Snow had started to fall down violently. The blizzard had started and was picking up speed every second.
Aether's clothes fluttered in the wind, his hair was covered in snow. Fortunately unlike the last time he was wearing a garment. It was helping him keep his body heat in check.
The beast in the distance was not doing better, contradictory it was doing even worse. The beast seemed to be rather weak to the cold, its rotten flesh hurt under the freezing touch of the snowflakes.
It was a great opportunity to use his saber's enchantments to their full extent.
The beast suddenly dashed forwards, kicking up the snow beneath it.
'A weakened monster, most likely from the awakened rank.'
The abomination swung its great sword downwards against Aether. Aether pivoted to the right as he avoided the attack, snow kicked up from the ground as the sword crashed into the ground.
Right at that moment, Aether swung his sword and cut the monsters side. Earning a scream from the monster. The wound he had inflicted was most likely giving it a feeling of freezing, which the monster was weak to.
Right before Aether could launch his second attack, the monster swung his arm ferociously against him. Using the charm's enchantment Aether skidded away from the trajectory of the attack, and dashed to the side when the monster followed it up with an slash of its great sword.
With quick successions, Aether performed several slashes against the monsters legs, blue blood gushed out of the monster, staining his blue saber.
But right at that moment the monster raised its leg and kicked towards him. Having no time to dodge, Aether tried to shield his body with the saber. The kick crashed into him with vicious force as he was sent flying. Sliding on the snow for a few second, he immediately rolled away as the monster's great sword came slashing towards him.
As he got up, a pain shot from his chest. The garment had absorbed most of the damage, but there were most like fractures on his chest. He would have wanted to take a few breathers, but the monster did not want to wait.
The monster and Aether exchanged several blows in a short amount of time. Aether danced through its attacks and inflicted several wounds to the monster. As time passed, the monster was getting slower, blue blood stained its body as it flowed down onto the snow.
Aether was not faring any better. After all he was a mundane, at this point of time his whole body was burning. He was tired. He needed to finish this fight quickly.
Aether backed away to where he had fought against the fourteen knights. The monster followed him, swinging its sword more dangerously as it thought Aether was trying to run away.
But... as it was about to cleave right through Aether's chest. It tripped on a corpse, losing its footing for a second.
And a second was all Aether needed, he dashed towards, the saber in his lone hand was coated in blue energy as he stabbed it into the head of the monster. The monsters head blew up from the force of the enchantment.
[You have slain an awakened monster: Infant Memphis.]
'So.. these are only infants.'
Aether did not even want to comprehend what kind of monsters would the grown up memphis's be.
And then Aether realized that his vision was growing dark. It did not take long for it to fully darken, and for Aether to lose his consciousness.
[Wake up, Aether! Your nightmare is over.]
[Prepare for appraisal…]
***
He found himself in a space between dream and reality. It was an endless black void illuminated by a myriad of stars. Between those stars, countless strings of silver light were woven into a beautiful and inconceivably complex net, forming various nexuses and constellations. It was truly breathtaking.
'Beautiful.'
He was now going to receive his boon. Perhaps he could get himself a good aspect.
[Aspirant! Your trial is over.]
[Through the blizzard's howl, he carried her across a land buried in ice. The cold bit deep, sapping strength with every step, but still he pressed forward. Shadows hunted in the white, hunger gnawed at his will, and the frost sought to claim them both. At the journey's end, salvation lay within reach—yet its gates demanded a sacrifice neither could escape.
In the end, she entrusted her will to him. And he, saved them both.]
[You have defeated fourteen dormant humans, names unknown.]
[You have defeated an awakened human, name unknown.]
[You have defeated an ascended human, name unknown.]
[You have defeated an awakened monster: Infant Memphis.]
[Reason did not blind your sight. The only truth was yourself.]
[Final appraisal: glorious.]
Aether observed the runes before him. He had never heard of a glorious appraisal before, was it a good or a bad thing?
[Dreamer Aether, receive your boon!]
A smile adorned his lips. Finally, after ten days of hardship he had become a dreamer instead of an aspirant.
[You have been bestowed a True Name: The Blasphemer.]
'Hm?'
He unconsciously reached out to touch the runes if they were real or not, but his hand simply passed through it.
'The Blasphemer?'
When did he blaspheme exactly?
He did not remember if he did.
Well.. he was rich now! The moment he said he had a true name he would be one of the many sought awakened people in the world.
[You have received an attribute: Spark of Divinity.]
This was one of the rare attributes that lineage bearers held. He now had some affinity to divine it seems.
[Your Aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve Aspect?]
'What would happen if I said no?'
It was something he was not wiling to test.
"Yes."
[New Aspect acquired.]
[Aspect Rank: Divine.]
He stared at the runes before him with an expressionless face.
[Aspect Name: Heir of Reasons]
Aether looked absolutely broken as he just gazed forward. A divine aspect? Was there even someone who had a divine aspect? Was he going to be the first?
He let out an awkward giggle.
Aspect: Heir of Reasons
Aspect Rank: Divine
Aspect Description: [You are the flowering echo of skepticism. A mind that dismantles certainty, you are a living fracture in the wall of lies. Truth does not comfort you, because you are the only truth.]
Innate Ability: [Gaze of Reason]
Ability Description: [You are able to gaze into the lingering weakness in enemy's movements.]
'Not bad.'
He had not heard of an innate ability either. Everything here was absolutely new to him. In just a few second he had gained a true name and a divine aspect.
[The First Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers…]
He suddenly stirred and fell to his knees with a startled cry. Clutching his chest, he tried to understand what was happening. The feeling was not unpleasant—yet it was something he had never experienced before.
Some kind of energy surged through him, filling every fiber of his being. His mind grew sharper, his emotions clearer. It felt as though a star was burning in his chest, waves of heat radiating outward. They reached his stomach and shoulders, then his arms and legs, then his hands and feet.
Under that heat, his bones, muscles, organs, and blood vessels were being rebuilt—revitalized. He was becoming stronger, faster, healthier.
The sensation was euphoric.
After some time, the star in his chest finally cooled. The heat gave way to a soothing cold that washed over him, stripping away years of aches and discomfort. When it reached his head, it seemed to ease the lingering emotions he had carried from the first nightmare.
Then his vision doubled as he was met with a breathtaking scenery.
A silent clear sea, illuminated by a floating polyhedron right on top.
Around the polyhedron was floating two glyphs. Those were most likely his two memories: [Fallen Captain] and [Silk Step].
The sky itself was bright blue.
His soul sea was so much different from the ones he read from the books. It was most likely the perk of having a divine aspect.
[Awakening Aspect Ability…]
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
[Aspect Ability Name: Whispering Paradox]
'Interesting name.'
Right after that, he was kicked out of his soul sea as he appeared in the darkness once again.
Name: Aether.
True Name: The Blasphemer.
Soul Core: Dormant
Soul Fragments: [240/1000]
Memories: [Fallen Captain], [Silk Step].
Echoes: -
Attributes: [Complexity], [Trust], [False Sight], [Ever Winter], [Spark of Divinity].
Aspect: Seed of Doubt
Aspect Rank: Divine
Aspect Description: [You are the flowering echo of skepticism. A mind that dismantles certainty, you are a living fracture in the wall of lies. Truth does not comfort you.]
Innate Ability: [Gaze of Reason]
Ability Description: [You are able to gaze into the lingering weakness in enemy's movements.]
Aspect Ability: [Whispering Paradox]
Aspect Ability Description: [You instinctively recognize logical contradictions, emotional dissonance, and illusions. This manifests as invisible paradoxes that cling to others' thoughts, revealing lies and weakening clarity.]
Aether pondered for a while.
'Does this make me a seer?'
Before he could ponder more, the spell cut him out.
[All power has a price.]
[You have received a Flaw.]
[Your Flaw is: Cries of an Infant.]
Flaw Description: [You are haunted by her loss, making you want to protect anyone who you hold even slightly dear.]
'I don't think this is as bad.'
Honestly, he was expecting a much worse flaw given his newly gained powers.
Overall he was quite happy with his appraisal. But now he would be returning to the waking world.
[Wake up, The Blasphemer!!]