Without even a fleeting moment of respite, he was thrust into an eerie void—a space that defied the fabric of reality itself. He felt simultaneously connected and disconnected, as though standing on the precipice of an entirely alien existence.
The instant he arrived, the jarring sensation of teleportation sent him sprawling to the ground. But as the shock began to ebb, a voice, ancient and resonant, pierced through the oppressive silence:
**[Aspirant, your trial is over.]**
The voice wove a tale of valor and desperation:
**[The last worshiper of the Sun God, the lord of his village, embarked on a quest to save his people. Through harrowing trials, he stood unbroken. Even as his cunning plan unraveled, he lured the beast into the Temple. With nowhere left to turn, he offered a desperate prayer to his lifeless deity. And while the Sun God, long silent, turned a deaf ear, another—awed by his resolve—answered his plea.]**
**[You have slain Ascended Human Aaron of the Nine.]**
**[You have vanquished the Awakened Tyrant, Moon Walker.]**
**[You have drawn the gaze of gods.]**
**[You have achieved the impossible.]**
**[Final Appraisal: Glorious.]**
A sly smirk crept onto his face. *"Well, when you put it that way... I must admit, I didn't do half bad. Honestly, I'm kind of proud."*
But pride quickly gave way to impatience. *"If they don't give me something transcendent for all this, I swear, I'll cry."*
The voice swelled again, shaking the very air:
**[Dreamer Dawning, receive your boon.]**
**[You have been granted a True Name: Dawning Dusk.]**
His jaw dropped. *"A True Name?! Wait—no, no, no, you're joking. I didn't actually mean it! My first nightmare and I get... this?!"*
Shock gave way to unrestrained joy. He leapt to his feet and broke into a gleefully ridiculous dance—a rare, hard-earned moment of happiness amidst the torment he'd endured.
But the voice had not finished.
**[Your aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve Aspect?]**
His grin widened into a feral smile. *"Why even ask? Do it!"*
The air shimmered, the cosmic gears shifting.
**[Dormant Aspect: Sun God's Last Worshiper is evolving.]**
**[New Aspect acquired.]**
**[Aspect Rank: Divine.]**
As the declaration echoed, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground. His voice, trembling with disbelief, could barely articulate a response.
*"A Divine Aspect... and a True Name? This... this is the beginning of something extraordinary. I'm... invincible."*
---
**Aspect: [The Great Dawn]**
**Aspect Rank:** Divine
**Aspect Description:** You are an anomaly—a creation of sun and shadow, your soul reworked by the hands of the Divine into a perfect amalgamation of light and darkness.
---
His breath hitched, his chest heaving with emotion. *"Insane. Absolutely insane. It was all worth it."* The words left his lips in a whisper, a strained but content smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
**[The first seal has been broken.]**
**[Awakening dormant powers.]**
He braced himself. This was it—the moment that would determine everything.
An unfamiliar sensation clawed its way from the depths of his being, stirring his very soul. He was dragged inward, into the abyss of his Soul Sea. The world around him was enveloped in infinite darkness, yet he could see clearly, for at the center blazed a core of vibrant orange and white light, a luminescence reminiscent of dawn breaking.
*"Is this my Soul Sea? Is this... because of my aspect?"*
Before he could dwell, the voice roared once more, dragging him back to reality.
**[Aspect Ability Acquired.]**
**[Ability Name: Dawnfire.]**
**[Ability Description:]** The unrelenting flames of dawn, forged into a fusion of shadow and light. Your control over these flames is intertwined with your emotional and mental state, growing stronger as your resolve sharpens.
His laughter erupted, raw and triumphant. *"With this... I'll become unstoppable. Magnificent! This is the path to sainthood!"* Madness glinted in his eyes, his elation uncontained.
But the voice, cold and impartial, broke through his euphoria.
**[All power comes with a price.]**
**[You have received a Flaw.]**
The weight of the words pressed down on him as the verdict came:
---
**Flaw: Empathy**
**Flaw Description:** You feel the emotions of others as keenly as your own, each joy and sorrow piercing your very being.
---
His exuberance faltered as he processed the implications. *"Well, that's... not as bad as I expected. But... controlling my powers depends on my stability... This could get complicated."* His voice carried a note of reluctant acceptance.
---
**Name:** Dawning
**True Name:** Dawning Dusk
**Rank:** Dreamer
**Dawn Core:** Dormant
**Dawn Core:** 8/1000
**Memories:** [Dawn Breaker], [Amulet of the Night]
**Attributes:** [Destined], [Mark of Divinity], [Child of the Sun], [Child of Shadow]
**Aspect:** The Great Dawn
**Aspect Rank:** Divine
**Aspect Description:** You are an anomaly—a creation of sun and shadow, your soul reworked by the hands of the Divine into a perfect amalgamation of light and darkness.
**Flaw:** Empathy
**Flaw Description:** You feel the emotions of others as keenly as your own, each joy and sorrow piercing your very being.
---
*"Crazy, absolutely crazy. But you know what? All that suffering... it was worth it."* The words carried a quiet conviction, a strained but determined smile gracing his lips.
Author's thoughts:
I really did want to post this chapter, the 25th, like I had said, but I really just did not feel good at all, don't worry, I am much better now, but nonetheless you are all going to have a fairly dry patch for the next week or so since I'm going on vacation. Sorry, not sorry :)