NOVEL WEB Chapter 6: Chapter 6
Levi felt something waking up inside of him. With a startled cry, he clutched his chest and stared into the darkness, trying to understand what was happening. The feeling was not painful or unpleasant, yet it was like nothing he had ever experienced. It was as though his soul was being shaken awake, infused with strange new energy.
However, that energy did not come from some outside source. Rather, it was coming from within, as though it had always been there, sleeping.
The energy filled every fiber of his being. Levi felt his emotions becoming clearer and sharper. Then, his body began to change, too. He felt as though a miniature star was burning in the center of his chest: waves of heat were radiating from it, slowly reaching his stomach and shoulders, then his arms and legs, then his hands and feet.
Under that heat, his bones, muscles, organs and blood vessels were being rebuilt and revitalized. Levi felt like he was being reborn. He was becoming stronger, faster, healthier.
It was euphoric.
After some time had passed, the star burning in his chest finally cooled down. The heat was replaced with a soothing coldness. That coldness washed over Levi's body, taking away all the aches and discomforts that had been accumulated there over the years. Then it moved up, reaching his brain and, finally, his eyes.
His vision strangely doubled.
He could still see the void populated by an endless pattern of stars. But he could also see something different.
A silent, calm dark sea illuminated by a lonely White sun.
This was his Sea of Soul , it looked.. quiet beautiful...
Not wishing to waste any more time on this right now, Levi turned back to the white sun and finally spotted one sphere of light orbiting around it, as though caught in the soul core's gravity well.
It was the Dormant Beast he had killed... Its echo to be exact. He did not feel happy to see it , at all.
{Awakening Aspect Ability..}
'This is it. The moment of truth,' Levi thought.
Divine Aspect or not, his immediate future still depended on the first Aspect Ability he would receive. His role in the Dream Realm would be based on its characteristics. If it was a combat ability, he would be most useful on the frontlines of the bloody battles against the Nightmare Creatures. If it was tied to sorcery, he would likely become a powerful, but fragile ranged fighter.
If it was something having to do with utility, he would be a vitally important part of the behind-the-scenes workings of the Dream Realm. Utility Abilities were also extremely valued in the real world, where Awakened performed many tasks that kept it going.
If he was lucky, he could even become a healer. Healers were very rare, and as such, sought-after specialists.
{Aspect Ability acquired.}
{Aspect Ability Name: Corrosion.}
Levi hurriedly summoned the runes. He wanted to go to the description of his new ability right away, but then decided to give his overall information a look first.
Name: Levi.
True Name: No Return.
Rank: Dreamer.
Soul Core: Dormant.
Soul Fragments: [0/1000].
Memories: -
Echoes : [Forest Dweller's Larva]
Attributes: [Arms of Ruin], [Mark of Divinity], [Ashen Burden].
Aspect: [Demon of Corrosion].
Aspect Rank: Divine.
Aspect Abilities: [Corrosion].
Aspect Ability Description: [Everything you touch with your palms corrodes.]
'Damn...'
That was a useful ability.. He would be a valuable fighter in the battlefield.. Combined with his [Arms of Ruin] attribute , Levi would be a powerful fighter..
He also decided to check the new Attribute he had received...
Attribute: [Ashen Burden]
Attribute Description: [Stained by the weight of unrelenting agony, your hair has withered into a lifeless white—stripped of color, just as your soul is stripped of peace. Each strand is a silent scream.]
"..."
Levi stared at the runes for a while. Was the spell.. mocking him..? What kind of an Attribute was this..? How would it even be useful..?
Levi held his breath and began to read the description again, but at that moment, a new set of runes appeared just below it. Simultaneously, the Spell's voice resounded in the black void.
[All power has a price.]
[You have received a Flaw.]
[Your Flaw is: ... ]
Levi read the runes, and his eyes widened in horror.
'Oh, no. No, no, no ... '
***
He closed his eyes, then opened them again, hoping that the runes would disappear.
'Please, be gone! Please!'
But the runes were still there, shining slightly, as though mocking him.
Flaw: [Eternal Suffering]
Flaw Description: [Flesh may break, bones may shatter, and agony may drown you—but death shall never come. When ruin claims your form, the Spell shall weave you anew, each rebirth paid for with months of torment. A prisoner of your own immortality, you shall walk until time itself takes you.] [You may only die by aging.]
Levi felt his heart sink.. what kind of bullshit was this..? Was the spell mocking him because he died in his First Nightmare..? This was not funny.. he did not want to be immortal.. he wanted be like a normal human..
But of course.. After becoming an Awakened , no one is considered as a normal human... so he may as well embrace his immortality..
'Like hell I will!'
He smiled smugly at himself. Who did the spell think he was? He was going to avoid a scenario where he would be fatally wounded! So his flaw would be practically not needed! But of course.. nothing is expected in the Dream Realm.. One moment you are safe , one moment later you are in danger. He needed to be careful with this flaw of his if he wanted to keep his humanity intact.
His thoughts were cut short. The spell spoke once again..
[Wake up! No Return!]
The black void spun and disappeared.
***
Levi opened his eyes , he was met with the ceiling lights of the room..
There were no monsters.. no forest.. no trees..
it was home. He had woken up despite dying in his Nightmare.
The first thing he tried to do was getting up. But unfortunately he was still tied to the thing he was sitting on.
He also was not in pain anymore.. his arm was still intact.. he didn't feel nauseas or exhausted. Levi felt anew.. he felt stronger too.. He almost cried at the feeling..
"You survived huh? Took you long enough.."
When he heard the voice , he turned to look at it. It was Sunless.. the small guy had survived too , Levi smiled at him.
"Hello.."
He looked at the woman sitting on the cheap plastic chair.. the woman was an awakened.. she looked breathtakingly beautiful. As he looked at her shoulder.. he saw 3 stars.. she was an ascended!
"Welcome back to the living world. Congratulations on surviving your first nightmare , Sleeper Levi."
"sure..."
Levi only replied with a few words.. he felt a bit detached after dying. But he was happy to be back.
***
The woman removed both their restraints. Then introduced herself.
"I am ascended Jet , You may call me Master Jet. I was on duty to watch you both for the past 3 days."
Sunless began to talk.
"Master Jet? I have a question."
"Go on."
"Why would a Master be put on watch duty? Isn't it ... below your pay grade?"
Jet gave him a dark look.
"You're smarter than you seem. Recently, there was a lot of Gates opening in this sector. Most of the local Awakened are either wounded or occupied with the clean-up. Or dead. It's always like that close to the winter solstice."
"Plus, there's not a lot of Awakened who, like me, directly work for the government. It's by far the least lucrative or glorious carrier one of us can choose. Would you abandon wealth and fame to work abysmal hours and risk your life, fueled only by altruism and sense of duty?"
Sunny wanted to say something flattering. Instead, he looked Master Jet right in the eyes and smirked.
"Of course not. I'm not an idiot!"
Levi stared at the small guy. Did he really speak what comes to his mind..?
After that Master Jet looked at Levi.
"By the way.. why did your hair turn white? Did you receive a cosmetic memory?"
Sunless looked at Levi too.
"..And why are you in such a hurry to use that cosmetic memory..?"
Levi did not speak for a few seconds , then replied quietly.
"Its.. actually an attribute that turns my hair white.."
Master Jet gave him a bewildered look.
"Interesting.."