[Prepare for evaluation.]
Yun found himself standing on still waters in the middle of a dream-like space. The waters were a shallow pool that lay atop a lonely peak amongst a green, mountainous valley. The entire space was shrouded in a light mist that partially obscured its sheer scale, but still failed to hide its magnificence.
Yun could already tell that this was in the inner world of the Curse. He was tempted to stay and find whatever its source was and destroy it, but he knew that wouldn't end well. For him.
But otherwise, the fact that he was here meant he did it. He won.
"Lucky me."
Yun froze. "Wait."
He reached for his mouth and stuck his fingers in… and began licking them.
"I can lick."
"I can lick again!"
Yun puffed his cheeks, stuck out his tongue, and started blowing air. The ridiculous trill it produced was like a symphony to him. It was glorious.
Of course, the body that suffered all that wasn't his, but Yun was the one who experienced that unforgettable pain and suffering.
He turned around with his hands held high, still blowing air through puffed cheeks, and met with the face of God.
Yun fell on his butt, gawking at the figure in front of him. It was a statue of a six-winged being the size of a house. The god didn't have eyes. Instead, long, twisting horns protruded from where His eyes were supposed to be. Despite that, He still had a gaze that seemed to pierce the world.
The statue looked like a deity and a saint simultaneously. The arms were crossed, with its hands positioned on the chest, and its wrists crossed to form a wing-like gesture.
Of course, Yun knew the image of whom that statue was made in. Who didn't?
He brought his hands to his chest, mirrored the god's posture, and bowed towards Him.
"Hallowed be Severin."
***
Yun's performance in the Vision was going to be evaluated in front of God's statue. Whether it was Severin Himself conducting the evaluation, he did not know.
"Who cares who it is. Just hand me my rewards."
As if in response to him, he heard the Curse speak. But this time, it wasn't his voice. This voice carried the authority of heaven and earth.
[Descendant! Congratulations on experiencing the First Vision.]
[Evaluating performance…]
[An abandoned servant — lost and alone — found himself captured and dragged on a condemned quest for the Falling Sky. Wading through a Dragon and even the future Black Star, Miri Maliki, the servant sought refuge from his estranged master, but found none. Despite that, amongst mighty warriors and outcast deities, he emerged as the lone survivor.]
Hearing that summary, Yun almost blushed. Kind words, especially coming from such a deific voice. But… did he hear that right?
"The Black Star?"
The confusion ended the moment it started. There really was only one possible explanation.
Without Yun taking the servant's body, the real Miri survived the whole Falling Sky ordeal, that is, the actual one this Vision simulated.
She then went on to become a figure of much renown, so much so that the Curse gave her an epithet and spoke her name with something approaching reverence. Was the real Null Entity involved somehow?
"What really happened on that island?"
Dion's words about a Vision's significance resurfaced.
Meanwhile, the Curse continued, and Yun decided to bury that train of thought.
[You have purged a dormant-core Beast, spawn of the 'Lost Sea' King.]
[You have killed a yellow-core Mortal, Haska Maliki.]
[You have defeated an orange-core Mortal, Mortin Maliki.]
[You achieved the impossible! A creature of the celestial flame burns with the vital flame…]
At those words, Yun tripped over and fell. The pool water remained still, with no trace of ripples whatsoever.
[… You possess both a celestial core and a vital core.]
"Wait, so I get to keep it?"
Cringeworthy or not, if Yun was going to be forced to become a Divine, he at least wanted to be a special one. Your run-of-the-mill Divines risked being thrown in the meat grinder that was the Plague Reclamation Campaign of the real world.
He wasn't sure how many Divines had vital cores, if any, but he would be surprised if the answer wasn't zero. Vital cores were only native to the Forsaken Realm.
The Curse said it itself, he had achieved the impossible.
That also meant he wouldn't truly need a Divine's bodysuit. Since celestial essence granted nothing outside of a Path, many non-combatant Divines relied on them for bodily augmentation via their Authority. The higher their Authority got the stronger the augmentation was.
Having a vital core meant Yun had no need for it.
In fact, his strength would double if he exploited both the bodysuit, and his vital essence. The sky was truly the limit.
"Wouldn't that mean I'm now susceptible to the Plague?"
A chill wind blew through the valley.
"Eh, I'm sure it'll be fine."
[You have killed a
Yun expected a big reward for this, but none came. A bit disappointed, he listened further.
[You have defeated a red-core Mortal: the Black Star, Miri Maliki.]
A beat of silence, then…
[You have received a Vestige: Minstrel's Veil.]
With a pump of his fists, Yun rose to check his new Vestige. The Loneliest Heart, despite saving his life, was a tad bit underwhelming. The likely reason for that was Haska's core refinement level. He was a yellow-core, two levels below Miri's red core.
Speaking of core levels, they were: dormant, yellow, orange (from Mortin), red, and purple.
He was sure they were more above that, but that was a worry for another day.
Vestige: [Minstrel's Veil].
Vestige Type: Armour.
"Yes! I was hoping for some cool armour. Rags be gone!"
Vestige Rank: Red.
Vestige Grade: Mortal.
Vestige Description: [The First Sun's blessing of beauty, not to be confused with the Red Mistress' blessing of beauty, was thought to have been inherited by the river tribes of the Euphrates. As such, many a craftsman sought their unique fabrics for luxury clothing, and even armour. This one was pulled from the cold, severed corpse of a travelling musician who dared to court the wrong man's sister.]
Yun's face soured.
"What was that ending?!"
Weird ending aside, there was something familiar in the text.
"Hmm… Euphrates. I've heard that word a couple of times, no?"
But before Yun could fully check out the Vestige, the Curse was already moving on.
[You have purged a purple-core Mortal, Maliki Maliki XIII.]
"No Vestige for that one, huh?"
[You have received the Cloudstrider's Gift—]
[You have not reached the criteria to receive it. It will remain dormant within your Path.]
"What?! No…"
Yun wasn't really mad about not receiving the gift yet. He just wasn't a fan of being told something exists, but not being able to see it or know what it is.
"Argh, the curiosity is going to kill me. I hate this."
[Yun Morrigan, your actions do not befit those of a mere servant. Therefore, you must shed that burden and emerge free.]
[Your Lineage Path is ready to evolve. Evolve Lineage Path?]
He gulped, placing his palm on his chest, gripping it tightly. This is what Virtue Dion said would happen.
Quietly, he said, "Y-yes?"
[Cloud Servant is evolving…]
[A new Path has opened up in the weave of your Fate].
[You have acquired a new Lineage Path.]
Yun held his breath.
[Lineage Path: Cloud Strider.]
"Oh?"