Shadow Slave: Ghost

[Prepare for appraisal…]

As the world around him shifted into a black void filled with strings of silver light and stars, the pain in his shoulder and foot disappearing were the first things Belial noticed. Then, his hunger and thirst as well.

[Aspirant, your trial is over.]

[A creature, born of the fog, entered an inescapable maze with a group of humans, but left on his own. The creature killed his companions and feasted on them, and then left them to die to monsters who lived in the walls. Unaffected by their deaths, he made his way out on his own, killing a future-sighted corrupted devil along the way.]

[You have defeated two dormant humans, names unknown.]

[You have defeated a corrupted devil, Prophet.]

Belial's head was spinning. He killed a corrupted devil? It was unthinkable. All he did was lead it into a trap, but still. He killed a nightmare creature that strong in not even an hour.

It made him wonder just how strong the wraiths who tore it apart effortlessly were.

[Final appraisal: perfect. Where others would have struggled to do what needed to be done, you thrived.]

He was getting tired of being told things he already knew. He wanted to know what rank his aspect was already. If it was weak, he would kill himself as soon as he left the nightmare. He saw no point in living if he couldn't be powerful.

[Dreamer Belial, receive your boon!]

Though many would be happy to hear the spell call them a dreamer, Belial wasn't. Dreamer's were still only a step above the mundanes.

[You have been bestowed a True Name: Guiltless Cannibal.]

'How barbaric,' he thought, slightly annoyed. Most true names had nothing to do with someone's actions, so even if he told anyone his true name, they wouldn't know what he did, but even if they did, he wasn't ashamed. He did what he had to do so that he could go on living. And "Guiltless"? Why would he feel guilt? He did it to survive.

Even though it wasn't a name he'd like to have, he was still happy to see that he had a true name after only his first nightmare. Few got one at this point.

The spell kept going:

[Aspect Rank: Divine.]

Belial's eyes widened.

'Divine…? Fucking divine!'

His heart was racing, and a smile overtook his face. He had never been happier. He was expecting a Sacred aspect, maybe even lower, but he got one completely out of his expectations.

[Aspect Name: Smoke-Bound]

Innate Ability: [Ghost].

Ability Description: [You exude ghostly white smoke when you will it. Distorts enemy vision and perception. Muffles all nearby sound. Inflicts bleed and terror on those inside. The smoke grows in strength as your Aspect matures.

Belial's fists clenched. Even his innate ability was stronger than most aspects.

Never did he expect that his trials in the nightmare would earn him this. Still though, for all he knew, his aspect ability might be useless and he'd have to rely on his innate ability. Divine or not, it could have potential but still be too difficult to reach that potential.

[The First Seal is broken.]

[Awakening dormant powers…]

Like he was told when learning about the spell, he felt something awakening inside of him now. A new energy waking up inside of him and infusing itself into both his mind and body, and his soul.

As the new energy entered his body, spreading to every fiber of his being, Belial could feel himself become anew. He was something more now. Something stronger, faster, and healthier.

Where most would feel more confident, however, Belial still felt too weak. He wanted— No, he needed to be stronger.

Feeling the energy in his body settle and cool, he waited for the spell to continue.

Before it did, however, he realized that, at will, he could double his vision and now see into his soul core. From what he'd heard, this was all standard. What wasn't standard was the appearance of his soul core and soul sea, though.

Looking around his soul, unlike most awakened, it looked like he was on the inside of a thick cloud, protecting him from the darkness around the cloud. And looking forward, his soul core was glowing, and swirling with mist. It was like a condensed cloud of smoke swirling around. It reminded him of his veins.

'Interesting,' he thought.

Belial felt even better knowing his soul sea was different from everyone else's as well. He was beginning to like the feeling of being better than most.

Pulling him out of his soul sea, the spell finally spoke.

[Awakening Aspect Ability…]

'Finally.'

He was hoping for a combat ability. Without it, he wouldn't be able to do what he needed to. He wouldn't be an archer sitting in the back. No, he needed everyone to see him and know they were all dead the moment he stepped foot onto the battlefield.

He absolutely needed some kind of frontline aspect ability.

[Aspect Ability acquired.]

[Aspect Ability Name: Wraithsmoke.]

Immediately summoning his runes to see the description, Belial looked over all of his runes as he went down.

Name: Belial

True Name: Guiltless Cannibal

Rank: Dreamer

Smoke Core: Dormant

Belial wasn't surprised that his core was different from others just based off of it's appearance alone, but one thing did alarm him.

There was no indicator of soul shards. If there was no indicator of soul shards, he doubted that he'd be able to consume them. And if he couldn't consume them, he'd eventually be locked at a certain level of power. He wouldn't be able to grow in strength.

He continued going down his runes to find an explanation or to see if he'd have an alternative way to grow.

Memories: —

Echoes: —

Attributes: [Breathless], [Ghost Blood], [Silent Death].

Finally, he got down to his aspect.

Aspect: [Wraithsmoke].

Aspect Rank: D?i?v?i?n?e

'What the…' as he was looking at his glitched aspect rank, he closed his runes and reopened them, and it was fixed. He'd never once heard of the spell messing up like that. Maybe it was his eyes.

Aspect Rank: Divine.

Aspect Abilities: [Thief].

Aspect Ability Description: Upon killing an enemy, if you cover their corpse in your smoke, you may steal one of the following from them: Aspect, skill, memory, echo, legacy, or physical trait. You may store up to two at a time in your smoke. Stored traits can be removed or replaced at will. Once released, a trait is lost forever.

Seeing his aspect ability, he couldn't help but laugh. It was strong. Very strong. Belial was somewhat unhappy that he didn't have an aspect ability of his own, and that he'd have to steal others abilities, but that unhappiness was quickly extinguished the moment he realized he'd be able to immediately have two aspect abilities right off the bat, unlike others who only have one at the start.

He'd have to use his innate ability as his main combat ability for now, but later down the line once he killed someone or something and liked the ability they gave him, he'd be able to use that instead, or just use it with his innate ability.

While thinking about what he'd do in the future with his aspect, another set of runes started appearing, and the Spell's voice rang out.

[All power has a price.] 

[You have received a Flaw.] 

'Damnit, how did I forget about this,' he thought. If his flaw was bad enough, everything he was just excited about would be useless.

[Your Flaw is…]

Flaw: [King's Pride].

Flaw Description: [You cannot obey. Any attempt to command, bind, or subjugate you fails.]

"Hah…" he let a small chuckle out.

His flaw was perfect. Not only was his innate ability basically an aspect ability, but even his flaw was basically the same thing. He'd be immune to mind control or anything else that tried to control him. The only problem was that he'd be in pain a lot when working with others. If he ever joined a cohort, even just temporarily, he wouldn't be able to listen to even the simplest thing like: "Help me," or "watch my back," without suffering through the pain of denying his flaw.

[Wake up, Guiltless Cannibal!]

The black void around him spun and disappeared.

***

Belial opened his eyes.