Shadow Slave: Flaw of Gods.

After a short but substantial introduction about the first nightmare and the upcoming second one, his speech ended with the following words:

— If you can't find or reach the nearest human Citadel, look for abandoned Gates. They are usually located inside or near the most prominent landmark of the region. Work together to defeat their guardians and return alive.

He cast a heavy gaze over the crowd.

— That's all for today. Follow the instructions on your communicators to find your designated dorm. After settling in, you may head to the late dinner in the cafeteria. Soon the interview stage for creating study plans will begin. Get a good night's sleep — training will start tomorrow.

With these words, he gave a brief nod and left the hall.

***

Everything related to the Sleepers was in one building. Following the instructions on his communicator, Veil quickly found his dorm on one of the lowest levels. To his surprise, he was given a whole room to himself.

The room contained a bed with a soft mattress, a desk, a wardrobe, and a separate bathroom. All the materials were new and aesthetically pleasing, and the air was clean and sterile. It was warm inside, and the outer wall had a hidden screen that perfectly simulated a large window with a view of a snow-covered park.

There were even several sets of clothes with the Academy's emblem in the wardrobe — free for the newcomers.

"Practical," Veil thought.

Rationally, he understood that it wasn't luxury. But it seemed like luxury to him. Why? He didn't know. Or maybe didn't remember.

Veil smiled.

He changed into the new clothes and stood in front of the mirror. Remembering something, he summoned the runes.

Name: [Veil].

True Name: [Forgotten Spark].

Rank: [Dreamer].

Soul Core: [Dormant].

Fragments of Dream: [12/1000].

Memories: —

Echo: —

Attributes: [Heaven's contempt], [Mark of Divinity], [Heir of Dreams].

Aspect: [—]

Aspect Rank: Divine.

Aspect Abilities: [Dreams of Confusion].

Flaw: [Phantom Identity].

Veyl grimaced.

He had lost a memory he had put so much effort into. If he hadn't done that, he would have probably died.

Taking a deep breath, he focused on the description of his ability.

Aspect Abilities: [Dreams of Confusion].

Description: — You are the boundary between sleep and reality. Your steps leave traces that cannot be erased, and your presence can be forgotten by even those who swore they knew you forever.

"Obviously, this ability is related to dreams... that's clear. I've already used it. But what else can it do? Is its only function reconnaissance, where my body remains defenseless? And the masters will probably still be able to see me! What nonsense..."

"But this is a divine aspect. That means it must be one of the best. It can't be inferior to regular aspects, right?"

Veil exhaled and prayed that it was true.

Later, he went to the cafeteria with the other Sleepers.

The dinner was as pleasant as the dorm itself: meat, rice, bread, various side dishes, sauces, fresh vegetables and fruits, and a wide variety of drinks.

After taking a generous portion, Veil found a free seat and sat next to a silver-haired girl, whom everyone clearly tried to avoid. He shrugged and began his meal. It was much tastier than the porridge he had eaten a few hours ago!

However, enjoying his meal in silence turned out to be a luxury he couldn't afford. After a while, the girl asked:

— Boy, how old are you?

"Why is that always the first question?" Veil sighed inwardly.

— Thirteen, — he replied with his mouth full and returned to his food.

The girl frowned and continued:

— Are you a Sleeper?

Veyl nodded.

— Cruel.

With that, their conversation ended.

After some time, he finished his plate. Full and a little overfed, Veil realized it was time for his meeting with the Academy staff. He stood up and left the cafeteria.

Soon, Veil was sitting in a small office, facing an Academy employee. The man was friendly and immediately began the interview.

Despite his memory problems, Veil tried to recall the advice Master had given him, which he had heard from one of the students. Following it, he declined psychological assistance. The interview smoothly transitioned to a discussion about his Aspect.

— Could you tell me about the type of your Aspect Ability? Is it combat, magic, or utilitarian? — the employee asked, looking at Veil attentively.

Veil thought for a moment.

— Probably utilitarian.

— I see. Can you directly deal damage with it?

— Maybe? I'm not sure.

The questions continued in a similar vein. In the end, Veil provided enough information to give the impression that his Aspect was weak and harmless.

After that, he was sent back to his room.

***

Finally, the time had come to explore his Aspect ability [Dreams of Confusion].

Veil lay down on the bed and tried to sleep. To his surprise, despite the excitement, sleep came almost instantly. Perhaps it was due to the "Heir of Dreams" attribute or his Aspect ability itself.

As soon as he closed his eyes, he found himself again in the state of his soul, separated from his body. Veil felt the familiar weightlessness, and the world around him took on a bluish tint. His room now seemed visible through the eyes of… a ghost?

Looking down, he saw his peacefully sleeping body and wondered: where to begin?

After spinning a few pirouettes and sticking his head out of the window, he felt joyful, like a child. Wait… wasn't he a child? Well, that didn't seem important. He was far from an ordinary child.

After some fun, Veil turned his gaze to the desk. There were notebooks, pens, and pencils — enough supplies for an entire year. The Academy clearly didn't skimp on such things.

Veil decided to try picking up a pencil. But something strange happened. Or rather, nothing happened — but he could feel it.

Following his instincts, Veil tried to inhabit the pencil.

And he succeeded.

It was an incredibly strange sensation. The pencil had no muscles to move. No brain to think. No eyes, ears, or nose to feel. But his soul knew that he could make the pencil stronger, sharper… better in every sense.

Being the pencil felt oddly calming. He was almost ready to stay in that state forever when suddenly a suffocating feeling of fear overwhelmed him. The fear of losing himself.

A few moments later, Veil flew out of the pencil. If he had been in his body, he would have been covered in cold sweat from head to toe. That had been incredibly dangerous.

He looked anxiously at the pencil.

"I'll need to throw it away."

Veil sighed — as much as his ethereal body could.

Now he knew he could enhance objects by inhabiting them. This discovery brought him a lot of new thoughts. He decided to test one of them.

Veil looked at his body… and inhabited it.