After waiting for several hours, I heard the faint sound of footsteps. They were quiet, steady, and clearly ascending the stairs toward the summit.
Toward me.
I focused my mind and erased my presence, bracing myself. Soon, a girl appeared. She was young, perhaps only a few years older than me, in her early twenties. Her long blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders and back, and her eyes were calm and deep, like a clear lake on a summer day.
The Vessel of the Sun. The Priestess of the Cathedral.
According to what I had heard, her name was Lyra. Her fate was truly pitiable. To sacrifice herself and live in solitude for hundreds of years before finally breaking... a fate I wouldn't wish even upon my enemies.
I watched her silently as she stood in the center of the hall. In the middle of the room was a circular platform covered in magical engravings. Although there was some Runic magic present, it was superficial—I could tell because I had studied the Runic arts.
While the Song Clan isn't famous for crafting or magic, my mother had collected many books on Runic sorcery. I could confidently say I was somewhat proficient in it. The main obstacle to my learning had been that I wasn't Awakened. While one doesn't technically need to be Awakened to write runes, it affects the process indirectly; I couldn't use relevant Memories and would feel exhausted quickly. Awakening meant an increase in both mental and physical fortitude.
With the help of the [Runic Eye], I realized the inscriptions aimed for two things: Stabilization and Condensation. They were using them to stabilize the strange magic and condense the essence at the center of the circle.
A loud thud interrupted my thoughts. It was the sound of the gates closing below us.
It was over. The Priestess and I were finally alone.
I watched as she knelt in the center of the circle and began to pray. I estimated I had about an hour while the humans outside the tower prepared. After all, slaughtering tens of thousands of people takes time, and their deaths surely required specific rituals to ensure their essence didn't dissipate.
One hour was enough.
I stepped quietly behind the Priestess. Before she could sense a thing, I struck her from behind, knocking her unconscious. Honestly, I wanted to kill her and be done with it, but I wasn't sure—they might sense her death. I couldn't risk any unstable factors in my plan before the Seven Heroes sacrificed themselves and the ritual truly began.
I summoned the [Rope] Memory and bound her tightly, then tore a piece of her dress to gag her. Finally, I summoned the [Incense] Memory to ensure she stayed calm and asleep.
Sleep well, dear. It will all be over soon.
I left the Priestess in the center and stepped out of the runic circle. Now for the second part: The Blood Ritual.
I summoned my dagger and sliced my hand. Using the blood, I began to draw. First, a large circle around the platform. Then, wavy lines in a specific pattern around that circle. I paused to reopen my wound before continuing. Next, I drew a pentagram, placing a generous amount of blood at each of its points.
By this time, my face was pale from blood loss. I realized I couldn't use any more of my own. I approached Lyra, tore another piece of her dress to bandage my wound—an Prince like me shouldn't ruin his own clothes—and turned my gaze toward the girl.
I'm sorry that I'm not sorry for what I'm about to do.
I used the dagger to cut her hand, continuing the ritual with Lyra's blood. I drew primitive shapes of beasts and lines merging the circle with the pentagram. Finally, I looked at the platform where the unconscious Lyra lay. I stepped up and kicked her off the platform.
I could feel that time was running out. The impact woke Lyra up in a panic. I summoned the Knight and ordered him to restrain her.
"It's just a dream, Lady Sun... just a bad dream," I whispered as I knelt in the center to complete the drawing.
To be safe, I didn't use Lyra's blood for the final part. It would be a shame if everything failed because of a blood mismatch. I cut my hand once more and began the final stroke.
I drew an eye. An eye with a vertical slit and bloody veins straining toward the center. Behind me, Lyra was wailing, trying to free herself.
Tch. What a pain.
I signaled the Knight to strike her, knocking her out once more. She was a mere Awakened, no match for an Ascended Echo. Finally, I looked at the eye beneath me and added the last touches.
It was complete.
I sat cross-legged in the center of the circle, right above the eye, gasping for air as blood dripped from my hands. Remembering my theory about the egg, I summoned it before me.
"I swear by the Dead Gods, if you are useless, I will cook your real version and turn it into a meal."
Was it my imagination, or did it twitch?
Before I could think further, a wave of essence surged through me. I stood up with difficulty, clenching my teeth to keep from screaming as the power intensified.
It had begun.
I signaled the Knight. He unsheathed his greatsword and brought it down upon the unconscious Priestess.
[You have slain a human: Awakened Lyra.]
I dismissed the Echo as I struggled against the overwhelming force invading my body. It was destructive, yet I knew this wasn't even the worst of it. The essence was increasing, nearing its zenith.
In the midst of my agony, I heard a sound beneath me.
Cr-crack.
I looked down to see the egg fracturing. A beak was tearing it open from the inside. Heh. My guess was right.
Before I could finish the thought, a crushing wave of essence swept over me. Light began to pour from my eyes and mouth. My body floated slightly off the ground, buoyed by the sheer, crushing power.
Before I could drown in it, silence suddenly fell.
The pain vanished. The rampaging essence disappeared. And from that silence, I heard the voice.
The voice of the Nightmare Spell.
[You have offered yourself as a sacrifice to the Beast God.]
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Hello everyone, the Author here! I hope you're all having a wonderful day.
I have a question for you all. What do you think of these potential Flaws?
1. Flaw: [Poetic Soul]
Description: You cannot hide your emotions.
Basically, this Flaw means he cannot lie about his feelings toward those around him. For example, if he feels the person in front of him is weak, a liar, or pathetic, he will blurt it out immediately. Similarly, if he feels love or attraction, he must confess it on the spot. He simply cannot keep his true thoughts about people to himself.
2. Flaw: [Fused Soul]
Description: Physical damage affects the soul.
In short, his soul and body are synchronized. Every bit of physical damage his body sustains becomes soul damage. His blood is saturated with soul essence; for instance, if he loses blood, his soul shard count will decrease accordingly.
Let me know your thoughts, or if you have any other creative ideas!