Milo sat aimlessly on one of the many cushioned seats along the wall of the police station. His mind was wandering in a million different places, would he even survive the First Nightmare? Why hadn't he taken up the offer of an awakened tutor? Why did he have to lose his right arm in a reckless accident?
Looking over, he saw his parents talking to the police officers with worried expressions on their faces. He couldn't blame them, recently, his cousin had died in the process of the First Nightmare. Who knew that he himself would be next.
'What a mess'
Milo felt so tired, he knew it was just the symptoms of the Spell trying to do him in. He could manage, he had pulled way worse all nighters in the Dreamscape.
His parents walked up to him, both his mom and dad giving him a giant hug. His mom was shaking, and his dad had a weary face.
"I believe in you sweetie. No son of mine would lose to the Spell"
"Give them hell, son. You better come back with a story to tell"
Milo melted into the embrace and hugged them back, he really wanted to cry, yet he didn't. Not in front of them at least
"I better get a new Dreamscape pod when I come back"
His parents let him go, and walked out of the police station. They couldn't stay, as much as they or he would like them to.
A young police officer approached him, a somber look on his face.
"Are you ready to begin?"
"As ready as one can be I guess"
The officer gave Milo a small nod, then he called over his radio
"We have a Code Yellow in the lobby".
----
Milo found himself strapped to the restraints he had seen in countless webcomics. Frankly, it was much more disheartening to be in them than it was to read someone being in them.
The awakened that was supposed to be watching over him was arriving soon, so all he could do was lie in idle wait. Sleep felt like it would take him over any moment now, why did it feel so blissful to close his eyes when he blinked?
'Just a little longer'
The vault door that Milo was contained in opened up, and Milo didn't even bother looking up from his laying position. His eyes closed shut, and a detached voice spoke to him
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]
Milo was dreaming of a once indestructible fortress that was seemingly laid in ruins. Ancient stone and splintered wood lay across a desolate mountaintop.
However, day turned to night, and that cycle repeated. Milo could see the aftermath of a bloody battle, a lone figure kneeling amongst a sea of bodies both human and creature. Then time seemed to resume its normal pace, a vast amount of humans and creatures were scaling the mountaintop. Reaching the walls of the fortress.
It was then that Milo took the form of something. His first action was to call upon his runes
Name: Milo
True Name:---
Rank: Aspirant
Soul Core: Dormant
Memories:---
Echoes:---
Attributes: [Automaton] [Prosthesis] [Unyielding]
Aspect: [Obsidian Protocol]
Aspect Description: [Obsidian Protocol is a measure used to make sure neither side of a battle comes out alive]
Milo stared at the runes with a keen sense of understanding. Considering the attributes, his lack of a right arm seemed to constitute him inhabiting the body of something that also didn't have a right arm.
Milo could not see anything, from what he could feel, it seemed that he was being covered by a tarp.
His limbs had restraints around them, and he could hear the sound of steel against steel, the roars of both man and monster above him.
'Better check my attributes before anything to severe happens'
[Automaton] Attribute Description: "You're a being who recognizes technology as second nature"
[Prosthesis] Attribute Description: "You wield a fluid prosthesis that changes according to your will"
[Unyielding] Attribute Description: "Your conscience is clear, your wield unyielding to others"
Milo seemed to slightly tense at the last one, now that he thought about...
'Aren't I way too calm in this situation?' It seemed to be the effect of the [Unyielding] Attribute, whether this would be a blessing or curse later was unknown.
Then, the tarp covering his face was finally unveiled. Milo was strapped down to a wooden table, different tools strewn about a knocked over stand on the floor. The person who had unveiled him was a ghastly man, multiple fresh wounds covered his face, and his left hand was completely missing.
The man reached into his robe, pulling out a golden core with blue accents pulsing with fate energy. He carelessly shoved it into the empty hole that resided in the middle of Milo's chest
"Activate Obsidian Protocol"
Milo suddenly felt power surge through his body, and an unyielding rage to kill anything he came across. His left hand shot out from its restraints. Grabbing the man in front of him by the throat and lifting him up. All the man did was smile, Milo looked at his right arm, a slick silver metal arm had seemed to replace it.
Willing the arm to take the shape of the swords he had always used in school, he pierced through the man who had activated him. Tossing his body aside with aloofness
[You have slain a dormant human, name unknown]
'It's time... to kill everything I can'
Milo ran forward, a mix of mechanical whirs and heavy breathing signaled his arrival out of the dungeon basement. The topside of the fortress he saw was in ruin. Debris and smoke littered the grounds. Fighting was strewn about what he could assume was the courtyard.
Milo wasted no time slaying the nearest living being
[You have slain a dormant beast, Filde's Offspring]
He dashed to the next one, sword slashing it's neck
[You have slain a dormant human, name unknown]
The next, then another, crimson blood, azure ooze, green goo. It didn't matter, human bones, armored shells, tough hide. It didn't matter
'Kill, Kill, I must Kill'
The number of beings strewn about the courtyard began to dwindle. His task was nearing completion. There was no sound except for the whoosh of blades, and he saw nothing but the weapons of those around him.
Milo snapped behind him, ready to slash, however he stopped. For some reason, his arm refused to slash down at the cowering figure in front of him.
'Kill it, I must kill...'
Milo suddenly snapped back to reality. In front of him was a girl that must've been no older than seventeen, holding a small dagger with shaky hands and a terrified expression on her face.
'Shit, what the hell happened?'
Milo's sword prosthetic was covered in the blood of many creatures, including humans. Every second that passed without him killing was what he felt like was seconds wasted.
'I really inhabited a war machine, didn't I?'
With a mechanical clack, his sword arm returned to a normal arm. Looking around Milo recognized three things. First off, there was a giant, strangely captivating figure at the gate of the fortress. Secondly, the humans seemed to be losing terribly. Lastly, Milo felt the urge to kill something again. It seemed the Obsidian Protocol was a last resort, and it was meant to kill everything and anything.
'Lets try something new'
Milo had to admit that this was merely for the sake of guilty pleasure, countless hours on the Dreamscape couldn't compare to experiencing the real thing however. His prosthetic arm shifted, opening up to reveal a hilt. Then, different parts from within began to click together. Multiple blades separated with slight slits formed a sword. Then, the metal lining holding it in place was released. Revealing that it was more like a bladed whip.
'Gods, I feel so cool'
Unfortunately, Milo wasn't taught how to use a bladed whip that doubled as a composite sword. So for the sake of his life, he stuck to a regular sword. Moving forward, he had to work tirelessly to make sure that he only killed the besieging nightmare creatures and humans, instead of the people on his side.
Along the way he suffered greatly, yet he felt no need to stop. In fact, it only pushed him to kill more efficiently and faster. The spell continued to whisper in his ear with each enemy he slayed.
The creature at the gate finally moved.
'Come on you bastard, come and fight me'
Filde, who Milo assumed with the creature at the gate, was massive a grotesque fusion, fish above and human below. Its form was strangely captivating, a horrifying beauty that drew the eye.
'Unfortunately for you, all I want is to see your blood on my blade'
Milo leapt, landing atop its head. He hacked and stabbed at its scales with fanatical fervor. Even when it struck back, clawing and shaking him violently, he didn't stop.
'Come on! Scream for me baby!'
His sword arm shattered, but he grabbed the broken blade with his left hand and continued. Only when the monster collapsed, groaning hoarsely, did he stop.
The Spell whispered.
[You have slain a Awakened Tyrant, Filde of the Deep]
[You have received a memory]
His body was ruined. His right arm was gone entirely, metal and flesh torn apart. Yet the bloodlust still burned.
'One more, I need to kill one more'
He raised the broken blade and turned it inward. With all his remaining strength, he drove it into the golden core in his chest.
The Spell sang one final time.
[You have slain a Awakened Beast, Carmen's Shell]
[Wake up, Milo! Your nightmare is over.]
[Prepare for appraisal…]