Michael tiredly slumped against the rocky walls and slid down, groaning and gripping his side. His crimson drenched figure glanced at a mauled carcass in the middle of the cave, producing a thick scent of filth and corruption.
He picked up a crude coat of fur laid nearby on the snow, the one he furnished from the nightmare creatures he killed previously. Unfortunately, it was nothing but a bunch of scraps now, torn and stained with blood.
Michael caressed his aching arms, wincing at the terrible pain, followed by gently touching his cheeks. He could still feel the warmth embracing his face, fleeting with every moment that passed.
'What was that?'
He had no idea what caused his body to suddenly heat up, enveloping him in a faintly familiar... sense.
'Was it the nightmare creature?'
No, that wouldn't make really any sense, it didn't seem like that beast had the capability to do such a thing.
There was only one possible reason.
'It was that figure in the distance.'
Michael remembered seeing someone in the distance, standing on the boundary between light and dark. He couldn't see who it was, simply because he was literally on the edge between life and death. It was just a blurred figure shrouded in darkness.
Not only did it stand there, it... spoke to him in a voice he just couldn't comprehend, like it was something he couldn't remember.
He tried looking around after his... indecent outburst, yet, he couldn't see where that person went.
'Unless they disappeared deeper into the cave...'
Was there really a person there to begin with? Was it all just his imagination? If so, then what would explain the warmth he felt?
The only way to find out would be to follow them, but venturing further into a cave wasn't really something Michael wanted to do, if he had anything to say about it, that was.
Michael sighed and looked up at the cave's ceiling, yelping from suddenly moving his once decapitated neck.
'This healing thing... is very bad at it's job. It feels like even the slightest movement and I'll be without a head again.'
He learnt the hard way that being decapitated was not a very enjoyable experience, so he would have to be extremely careful from now on. As Michael delicately traced his fingers across his neck's scar, his face contorted in remarkable curiosity.
'It's about time I checked my runes. I need to know what I'm dealing with to escape this hell.'
Michael focused and the familiar runes promptly shimmered before him. First, a general idea was in order, focusing on specifics can wait till after.
___
Name: Michael
True Name: Sole Survivor
Rank: Dreamer
Blood Core: Dormant
Blood Fragments: 34/1000
Memories: [Precious Cloak], [Wolf's Wrath], [Sweet Nectar]
Echoes: ---
Manifestations: ---
Attributes: [Cursed], [Stain of Divinity], [Dream], [Crimson Mantle]
Aspect: [Bloodborne]
Aspect Rank: [Divine]
Aspect Description: [Your blood has been stained by a long dead divine longing to escape it's fate. You have borne your curse in your blood, now you must bear another's.]
Innate Ability: [Consume]
Innate Ability Description: [Your blood has been blessed with divine properties and is the essence of your being, allowing you to feast on the blood of your enemies to heal your wounds.]
Aspect Ability: [Blood Control]
Aspect Ability Description: [You can will your blood.]
Aspect Legacy: [Blood Art]
Flaws: [Guts], [Burden]
___
'That... is a lot to take in.'
Michael's mind was already strained, so he decided to take it slow and start from the top. The first rune that caught his eyes made him nearly want to dance.
'I really got a True Name!? No wa-'
In the midst of his excitement, he flinched from moving his body a little too much.
'Ah... fuck... Sole Survivor, huh? That sounds pretty cool. Just what I needed.'
Moving down the list, he locked eyes with an interesting set of runes.
'Blood Core? Blood Fragments? What's that all about?'
Michael tried to remember if he had ever heard of something like this, but the memory escaped him. He swore it was something along the lines of 'soul' instead of 'blood', but perhaps it was unique for everyone.
Michael continued down and finally looked at his Memories.
'[Precious Cloak]… there's no way...'
He summoned the Memory in his hands, waiting impatiently for the ethereal sparks to take shape. After a few moments, his face softened in sentiment with a hint grief.
In his hands was a tan wool cloak, the same one his wife gifted him on the first day in his First Nightmare. The soothing softness, the masterful sturdiness, it really was the same one.
'...'
Michael glanced at the Memory's runes.
___
Memory: [Precious Cloak]
Memory Rank: Dormant
Memory Tier: I
Memory Type: Garment
Memory Description: [A tan wool cloak meant as a gift from a loving wife. It fit perfectly and kept them safe from the harsh elements, the perfect gift for the love of their life.]
Memory Enchantments: [Excellent Insulation]
Enchantment Description: [This cloak provides the wearer with light resistance to the elements.]
___
'Couldn't have asked for a better gift...'
Garment Memories were incredibly rare and useful, able to be worn with Armour Memories. It was only Dormant, but a light resistance to the elements was way more than he could ask for. Resistance to the cold right now was indispensable in this hellhole.
'I need to find her. She's out there, somewhere.'
___
Memory: [Wolf's Wrath]
Memory Rank: Awakened
Memory Tier: I
Memory Type: Weapon
Memory Description: [A defiant bunny crudely carved this fearsome dagger from a wolf's vile fang and protected it's colony with the wolf's wrath.]
Memory Enchantments: [Charming]
Enchantment Description: [This weapon can be fitted with a Charm Memory.]
___
'What kind of description is that? Is the Spell making me out as a bunny!? Why do I feel so attacked... I don't even know what a bunny is!'
An Awakened Memory given to a Sleeper? And one that could be outfitted with a Charm, no less? This was just too good.
Michael dismissed the cloak and summoned the weapon after a few seconds. The dark concealed it a bit, but he could still see well enough to discern this weapon as something to be reckoned with. The dagger had a curved blade carved from chalky bone around the length of his forearm with a subtle serrated edge. The grip looked surprisingly well crafted from a rough mixture of blackened bone and charcoal steel. What the bone was blackened with, was something Michael didn't want to really think about.
All in all, the dagger exuded a daunting and dangerous aura, at least for him.
___
Memory: [Sweet Nectar]
Memory Rank: Fallen
Memory Tier: I
Memory Type: Charm
Memory Description: [A translucent golden charm with blood flowing within.]
Memory Enchantments: [Cutting Edge]
Enchantment Description: [This charm allows compatible memories to cut deeper and inflict more bleeding.]
___
'A Fallen Memory!? Was that cave creature really Fallen!? Am I the first Sleeper to perform such a feat? Knowing my luck, some Sleeper out there probably killed a Great nightmare creature...'
Banishing his suddenly sorrowful thoughts, Michael relished in the fact he actually received a Fallen Memory, a Charm Memory at that.
'Inflict more bleeding, huh? I have a gut feeling that will be useful.'
Michael was about to look further down before a sudden thought entered his mind.
'Wait... what the Spell are Memory Tiers? And why can I even see the Enchantments? Hmph, must be from my Aspect, who cares.'
He was about to look at his Attributes until something caught his emerald eyes.
'Manifestations? Another thing I haven't heard of?'
Michael discerned that it must've been something similar to Memories and Echoes, judging by the name. How he could acquire a Manifestation, was beyond his strained imagination for the moment. Perhaps it was more related to Attributes instead?
'Speaking of Attributes...'
He keenly looked at his list of Attributes and noticed he gained another one.
___
Attribute: [Crimson Mantle]
Attribute Description: [In a battlefield where rivers of blood flowed and guts rained from above, a lonely warrior took off their mantle stained in crimson to bring forth their imagination into reality.]
Attribute Traits: [Dormant], [Mantle], [Bound], [Bloodthirsty], [Bulwark], [Hell Armament]
Trait: [Dormant]
Trait Description: [This is the dormant form of the attribute. All traits except [Mantle] and [Bulwark] will be active.]
Trait: [Mantle]
Trait Description: [This is the active form of the attribute.]
Trait: [Bound]
Trait Description: [This attribute will grow alongside the soul's strength.]
Trait: [Bloodthirsty]
Trait Description: [The attribute's armor can be repaired with blood.]
Trait: [Bulwark]
Trait Description: [This attribute gives the armor high physical and elemental defense, and a moderate soul defense.]
Trait: [Hell Armament]
Trait Description: [This armor can accommodate a Charm Memory to inherit and enhance its enchantments.]
___
'What... the hell!?'
An Attribute that basically acts like a Memory!? Six Traits!? Bounded to the soul!?
Michael nearly jumped in jubilation before his body told him no. He slowly stumbled onto his feet, caressing his aching bones and muscles. Stood up straight, he summoned the mysterious mantle.
As soon as Michael willed it, blood began pooling around his body, coalescing into a solid form and taking shape. The blood darkened and hardened, before eventually stopping.
'No... no way.'
The crimson mantle assumed the form of a magnificent armor reminiscent of knights from the old fairy tales his mother used to tell him, like his father. It was made from blackened, dull steel plates with smoky leather and dark chainmail bandaged around for reinforcement and utility. Michael noticed most of the armor from head to toe was stained in a dark crimson color, as if the blacksmith that forged this breathtaking armor cleansed it in blood only to leave it settle for thousands of years. Better yet, as if a blood-soaked warrior fought countless, harrowing battles to survive in hell itself.
Everything from the spiky gauntlets to the comfortable greaves snugly wrapped around him, neither obstructing his movements nor causing discomfort, as if it was made personally just for his frail, lean frame.
'Thank Spell it isn't tacky and bulky.'
Michael was stunned in awe until his vision suddenly darkened and became obstructed. He lifted his hands to check what was wrong and felt a helmet in place of his brunette hair. Taking it off and inspecting it, it looked very similar to the rest of his armor, a blackened steel helm stained in blood with a narrow horizontal slit for his eyes.
Anyone else would think Michael was a battle-hardened warrior with over a thousands battles under his belt, killing nightmare creatures like the abominations they were. That was, until he took off the helm and revealed his youthful face.
'I need to bulk up a little... maybe grow a beard while I'm at it.'
Michael silently stood there, looking proudly at himself.
'How did I get this?'
He assumed he would get his answer further down, so no better time like the present to continue, of course, after summoning his [Precious Cloak] on top of his mantle, stopping his constant shivering.
___
Aspect: [Bloodborne]
Aspect Rank: [Divine]
Aspect Description: [Your blood has been stained by a long dead divine longing to escape it's fate. You have borne your curse in your blood, now you must bear another's.]
___
'Divine!? You're kidding me!?'
Fortunately, Michael controlled his sudden outburst of emotion.
A Divine Aspect didn't need explanation, the most rare, legendary, absolutely mythical rank possible that no one else ever had before? Yeah, no need to explain how indispensable that was. Awakened with even Transcendent Aspects could have entire wars fought over them. A Divine Aspect could instigate a fight between entire civilizations.
'Bloodborne... is that the reason for the Blood Core and Blood Fragments? Maybe even those mysterious Manifestations are unique to me because I'm Divine? Makes sense...'
Michael reread the description to reaffirm some of his worries.
'A long dead divine... why?'
How could he have been stained by a long dead divine? It's dead, how could it stain him with it's divinity from beyond the grave?
Just thinking about it made him chill under the warm armor and cloak.
'Let's... just continue.'
___
Innate Ability: [Consume]
Innate Ability Description: [Your blood has been blessed with divine properties and is the essence of your being, allowing you to feast on the blood of your enemies to heal your wounds.]
___
'An Innate Ability? Yet another mysterious discovery.'
Michael read the description and his jaw dropped.
'So that's why I could heal! If my blood is the essence of my being, does that change how my essence works?'
Could he gain essence through drinking blood? It didn't sound nice, in fact, it sounded revolting, but that was good to know in case he ever desperately needed essence for any Enchantments his Memories had. Though, he would prefer to just wait for his essence to regenerate, no need to do such disgusting actions.
'Hmm, my blood is divine yet I can't heal these scars? Strange... nothing suggests as to why everything hurts to damn much, especially the healing part. I thought healing was a soothing process, not so... agonizing.'
Now, it was only appropriate to look at his Aspect Ability, but he already had a solid guess as to what it could be.
___
Aspect Ability: [Blood Control]
Aspect Ability Description: [You can will your blood.]
___
'It seems I was right... what an insidious ability.'
Michael had already used this without him even knowing, it felt so instinctual and foreign at the same time. He knew first hand what power this ability had, twisting the insides of the abominations, paralyzing and turning them into his puppet.
During all of that, he felt a weird... sense, as if he could feel his blood inside their body. When his blood pooled on the floor, he could feel the beasts step on it with their mighty paws. He couldn't see or hear, just... sense it.
He had an urge to test it, but he really didn't want to cut himself.
'Desperate times calls for desperate measures.'
Michael dismissed one of his vambraces and was about to summon [Wolf's Wrath], but he decided his spiky gauntlets would be enough. He drew one of his fingers to his forearm and sliced, causing a small wound to open that spilled blood onto the snow.
He commanded his blood to move like it was an extension of his body, even managing to cover his entire forearm with it. He had a sudden thought and wondered if he could create objects with it, yet nothing happened.
'It seems my control isn't good enough yet.'
He tried hardening the blood around his forearm to create a layer of protection, and he also attempted to draw the fallen blood into the air and connect back to his arm, but alas, it was all for nought.
Michael continued testing for the next couple minutes and discerned his blood could only remain in a liquid form and follow similar properties, meaning it cannot harden or magically levitate in the air. However, he could command the blood to crawl up his body and the cave's walls like veins, so there was some suspension of logic.
Sense-wise, his previous guess was correct. He could sense movement and objects through his blood, a feeling completely foreign to him. It would take some time to get used to, but he knew it would be an incredible boon once mastered.
He also discovered something else, the range he could control his blood. From his uneducated estimates, he could actively manipulate and sense through his blood for a couple meters, perhaps ten. However, after he passed that range, he would lose all connection.
'It'll expand as I get stronger, I'm sure of it...'
Michael was about to reluctantly see what Flaw he received until something caught his eye.
___
Aspect Legacy: [Blood Art]
Aspect Legacy Description: [A canvas bloodied with the past and future, dreams and nightmares of the cursed.]
First Stage: Claimed
Second Stage: Unearned
Third Stage: Unearned
Fourth Stage: Unearned
Fifth Stage: Unearned
___
'Aspect... no. No way. I unlocked my Aspect Legacy!?'
Was this how he acquired the [Crimson Mantle]? What did he even do to unlock the First Stage?
Entire Legacy Clans were built around an Aspect Legacy. The fact he received his so early - along with a Divine Aspect - was extraordinary. Could he... create the strongest Legacy Clan ever? Screw it, an entire clan centered around every Stage all governed by him.
'Only thing I'm missing is a beautiful...'
Michael's previous joyful expression turned sour for a moment before becoming passive.
'Never mind... let's just see what my Flaw is and be done with this.'
He looked at the bottom of his runes to find his Flaw, and his entire body shook.
Michael's eyes dilated as he stared at the runes shocked, absolutely frozen as if the blizzard turned him into ice.
'I have...'
Michael collapsed to the floor, clenching the loose snow in his fists.
'I have two flaws?'