25 Chapter 25

Dane stood, resolving himself. He did not doubt that he would be pestered endlessly after he enacted the choice he had just made. He had time to kill, so he decided he might as well familiarize himself with his new Echo and the Mercurial Maw.

He summoned the Memory's runes first.

Memory: [Mercurial Maw].

Memory Rank: Awakened.

Memory Type: Weapon

'Yes!'

A weapon from an Awakened Terror!

Memory Description: [A wizard goaded droves of men into throwing thousands of iron objects into a fiery pit. He watched the flames melt the iron before casting his newborn son into it. Amidst his wails of agony, the boy became something else. Flowing yet sturdy and dripping venom.]

That…thing…he fought was a child? A tot? He remembered its intelligent eyes again. Dane shivered. He rolled his shoulders, pushing the chills away as he summoned it.

Sparks flowed from his hands and shaped into a single-sided battle ax. Its haft was scaled iron. The pommel was a small figurine of a serpent's head, blue as sapphire. A swirling path wrapped around the snow-white iron of the haft from the serpent's mouth, reaching the ax's shoulder. The path was transparent and almost invisible amidst the white.

'Mercurial Maw…flowing and sturdy…dripping venom,' he remembered. He concentrated on the head. The blue drained from the snake's head and swam up, turning the transparent path blue. It touched the shoulder and vanished into the butt of the blade. A moment later, the battleax's edge was covered in blue from toe to heel. It was venom. He gulped, staring at the awful piece of iron. It was a deadly weapon.

He dismissed the Memory, and it returned to his Soul Sea. Then he summoned the Echo.

Sparks came again, and Dane had to look up to see a hairy chest. Standing ten feet tall on its hind legs, a bear with thick black hair took up most of the room's space. Dane thought a command in his head, and it obeyed, deftly getting on all fours.

Now, its snout was level with his head. Dane lay a hand on its humongous head, and it looked at him with confusion. He summoned its runes.

Echo: [Ashborn Stalker].

Echo Type: Monster.

Echo Core: Awakened.

Echo Attributes: [Strong], [Impervious Hide], [Impervious Breath].

Echo Description: [A predator that protects the base of the ashy mountains.]

The echo was produced at the ashy volcano near Ravenheart. A fearsome creature with a hide that could brave terrible fire and sharp steel, lungs that could live on smoke and ash alone, and a vicious frame. It had been the object of Dane's desire for many years. Ah, nothing was better than having a deadly monster as a cuddle buddy.

He had been six when he had chanced upon the bear roaming around the clan's manor in the Southern Quadrant, its Awakened owner sleeping. Dane had been trying to get to the chocolate on top of the fridge in the basement, but he was too short. The bear was his partner in crime. He should have been mauled to pieces. Instead, Lancel found him asleep in its clawed hands, unharmed and covered in wrappers of chocolate and drooling through brown-stained teeth. 

His furious uncle had the careless Awakened stripped of their rank. When Dane heard of the matter, he pestered his ever-doting uncle for days to keep the creature for him so that he could make it his when he passed the Spell's Trial.

In a shower of sparks, he summoned the Gargantuan Sack. It was a small brown sack, capable of fitting snugly against his waist if he tied the rope that came with it around his hip. He opened it and thought of chocolate, and it was in his hand. The same one he had been trying to get on that opportune day. He disposed of the wrapper and snapped it in half.

The bear sniffed at it, and recognition lit in its eyes. Dane tossed a half in the air as he bit into his own. The stress slowly ebbed out of him as it jumped joyfully, catching the chocolate.

***

Dane sat in the cafeteria opposite Sunless. The famished Sleeper had piled up a veritable mountain on his plate. He ate like there was no tomorrow. Dane almost wanted to dig in just like he did, but he knew he shouldn't. His forearm and neck still stung, making him a bit antsy, but that didn't mean he should forget all decorum.

He ate slowly, trying to keep the Sleeper company. Eventually, he finished, but Sunless was still eating. His communicator rang, and he stood. "It's your turn next. Finish up," he gave him fair warning.

Soon, he was seated in a small office. An administrative worker greeted him, her voice soothing and relaxing. She sat across from him. To her side was a monitor, and a keyboard was right under it.

Dane reached out with his memory, speaking into her mind.

"Hello," he greeted.

The woman coughed. Dane rolled his eyes and explained the memory's enchantment once more. His Flaw was revealed instantly.

"...thank you for trusting us with your Flaw, Sleeper Dane," she said. She offered him a small sum of soul shards.

Dane folded his hands. "I'm a Legacy," was all he said.

She nodded quickly and put it back. "Would you like psychological counseling? We understand that First Nightmares can be scarring, and your mind is as important as your body."

Dane refused.

"Would you mind telling me about the Aspect Ability you received, as in combat, sorcery, or utility?" she asked.

"It could be one or all of them," he shook his head, "transformation abilities are confusing, and I haven't had the time to try transforming yet."

Dane stood up, looking her in the eyes. He revealed, "I received a True Name as a reward for my Nightmare. I am Heartsbane."