Back in that familiar void of stars and light, the nightmare spell spoke.
[Awakened! Your trial is over.]
[An anomaly fell down to the depths of the abyss. In a place devoid of life, in a form devoid of all senses, the paradox mastered a long-forgotten form of sorcery and adopted an entirely new form.
Amid divine flames of transgression, it found escape not through mercy, but through inheritance. A legacy buried in time answered its call, and a realm long sealed awakened once more.
Now amongst the living, the singularity weathered the challenges of the Kingdom of Hope, entering a battle of purpose and will against a creature born in the mist of nothingness. But in that fight, they had unlocked much more. Truly assimilating the rich heritage left behind by a Daemon, the anomaly was now truly whole.
In their journey to end this nightmare, the paradox had reaped the spark of thousands. Their gluttony for death and destruction did not end there, for each chain that held a caged Daemon was destroyed.
And as the world began to collapse, in a fated or perhaps a fateless moment, the singularity enlisted the help of the freed desire to fix his malediction and reenacted a miracle that birthed order in all the realms.
Your existence and actions challenge both law and order. Continue to break the confines of the flame at your own peril...]
[You have slain an Awakened Demon: Evening Dread.]
[You have...]
And the nightmare spell continued. Listing off all the creatures, beasts and humans that Aldric had killed. Every human-sounding name was a small weight that sank his heart deeper into his stomach, but he did not falter. Not when the spell spoke out Alana's name or any of the citizens of the Ivory City. It was his responsibility to endure the weight of his actions and their consequences.
And in the darkest corner of his mind, Aldric subconsciously viewed those sacrifices as the necessary fuel for his growth and conviction. A sick kind of anvil to forge his character. And in that corner of his mind, the only conclusion that an outside observer looking in could reach is that this young man had a twisted ego. A sense of self so large and grandiose that not even human lives would drench his flame of ambition. If anything, it seemed to only fuel it.
That young boy who despaired alone in that orphanage years ago was gone. Just like the ship of Theseus, he had shed each layer of himself over time. Up until he had become a completely different person. His desires, his goals and his aspirations slowly shifted in order to adapt to the tumultuous storm he was in. If only those who knew the true Aldric could see the kind of person he became.
The nightmare spell reached a conclusion as it moved past those that he killed and to the achievements that he made.
[You have unearthed a hidden lost dimension.]
[You have gained the naturalised lineage of a Daemon.]
[You have slain an immortal transcendent.]
[You have freed a chained Daemon.]
[You have reenacted the act of sealing the Origin.]
[Your achievements have touched the realms of the gods.]
[Final appraisal: Your actions are sacrilegious!]
'Is it truly linked to the fate changed as Sunny theorised, or is there more to it?'
As a being with such a loose tie to the concept of fate, surely any action he took would change the course of fate automatically and thus be rewarded handsomely. Yet that was not the case as it seemed.
'Just what is a nightmare? How does it relate to the Dream God and the nightmare spell?'
While Aldric knew more than most, he was still as ignorant as the rest of humanity in the grand scheme of things. Aside from the sovereigns, that were still an unknown.
[The Third Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers…]
[Awakening Aspect Ability.]
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
[Aspect Ability Name: Ephemeral Mandate]
[Your Attribute has evolved.]
[Your Attribute has evolved.]
[You have gained an Attribute.]
[Your Innate Ability has evolved.]
The Spell paused for a moment and then added solemnly:
[Your Ascension is complete.]
The void of stars and light began to ignite in a smouldering heat as his ascension was complete. But in the corner of his eyes, he could see it. A singular star amongst the thousands illuminates with a sudden red light. A red so dark and chaotic that it seemed alive.
The corruption had long begun.
But Aldric could not think about that in the moment. The metamorphosis had begun. Pure dark essence burst through his body and soul. What used to feel like a steady river flowing through his body was now live electricity. Brimming with charge and energy, the essence reached deeper than ever before. Beyond the layers of skin and bones, deep into the soul, mind and spirit of Aldric. If the essence was previously bumping through his arteries and cardiovascular system, it was now running through each of his nerves. The control that he could now exert was magnitudes larger.
Aldric's soul was expanding. His spirit deepened and his mind burned. It was not just the essence that flowed through him. That deep chaotic energy followed through as well. Entrenching its influence through his body like a virus, cementing its space within him.
'This feeling... I love it! This change is divine...'
Aldric voiced out in his mind as endorphins poured through him. The feeling was eclectic, as though he was ascending to a higher plane. A higher state of conscience where nothing and everything passed by him at once. He felt more content than ever before, but for each second he was in this euphoria, the hunger for more grew.
It was time to see what changed.
Name: Aldric.
True Name: F̴i̷r̴s̴t̵-̴C̴l̴a̶s̶s̴ ̶S̸i̴n̴g̵u̴l̶a̸r̶i̷t̶y̵
Rank: Ă̵͓͇̓s̸̞̾c̶̢̀̓ẽ̸̝́ń̶̪̰d̶̛̩̓e̷̺̽d̷̩̗̐͑
Dark Core: [7/7]
Class: Titan.
Dark Sprites:[83/7000]
Sparks of Desire:[0]
Memories:[Unwavering Spark][Cragborne Armor][Malice Of The Deep][Cavedweller Garms][Water Basin][Charm Of Balance][Silk Robes][Silk Pouch][Warding Eye][Stone Coffer][Tesseract][All-Seeing Eye][Mantle Of The Underworld][Cursed Mirror][Dark Wing][Red Spider Lily][Sundered Sorrow][Dark Sea's Covenant]...[Cool Edge][Essence Pearl][Wrath Carver][Maledictive Crucible][To North]...[Pure Hatred][Coalesced Will]...[Helios Restraint]
Attributes: [Hyper Intuition][Tranquil Core][Null][Tenebrous Rule][Herald of Nether][M̷̥͑͐a̶̺͘r̴͇̟͑͠k̷̞͐ ̸͍̊̋o̷̪̝̿f̴͉̈́̐ ̵̳̀ţ̸̖͒̃h̵̺͈͐e̸̺̩͛̆ ̶̠̙̂̎V̵̗̑̚õ̶̦̉į̵̨̊̚ď̴̢̖͗][Myth of Origin]
Aspect:[Made In Abyss]
Aspect Rank: Divine.
Innate Ability: [Chalice Of Requiem]
Aspect Abilities:[Dark Well, Dire Ordinance, Ephemeral Mandate]
Aspect Legacy:[Path Of The Unbound]
Flaw:[Tarnished Soul]
'What is that? Sparks of desire?'
Just as Aldric was about to view his new ascended ability, a new addition alerted him. It was something that he had never seen or heard of before. The only other measurement he had heard of was spirit essence, but that would not fall under this category. Surely his spirit essence would relate to darkness. Spirit essence being a type of essence that one could derive from their source element.
While his mind went to desire in the context of Hope's domain and power, something was telling him that it was much deeper. That it was in relation to the void that the gods had sealed. Reminding himself of the miracle they had performed and the story after, something entered his mind.
A strange point made itself known. That in the birth of humans and the Daemon's, every being had a small spark hidden within them. From the same crucible of flames that birthed the gods, the same flame of desire.
Accepting his hypothesis, Aldric was not dumb. He knew that he would be plundering those sparks from people or creatures through some manner of subjugation. Whether through death, having followers or something else.
'But what does it fuel? Is it a separate energy?'
Moving past that, Aldric did not know that an innate ability could evolve. Truly showing his ignorance in certain things. He looked at his runes once more.
[Innate Ability: Chalice of Requiem]
[Innate Ability Description: You are an empty chalice. Encompassing the Darkness of all who fall before you as well as their flames of desire.
Darkness is only an expression of the void. You have bathed in the blood of the void, but now, you must consume...]
'There you go.'
And with that, his hypothesis was made correct. But he wondered if his new ascended ability would somehow accommodate the collection of this new power source. Or perhaps even use it?
A question arose in his mind.
'So this means that each creature has both a spark of the flame as well as this darkness. But what is that darkness? And why did it add the word 'consume'?'
'The sparks could easily be explained through the story of creation; however, where do the dark sprites come into play?'
And this was a question that he did not have the answer to and could not hypothesise. The information revealed by the spell sounded both ominous and mysterious. Aldric knew he would be spending long nights staring at his new runes, as he had done before.
Ignoring the aching need to solve the mystery, he peered deeper into the runes.
[Aspect Ability: Ephemeral Mandate]
[Aspect Ability Description: The spark you contain holds the concept of infinite possibilities.
A singularity does not follow the flow of fate and struggles against what has been ordained.
Your actions have taken you down this path. That divine act has cemented itself within your being and changed you.
Just as the incarnations of flame did, create your own laws and concepts. Restrain and seal parts of yourself, and the Origin shall reward you.]
'So this is my new ability. Just what on earth will it be capable of?'
The word 'mandate' left a deep impact on him. Knowing of the nature of the spell and how it translates, perhaps there were more meanings than just to mandate. However, its definition in the human language was eerily similar to the meaning of 'ordinance'. The name of Aldric's awakened ability.
Something felt off about his new ability. It did not relate to his aspect of darkness at all.
'Was I meant to get an ability related to darkness? Did my actions change that? What does it mean to 'create laws', 'seal yourself' and a 'reward'? I need to test this out as soon as I can.'
While he knew next to nothing, he instinctually knew that it related to his pool of chaos deep within him.
Looking at what else changed, Aldric looked towards the newly evolved attributes as well as the newcomer.
[Attribute: Myth of Origin]
[Attribute Description: When the concepts and laws were created to battle the void, the incarnations of the flame enacted a miracle most egregious and traitorous.
Following in the footsteps of her oppressors, a lone Daemon reenacted that divine myth on an anomaly.
The abyss has been contained, yet it peers back.]
[Attribute: Hyper Intuition]
[Attribute Description: It is as though you are guided by the world itself. The unseen, the unheard and the unknown all lie in the grasp of your hand.]
'So the actions of Hope were so impactful that they created an attribute? I guess the spell had to acknowledge the miracle. Insight also evolved, finally...'
And Aldric looked at the final attribute that had evolved.
[Attribute: Herald of Nether]
[Attribute Description: "Is it so wrong..."
Nether, the last child of the unknown, spoke out into the sky.
Infinite choices opened with those words.
"It is forbidden..."
The dark black skies spoke back.
And one choice was made.
"Then, so be it..."
A dream had been born that day.]
'Just what is their relationship? A true mystery.'
'Does this mean all of the effects will be amplified? But how does it translate to my real body?'
Enhanced durability, protection against mind and soul attacks, ruby dust like blood and more...He thought with a smile on his face.
He knew that this second nightmare would be the turning point of his future. With everything that he gained, the future did not look so bleak. The mortality that he was so worried about was now mitigated. The lineage of Nether was now fully adopted, as well as discovering the best way to traverse the dream realm while avoiding the eyes of the great clans.
'Speaking about the great clans, it's time I truly sat down and thought about my next steps. Song and Valor won't let me stay unaffiliated after becoming a master. I'm not Sunny to have hidden my capabilities, and my strength reflects the strength of Event Horizon. I need to make a move.'
Aldric had thought that after all these reveals and boons that the nightmare spell was over. But there was one thing left. Something he had long since put in the back of his mind.
[Your Apostle has evolved]
[Your Apostle has gained a new ability]
Apostle: [Spectre of Nothing]
Apostle Rank: Ascended
Apostle Class: Terror
Apostle Attributes:[War's Traitor][Mirrored][Soul Sand][Near Totality]
Apostle Abilities:[Realm of White][Made in Complex][Fractal Fission]
Seed of Nightmare: 0/10
Apostle Description: [Everything burned to fuel his hate. Doused by the anomalous Singularity, not an ember remained. A hollow husk.]
'10! No way... It must mean something else. There is no way that it will challenge that many third nightmares just to become a transcendent.'
'Its name changed as well...'
But now it was confirmed to Aldric. At the very least, conquering a nightmare along with an Apostle will increase their rank. As for afterwards, he had no clue.
Ready to return back to the waking world and internalise everything that happened, he closed his eyes.
In that sea of silver and light, red blossomed. In the edges and the far reaches of the infinite expanse, it spread and grew. What it meant and what consequences it would incur, nobody knew.
[Wake up, Aldric.]
[Your nightmare is over!]
---
In the Northern Quadrant, within the border that meets the industrial and commercial sectors of the siege capital, a solitary building stood tall. Many floors tall, all the lights were off on the cusp of midnight.
Three miles towards the centre of the siege capital, Event Horizon, the group of elite awakened who had survived the harrowing deathtrap of the Forgotten Shore and thrived since then, had booked an entire nightclubfor the night. With an open bar, blasting music and dimmed lights, the young adults that made up the organisation were having a complete blast. While Event Horizon was not only made up of battle-hardened warriors, even those in supportive roles had turned up. For a group of young adults, this was the best corporate function they could have had.
Besides, it was not just them. Plenty of people in the influence of Event Horizon had attended. From celebrities to clients and even some of the top awakened models.
It was unknown what it was that was being celebrated. Perhaps a birthday or even a celebration of a completed contract. While it was unknown, the feelings could be felt as it transmitted through the room.
Hidden on the top floor in the VIP area, a small group of men and women were overlooking the dance floor.
"Just when is he going to come out? Should we even be doing this without him?"
Ezekiel spoke out. The leader of Team Hermes was a tall yet skinny man. Short brown hair adorned his head with hazel eyes. While all his features were handsome, a horrific scar cut diagonally from his left eye and down his right jawbone. The edged scar clearly tore out flesh, as he was missing a bit of his lip and his right cheek.
It had been nearly five months since their leader entered the second nightmare along with the remnants of Lady Changing Star's cohort. With nothing but confidence in their leader, they remained steadfast.
It was not a confidence of worship or idolisation but rather a simple confidence of belief. That if anyone could challenge the second nightmare only seven months after becoming an awakened, it would be him. And if he could do it, then they could.
But with each month that passed, the more that belief waned. Like the warmth of a fire, it slowly dwindled. Yet, to the naked eye, Event Horizon still stood strong. What was five months compared to the years they spent in that hellhole?
Besides, unlike the Fire Keepers, Event Horizon was mostly made up of true hunters. They were not made up of the abandoned dreamers from the outer settlement who picked up a sword after Nephis gave a speech. They were the apex hunters from both the Bright Castle and the Outer Settlement. They did not rely on Aldric to motivate them or build them up. And so, they persevered.
A feminine yet loud voice spoke out in response.
"It could be today, or it could be a week from now. It truly does not matter. He will come back."
Vienna was the one to speak, the leader of Team Artemis that dealt in nightmare creature extermination. In a deep-cut red dress, her red hair shone even more brightly. However, with all that beauty, she gave a standoffish vibe that repelled any men from approaching her. Besides, only the outsiders that were invited would entertain the idea of approaching her. In Event Horizon, it was well known where her interest was.
An airy and high-pitched voice began to speak.
"That guy is a main character! There is no way that Aldric falls here! I mean, c'mon, like... it's obvious that he has some grand goal or ambition or something... If he is the hero, then we are the hero's party or guild... or are we—"
The voice continued to ramble until a brutal voice interrupted.
"Shut up, you dumb cow. Keep your fangirl bullshit to yourself. How many times do we have to tell you to relax with the drinks?"
Jian told off the owner of the voice in his own twisted way.
The 'dumb cow' in question was named Camilla. An olive-skinned woman whose height barely reached five feet. Described as the 'Shortstack Healer' by her friends, her overly positive personality made her adored, yet it also rubbed a select few the wrong way. Her ethnic roots derived from South America before the tragedy of the nightmare gates spread.
Back on the Forgotten Shore, she was the right-hand of Kido. With her aspect focusing on healing, there was a synergy with Kido's herbal expertise.
Camilla would have died on the third day of the civil war in the Bright Castle. Caught hiding in one of the secret rooms, Tessai's guards would have unleashed horrors onto her. Ultimately leading to her death as well as nine others.
But in this world, in this timeline, in Aldric's destiny, this did not come to pass.
Now head of Team Tico, named after an Aztec goddess of healing, her small team often accompanies larger teams like Team Artemis and Atlas on their missions. Providing healing and logistical support.
"Leave her alone, you freak!"
Vienna shouted as she closed the distance quickly and wrapped a warm arm around Camilla's small frame. An arm that looked too close between colleagues or even friends. Moving Camilla to an open couch, she began to whisper sweet nothings into her ear.
With a scoff, Jian's head sank deeper into his drink as he calmed his right arm. The strange limb twitched ominously.
All eight leaders were present and intermingling. It was not that often outside of meetings that they all saw each other. Besides, this event was likely scheduled with their missions and routines in mind.
"Alright. I'm calling it a night."
Just as Jian was about to leave, the music stopped abruptly. The dimmed lights of the VIP room turned off and were quickly replaced with beaming white lights. The air in the room shifted as everyone was alert, no matter how much it looked like they drank.
Just as Magnus was about to make a move, a voice spoke out over the speakers in the VIP room. A voice that they all recognised.
Iris. The right hand of Event Horizon and the supportive mind behind the organisation. The person who had guided and led the organisation in the absence of its leader.
"Everyone! Return to base. Aldric has returned."
Even the robot-like Iris seemed to beam at what she was saying. It seemed as though the voice was isolated to just the room that they were in. How Iris had access to the sound system was beyond them.
"Finally!"
Camilla shouted out.
"Yeah... Finally..."
Jian spoke out as he turned back to the door.
"Let's go."
Magnus spoke out. Directing the group of eight executives. It was barely midnight, so the night was still young.
The executives left the VIP room and headed out of the nightclub. Standing there dancing and having fun, everyone else, the models and the network of Event Horizon, were clueless. It would be silly to announce Aldric's return to the entire organisation in a nightclub where outsiders were also mixed in.
"It seems that there will be a short delay to the true start of the event tonight. But be prepared, we have a big surprise coming in for you."
Iris' voice spoke out, addressing all the members that were here and the crowd. And with that she was done.
---
The sound of a deep exhale travelled across an empty bathroom. Looking in the mirror, Aldric stared at his reflection.
'Perfect'
That was all he could think as he looked at his reflection. It was endearing yet eerie at the same time.
Deep caramel skin reflected lightly as though it were marble. With an ethereal glow, his face did not look real. As though it was rendered like a 3D model, Aldric was the epitome of masculinity. After all, it was not just his face but his entire body. Looking at his naked reflection, veins and muscle striations were abundant. The skin on his body looked as though it were tight leather, barely holding back the pounds of muscle underneath.
Looking at his hair that grew much longer in his slumber, Aldric slicked it back with his hands as he grabbed a hairband from the cupboard below the sink.
As he did so, he noticed that the strange two-tone nature of his eye was slightly less visible for some reason. Yet his eyes remained as mysterious and mystical as ever.
'Wait, my eyes...'
In the sea of small red and white stars, a new addition had formed. A concentric ring of light formed around the boundary of his iris. Literally trapping those red and white stars in a boundary.
'Why does every metaphysical change have to be expressed physically? Did Sunny's eyes change color every time he got a new Weaver lineage?'
Pushing that to the back of his mind, he began moving his fingers. Tying his hair loosely into a short bun, curly strands escaped and flowed down his face. He looked like a Greek statue sculpted from marble.
'Damn... I'm dangerous. 'Nether, you vain bastard.'
If the female Stone Saints were based off of the Storm Goddess, then it was a simple guess on who the male Stone Saints were modelled after.
Touching and pressing on his skin, he could feel a level of durability that he had even without enhancing his body with essence. Even his blood felt different, vaporous and lighter. Just as he was about to generate some darkness, a sound from the bathroom door interrupted him.
KNOCK
KNOCK
KNOCK
Grabbing a fresh pair of boxers, he went to the door.
---
Iris POV
'Four months, twenty-seven days and roughly 5 hours.'
Iris listed just how long her leader was gone. And in that time, her mind did not waver once. His return was a fact, just like the laws of motion. An absolute truth.
Running Event Horizon was not overly difficult. A lot of it was maintenance, as the ball had long been rolling before Aldric left. Logistics, contracts, support for the members and more. It was nothing new.
But the members producing the value needed their leader. Needed the person that brought them in to acknowledge their work and capabilities. He was their tower in a world that wanted so much from them.
She had also called Kura and Marielyn. A brief meeting would likely occur, and she knew that those two would want to see Aldric. After all, he was gone for nearly as long as their team had been formed.
It was the change in vitals transmitted from the sleeping pod that alerted her. Within 0.92 seconds, a plan had formed. Alerting everyone back at the nightclub, she ran ahead of the group and traversed those three miles in short minutes. She had to be here first.
'It is simply my job...'
With that, she entered a code into the elevator that took her to the true top floor. A hidden area built to hide and protect the body of anyone conquering a nightmare. Entering the centermost room, a lone metal coffin sat broken beyond repair. Upon a closer look, it was as though it was crushed and pressed uniformly by a tremendous force. The strength needed to warp enchanted metal like that was absurd.
Looking at the ground, she could see a pulsing body of darkness sink under the door of the bathroom and disappear. Leaving behind slight cracks on the wooden floor.
'This feeling... This pressure... He truly ascended.'
With three knocks on the door of the bathroom, she heard a response.
"Come in, Iris."
A deep and masculine voice spoke out. Iris knew what Aldric sounded like, and this was different. It was as though the small discrepancies and imperfections that made his voice naturally his own were gone. A smooth baritone voice was all that remained. It was jarring yet satisfying at the same time.
Entering the room, nothing prepared her for what she would witness.
"Fuck..."
Iris had sworn for the first time in a while.
'Those veins, that shine, what on earth happened to him?'
It took all her willpower to not bite her lip. She had never entertained any thoughts relating to her boss, but this was simply a natural response of the human condition. —she had read about it—
'No one can look that perfect...surely?'
Watching the luminous eyes of her boss stare her down, she remembered her role.
"No emergencies that need your direct oversight. The tower is empty, as everyone is out at the Midnight Beach Nightclub, celebrating the one-year anniversary of Event Horizon. The executives are on their way as well as Kura and Marielyn."
While she would usually stay silent after talking, Iris spoke out.
"Welcome back, Aldric."
And those words warmed Aldric in a way he could not imagine.
---
But the world kept moving.
In an empty room deep within the academy, shadows poured out of a sleeping pod.
In the darkness of the Underworld, a lone star would embark on a challenge never done before. All in hopes of returning home.
A chained heart stared down at the blue pearl. Their intentions unknown.
Deep in an illusionary world, the remnant could feel the change. The fantasy waning in their mind.
And the powers that be began to stir. Bringing forth a chaos that would engulf the entire world.
---
Back in the waking world. Back in the warm wooden meeting room, surrounded by his executives as they all stood. Their voices sounded out around him.
"Glad you're back!"
A muffled voice spoke out as if something was covering their face.
"Aldric!!!"
A high-pitched and slightly drunk Camilla shouted.
"Boss!"
An energetic voice yelled.
"What took you so long?"
A disgruntled Jian said.
"Congratulations."
Magnus said in a deep, stoic voice.
"You've gotten stronger!"
Vienna remarked.
"VICTORY!"
Kura shouted with a drunk breath.
"I missed you."
Marielyn whispered out. She spoke, looking at Aldric's feet.
And a few more voices spoke out. With smiles, hugs and laughter exchanged.
A smile formed on his face as he was surrounded by friends and those that cared for him.
"Thank you, everyone. It's good to be back."
[End of Volume 2: Ecdysis]
***
Ecdysis: The process of shedding one's old skin. A change/metamorphosis.
Thank you for reading. Jumbo chapter over 4.8k words to get back into it.
End of volume 2. Aldric is now a master but even in that new strength, the challenges are only getting larger...
So much revealed in this chapter, I hope you caught it all. Aldric is truly growing and changing. Now after conquering the second nightmare, what will he do and what will he accomplish?
Meet me in the next volume. Till then.