[Prepare for appraisal...]
Leon found himself in a space between dream and reality.
Countless strings of silver light were woven into an inconceivable pattern.
Admiring this pattern, he tried to make sense of it, but even with keen sight, he failed to comprehend the vast beauty of it.
His mind was a mess.
[You have received a Memory: Crown of Ember]
Leon's thoughts grew silent.
[Aspirant! Your trial is over.]
[A nameless prisoner entrapped by the will of a god's believers, broke his chains using his intellect.
The nameless wretch then forced the princess of the kingdom into treason and stole the flame of the divine. He survived the fall of a kingdom with lies and deceit. He betrayed and then clashed with the last flame, finally extinguishing her will.]
[You have defeated an Awakened Beast, The Last Princess of Flame.]
[You have achieved the impossible!]
[Final appraisal: Glorious. Your insidiousness truly knows no bounds.]
Leon remained silent.
His hand began shaking as he grabbed it, forcing it to remain still.
Leon was still shaken by Aurelia's death. His brief surprise was drowned beneath the scarring memory of their fight.
[Dreamer Leonar, receive your boon!]
'Finally...'
[Your aspect is ready to evolve...Evolve Aspect?]
Leon inhaled deeply
"Yes."
[Dormant Aspect Keen Sight is evolving...]
[New Aspect acquired.]
[Aspect Rank: Sacred.]
Leon raised an eyebrow
"Sacred?"
Leon was expecting a divine aspect. He had assumed since the spell knew he was a transmigrator, and so it would give him the highest ranking.
Aspect : Gaze of Unmaking
Aspect Rank: Sacred
Aspect Description: [You possess the ability to peer beyond surface manifestations and into the structural truth of Aspects, Abilities, Attributes, Memories and Echoes.
By observing an awakened power, you may perceive its principles, conditions, costs, and causal bindings.]
Leon widened his eyes.
Keen Insight which felt useless, now looked priceless.
'Gaze of Unmaking...'
He did not understand what it meant to be able to observe aspects and attributes, but with time, he would know.
'So perhaps I can figure out someone's flaw?'
Innate Ability: Echo of Spell
Ability Description: [Once understanding reaches a critical threshold, you may mimic the observed ability.
Each act of mimicry places immense strain on your mind, soul, and body.
Abilities of higher rank, complexity, or divinity require longer observation and exact a far greater toll.]
'How could something like this be merely sacred?'
If Leon could copy any aspect, he could even copy divine aspects. Which meant that his aspect was nothing short of divine.
Of course, nothing was ever that easy. The spell wouldn't give him something so amazing, with no cost to pay.
Having a powerful aspect was considered a treasure, but having one that could be anything was simply priceless.
He expected triumph.
What he felt instead was nothing.
The runes blurred for a moment.
He forced his mind to focus on the power he had received.
It was easier than remembering her voice.
[The First Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers.]
Leon felt something waking up inside of him, as if something deep within was unleashed.
This feeling was new to him, it was neither painful, nor pleasing.
Leon could feel energy in every fiber of his body.
He could feel something burning inside of him, his soul core.
Under the heat, his bones, muscles, blood vessels, everything were rebuilt.
He felt stronger. The feeling felt euphoric.
After a while, the heat cooled down, replaced by a soothing chill.
The cold permeated his body and healed all of his injuries, it also crept up his mind.
All the pain and trauma that kept gnawing at his head felt like they were washed away. Except they weren't gone.
The pain did not fade. It was pushed down, sealed beneath layers of cold clarity.
His vision flickered.
He could still the vast tapestry of the nightmare spell, but something else was there.
His Soul Core.
His soul core was deep blue in color — as he stared at it, he felt as though the sea was contained within that orb.
But, as he kept staring, he realized something — the soul core was transparent.
'Right, I have to saturate it.'
He could also see a sphere of light orbiting around his blue ocean-like orb.
[Awakening Aspect Ability..]
'Well, I'm fine with anything at this point.'
Leon already had an aspect that was no less than divine. His innate ability was basically formless.
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
Aspect Ability: [Formless Scripture]
Ability Description:
[You can perceive and comprehend the structure of Attributes possessed by others, how they function, what fuels them, and the price they demand.
By force of will and understanding, you may add or remove any foreign Attribute to your own existence.]
He continued to stare at the runes of his aspect ability. Leon was dumbfounded. Not only could he copy any aspect, he could also copy any attribute?
His body shuddered. Surely the spell was not this benevolent, how horrible would his flaw be?
'Will I lose my body? Will I lose my eyes?'
His fear intensified as he thought of all the flaws he could receive.
Leon checked his runes.
Name: Leonar
True Name: -
Rank: Dreamer
Resonance Core: Dormant
Resonance Fragments: [1/1000]
Memories: [Crown of Ember]
Echoes: -
Attributes : [Fated], [Oathbound], [Veil of Forgotten Truths], [Omen of Insight]
Aspect: Gaze of Unmaking
Aspect Ability: Formless Scripture
'Resonance Core? Will I not be able to absorb soul shards?'
Leon had never heard of such a core in the novel, so he was skeptical about it.
'Let's just hope the fragments don't need too much effort to farm.'
Leon stared at his runes for a while.
'Well I'd say the spell is so kind.'
[All power has a price.]
'Never mind.'
[You have received a Flaw.]
[Your Flaw is: Unfaltering Will]
Something changed. Leon felt his chest grow lighter.
All the thoughts gnawing at him about the future, about him not having combat experience, or a weapon, seemingly disappeared.
His heartbeat seemed to steady unnaturally. His trembling stopped.
Leon focused on the runes about his flaw.
Flaw: Unfaltering Will
Flaw Description: You are no longer capable of feeling fear. The instinct that once preserved your life is gone.
'Huh?'
Leon was confused, how could not feeling fear be a flaw?
'It's a blessing!'
Leon laughed darkly, not feeling fear was probably the greatest thing for him.
But a small doubt crept up his mind.
The spell wasn't stupid, so why give him such a flaw?
If the spell could laugh right now, Leon would definitely have heard it.
Leon thought he should be waking up now but he was still within the inner workings of the spell.
He kept staring at the tapestry of the spell as he waited.
"So...What now?"
He asked into the void, awaiting a reply. But nothing happened.
Leon didn't complain, as he kept staring at the beauty of the spell's inner workings, before the spell eventually sounded.
[You have received your Aspect Ghost.]
'Aspect... Ghost?'
Before Leon could open his runes or figure out what it was...
[Wake up, Leonar!]
***