could say that he do understand them – the spell is indeed overwhelmingly powerful after all, being able to pull people into another world, seemingly rewind time, create enchanted objects of unknown origin and power called memories, as well as creating a copy of dead monsters called echo which you can use like a servant, and especially the fact that it could grant its carrier's extraordinary abilities called aspect. One would literally have no choice but to respect such a powerful being.
But still though, why? How?
Why is the spell acting weird and disoriented around Dein? And to the point where it couldn't even read his runes properly!
Dein feel my eyes dropped in disappoinment and a long sigh escaped his lips. Everything that's happening right now probably have something to do – or maybe the result of what happened to the spell at the beginning.
If that's the case, then it couldn't be help. There's no point pondering about things you cannot control after all, at least that's what Freya had said.
Anyways, whatever it is, it seems that the spell had its limits too.
At this point, Dein is starting to be afraid of what the hell it would show him next.
"Tsk! Who cares, it's not like I could already use my aspect or whatever"
That's right, Dein remember that in the first trial, aspects would still be inactive and the only slightly useful once are the attributes, that said, attributes are passive and works as the main traits of one's body.
Since Dein got sent inside a monster, his attributes would probably be about it, saying things like "you have a strong sense of smell" or "you can see really far" so it doesn't really matter if the spell would actually be able to show it to him.
Still though, there's nothing wrong with trying.
Dein's eyes narrowed, focusing on the runes dictating his first attribute [L??m?ng ??te] to summon it's description.
When the spell showed it, his eyes widened in shock.
[L??m?ng ??te] Attribute description "In ruins wake, truth stirred. Its voice whispered, but never was it heard. Yet, in ruins wake, the truth would grow, not today, not tomorrow, but in looming fate, the truth would ruin your soul"
'Huh?'
Dein stared at the runes for one good minute, rereading it over and over again. At some point, he even rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things but sure enough, he wasn't.
Really, what the hell is happening? Some of the letters of the name of the attribute is still presented as a question mark and yet the description is perfectly written, just in a mush more confusing way.
That said, the description itself had already given the name Dein.
'Looming fate huh…'
Thanks to the description basically spelling out the name of the attribute itself, Dein is now a hundred percent sure that this one is his innate attribute, one that's directly connected to his soul and not to this damn monster his currently inhabiting.
That said… why does it have to be so confusing.
In wake of ruins? Voice of truth? Truth getting stronger and then destroying his soul? Just what the hell is that! Yes, base on the description – and the name of the attribute itself – something terrible would happen to Dein in the future, one concerning some kind of truth. But why him though? And what kind of truth could it even possibly be that just hearing it could actually destroy his soul?
Just how shocking does that "truth" have to be able to do that.
Or course, Dein could only imagine.
The things he learned about on attribute are both bitter and sweet. Yes, something terrifying might happen to him in the future and knowing that information alone already put a frown on his already dark face, what more, not knowing what or when only succeeded on making the dreadful feeling of trepidation stronger.
On the bright side however.
I at least now have a sliver of hope that instead of just a bunch of question marks, he could actually read his other attributes and maybe even his aspect which would hopefully be a strong one considering he's inside a nightmare creature.
'Well… on second thought, maybe let's not get our hopes up'
He might jinx it.
Dein's eyes wandered on the next set of runes but in the next moment, he immediately swallowed his words.
[D??f?l Tr???????] Attribute description "??????????????????…"
[Dis???f?ul] Attribute description "???????…"
"Tsk, why did I even bother"
Moving on! The annoyance that's creeping on Dein's skin finally kept on growing more and more unbearable. Reading more of this stupid runes is starting to feel like a waste of time.
The last set of runes, one centered on his aspect, stretch in front of his eyes.
A?pec? [Wasted gremlin]
Aspe?t D??cri?tio? [You are a wasted potential, a dark gremlin who failed the expectations of his creator. Battered and broken you were thrown away like a used toy, and therefore, has no value…]
'Really? So I'm a wasted potential with no value now? And with a Looming fate on top of that? Just what the hell!? Aren't I suppose to be a damn legacy!'
Dein clicked his tongue in annoyance, genuine anger twisting his ugly face.
Out of all the runes the spell could've possibly show him, it literally pick the two worse ones! At this point, Dein don't even believe anymore that something is just wrong with it, it might've just been doing all that so it could mock the hell out of him!
"Tsk! Really. Just really! How damn good of you spell!"
Dein rolled his eyes, cursing over and over again under his breath.
This time, it was definitely personal, like the spell had some kind of grudge against him! Because just think about it, bugging as soon as he entered and then sending him inside a freaking nightmare creature that had apparently been thrown away like a trash by its creator!
Just how bad does the spell hate Dein for it treat him like this! At this point it's starting to feel like the spell actually wants him dead!
"Tsk! Aarhh, dammit! If you hate me, then I hate you too, you shithead!"
Voicing his anger to the spell, Dein waved his bestial hands into the air, making sure his sharp claws hit the annoying runes floating in front of him.
The runes dissapeared like a bubble.
He clicked his tongue.
"So… what now?"
The obvious answer would be to move ahead and hopefully find the tribe before the – whatever the thing is – destroyed it. However, with how think the fog, Dein would probably just get lost and maybe even gets eaten by some abominable creature he doesn't even know exist.
Another thing would be… to just wait around and see what's happen next.
It might sound stupid of course, but Dein doubt that the spell would be dumb enough to just shove him inside some random monster it found – if that's the case then Dein would just be better just killing himself right now.
If not however, then this monster probably have some kind of role in this nightmare.
One that could potentially lead him to where he needs to be.
"That said… waiting around to see if something is going to happen doesn't seem to be a good idea too"
Dein doesn't know how or why but the longer he stay in this foggy forest, the more his skin seems to crawl up. It was faint earlier but he could definitely feel it now. It was the strange feeling of unease that sends shiver down his spine.
It was as if something is watching him.
Dein looked around, nervously watching his surroundings.
But then in the next moment, he felt something change, and fog around him stirred like a wind. His chest suddenly started hurting, as if burning in pain.
He was just about to clutch his chest because of the pain when in the next moment, he saw an arrow flying at him. Aiming to pierce a hole in his chest.