Giovanni found himself floating in an exotic space at the threshold between reality and dreams. It was a vast, endless void, illuminated by stars of varying sizes.
Everything was united and interconnected by countless threads of silvery light, woven into a single whole populated by constellations and cores. Too beautiful and too grand to comprehend.
Even in the face of something extraordinary, the young man remained motionless, still processing everything that had happened over the past few days. Death should have taken him, yet Giovanni was still there, existing, alive.
A myriad of emotions clashed within his heart.
The euphoria of victory, the lingering hatred born from the pain he had endured because of that nightmare, the sadness of having given up in his final moments, and the difficulty of believing that all of this was real.
Had he died, he would have been consumed by hatred, despair, and a thirst for revenge. It would have been a filthy end, but a fitting one for a flawed human being.
But now, everything had been left behind. Pain, thirst, hunger, disease, none of it remained. That place belonged to no world, and the body of that poor pilgrim had died together with the centipede.
The last words he had heard from the spell, still fresh in his memory, repeated themselves on a loop.
"A corrupted demon… did I kill one of those things?"
He had been unable to rationalize the meaning of what was said at the time, but now that suffering was nothing more than a phantom sensation, the final moments could only be described as a miracle.
The sum of many specific events, strokes of luck, and the use of his talents to their very limit, all to emerge alive. On second thought, alive was a strong word; "victorious" was more appropriate.
In a way, the thing Giovanni had prayed for so fervently had come to pass. Even though he felt that, by the end of the nightmare, the person the boy had allowed himself to become deserved no miracle at all.
He had not wanted to protect himself from the enemy in order to live; he wanted to ensure the other suffered as well.
[You have received a memory: Grafter's Tunic.]
He had expected to receive the spell's evaluation, but apparently his last suicidal act had borne fruit. It was common knowledge that creatures possessed ranks and that these affected the rewards granted when they were slain.
A corrupted being was, in theory, equivalent to a transcended human. Therefore, the power of that item would be immense when compared to its bearer, a mere aspirant.
He showed a tired smile of satisfaction. After being thrown into a desert with no equipment and no one to help him, that felt like an excessive luxury.
"I can't even imagine how many credits I'd get for selling something like this. Especially since it's armor."
Before he could analyze it more deeply, the spell continued.
[Aspirant! Your trial is over.]
[A nameless pilgrim crossed the pestilent desert. Neither infernal heat nor freezing cold stopped him, and when the heavens punished him with the worst of winds, he turned the violent storm into his weapon, reaping his opponent. He reached the ruined city and toppled the tyrant who haunted it even after death. He opened the divine gates sealed by the sun. He was worthy.]
[You have defeated a dormant beast: Wretched Sand Fisher.]
[You have defeated an awakened beast: Grafted Damsel.]
[You have defeated an awakened beast: Grafted Soldier.]
[You have defeated a corrupted demon: Remnants of Amun-Sekhar.]
[You have opened the gates of Sekh'Tal.]
[You have achieved the impossible!]
[Final appraisal: Glorious. Your flame doesn't wane in the face of death.]
Now that everything was being listed at once, the journey truly was impressive, yet he felt that most of those achievements sounded far grander on paper than they had been in practice.
He hadn't even seen those blasted gates; he had already been flattened into a pancake of flesh.
It was hard to guess what rank his awakened aspect would have. The spell had praised him quite a bit, so something noteworthy was to be expected. As long as it wasn't something dormant or awakened, he would feel well rewarded!
[Dreamer Giovanni, receive your boon!]
The word "Dreamer" sounded good. He let out an embarrassed little chuckle at the title.
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Light Seeker.]
Was that serious? It couldn't be… a true name was more than just a decorative title.
It was the purest representation of an individual, and not even all saints, true demigods upon the earth, possessed one.
That would completely change the way he was seen in society.
[Your aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve Aspect?]
"Absolutely, please."
He asked the spell politely, afraid of being rude and having the reward denied.
[Dormant aspect Pilgrim is evolving…]
[New Aspect acquired.]
[Aspect Rank: Sacred.]
Giovanni seemed to faint for a brief moment.
[Aspect Name: Golden Prince]
Sacred was a single rank below the most powerful of all: the divine! It was so rare that he couldn't recall a single individual who possessed something similar.
Whatever ambitions he had before entering the nightmare now seemed like childish games. Instead of sitting in an office, ordering awakened ones to handle emergencies and sorting paperwork, he could be one of the heroes rescuing people from danger.
Unable to wait any longer, he hurried to read the description of his new aspect.
Aspect: [Golden Prince]
Aspect Rank: Sacred
Aspect Description: [You are the promised successor of a kingdom long forgotten. As a prince, your power originates from your loyal followers and the lands you control. However, the laurel crown is lost, and without it, your title is hollow and diminished. You seek your divine inheritance.]
Innate Ability: [Royal Right]
Ability Description: [Find trustworthy people and make them swear loyalty. Once under your command, your vassals share in the blessings and equipment in your possession. It is improper for a noble not to offer an abundant reward.]
Was it wrong to feel embarrassed by the idea of using his own aspect? He wasn't nobility, much less someone fit to command others! Just imagining himself approaching someone and saying "Serve me!" made his body twist with shame.
In truth, everything about that aspect made him nervous. Was it too late to want to be a pilgrim again? All of it was a bit too much for the poor young man.
The first thing he needed to do upon awakening was seek counsel from Master Omar. If anyone had experience with a wide variety of aspects, it was he, working for the government, the authority that managed, to some extent, all awakened individuals.
Even so, the description of the innate ability was extremely unique. "Blessings" were not standard spell terminology. There were aspects with powers capable of strengthening people, attributes that functioned as passive powers, and memories that were equipment capable of assisting in countless ways.
Equipment undoubtedly referred to memories and possibly echoes.
Blessings, however, could mean "good things" in general or something specific he did not yet understand.
"I'll only find out in practice, and I doubt I'll have any followers anytime soon…"
The spell whispered in his ear once more, announcing the second part of the process.
[The first seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers…]
Awakening truly seemed like the most fitting word.
His body was changing, and deep within his soul, something was being freed from chains that had existed since his birth.
More than liberation, it was also an infusion, filled with a new energy. The sensation was unique, but not unpleasant.
His mind grew clearer, his emotions sharpened, and the main change came in the form of intense heat in his chest. The formation of a miniature star that represented… him.
Giovanni was being reborn after death.
The mundane, gentle boy, sometimes a bit stubborn, was still there. But now, he had become more. Someone stronger, faster, and tougher.
The dream of fighting that centipede head-on was still distant, but he was now better prepared for the outside world.
Every drop of strength would be needed to survive from that point on.
His will, and his will alone, would dictate how far his limits could go.
When the process ended and his body cooled, his perception changed in a strange way, giving him the impression of being in two places at once.
Had he not already been somewhat accustomed to this, he would have been overwhelmed by the madness.
While part of his consciousness remained observing the starry void, the other was in some kind of verdant plain.
Short grass stretched alongside a sea of flowers of countless shapes and colors, and in the sky, a sun made of gold. It was the most peaceful place he had ever been, like a paradise.
If he wasn't going insane, that place should be the sea of his soul, though there was no water, only land and flowers.
Around the sun, two spheres of light orbited, his two memories earned in the nightmare. He felt a hint of pride knowing those were only the first of many, without a doubt.
If government salaries were good enough, he would buy a few he liked!
His focus was pulled away from within the sea, as the spell was not yet finished with its surprises.
[Awakening Aspect ability…]
Considering his new aspect, he had no idea what would come. He would be very grateful if it didn't involve controlling and influencing others as well.
His dormant ability to sense and control terrain had been very useful, but he urgently needed a way to hit something if necessary!
[Aspect Ability Name: Transmutation.]
That didn't sound like the kind of power used to block attacks or wound monsters right away. Wanting to better understand his current situation, he summoned his runes.
Name: Giovanni
True Name: Light Seeker
Rank: Dreamer
Soul Core: Dormant
Soul Fragments: [0/1000]
Memories: [Grafter's Tunic], [Vermin Head]
Echoes: –
Attributes: [Guided by the Light], [Acolyte], [Miracle Bearer]
Aspect: [Golden Prince]
Aspect Rank: Sacred
Aspect Abilities: [Transmutation], [Earth Domain]
He focused specifically on Transmutation, reading its description with a touch of disappointment, but mostly curiosity.
Aspect Ability Description: [Your will alters the form and essence of the world, transforming what you touch into something that suits you.]
Would it be like turning water into wine? Or salt water into fresh water? It seemed the spell truly had a sense of humor. He couldn't complain too much; it was still valuable in its own way.
Only one last thing remained to conclude everything, and it was what made Giovanni the most nervous.
[All power has a price.]
[You have received a flaw.]
[Your flaw is: Sinless Spirit.]
The description of his flaw was relatively simple, but he felt that things had become more complicated than ever.
In the past, it wouldn't have been a problem, since the need had never arisen, and when it did, it was accidental. All it took was an apology, and everything would be fine.
But now… it was comically devastating.
Flaw: [Sinless Spirit]
Flaw Description: [You cannot hurt others.]