As the Nightmare ended, Noble had felt her body being pulled from existence. She was now sure that the Advisor, the reflection of Omer of the Nine, had done something to her when trying to abduct her into the Great Mirror.
Whether the curse had been intentional or a product of his ire, she wasn't sure. What she did know was that her body felt intangible, and her skin shimmered like thousands of tiny mirrors. In a few moments, she would dissolve into nothing at all.
That was the most frightening thing she could imagine.
"Help!" She managed when reaching her cohort leader. Deep down, she knew Roan would be unable to answer her plea.
The Nightmare was ending, but not fast enough. The world faded from view. It was too late.
Noble looked down. Her body was being transformed against her will. Her skin mirrored the void around her, shimmering until it reflected a color darker than night.
Was she dead?
No, the world was gone, but she could still think. She would fight!
In the darkness, Noble sensed movement. Shadows surrounded her, ready to take her. They reached from the darkness to envelop her.
"No!" Noble no longer had a mouth to cry out with, yet she still refused to give in. "I...will...not...go!"
Touching her skin, the shadows paused. They pulled back, trying to discern what strange creature they were meant to drag to the Shadow Realm. Finding Nothing to grab onto, they receded, then disappeared.
Noble's skin, which had become malleable like liquid glass, suddenly absorbed the dark shimmer.
Noble cried out. The pain was like a thousand needles. But when it was over, her body returned to its normal state... almost.
Overhead, a star peeked out in the darkness. Then another. Finally, a myriad of heavenly bodies filled the boundless void.
Noble blinked.
"What...what just happened?!"
[Your Nightmare is over.]
[Prepare for appraisal...]
The Spell's voice spoke matter-of-factly, making Noble believe it was not just her imagination. Something had happened to her, making death unable to take her. Two forces had tried to claim her soul, but neither had succeeded.
The Spell had saved her! Noble would not take that gift for granted.
And now she was a Saint! Or rather, she would be momentarily.
The Spell confirmed her thoughts.
[Ascended! Your trial is over.]
The voice continued, resonating in the endless void.
[In an ancient land being consumed by the darkness, a falling star lit up the sky. Colliding with the earth, the Star found pain, but also friendship. Having been found witless, she was adopted by one of the Three Sisters of Northgate.
Nearly losing herself in the Wonder Woods because of her far too active curiosity, the Star soon stopped for tea. There, she discovered an ally in a cranky curmudgeon. Almost at once, they formed a deep, nearly unbreakable connection.]
If Noble had been drinking the tea at that moment, she would have spit it out. Had the Spell really used the word curmudgeon?! And it had made the belt sound like a willing bond of friendship, not a forced tethering like an iron chain.
Oblivious to Noble's commentary, the Spell continued.
[The star went on to befriend colorful creatures, face off against a putrid panther, and even take down traitorous Imperialists. Along the way, she encountered a deserter, a scout, and a lady of the court, who joined her in her cause.
Together, they set out to build a city in a dying world. Neither a powerful Remnant nor monsters could stop the Star from helping the energetic Steward find her new home. When beings from an Other world tried to thwart the heroes in their goal, the Star fought a dragon, spiders, and even herself to preserve humanity.
All fell under the heroes' hands. One fell to the enemy.
Navigating the Mirror Maze, the Star resisted the power that could have made her fantasies come true. She sealed the relic away. A new Bastion was formed.]
[You have slain...]
Noble listened to the Spell list all of her conquests.
It was quite a resume. Last night alone, Noble had killed more spiders than she cared to count. Then there were the flying creatures that attacked the caravan, the moths, the catlike gate guardian, the wood wights, the floating abominations, and of course...
[You have slain an Other.]
[You have slain an Other.]
The Spell droned on as it finished the list of those killed in the Mirror Maze. As Noble expected, none of them had names, ranks, or classes. In the darkness, Noble had no idea what the Others even looked like. Maybe they had looked like nothing at all.
[You have returned the image to the Great Mirror and destroyed a demoness's relic.]
[Your achievements are miraculous!]
[Final appraisal: Wondrous. A performance never to be mirrored!]
Noble bit her tongue. Was the Spell mocking her or praising her? Perhaps like her, it just enjoyed a good pun.
The voice continued.
[The Fourth Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers...]
Noble felt the power surge through her as her body reformed. Her connections down to the core of her being shifted under the fire of the change, being forged into something new.
Something powerful.
Noble held her breath, waiting for the next words that she longed to hear.
[Awakening Aspect ability.]
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
[Aspect Ability name: Resplendent Prism.]
Noble's eyes went wide.
[Your Attribute has evolved.]
[Your Aspect Legacy is unclaimed.]
Noble knew the last piece of information. She had been too busy to deal with what could be one of the most important things she would ever possess. It could help her build a clan of her own if she so desired, but for now, it would still have to wait.
"Sorry, Spell!"
[Your Transcendence is complete.]
"Wait, did it say my Attribute has evolved?!"
Noble had been so caught off guard by the Spell's nagging that she hadn't fully paid attention to the words right before. Instead of getting a new attribute, one of her current ones had changed.
Noble excitedly called up her runes.
Name: Noble
True Name: Child of Promise
Rank: Transcendant
Attributes: [Clarity] [Quick Study] [Kingdom Crafter]
Aspect: [Mentalist]
Aspect Rank: [Sacred]
Innate Ability: [Window to the Soul]
Aspect Legacy: [Unclaimed]
Aspect Abilities: [Light as a Feather] [Hidden Feelings] [Weight of Doubt] [Resplendent Prism]
Noble's first two Attributes had remained the same, but her Kingdom Keeper Attribute had been renamed.
[Kingdom Crafter] Attribute Description: "Kingdoms can be kept and crafted."
What did that mean? Could she make her own empire?
That sounded suspiciously like a domain, but Noble shook her head. It was far too early to come to any conclusion on what the runes could mean.
Then there was her new Aspect— her Transformation Ability!
The odd name did not give her much of a clue to the nature of the transformation, so she studied the runes instead.
[Resplendent Prism] Aspect Description: "A dazzling dance of radiant hues. The world is more colorful when you are nearby."
Noble shook her head. "Yeah, that didn't help much at all."
The Spell continued, unbothered, answering her frustration with its final announcement.
[...Wake up, Noble.]
[Your Nightmare is over.]
———
Noble reviewed all the details in her head as she stood mere steps away from where the Spell had dropped her in the Dream Realm.
She had many questions, but did not have the mental space to have them answered just now.
Noble needed food. She needed rest. And more than anything, she needed to see her family and let them know she was alive and well.
So, without wasting any more time, Noble followed Roan, Helie, and Aether in vacating the gateway. Without a whisper, Child of Promise slipped back into the waking world.