The sun was rising on the horizon. The once forest was now only some trees that were carrying some fruits, and a land covered in ash. A lake reflecting the shining of the sun, on its calm surface was a fallen devil, dead. In a cave were four sleepers asleep. Vines covering them, slowly the vines were withering away, dropping the sleepers on the floor. On a hill was a lone tree, its leaves were nowhere to be seen.
The [Undaying Flame] was still floating there, where it had been left. Slowly it fell, its flames were out. Slowly the sleepers woke up.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!"
And four screamed in unison. Adam was sweating, his breathing heavy. Eyes moving around, flying up, he tried to summon his memory, but nothing happened. Mary was crying, breath unstable. Her mind was overthinking that she was still trapped in the dream. Lee summoned his flag down and prepared for the attack that was never coming. Lesser's body was streaming in pain before Lee summoned his flag. But the corruption was still slowly spreading. He turned his head, now looking at his cohort in their confusion.
The [Undaying Flame] was lying on the floor and the only light source was the sun's light shining from the entrance. Floating over him was Annalee, she couldn't be seen, yet but her voice was heard.
"Summon your memories."
Lesser knows why she spoke. Remembering that he had gotten some new memories, and not knowing wise, he summoned them both. A pendant formed. It was made out of silver like metal, and in the middle was a sun and moons. Moons were surrounding the sun, and carved into them all was tears. The second to appear was a glove made out of roots. Lesser felt the corruption slowly stopping and then draining out of him.
It took some time for the rest of his cohort to slap out of their stupor, Lesser was still lying on the floor not moving. The damage to his soul was healing thanks to Lee's aspect, his mind needed some time to heal, and the voice of madness was taking in the background.
"Kill them, you don't need them."
"It would be easy to kill them all."
"Move it already!"
But Lesser did not move, only looking. He had not summoned his runes, because he needed time, and because he was scared to see how low saturate his core was. And the first to calm down and look around was Lee. Lee was waiting for the first attack to come. One second, then ten seconds, and then some minutes. So when the attack never came Lee looked around and saw Mary crying and breathing heavily, Adam unfocused mind, eyes darting around, and Lesser lying looking at them all, breathing slowly, and being pale as snow.
"What happaning… What happened to your armor Lesser?"
His voice echoes in the cave, and like a bubble popping, Adam and Mary turn to him surprise to hear a voice other than their own. They looked at each other and turned to Lesser and found him to be calm and were pale out. Looking at them now, he slowly rose up.
"It took your time, did you, guys!"
"Alleyway. Welcome back from your guy's nap."
***
The sound of fruits being eaten. But everyone's eyes were staring at Lesser. It was an awkward quiet, it wasn't. They were silent till the fruit was gone, and it was Adam that spoke first, not moving his sight from Lesser.
"Can someone explain what happened?"
"We were trapped in a mind hex."
"Yeah, but how did we get out? By the way, nice new clothes you got Lesser."
Lesser look at them, with an awkward smile. Deciding on what to say.
"So… We were trapped by an ancient fiend, Souldream Tree, it was an Awakened
Tyrant."
The light from the entrance was the only light lighting everyone's face. The [Undaying Flame] had been dismissed by Adam. Their faces had a mix of surprise and awe.
"After some time, I broke out of the hex, by hearing many voices speaking to me. One was formed by me getting mad, the second was the original owner of the dream, and the fourth was the spell saying that I had killed something. After many attempts, I didn't go mad and found a way to leave."
"So… what did you do–"
"To kill everything there."
Lesser cut of Mary, but Lee and Adam didn't hesitate to ask.
"What did you do?"
"Yeah, Lesser… How did you kill everything?"
Their eyes pierced his soul. They wouldn't let him lie. It was like they were using his flaw against him. Mary's voice was the judge in this questioning.
"What is it that you are reluctant to talk about? Is it the third voice or how you lied about killing everything?"
Lesser was sweating bullets. Adam and Lee voice echo after
"Both"
"Both"
"Yes both were the things you were reluctant to speak about, why? Maybe it is how you finger out how to get out. Mmmm… The third voice gave you the clue or–"
"Fine, I Speak!"
It was Annalee that made him speak. Her voice had whispered in the background, she was his guide and should help him get out of this, but she didn't miss when he had avoided speaking about her. And she took it personally.
"First about the Souldream tree, I told a lie, it was not the original owner of the dream, but it did trap us in it. Second about my armor, it changed to this. And no I don't know how. And about killing everything was a half lie."
"So what did you do then, to get us out?"
Mary's voice intimidated him. His face was down, looking up at her, he saw that Lee and Adam both looked away. And Mary's eyes showed a hint of anger, but her face was calm.
"I needed to kill one Transcendent human."
Their faces drop, and Shock and fear replaced it instead. And when Mary's voice spoke, it had dropped that dormaning authority.
"Yo… Yo… YOU NEEDED TO KILL A TRANSCENDENT!!!"
"Not only that, a Fallen Devil and the Souldream tree, that was an Awakened Tyrant by the way."
His voice sounded calm, like it was a joke. It had not yet landed on him yet, what he did. Annalee's voice whispered to him.
"Now you've done it."
"Huh?"
Mary was looking at him, no emotion on her face. She had fallen unconcerned. Lee and Adam were walking out of the cave, wanting to avoid this talk.
"Ah."
***
"So, did you get some memories from them?"
The guys were standing outside the cave looking around the land. The land was covered by ash and fallen trees. Some trees were still standing up, their fruit hanging from them ready to plock. The lake was calm, but it now had a giant turtle floating in it. Turning around and up the hill was a lonely tree, no leaves were left hanging from it. And in the sky was the group of Hunting Darkgale flying around. Not getting closer to the platform, like something was still blocking them to get closer. Lee's question landed, but it took some time to be answered.
"Yeah, two."
"Which?"
"The Souldream tree and the Transcendent human."
"Soo… what do they do?"
"I only know what one does, slowly absorb corruption from its owner."
"What!"
"HUH!"
Lee and Adam loot at him in shock. Lesser turned to them, shocking his shoulders. Now calling his rune forward.
Name: Lesser Silverlight
True Name: –
Lesser eyes landed first on his true name should be, the spell spoke like he had already gotten his true name. But nothing was there.
Rank: dormen
Soul Core: 478/1000
It didn't fill his soul core when he killed her. But it did now show what his real situation was for his soul core.
Memories: [Hard Mallet], [Stalwart Chisel], [Blessing of Avenli], [Tears of Home], [Magic Leaf], [Annalee Wish], [Heartful Dream], [Tears of Sun and Moon].
Name: [Heartful Dream]
Runes:
Memory Rank: Awakened.
Memory Tier: V
Memory Type: Weapon.
Memory Description: [When a…]
Lesser hop over the description and look at its enchantments.
Memory Enchantments: [Freestanding Roots], [Soul Root], [Calling Dreaming].
Enchantment: [Freestanding Roots].
Enchantment Description: [It will enhance another weapon with is powers]
Enchantment: [Soul Root].
Enchantment Description: [It can pierce through the body to the soul.]
Enchantment: [Calling Dreaming]].
Enchantment Description: [Slowly make the hurt fall asleep.]
He was in awe how useless it was now. Only one was a Passive. The other two were active and needed essence to be used, so he couldn't use it yet. But this one didn't have the anti–corruption enhancement.
Name: [Tears of Sun and Moon]
Runes:
Memory Rank: Transcendent
Memory Tier: I
Memory Type: Charm.
Memory Description: [Avenli separated pieces of her soul and had them absorbed by her creature, and slowly they formed their own mind. Tears had the memory of Avenli sadness and began to feel rage for all that made her forgotten. She could realise the corruption forming in her body and placed it in the creature that protected her. Slowly it stole her power of the dream and sealed her mind. Then a creature that was followed by moons blocked her sun, sealing her more. One day, unfated "–––––" helped her break her seal, and killed her with her favorite jar.]
Memory Enchantments: [Drops of Tears].
Enchantment: [Drops of Tears].
Enchantment Description: [This memory absorbs corruption from the host.]
Only one enchant and it was limited on how manly time it could be used. Looking closely at it, the sun in the middle tear was half way full now.
Echoes: —
'...'
"..."
Attributes: [Unfated], [Mark of Divinity], [Scribe], [Stringer], [Piece Key: Tears].
'A Key, huh. Interesting.'
Attribute: [Piece Key: Tears]
Attribute Description: [You now carry one piece of Avenli soul: Tears.]
A key to what? Was his question. but it wouldn't be here he learned the truth to this.
Aspect: [Sculptore].
Aspect Rank: Sacred
Aspect Description: [You watch Choice's creations, to learn how they make their status come to life. Only making fakes, you desire glow only higher. To make a statue matching Choice's Creations.]
Innate Ability: [Sculpting].
Ability Description: [You can turn your creation into a echo]
Aspect Abilities: [Carving].
Ability Description: [You can carve power into your works]
'How do I even make use of you to make an Echo?'
Flaw: [mark of trust].
Flaw Description: [Hear truth spoken]
"Okay, now that I have checked my new memories, I can say that one is limited on how many times it can absorb corruption, and the other can only be used with essence."
Turning to look at them and seeing them with a dead pan face, made Lesser laugh.
"Kekekeke, HAHAHAHAHA–"
And a punch hit him in the face the second he laughed out loud, and that made him fall down the hill. From laughter to a scream. Adam and Lee look at him falling down. They turned to each other, nicked in agreement and turned back to see Lesser on the ground below. Adam felt two hands touch his back and then he was falling down the hill. Lee turned to Mary.
"So… Should we–"
"Yeah, they need healing after all."
Lesser saw Adam rolling down the hill. But the pain of having his arm broken. Lesser summoning the [Stalwart Chisel], it was somehow not destroyed by flames. Instead it looks more durable than before. A Feeling made Lesser summon it runes.
Name: [Stalwart Chisel]
Runes:
Memory Rank: Awakened
Memory Tier: II
Memory Type: Tool.
Memory Description: [He made them Stalwart, but he did not love them.]
Memory Description update: [The last child made them Stalwart, but he couldn't love them as his. As their making was for peace, but only to know war. Left and abandoned, it cared for its creators' tools, one day to hope to be fixed]
Memory Enchantments: [Stalwart], [Abandont Tool].
Enchantment: [Stalwart].
Enchantment Description: [This tool provides low protection against physical attacks, low protection against elemental attacks, and a moderate amount of protection against mind and soul attacks]
Enchantment: [Abandont Tool].
Enchantment Description: [Abandon to never be used by its creator, but never had it reach its breakthrough.]
Utilization: 669/1000
"What is this?"
"What is what?"
Adam's voice sounded beside Lesser. They both were damaged from rolling down the hill.
"Nothing much, only looking at my memory that survived burning."
"Huh, nice… My memory still needs time."
"So was it a good idea to punch me down?"
"It was funny."
"Now?"
"Not so much."