Kaelis still stared at the runes engraved before him.
His gaze then fell to the bastard sword in his right hand — the blade's cold gleam clashing with the disbelief in his eyes.He was still struggling to accept what he had just discovered.
The Sword of the White Priest was, in truth... an echo?
The idea seemed absurd. Impossible. And yet, true.
He blinked, as if expecting the text before him to vanish, proving it had all been a mistake. But there was no mistake. Still hesitant, he accessed the information of the Memory.
--------------------------------------------------
Memory: Sword of the White Priest
Memory Rank: Ascendend
Memory Tier: III
Memory Type: Echo
Memory Description:— Born from the silence of a goddess who loved a demon and lost everything, the Sword of the White Priest is the final breath of a dead and forgotten divinity. Forged in the sacred pain of a forbidden love, it's blade carries the bitter memory — and the soul — of the demon who was onced loved. Each strike is not merely an act of strength, but a silent prayer: a plea that even corrupted souls might find redemption... or, if they fail, rightful condemnation. Whoever wields the Sword of the White Priest bears the burden of judging between light and shadow... and the unbearable weight of understanding both.
Memory Enchantments:
[Sealed Heart]
"The blade remains silent, but it feels every beat of your heart." — When the goddess learned her love would never return, she did not scream. She forged.In silence, she shaped white iron and sealed into the hilt all the things she could never say.
This enchantment locks the bearer's heart in a prison without windows, making them insensitive to pain, fear, and hesitation. During battle, there is no doubt, no mercy — only steel.
But when the fight ends and silence returns... the bearer hears the echoes of what they refused to feel.And sometimes, they scream.
(Activation): Terrible emotional pain and a life-or-death situation.
[Profane Requiem]
"Heaven denied their prayers, but the sword listened."The echoes of a corrupted cult and its forgotten victims still dwell within the blade.
It whispers a prayer to the bearer — not in words, but in memory. A melody woven from laments, lost prayers, and muffled screams.
Each strike delivered while the requiem echoes carries fragments of that pain — not only from the goddess, but from all who have lost something and kept moving forward.
Against the corrupt, the wicked, and the defilers, the song grows louder. And in the end, some enemies hesitate... not from fear, but from recognition.
The weak falter.The impure tremble.And the profaners... feel the weight of every voice they silenced.
(Activation): Tremendous regret, sorrow, or hatred.
(Passive): Each memory revealed to the bearer of the sword strengthens their bond and understanding with the demon.
[Tear of the Forgotten Goddess]
"She wept only once. The tear fell, and the world fell silent."Imprisoned within the ruby crystal set into the hilt of the sword is a single tear.
But this tear does not heal with compassion — it heals with pain. When activated, a translucent veil surrounds the bearer, mending their wounds as it whispers forgotten truths.
It is a blessing... and a curse.The healing is real.But the memories it brings may be eternal.
(Activation): Mourning for fallen companions.
--------------------------------------------------
Kaelis remained silent.
With each line he read, his heart grew heavier. The enchantments not only revealed fragments of the goddess and the demon's story, but also the conditions required to activate them — and that disturbed him deeply.
"Terrible emotional pain and a life-or-death situation."
"Tremendous regret, sorrow, or hatred."
"Mourning for fallen companions."
Each of these activations was dark, intense, and unsettling in its own way.
Kaelis knew that, because of his Flaw, living among others would be difficult. Not only because he could hear their hidden intentions, but because he absorbed the feelings of those around him as if they were his own.But now... did he need to grow attached to people? Form bonds only to grow stronger through their loss?
"This... isn't fair. If possible, I'd rather never have to activate these enchantments."
That was his sincerest wish — but somehow, he knew it would be inevitable.As his father and Master Jet had warned him, the Dream Realm was treacherous, cruel... and thirsty for blood.
Sooner or later, someone he knew — or Kaelis himself — could die.
A chill ran down his spine. Anxiety pressed on him like a shadow looming over his shoulder. But he took a deep breath, trying to shake off the dark thoughts.Remaining paralyzed by fear would help nothing.
He had to survive.
For his family.
As painful as it was, Kaelis was ready to endure — no matter what it took.
Letting out a weary sigh, he dismissed the Twilight Divine Armor. The light dispersed like ethereal dust, fading into the sea of his soul.
Only the bastard sword remained, heavy in his hand.
He walked over to a nearby wall and sat on the ground, leaning back with a quiet sigh. Carefully, he rested one hand on the blade.
The sword was sharp, precise, silent... and a single wrong move would be enough to cut himself.
Kaelis looked at it like one might stare at something more than a weapon. Like staring into a mirror.
He gazed at the ruby embedded in the sword, admiring the silent grace of the gem. Its subtle glow, catching the light around it, seemed to pulse with an invisible — almost living — presence.
As far as he knew, echoes were merely magical copies of dead Nightmare Creatures. Replicas with limited autonomy, capable of some thought, acting on instinct, and reflecting rudimentary emotions. But in the end, echoes had no soul. They weren't alive. Not like people. Not like him.
Just like Memories, echoes were created from Soul Essence and only took physical form when summoned. They could be permanently destroyed, and if wounded, took a considerable amount of time to regenerate — a time that didn't heal their invisible scars.
"If I remember correctly..." he murmured, eyes fixed on the ruby, "the Sealed Heart's description said: 'The blade remains silent, but feels each beat of your heart'... right?"
Kaelis leaned his head back against the wall, still trying to grasp what he was truly holding. The Sword of the White Priest — an extraordinary, powerful weapon... and at the same time, tragic. An echo not of a beast or a warrior, but of a demon.
A demon who had once been loved by a goddess.
But why had he become a sword? Nightmare Creatures had full bodies — physical, monstrous, grotesque. Why not him? What had happened to turn that being into this? A sharp, silent... and tormented sword?
"So many questions..." he whispered, raising an eyebrow with a half-smile. "But, you know... somehow, I feel like you can hear me."
Kaelis lifted the sword and looked at it sideways, offering a crooked, almost mocking smile.
His life had become surreal. Without warning, he was infected by the Nightmare Spell. Suddenly, he faced the First Nightmare... and survived. Then he received a True Name, wings had sprouted from his back, angelic powers surged through his body. And now... he was talking to a sword.
"Can it get any stranger?" he muttered under his breath — and that was when the universe, in its usual irony, answered.
The ruby embedded in the hilt pulsed with a faint light. Once. Just once.
Kaelis widened his eyes, surprised — and slightly alarmed.
"So... you really can hear me?"
The gem flashed three times in response.
He fell silent. The ruby didn't speak, but... it was communicating.
"All right... Let's make a deal. One flash for 'yes', two for 'no', and three for 'complaining'. Deal?"
The ruby flashed once.
Kaelis chuckled softly. "You... really are the demon who was loved by the goddess?"
One flash.
"Was that love the reason for your death?"
Another flash.
"Do you know who I am? About my First Nightmare? Do you know why you're my Memory?"
Again, the response: a single flash.
Kaelis stayed quiet for a few moments.
As an echo, the sword was not just a weapon. It was a tragic companion, trapped between worlds. And inevitably, they would stand side by side in the Dream Realm — where all things were death, sacrifice... and silence.
He smiled — a calm, genuine smile. He looked at the ruby and said softly:
"Well... I guess we'll be working together for a while. I hope we can be friends."
The answer came quick — and brutal.
Two flashes. Then... a third.
Kaelis narrowed his eyes at the bastard sword. His smile twisted into an expression of disbelief.
"So not only are you saying no, you're also telling me to go screw myself, huh?"
The ruby, wisely, stayed silent.
The young man let out a low, sincere laugh, allowing a genuine smile to form on his lips as he stared at the bastard sword.
"I think we're going to get along just fine."
The ruby remained still for a few seconds... then flashed twice.
Kaelis raised an eyebrow, slightly suspicious. Still, with a soft sigh, he stored the Sword of the White Priest back into his Soul Sea. Fascinated, he watched as ethereal lights lit up around the blade, dissolving it into magical particles that vanished like enchanted dust into the air.
"Now there's only one more thing I need to study... My Attributes."
With that thought, Kaelis summoned the runes once again, and their glow revealed the details of his existence:
--------------------------------------------------
Name:Kaelis
True Name:Broken Vow
Rank:Sleeper
Angelic Core:Dormant
Seraph Fragments:[2/1000]
Memories:[Armor of the Divine Twilight], [Sword of the White Priest], [Amulet of the Nameless Traveler], [Scar of the Burning Martyr]
Attributes:[Breath of Azrael], [Reflected Truth], [Weight of Unborn Wings]
Aspect:Fractured Seraph
Aspect Rank:Divine
Aspect Ability:Fractured Manifestation
--------------------------------------------------
While analyzing the runic records, Kaelis frowned, puzzled by a small anomaly.
The White Priest's Sword did not appear listed among his echoes, even though everything indicated it should be one.
'Strange... The sword's description is clear about that. Could it be that the demon only became an echo after its soul was sealed within the blade?'
It was a possibility. But for now, he decided to set that question aside. There were more immediate things to understand. Taking a deep breath, he turned his attention back to the attributes, diving into the inscriptions with full concentration.
[Weight of the Unborn Wings]:
"You were born to fly, but were taught to crawl."
— Represents the potential contained within your incomplete angelic form. While this attribute remains not fully awakened, it bears the limitation of something unfinished — but also the promise of a brutal future ascension.
(Activation): Passive.
[Reflected Truth]:
"The mirror does not lie; it reflects only the truth... And that truth is the blade that cuts not flesh, but pride."
— In ancient times, there was a mirror buried beneath the ruins of a forgotten cathedral. It was said that those who looked into it would not see their own face, but all the deeds they had chosen to deny. When the mirror shattered, its fragments scattered truths across the world — and one of them crystallized in this Aspect. When activated, it projects not illusions, but the deepest essence of whoever faces it: desires, fears, sins... and what could have been.
(Activation): Peace and pure mental focus.
[Azrael's Breath]:
"The breath between worlds. The moment when all stops, when even time dares not move forward."
— At the dawn of the end, when the walls of Heaven were defiled, an entity walked among the dead and the living. Its breath brought neither life nor death — but a truce between both. This dark blessing became a gift: a field of absolute silence, where movements cease and thoughts kneel. Few returned after hearing it, but none forgot it.
(Activation)...
But upon reaching the last line, Kaelis froze.
A sudden chill ran down his spine. His eyes widened, body tense. A primal fear gripped him — something instinctive, visceral. Anxiety squeezed his chest as if Death itself were watching him, silent, just behind his shoulder.
Disbelieving what his eyes had read, he murmured the runes' words aloud.
"(Activation): Death."
--------------------------------------------------
Kaelis walked through the vast corridors of the complex. He had an appointment scheduled with the Academy's secretaries and was heading toward the administrative wing.
Despite the steady rhythm of his steps, his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts — especially about the disturbing activation of his attribute: Azrael's Breath.
Death? But what did that truly mean?
Even as he asked himself that terrifying question, Kaelis already knew the answer. To activate his attribute...
...he would have to die.
But then, how could he use it if he were dead? And beyond that, what would happen afterward?
So many questions. No answers.
Anxiety gnawed at him from within. So deep in thought was he that he didn't even notice how far he had already walked.
When he returned to reality, he was standing before the door to the Dormant Division Office.
He inhaled deeply, trying to push the unease away and focus on the present moment. Even that effort was a challenge, ever since his Defect had made him excessively sensitive to every kind of emotion.
However, with concentration and calm, Kaelis was learning to deal with negative feelings, replacing them with warm memories of his family.
If, on one hand, dark emotions affected him more deeply, on the other, good thoughts also reached him with greater strength. He used them to fool his own mind — and his Defect — if only for a while.
He opened the office door and, after introducing himself, was promptly escorted to a small room.
Having already gone through an interview before being accepted into the Academy, Kaelis had a general idea of how the process would work. This one, however, was more formal: the official registration of his True Name and Divine Aspect before the Academy.
Just as Master Jet had predicted, they once again offered him psychological counseling. Recalling her advice, he gently declined, and the interview smoothly shifted toward matters concerning his Aspect.
Kaelis had already stirred quite a commotion during his first interview at the precinct. Now, everything would finally be made official. He had revealed his True Name — Broken Vow — and the fact that his Aspect granted angelic abilities, with his wings being the most visible and powerful proof.
Fortunately, the questions were phrased with gentleness, designed to put Dormants at ease. Nearly all began with polite preambles like, "Would you like to tell me…" or "If you feel comfortable sharing…"
The interviewer, seated across from Kaelis, wore a pristine suit. His desk was covered with various documents. He was a man in his mid-forties, strong and healthy-looking, with a confident posture. A subtle ring adorned his ring finger.
His expression was calm, and there was something in the way he conducted the interview that revealed vast experience.
"Kaelis Veridian… That's your full name, correct?"
Kaelis blinked and answered,"Yes, that's right."
The interviewer smiled, slightly intrigued.
"An interesting name. Do you know what it means?"
Kaelis looked at him with uncertainty."No… actually, I never asked my parents. They only mentioned it briefly in a few conversations."
"I see. Your name has ancient roots. In Hebrew, Kael means 'like unto God.' But in the runic tongues, it can be translated as 'echo of the sacred.' It fits your Aspect well."
"Veridian, on the other hand, has a more abstract meaning — translated in the runic languages as 'between decay and purity.' A very intriguing name."
Kaelis remained silent for a moment.
An interviewer with knowledge of runic languages? Very few people could read them — even fewer could interpret them.
This man… is definitely not a typical interviewer.
The interviewer noticed the young man's observant gaze and softened his expression, making it more welcoming.
"Well done. He's been properly briefed on the risks," whispered the Choir of the Silent in Kaelis's mind, using the same serene voice as the man before him.
Kaelis was taken aback. The Academy was taking him more seriously than he'd expected — to the point of assigning someone so qualified for his official interview.
"I see you're aware of the risks of an interview. Master Jet gave you good advice."
Kaelis frowned slightly.
"You know Master Jet?"
"Yes. I work with her on certain administrative matters. We've been colleagues for many years."
He then extended his hand.
"Pleasure to meet you. My name is James. I'm an interviewer for the Awakened Academy and work closely with the administration, assisting both Dormants and Ascended in their processes."
Kaelis shook James's hand firmly.
The conversation between the two flowed in a balanced way — light, yet with the necessary seriousness. They spoke for nearly an hour.
James thoroughly explained how the Awakened Academy functioned, the courses Kaelis would need to take over the next four weeks before entering the Dream Realm.
He also informed him about the procedures that would follow the interview.
His True Name would be officially recorded and announced, both in the Academy's internal records and on public boards.
The following day, the ranking of the Awakened would be published on the cafeteria screen, showing everyone who would be entering the Dream Realm alongside Kaelis.
The ranking was impersonal and straightforward: the first names belonged to those with the highest chances of survival, based on their True Names; the last, to those with the lowest.
A cold chart… but a realistic one.
This would change everything. More Awakened would begin to watch him. He would need to choose his allies wisely and learn how to navigate this new world. Especially with those at the top of the list — usually children of powerful families, trained from an early age to survive.
As the interview neared its end, James adopted an even more serious tone.
"Kaelis, I have something to give you. And one last matter to discuss."
Kaelis noticed the immediate shift in the atmosphere.
"Yes… what is it about?"
"Your True Name and Aspect haven't been officially registered yet, but… you've already attracted the attention of some extremely influential families. Among them, the Valor Clan."
Kaelis widened his eyes slightly.
The Valor Clan? He had heard stories about them but had never taken much interest — not until he was marked by the Spell.
"Even though Director Rock tried to limit your visibility, this clan became particularly interested in you. Not just because of your Angelic Aspect, but also because of your background and origin."
James paused before continuing:
"I'm sorry to inform you… but someone high-ranking within the Valor Clan has expressed personal interest in you. To the point of wanting to offer you a Memory as a gift."
Kaelis reflected for a few seconds. Attracting attention was the last thing he wanted. Master Jet had been clear: exposure would bring allies… and enemies.
But the spotlight chased him, even when he didn't want it.
'I have no choice. I need to accept.'
'A gift from a powerful Clan could be either a blessing or a trap… But for now, Memories are essential. They could save my life in the Dream Realm.'
Kaelis gave a faint smile.
"It would be terribly rude to refuse a gift from such an important Clan."
James smiled back, and the Choir of the Silent whispered again through his voice:
'Clever boy.'
James extended his hand. Kaelis took it.
Bright lights began to flow between their hands — as if a luminous essence were sliding from James's soul into Kaelis's.
Suddenly, the voice of the Spell echoed in his mind:
[You have received a Memory: Crown of Maddened Judgment.]
James watched Kaelis in silence for a few seconds, as if trying to imprint the moment into memory, before finally concluding the interview.
"Kaelis, that's all I had to tell you. From this moment on, your interview is officially over. I only ask that you be prepared for the consequences of having a True Name and, above all… be extremely careful."
"Understood. Thank you very much for the interview and, especially, for all the explanations and advice. I'm sure they'll be of great help. But… just one more thing: when will we meet again?"
James gave a smile — a sincere, kind smile — but there was something behind that gesture. A hidden shadow in his expression, a well-disguised sorrow that Kaelis was still able to perceive.
"The next time we meet, young Kaelis," he said in a soft voice, "will be when you return from the Dream Realm… and hopefully, that wait won't be long."
Kaelis returned the smile and stood up from the chair. James rose as well. The two exchanged a final handshake — silent, yet filled with respect and promise — before the young man left the room and began walking back to his dormitory.
The conversation had been more than informative — it had been invaluable. Kaelis hadn't just received another Memory, one tied to a member of the powerful Valor Clan, but also found answers to many of the questions that had been tormenting him. James had helped him see paths, dangers, and truths he was only beginning to understand.
As soon as he returned to his room, Kaelis felt the weight of the past days finally crash down on his shoulders.
Too drained for any ceremony, he pulled off his shirt and let it fall to the floor. Then, he threw himself onto the bed, sinking into the soft, cozy mattress as if it were a silent refuge.
It felt strange to think he was about to fall asleep for the first time since the end of his Nightmare… Fortunately, he knew that both he and the other Awakened in similar situations still had four weeks before being sent back to the Dream Realm.
'So much has happened in so little time…'
'I survived my First Nightmare… Changed my family's life. Now I'm being guided by people like Master Jet, James, and Awakened Rock.'
'Tomorrow I need to get along with the other Dormants. Build connections, make allies… maybe even friends. That could mean the difference between life and death. Jet herself said that nobody could survives the Dream Realm alone'
But as soon as he thought about it, a shiver ran down his spine. He remembered his Flaw — the curse that made him feel and hear the hidden truths of the souls around him. And also the attributes of his armor... the way it made him stronger with the death of those near him.
The very idea of depending on the pain and suffering of others to survive was a burden that terrified him.
In a silent gesture, Kaelis summoned the Sword of the White Priest. The bastard blade appeared in his hand, gleaming, and he stared at the ruby embedded in its hilt with eyes full of thoughts.
"Hey, demon... are you there?"
The ruby glowed three times in response.
Kaelis smiled — a brief, weak smile. He opened his mouth to continue, but hesitated. The memory came like thunder: the moment he fell into the Sky Below, at the end of the Nightmare.
The deity had flown to him, throwing herself into his arms with gratitude and despair. He remembered the words she had spoken, her thankfulness... but also her pain, her sadness, her regret. And above all, her compassion.
He remembered the summoned dagger — the same one the White Priest had delivered — being driven into the deity's heart by Kaelis's own hands. That dagger had become this sword. And the ruby he now stared into...
Was the soul of the demon who had once loved her.
With a tight heart, Kaelis finally broke the silence.
"Demon... I wanted to apologize. Forgive me for having used you to pierce the heart of the one you loved."
"I didn't know the connection between you... I didn't know your soul was trapped both in that cursed dagger and in this sword. So... I ask for your forgiveness."
"I was weak in my Nightmare. I let my rage, my pain, and insanity consume me. I was manipulated and shaped into the perfect vessel for the goddess who now lives within me... And I couldn't do anything to prevent it."
"I was weak... And because of that, I ended up taking even the lives of innocents in that city."
He gripped the sword tighter.
"I'm sorry you have to see her image every time I send you back to my Soul Sea. I'm sorry for all the suffering I caused... And more than anything, for you having to live now inside someone as fragile as me."
"I... I'm sorry. Truly."
The room then became even more silent. As if Kaelis's words had altered the very air — as if the space around him had bowed before his sincerity.
His words were real. They carried the weight of guilt... and the purity of his compassion.
He could have blamed the demon. Could have rebelled against the goddess. But he chose something else: to ask for forgiveness. Even broken. Even bearing the scars of the Nightmare.
Kaelis was shattered.
The First Nightmare had torn his soul apart with more violence than any other event in his life. And even so, even wounded, even alone, he apologized.
The tears began to fall. Not from despair, but from a deep feeling of powerlessness — how small, fragile, pathetic he felt... alone in that room.
The memory of all he had lived — the pain, the madness, the death — still haunted him. Everything that had been necessary to transform him into the "angel" fate demanded... even if he had never wanted that burden.
And that pain... it hurt enough to make him cry, holding the bastard sword as if it were the only thing keeping him whole.
And then...
The sword responded.
The demon heard Kaelis's cry. And, for the first time, respected him.
The ruby glowed, but did not flicker — instead, it blazed like a living hearth. The blade was bathed in a dance of sacred white energy and demonic red energy, entwined like living chains, spinning around the blade... and crying with him.
Kaelis widened his eyes, watching the lights spread through the room and around his body...
But he wasn't afraid.
The Angel — for that's what he had become — allowed the heat and cold of that light to envelop him. Let himself be embraced by the conflicting emotions — joy and sorrow, hope and pain — touching his soul with both tenderness and weight.
And before he realized it...
Everything turned white.
When he regained consciousness, Kaelis was no longer in the room.
He was... floating?
Around him there was only white void. A space without time, without form — and strangely, it wasn't his Soul Sea.
He looked toward where his hands once were. But they no longer existed.
His body was made of light. A golden, untouchable, pure light.
There were no wings, no face, no arms, no legs. Just a presence. An existence that was, at the same time, silence and light.
And still, his mind was at peace. Even without understanding, he knew what he was.
He couldn't speak, couldn't move. He just existed. A spectator before something he didn't understand... but deeply felt.
Then, like the resonant sound of a violin string being played, a truth emerged in his consciousness.
Not words.
But a revelation.
"Before the war, before the titles... there was only silence. And two beings who should never have met."
And that was how the Angel understood.
He had been taken to a primordial time.
To the lost beginning of the Dream Realm.