[You have slain a Fallen Terror, Crimson Terror of the Forgotten Shore.]
Nico panted heavily, sliding from atop the dead being to the ground, landing on his feet. Seconds later, when the adrenaline in his blood began to finally fade, he buckled to his knees and wheezed. His glaive, plunged deep into the Terror's rotten mass, dispersed into a scattering of white sparks.
[You have received a Memory.]
'Oh. That's… that's great.'
An Ascended Memory of the Sixth Tier. It was sure to be useful.
No longer able to sustain his faux excitement he surrendered to the pain, rolling over and leaning back onto his palms.
Barely able to keep conscious, Nico prepared to beckon Changing Star to heal him, then felt an impossible pressure suddenly descend onto his soul.
'What is that?'
It was white hot and seemingly harmless, but he could feel its growing constriction.
'My Soul Core is being manipulated.'
And if that was happening, then it could only mean one thing: he was assuming the role of the late Crimson Terror, becoming the new conduit of souls for the entire tower and its artificial sun.
Immediately, he checked his runes.
Name: Nico.
True Name: Eternal Dawn.
Rank: Awakened.
'Interesting. So the Spell already considers me Awakened. I wonder if my new ability has manifested as well.'
Down below, the Sleeper army appeared to have reached the gateway. Their luminous cores had flickered out entirely, and only two remained, both swiftly climbing to the top of the tower. One was oddly shadowy. One was Sunless. Nico didn't bother focusing deeper to view the true form of the other. They were most likely coming to bring them home safely. More gruesomely, they could also just be checking to see if they were even alive.
He continued onward through his runes.
Class: Demon.
Soul Cores: [3/7].
Soul Fragments: [347/3000].
Memories: [Silver Wraith], [Mourning Star], [Song of Steel], [Wrathful Crescent], [Winter's Vase], [Glass Torch], [Severed Vertebra], [Herald's Locket], [Sacrificial Sight], [Infectious Root], [...], [...], [...], [Nameless Sun].
Echoes: —
Specters: —
Spirits: [Barrow Wraith Shaman].
Attributes: [Empath], [Specter], [Flame of Divinity], [Godheart], [Soul Conduit].
Determining the new fifth Attribute was the one that explained his purpose in the tower, he moved to the final set without further examination.
Aspect: [World Tree].
Aspect Rank: Divine.
Aspect Description: [You are a powerful spirit of heart — always hungry, always growing, always reaching.]
Innate Ability: [Sacred Fruit].
Innate Ability Description: [Fruits born of the Soul Tree bear life.]
Aspect Abilities: [Soul Roots], [Soul Construction].
Curious, he viewed the new runes in greater clarity.
[Soul Construction] Ability Description: [You can transmute soul essence into physical matter.]
Staring blankly, Nico's mind almost failed. Did it just mean... anything? Could he simply create whatever he wished to? There had to be a limit. What were the limits? Where were the boundaries that would inevitably pop up? The possibilities certainly seemed endless, so much so that it was likely restricted only by the capacity and strength of his soul.
What was more concerning in the present, however, were the words the Spell had spoken to him after forming his Awakened Core.
'Aspect legacies…'
He didn't know much about them, but he did know that each was achieved through personal means unique to the owner. Several of the most famous legacy clans had claimed their own. Whether it be a specialized Memory, Echo, or something even more extravagant, they were all powerful.
His mother had had her own too.
It seemed the clear condition for his legacy had been Awakening before escaping the Dream Realm.
Still tired beyond reason, he focused on the new glowing string. Getting healed could wait.
Aspect Legacy: [Architect of Being].
[Architect of Being] Description: [The Architects swore a singular oath: creation before destruction, life within death, and growth beyond decay. Their mastery was a timeless craft, not born of division, but by the fostering of their bodies, minds, and spirits into an ever-growing whole. Into one blistering flame.
But when the end came — when the Forest burned, and their ways proved naught but misbegotten — all that remained was time. Time to twist heat into cold. Time to twist day into dusk. Time to twist dusk into the vision of Eternal Dawn.]
Nico stared blankly for a few moments. His aching brain wasn't quite able to comprehend the Spell's strange words while so fatigued.
It did manage to prove a pattern he had been suspecting in all his abilities, though.
'They're related to creation.'
In one way or another, his Aspect, and even his Flaw, seemed to be used more for the purpose of turning the world into his playground as opposed to razing it all down. In the era of the Nightmare Spell, where destruction was the driving force of the world's nightmares, it would end up being far more valuable.
Forgoing his half-hearted conjecture, he focused on the more important part just below the description.
'What did I receive...'
[Architect of Being] Mastery Level: [0/7].
Relic of Soul: Unearned.
Relic of Form: Unearned.
Relic of Mind: Unearned.
Relic of Spirit: Unearned.
Relic of ???: Unearned.
Relic of ???: Unearned.
Relic of ???: Unearned.
There were seven whole lines. With each, he supposed, his mastery would have to improve in whatever the relic's specialized area was before he could claim it. The first four had been revealed to him already. It was possibly because he had prior knowledge related to their drastic importance in manifesting life.
'No matter. I can master the soul in one way or another once I return to the waking world.'
The heavy weight over his chest reminded him of the tower's burden, however.
'Right. I need to get healed and get out of here.'
Looking around, he suddenly felt something dark churn in his chest.
Sunless had arrived at some point. He was standing far away with a dark expression on his face.
'Where's… the second person?'
The strange boy had been ascending the levels alongside another soul.
Then, he saw Nephis. She was standing just above him, her weapon in hand and armor battered. White flames still licked at her skin, revealing that her augmentation had yet to fade.
He remembered he had almost beckoned her over to heal him, but her expression now was… it was resolute.
And regretful.
And cognizant.
Nico's eyes widened. He attempted to summon his roots in time. He raised his arm in defense. He sprang backwards as fast as he could. But still, he was forced to watch in slow motion — despite the effects of the [Fractured Vertebra] having worn off long ago — as Nephis thrust her longsword upwards.
Then, with both her hands gripped tightly around the hilt, he watched as her blade collided with his arm, and the last conflict within the Forgotten Shore — the battle waged not between monster and man, but man alone — began.