In the wake of the "Hand Incident," a strange, heavy silence followed Asteria. The oaf had been carried off, the blood had been scrubbed from the cafeteria, and life at the Academy simply… moved on.
The rest of the induction was led by a man named Awakened Rock. He was a mountain of a man with a voice like grinding stones, fitting for his name.
'He looks like a veteran'
The lecture was the usual mandatory survival kit.
The Dream Realm was not like a Nightmare; there was no "balancing" of the scales. In a Nightmare, you were a protagonist in a scripted trial. In the Dream Realm, you were an ant in a hurricane. You could stumble across an Unholy Titan and be erased from existence before you even realized you were looking at a foot.
Apparently, dying in the Dream Realm was considered "cleaner" by the government – it meant the Nightmare Creature wouldn't follow your soul back to the waking world.
'A lot of hassle for the agents, indeed,' Asteria thought cynically. 'How comforting to know my death would be convenient for the bureaucracy.'
By the time she reached her assigned quarters, her brain was a slurry of information. But the moment the door slid open, her exhaustion vanished.
"No way…"
It wasn't just a room; it was a sanctuary. There was a bed with a mattress that looked like a cloud, a polished dresser, and – most importantly – a private bathroom. Asteria actually squealed, jumping for joy.
In the outskirts, "privacy" was a myth and a hot shower was a miracle. To her, this was better than any throne.
But the excitement eventually simmered down into a cold, focused curiosity. It was time to look at the rib of the god she had killed.
She summoned her runes, the golden text shimmering in the dim light.
Memory: [Obsidian Glass]
Memory Rank: Awakened
Memory Tier: IV
Type: Weapon
Description: [This blade was forged from a splinter of fractured godhood. It is a jagged rib of obsidian, taken from the very limb that once reached out to devour the dreamers. It remembers the taste of shattered glass and the silence of a kingdom that forgot how to wake up.]
"Thinking about that mountain of a creature still makes my knuckles ache," she whispered. Her eyes scanned lower, lighting up like beacons.
Memory Enchantments: [Refractive Edge], [Messenger's Duty], [Obsidian Ink]
[Refractive Edge] Enchantment Description: "This blade is extremely sharp with its edge being semi-transparent. The blade refracts light with its edge to blur its exact position when swung."
[Messenger's Duty] Enchantment Description: "The Messenger's attacks leave the victim feeling as if they're in a dream."
'Vague, but... okay? I guess I'll see what that does later. '
[Obsidian Ink] Enchantment Description: "This sword can extend its reach upon absorbing enough impact."
[Attribute Glass Eyes are peering into the enchantments...]
[Some of Obsidian Glass's Enchantments have been updated.]
'Ah. Well isn't that useful? I did find it odd how I can view them, though. Usually it's just trial and error.'
[Messenger's Duty] Enchantment Description: "...The victim feels as if they are submerged in a thick and sweet fog of their desires, slowing their physical movements and dulling their reaction speed. Wounds dealt by this blade are difficult to heal. This effect stacks with each further wound, pulling the victim closer to a waking nightmare.]
'Oh. My. Spell. Is it my birthday already? You shouldn't have!' Asteria realized something hidden within its text, a sly grin creeping up her face. 'Wounds dealt by this blade are difficult to heal. So that oaf is never getting his hand back... Is this what karma feels like? That's fantastic...'
[Obsidian Ink] Enchantment Description: "...The currents within the blade can be expelled momentarily. This blade absorbs the damage done to it and holds it for later use for this enchantment. Durability may vary. This is an active enchantment.]
Her joy was slightly dampened when she realized she couldn't use the active [Obsidian Ink] yet – she lacked the essence control of an Awakened to fuel it.
'All good things must come to an end, aye? Still, the sword was a masterpiece. Now, if only I could find some armour that didn't involve dismembering people in a cafeteria.'
Later that afternoon, Asteria found herself in a small, cramped office across from a harried administrative worker.
"Um, is this another interview? I've already had one today,"
Asteria said, her voice trailing off. 'Please don't let this be about the hand. I'm really tired of talking about the hand.'
"Just classification," the lady said with a polite, professional smile. "What is your Aspect type? Combat, Sorcery, or Utility?"
Asteria hesitated. 'It's Divine, but I can't exactly say that.'
"I haven't tested it much, but it seems to be Utility. I'm… good at finding things."
'Finding things and being a magnet for every horror in the Dream Realm.' she added inwardly.
"Alright, Utility it is," the worker murmured, scribbling on a pad.
"Would you mind putting your name down here? It's a formal registry for the new Sleepers."
She handed the sheet to Asteria. At the very top, a name was written in bold, confident strokes:
Name: Nephis
True Name: Changing Star
Asteria's heart skipped a beat. 'Someone else got a True Name in their first Nightmare?' A competitive spark, sharp and reckless, flared in her chest.
"Someone else got a True Name? That's so cool," Asteria mentioned nonchalantly, watching the worker's face.
The woman froze. She looked up, her face turning pale as she processed the wording. "Did- Did you get one as well, Lady Asteria?" She asked, preferring honorifics for someone like her if it were true.
"Oh, me?" Asteria gave her a naive, innocent smile that didn't reach her transparent, glass-like eyes. "Yeah. Is that a rare thing?"
"Is it rare!?" The woman nearly tripped over her chair, scrambling for a pen. "This is historical! Two in one induction? Please, you must write it down!"
The worker was vibrating with excitement. Asteria took the pen, her hand steady. If she was going to be a target for the Nightmare, she might as well be a legend in the Waking World.
She pressed the pen to the paper and wrote:
Name: Asteria
True Name: Queen of Nightmare