Chapter 18

Dane felt something waking up inside of him. It came from his heart, he felt. He stared down at it fearfully. He remembered how that mist had entered his head through his eye. It was changing him then, and the Spell had intervened. It seemed like it would finish its job now. But it was different from before.

It must have been his powers awakening. The process of becoming a Dreamer and whatever the 'heart shitstain' had done to him were taking place together.

It wasn't painful or unpleasant, but it was like nothing he had ever experienced. Strange energy filled every fiber of his being. Dane felt his emotions and thoughts become clear. So clear that he almost yelped. Such a profound change was not supposed to take place, not for the mind…but then again, Heart was said to be the god of emotions. This was the doing of that strange Attribute he received, he knew.

Then, his body began to change as well. His heart burned cold, and chilling breezes radiated from it. It permeated his stomach and shoulders first. Then his arms and legs, and his hands and feet.

Under the chill, his bones, blood, muscles, organs, and blood vessels were rebuilt. Revitalized. He was being reborn. Stronger. Faster. Better. The feeling almost drowned him.

With each second, his transformation became more profound. Finally, the chill in his heart yielded, and a powerful wave of heat took him. It took away all the aches and discomforts that accumulated over the years. It moved up, washing over his brain and finally his eyes. His vision doubled.

He saw the dark world of stars and something else.

A storm. Water surged everywhere, filling the world, and its roars were deafening. Though the water was rapid and chaotic, it was crystal clear and seemed…perfect. Was this the storm his attribute talked about?

'The waves will follow it.'

The words rang in his mind. He concentrated, and to his surprise, the storm grew still instantly. Not a single drop of water raged. The water fell from on high and settled down, revealing an ethereal sun made of fog. It burned and churned by its lonesome, looking otherworldly.

'My Soul Sea,' Dane acknowledged. It wasn't supposed to look like this. Where a bright star was supposed to brighten and warm his Soul Sea, he had this instead. He could feel the chill that came from the fog. His soul was…different.

'A Divine Aspect…huh…or is it the shitstain's doing?'

No…it must have been the uniqueness of his Divine Aspect. He would not give the heart god any more credit.

Something moved. Dane's eyes shot to the water. Beneath it, far beneath, he saw them. Beings of ethereal fog in shapes he recognized. A serpent, humanoid monsters, some with long claws. They floated under the clear water and met his gaze. Unsure of what to say, he just stared. Their gaze did not linger. They zoomed forward with a speed he almost couldn't see and flew to his Soul Core.

Panic gripped his heart, and the waters trembled, but nothing happened. They were devoured by the fog, becoming one with it. "What the…," he sighed.

He calmed himself and looked at the sun of mist again. Two spheres orbited it silently as though they were planets. They were his memories. One was the Dead Medallion, and the other was the Mercurial Maw.

The Spell's voice suddenly pulled him out of his Soul Sea.

[Awakening Aspect Ability…]

Dane removed all unnecessary thoughts from his head, finding that action easy. He waited uneasily. This was the most crucial thing after acquiring an Aspect Rank. The ability he would receive would determine his role in the clan and the Dream Realm based on its characteristics. He hoped it was a combat ability.

[Aspect Ability acquired.]

[Aspect Ability Name: Phantom Metamorphosis.]

Metamorphosis. He had gained a Transformation type ability for his first Ability. To be able to transform without being a Saint or using essence. That was lucky! Some of Clan Song's finest were outfitted with such quintessential abilities.

He summoned his runes.

Name: Dane.

True Name: Heart's Bane.

Rank: Dreamer.

Phantom Core: Dormant.

Phantom Fragments: [23/1000].

'Phantom…Core?'

That confirmed it. His soul core was different because of his Aspect. He had never heard of someone having a unique soul core…but then again, humans had only had access to the Spell for a few decades. Discoveries have been nothing but regular since then. …Regardless, he would have to be careful with this information. It was stupid to tell others much without having the power and influence to protect oneself.

He glanced over the 'Phantom Fragments' runes briefly. Some people could get fragments without having to absorb soul cores directly. It seemed that he was now one of them. But even better, his soul seemed to absorb 'Phantoms' and not soul shards, like other Awakened did. Those things he saw in his Soul Sea must have been the fragments. 

The maths made sense: twelve fragments from the terror, five from the tainted corpses, and six from the sullied corpses.

He wouldn't have to drain the Gray Gust's resources. 'Heh'

Boon after boon. His Divine Aspect was a gift that never stopped giving.

He went back to his runes.

Memories: [Dead Medallion], [Mercurial Maw].

Echoes: —

Attributes: [Beholder of Souls], [Storm Forged], [Cursed Soul].

Aspect: [Wandering Phantom].

Aspect Rank: Divine.

Aspect Abilities: [Phantom Metamorphosis].

Aspect Ability Description: [You can metamorphose into a Phantom, existing beyond the confines of matter.]

It was just as vague as the rest of his Aspect. For the umpteenth time, he decided to look at it later.

Then the Spell's voice came.

[All power has a price.]

[You have received a Flaw.]

[You have received a flaw.]