The Spell's voice echoed in Rem's ears as the light at the tunnel's exit began to fade. A void of absolute blackness spread from the center of the exit that swallowed the light at first, then it spread towards Rem. It consumed the tunnel before it lastly made its way to Valdo. The last thing Rem saw before the darkness took everything was Valdo's eyes, and smile.
Rem found himself in the same pitch black darkness before he entered Roeselle's body. He couldn't help but lay on his back and let a sigh escape his mouth, as he also reached out to check his right arm that was made whole again.
'Finally. It's over.' He thought, his fingers clutching at his restored arm harder.
He slowly stood up as he waited for the Spell to speak again, but was caught by a surpise when far off into the void, countless stars began lighting up, one by one. Wherever he looked there were massive burning giants, even beneath his own feet.
Then countless strings of silver light sprang forth from the stars and wove themselves into a net so vast and intricate that the longer Rem tried to follow its pattern, the closer he came to losing his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut and clutched his throbbing head.
Only when the voice of the Spell resounded once more did the pressure in his skull recede.
[Aspirant! Your Trial is over.]
[A young, foolish hunter from a conquered realm joined his captors. He inflicted upon others the exact pain he had suffered, clinging to the hope that one day his blade would be their undoing. BUT! In the abandoned caves he lit a flame, a flame of desire!]
Rem realised this was Roeselle's story except for the last part, because he knew exactly what it meant. It was Valdo holding a sword out to Cathan, asking him to join them in their mission. By Valdo's own account, Roeselle would never have done that. He had trusted no one but Valdo, and due to Rem's clumsiness and his experience that forced Valdo to act and think for the first time.
[You have defeated a dormant beast: Wingless-worm.]
[You have defeated one dormant human, name unkown.]
[You have defeated an awakened demon: Shrouded Larva.]
[Final Appraisal: Good! May your light spread far and wide!]
Rem grimaced. What light? if it weren't for Valdo, Doran, Niall, and Cathan, he would be dead, controlled and eaten while he stood frozen, staring at the monster's jaws coming for him.
The Spell continued without pause.
[Your Aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve Aspect?]
He remembered the rewards his father had promised for beating the Nightmare and he said yes without hesitation, buyring the events of the Nightmare deep in his mind for later.
'YES!' The word burst out.
[Dormant Aspect Unbidden Alarm is evolving...]
[New Aspect aquired.]
[Aspect Rank: Awakened.]
Rem nodded, it was just like he had expected, nothing extraordinary. But his expression promptly changed as the Spell continued.
[Aspect Name: Ashen Apprentice.]
Ashen Apprentice? He thought. Like a pyromancer? A flame-wielder? Like Immortal Flame? He couldn't hide his excitement, and a smile crept across his face.
He was reaching for the runes when the Spell went on not giving him a chance.
[The First Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers...]
Something stirred deep within him. A heat unlike anything he had ever felt swelled in his chest, a shabbier echo of fire compared to the stars around him. The heat pulsed outwards from a miniture star lodged somewhere behind his ribs, through his stomach and shoulders, down his arms and legs, and up into his head and eyes. With every pulse his body changed. under that constant, washing heat, his bones, muscles and blood were remade and rebuilt into something stronger.
The sensation of washing heat was euphoric, Rem wished he could bask in its warmth forever, but before could savor it, the heat dissapeared.
When he opened his eyes, his vision had doubled. It had deepened, as though he now looked out through a second pair of eyes as well. A massive burning star hung before him, casting golden light over the still sea beneath his feet. This was his Soul Sea, and it looked just as he had expected.
A small sphere of light orbited the star. Rem stared at it, surprised. He hadn't expected to earn a memory in the Nightmare.
'A memory? But When...' He thought.
Rem was about to reach out and touch the white orb when the voice of the Spell pulled him out of his Soul's Sea.
[Awakening Aspect Ability...]
Rem set his curiosity aside, pressed his hands together, and lowered his head as if in prayer to the Spell.
'Please let it be like Immortal Flame. Please, please.'
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
[Aspect Ability Name: Stray Spark.]
'YES!' He cried out in joy, his hands clenching.
He pulled up the runes and threw aside his father's advice to read every rune carefully before moving on.
[Aspect Ability Description: Fortune favors the bold, but it only offers a spark. Either catch the falling flame, or burn asunder and join the damned.]
Rem froze.
'...What?'
He read it over and over again, feeling more confused with every pass. Disappointed, he pulled up the rest of his runes to give them thorough inspection.
Name: Rem.
True Name: —
Rank: Dreamer.
Soul Core: Dormant.
Soul Fragments: [6/1000].
Memories: [Shrouded Cloak].
Echoes: —
Attributes: [Faint instinct].
Aspect: [Ashen Scholar].
Aspect Rank: Awakened.
Aspect Description: [While other scholars read of war, you walk amongst its ash and ruins. Where they seek knowledge in books, your mind is forged in its violence.]
'Does that make me a glorified librarian then?' Rem thought.
Rem was about to read through the runes again when a new set appeared in front of him, and the Spell's voice resounded in the black void once more.
[All power has a price.]
[You have received a Flaw.]
[Your Flaw is: ...]
Rem stared in further confusion at the set of runes that appeared in front of him, a single though echoing through his mind.
'Is the Spell drunk, or is it just pulling a prank on me?'