[You have received an Echo: Sculptor's Lesser Golem]
The battle had come to an end.
As impossible as it had seemed, a powerful opponent had fallen by their hands. Normally, the young man would celebrate, but his condition prevented it.
The clay of the fallen golem seeped away, turning into a puddle indistinguishable from the surrounding earth.
Small yellowish fragments of the jewel that had exploded were embedded in Shelly's skin, twisting her face into an expression of anguished pain.
Giovanni fell to his knees, unable to endure the pain radiating from every muscle in his arms and torso.
His body demanded rest.
His mind burned from the strain of using transmutation at such a reckless pace.
But danger would not wait for his well-being.
The jellyfish they had shaken off thanks to the distance they crossed were now closing in at a lethal speed.
Distant roars and shrieks echoed from multiple directions, announcing the arrival of new opponents.
"Get up, damn it!"
Shelly urged him, sprinting toward the massive mound of earth. Giovanni gritted his teeth and forced himself upright, following a short distance behind.
His Aspect activated, and the wall yielded to a single command.
An arch-shaped opening carved itself into the surface, sinking rapidly and leaving a path behind.
The two slipped inside and sealed the passage a few meters back, hoping it would be enough to throw off their pursuers.
He knew they needed to put as much distance between them as possible, but the boy was at his limit. The pace at which he could expand the tunnel was simply not enough for the urgency of the situation.
'That golem… it must be just one among dozens. If another shows up… we die.'
His thoughts were grim, but he kept them to himself.
Shelly, tapping her foot in nervous agitation, realized as well that Giovanni would not be able to get them out alone.
She had intended to keep the Echo she received a secret, a hidden card if necessary, but the creature was the only solution left.
Her jaw tightened for a brief moment, fingers curling as if resisting the decision.
"That slimy thing could control earth too, right?"
Giovanni glanced over his shoulder, confused by the obvious question.
"Yes… even better than me."
Shelly focused on her Soul Sea for a moment…
A floating jewel appeared a few centimeters away. Within seconds, earth and stone gathered to envelop the core, shaping a monstrous two-meter silhouette.
Giovanni had to make emergency adjustments around them to prevent the tunnel from collapsing. His shock and confusion were fleeting because he immediately recognized who their new companion was.
"That bastard should be able to lend a hand, then."
The young man's eyes lit up, as if he had just seen the most beautiful thing to ever appear in that cursed land.
***
"I will be under your care!"
At that moment, she felt her existence being claimed.
A pressure closed around her chest, subtle but absolute, as if something had acknowledged her presence.
There was no physical change or glorious effect. The two youths stared at each other, waiting for something, but nothing came.
Embarrassed by the situation, she finally took her leave, running toward her capsule. She remembered staring at her hands intensely, trying to resist sleep until the very last second.
But her effort lasted only a few minutes. Her consciousness slipped through her fingers, and before she realized it, the world went dark, wrapped in complete silence.
Then a voice whispered from the void:
[Welcome to the Dream Realm, Sofia!]
***
When she opened her eyes for the first time, she saw a spacious chamber. The high ceiling was a shallow vault with fine ribs of pale stone. The beams supporting it resembled marble ribs, unsettling to behold.
A massive painting covered the entire surface, painted in tones of deep blue, petroleum green, and turquoise.
It depicted a sea dragon descending from the waters above, accompanied by four other figures, all plunging toward an impenetrable darkness spilling out from a vast abyss.
The first of them, the dragon, was enormous and graceful, its body serpentine. Its scales were like prisms, reflecting the colors of the world; its form flowed between flesh and water, bearing two massive fin-like wings.
Its weapon was paint, which mingled with the blackness and redefined it, destroying its malice.
The second, a gentle giant, was robust and imposing, like a living mountain. His gray skin was cracked, as if hiding lava flowing through his body like blood. His eyes shone like yellow beacons, and his golden hair cascaded down in carefully arranged curls.
His weapon was clay, which he sculpted into warriors without minds or hearts, immune to ancient madness.
The third was a radiant mermaid. Her beauty seemed to transcend paint itself, making the young woman's heart race. Soft pink skin blended with long, pearlescent hair. Tribal art covered her body, telling legends, and her sky-blue eyes faced the darkness with a smile.
Her weapon was her voice, whose songs soothed fear and paranoia in the hearts of men.
The fourth was a mysterious lady. Draped in long pale veils, her only recognizable feature was a wooden mask that perfectly covered her face, creating a second layer of skin. Beneath the fabrics, four arms worked tirelessly, stitching the newest piece.
Her weapon was silk, which formed the sacred membrane between the pure and the profane, the most delicate of shields.
The final figure was disfigured, part of the ceiling destroyed, concealing the one who once walked alongside their peers.
Sofia seemed to awaken from a powerful trance, her body springing upright in haste. Her mind was in chaos after glimpsing things that should not exist… she could swear the painting had come alive and, amid chaotic murmurs, whispered a story into her ear.
'Where did I end up…?'
There was no vegetation in sight. The luxurious environment, though abandoned, appeared almost perfectly preserved.
The furniture was made of an unknown material.
Shifting between greenish hues and dark gray, the most striking pieces were a massive wardrobe that seemed capable of holding dozens of outfits, and the bed she currently lay on, designed for at least ten people to sleep comfortably.
The vivid sensation of fabric against her skin reminded her that she was naked. Her first instinct was to grab the nearest sheet and wrap herself in panic, afraid someone else might have been summoned nearby.
"There's no one else in here, you idiot."
She muttered to herself.
Wrapping the sheet around her like a towel, she walked barefoot across the smooth, cold floor toward the only source of light in the room.
It was an arch-shaped opening leading to a vast balcony.
The sight stole her breath away.
Occupying the highest room of an enormous mansion perched atop a plateau, Sofia had a complete view of the region.
Above, there was no sky, only a vast ocean. Surrounded by colossal natural walls, it felt as though they were inside a crater, formed by the impact of something even greater in the distant past.
Within this crater, a new ecosystem and civilization seemed to have risen from the dust. As far as the eye could see, there were exotic forests, colorful rivers and lakes, pale plains, and waterfalls as large as cities.
The atmosphere was unlike Earth's, existing in a transitional state between water and air. Because of this, magical and terrifying beings drifted through the skies, an ever-shifting menagerie of marine shapes warped into nightmare creatures.
At the edge of this submerged land, the walls opened in several places, like fractures leading to regions far beyond the site of the original impact.
And finally, the most striking sight of all.
All those mystical wonders surrounded an infinite abyss.
Merely looking at it from afar was enough to chill her to the bone.
Her breath hitched, an old, instinctive fear surfacing without reason.
Her body moved alone, tearing her gaze away as fast as possible… because she felt that allowing her Aspect to gaze any truth about that thing would cost her life.
Above the abyss, a single monument of hope floated.
A sacred castle defied the power dwelling in the darkness, pushing back its influence with pristine radiance.
Dozens of times larger than the most ambitious human structure, it looked as though it had been carved and raised by gods rather than mortal hands.
It was… too much for Sofia. Dazed, she dropped onto the floor, only now grasping the reality of her situation.
All her studies with Julius, the nights spent memorizing every discovered region of the Dream Realm, its threats, and methods of survival, had been in vain.
Because this… was a new world.
"You've got to be k-kidding me…"
Her fingers sank into the soft fabric of the sheet. For several minutes, she remained still, contemplating in silence.
'I think… It's safe here. Or at least… it doesn't want to kill me for now.'
The thought brought no comfort, only temporary relief.
The place where she was summoned was closed off and quite isolated, in its own way.
She should take advantage of this luxury to reorganize her thoughts and explore carefully.
She had no protection or weapons. If she went out like this, she would have to punch nightmare creatures to death. The idea was ridiculous.
She took a deep breath and summoned her runes.
Name: Sofia
True Name: —
Rank: Dreamer
Soul Core: Dormant
Soul Fragments: [13/1000]
Memories: [Master Key], [Dusty Diary]
Echoes: —
Attributes: [Superior Intellect], [Innocuous], [Artist], [Vassal]
Aspect: [Scholar of Imagination]
Aspect Rank: Ascended
Aspect Description: [You are the bearer of a fragment of creativity. As a scholar, your accumulated knowledge is both your guide and your weapon, opening the gates to the world of ideas. Your hands paint unreal truth, and your mind safeguards the secrets of the world.]
Aspect Abilities: [Critical Insight]
Flaw: [Devious Pride]
Flaw Description: [Your heart yearns for superiority and conflict.]
A new attribute had appeared.
Unlike the others, it glowed in a golden hue, as if it were something apart. She focused on it, eager to glimpse its description.
[Vassal] Attribute Description: "Your body and soul now serve the Golden Prince's Promised Reign."
"I sold my soul?!"
Sofia couldn't hold back her indignant scream.
When she made her vow, she knew she would be under Giovanni's leadership, but this felt closer to a demonic pact. She buried her face in her hands, shaking frantically with nervous energy.
She dismissed and resummoned the runes repeatedly, hoping the attribute would disappear if she tried hard enough, but the golden glow remained untouched.
Giving up on getting rid of it, she focused on analyzing it more carefully.
"Soul… like the Soul Sea?"
The connection made enough sense. She closed her eyes and entered the Soul Sea, driven by curiosity.
The change inside was shocking.
Instead of the calm expanse of water and the star at its center she was used to, she found herself in a peaceful green plain.
A sea of flowers in countless colors and shapes stretched in every direction, and at the center of it all… a colossal golden sun floated serenely in the sky. Orbiting it was a small star, her Soul Core.
'What happened here?'
It was completely transformed. The place was beautiful and peaceful, she couldn't deny that… but she doubted it was merely aesthetic.
As she wandered, lost, her eyes fixed on the golden sun. The warmth it radiated wasn't real, yet it still warmed her skin and filled her with a revitalizing sensation.
Sofia raised her hand, as if trying to touch the heavens, finally feeling something respond.
Runes flooded her consciousness, revealing information that did not belong to her.
Name: Giovanni
True Name: Light Seeker
Rank: Dreamer
Soul Core: Dormant
Soul Fragments: [50/1000]
Memories: [Vermin Head], [Grafter's Tunic]
Echoes: —
Attributes: [Guided by the Light], [Acolyte], [Miracle Bearer]
Aspect: [Golden Prince]
Aspect Rank: Sacred
Aspect Description: [You are the promised successor of a kingdom long forgotten. As a prince, your power originates from your loyal followers and the lands you control. However, the laurel crown is lost, and without it, your title is hollow and diminished. You seek your divine inheritance.]
Innate Ability: [Royal Right]
Ability Description: [Find trustworthy people and make them swear loyalty. Once under your command, your vassals share in the blessings and equipment in your possession. It is improper for a noble not to offer an abundant reward.]
Aspect Abilities: [Earth Domain], [Transmutation]
Flaw: [Sinless Spirit]
Flaw Description: [You cannot hurt others.]
These are Giovanni's runes!
She covered her face to avoid reading without permission.
Before, she had only managed to glimpse a small portion, discovering his Aspect. Now, connected to him, it felt like she had full access to his information.
It felt a little dirty reading them, like peeking at someone while they were bathing… not that she had ever done that.
Normally, people hide their information at all costs. Giovanni and Sofia were no different.
During the months they had interacted, they never discussed their attributes or memories.
But…
Shouldn't a vassal know the captain's abilities? How could she assist properly otherwise?
Besides, the information had simply appeared before her eyes. It was practically begging to be read.
There was nothing immoral about it. It was purely professional and rational in nature.
With that settled, she opened a slit between her fingers and began scanning every line, driven by the curiosity that had gnawed at her for weeks.
'I'll just look at a line or two…'
The first thing that caught her attention was the number of Soul Fragments.
Given everything she knew about him, she assumed his Soul Core would already be saturated… but he barely had any! Where exactly was his family investing their money?
The number of memories and Echoes made even less sense. An heir should have a veritable arsenal by now, yet he had only two memories.
Her false impression of Giovanni was collapsing in real time.
Continuing to read, she reached the attributes section. The only one with a clear description was [Acolyte], and its effect, though simple, was still enough to make anyone jealous.
The other two, [Guided by the Light] and [Miracle Bearer], were more vague and symbolic. Philosophy be damned, the important word was right there: Miracles.
Memories and Echoes? Forget that. This is the real treasure!
As long as Sofia could reunite with her classmate, they could escape easily. She might not have offensive powers, but Giovanni's strength would be enough to kill anything in their way.
The image of them returning to the real world within days was already crystal clear in her mind. From there, she could live peacefully in one of the main citadels and never worry about encountering nightmare creatures again.
Her good mood didn't last long.
Because when she read the four words describing Giovanni's flaw, her expression crumbled.
[You cannot hurt others.]
Life seemed to drain from her body.
'I was scammed!'
Her sob echoed across the sea of flowers.