By the time the coming-of-age ceremony came to an end, it was already late into the night. The starless skies were illuminated by the aurora, its luminous glow bathing the entirety of the north and chasing away the veil of darkness that sought to cover the world.
Most of the guests had returned to their humble abodes or settlements by now. The Jarls had likewise departed for their respective territories.
The Jarl of the Eastern Fjords had resumed control of the coastal area, while the Jarl of the Western Isles had returned to govern the numerous islands and coastal settlements under his domain. The Jarl of the Northern March had gone back to defend the northern frontier from the horrors that lay beyond it. And then there was the much more... elusive Jarl of the Southern Lands, who almost never bothered to attend such events, preferring to remain in his domain.
Why Father never held him to it, though, was something I often wondered about. But like most things Father did, no matter how much I racked my brain over the matter, I never found an answer to it.
And when I asked Eldest Brother about it, he refrained from saying much on the topic.
Shaking my head, I decided to put such pointless thoughts aside. I had more pressing matters to tend to.
Only by venturing into the Lands of Nightmares could I grow stronger at a rapid pace, especially considering the Soul Core I had awakened. If it were a simple Soul Core, then perhaps the tributes offered to father by the respective Jarls, Hersirs, and noblemen would have been enough for me to grow stronger. However, that wasn’t really the case with the War Dominion Soul Core. Or even with any Soul Core that could earn its wielder the title of a Champion of the Nightmare System, for that matter.
As dangerous as the Cursed Lands were, they were pretty much the only places that offered the fastest means of growing stronger for any Awakened, and even more so for the Champions of the Nightmare System.
All Awakened who eventually ventured into the Lands of Nightmares more or less gained some sort of connection with the Nightmare System. However, Champions possessed a far greater connection to it. To some extent, this connection could steer them away from unforeseen disasters that would otherwise have been inevitable, especially given the rank of a Champion’s soul core and the illogical nature of their abilities.
After all, such Soul Cores had a higher chance of attracting horrors and nightmarish creatures far beyond their wielder’s capabilities. As for where the System came from, and why it would aid the Awakened, no one had an answer to that.
Not even Father.
Exhaling, I reached for the connection binding me to the System.
Name: Ragnar Hvithrimssom.
Origin name: War Sovereign.
Rank: Dormant Awakened
War Soul Core: Awakened.
Soul Core Rank: Unknown.
War Fragments: [500/1000]
Vestiges/Manifestations: [Warborn], [HeavenSteps], [Sunder].
Ability: [War Dominion Body].
Authority: Champion of the Nightmare System.
I focused on the runes describing the vestiges.
Vestige: [Warborn].
Vestige Rank: Tier IV True Awakened
Vestige Type: Armor
Vestige Description: [The Darkness brought about the arrival of the Dark Mist. Or perhaps, it was the other way around.
This armor was forged from the remnants of an ancient civilization that survived a thousand battles against its minions. It recognizes every kill as nourishment.]
I had once asked Eldest brother what The Darkness was, and why it was regarded with such ambiguity by the System. As far as I knew, the System almost never described things in such a vague manner. Yet even Eldest Brother had no idea what the Darkness and the Dark Mist were. He did, however, warn me against delving into the matter any further.
Things... or beings that the System could only describe in such a manner weren’t something we could — or should — try to understand, lest we invite unforeseen disasters upon ourselves. Besides, considering the fact that they were Eldritch horrors whose names were not meant to be known, lest such knowledge draw upon oneself a fate far worse than death, I more or less agreed with Eldest Brother, even if curiosity gnawed at the depths of my mind.
Enchantments:
[Blood Tempering]: The more damage the wearer sustains, the more efficiently their body converts pain and injury into physical strength.
[Unyielding]: The armor reinforces the wearer’s body against attacks capable of overcoming their natural durability.
Considering my natural durability, that wasn’t an easy thing to accomplish. Yet somehow, the armor succeeded. Precisely why it was one of my most treasured aspects of the Vestige.
[Warrior’s Instinct]: Sharply enhances the wearer’s perception.
Given the fact that I had to engage in a grueling battle with a Tier Four Awakened nightmarish creature to obtain it, I expected a bit more from it. But this much would have to do.
And just as humans had a ranking system — from Dormant Awakened to True Awakened, Ascendant, Transcendent, Sovereign, Exalted, and the elusive demi-god realm — nightmarish creatures had one of their own:
Dormant, Awakened, Fallen, Defiled, Profaned, Cursed, and finally, Unholy. More than that, however, nightmarish creatures also possessed different soul-core classes, determined by the number of soul cores they possessed.
From the lowest Beast, to Monster, Devil, Aberrant, Tyrant, Heretical, and finally, the dreaded Eldritch. Each additional soul core granted them greater power, making them inherently stronger than humans of the same rank. And only those with higher-ranked soul cores could somehow bridge that gap.
I exhaled, glancing at the runes regarding the second Vestige.
Vestige: [HeavenStep]
Type: Weapon
Rank: Tier IV
Vestige Description: Its previous owner’s footsteps once crossed battlefields before armies could react, striking down a great enemy.]
That didn’t really say much about the Vestige or who it had once belonged to. But I wasn’t particularly concerned about that anyway.
It only had a single enchantment. However, it was one that I was very much pleased with.
Enchantment: [Instant Steps]
Enchantment Description: [For a brief moment, the distance between the wielder and their destination ceases to exist.]
Not only had it saved me from numerous horrifying creatures, but when used meticulously, it also allowed me to bridge the subtle gap that once existed between me and a Tier five True Awakened nightmarish creature.
And the last was certainly the one I loved most.
Vestige: [Sunder]
Type: [Weapon]
Vestige Description: [A weapon created in a dark, cavernous hall by one of the Enigmas, with the sole purpose of destroying the Dark Creatures.]
I knew the Dark Creatures were the nightmarish creatures. However, who the Enigmas were remained a complete mystery to me.
’Mystery, mystery. Mystery. The past was shrouded in many such mysteries, and it became harder for later generations to glimpse the truth of what had once happened.’
I exhaled in exasperation.
Enchantment: [Sundered]
Enchantment Description: [This weapon ignores a portion of the target’s defenses, striking directly at the foundation sustaining them.]
And this was the reason why I loved the vestige, as much as I could love any weapon. It only possessed that single enchantment, however, it effectively allowed me to combat higher-class nightmarish creatures.
Such creatures were known for their elusiveness and illogical abilities. Hence, the ability to strike directly at their foundation, ignoring whatever bizarre laws kept them detached from the world, was pretty much the best that one could hope for.
The most mysterious of everything pertaining to me, however, was certainly my Origin Name.
The Sovereign Of War.
I had received it as one of my boons before the System sent me out of the Cursed Lands- partly because I had somehow courted death by venturing into the territory of a Fallen Devil, barely keeping myself alive during the few minutes it took the System to send me out.
If only we could always receive such critical help.
But in my defense, it wasn’t like I had any idea a Fallen devil resided there. Moreover, the thought of leaving those free soul shards unattended to, was simply too disturbing.
As for what the Origin Name actually did, no one really seemed to have any idea. Or, if they did, they never talked about it. Not that I could blame them anyway. I would have done the same if I were in their shoes.
However, one thing remained constant: almost all elite Awakened possessed an Origin Name. If only they had gained theirs at later stages.
As far as I could tell, I was one of the few Awakened to have received one while still a Dormant Awakened. To make matters even more strange, I had received it before becoming a True Awakened.
A sigh escaped my lips.
I still needed five hundred fragments to become a True Awakened. Even for someone like myself, the Cursed Lands were nothing short of grueling, and the slightest mistake could lead to death... or, perhaps, an even worse fate.
It would have been much easier, at least while I was still a Dormant Awakened, if I could simply get my brothers to join me. Unfortunately, unless a Nightmare Gate appeared within that section of the Cursed Lands I was in, only an Awakened of the same rank could enter alongside me.
Considering that Eldest Brother and Second Eldest Brother were both Transcendents, and even Third Eldest Brother, who had awakened only a few months ago, had already become a True Awakened, I was stuck on my own.
And the dreadful adversaries my Soul Core drew toward me only served to make that fact more obvious.
Eldest Brother had somewhat come to a theory regarding why the Cursed Lands were like that. According to him, what we saw in the Lands Of Nightmares were more or less events, or even eldritch horrors, that had existed in the distant past and had now gained form in this current era through some unknown means. Perhaps he was wrong, and there were other reasons behind such an anomaly. Which I more or less tended to believe, for I simply couldn’t fathom the inconceivable power that would be required to make such a thing possible. I was afraid... even the gods, if they truly existed, wouldn’t be capable of accomplishing such a feat.
If that were even the case to begin with.
Perhaps we were just going on tangents, and the theories we had come up with were nothing close to the real, horrifying truth.
Lost in my thoughts, with a dark expression slowly settling over my face, I heard the subtle sound of approaching footsteps.
"When do you plan to head for the Cursed Lands?" asked the approaching figure.
I turned to face Ivar and replied solemnly:
"In a few days’ time."
He nodded. He remained silent for a while before adding:
"Avoid putting too much strain on your Soul Core. There’s something... wrong with the Nightmare System."
I frowned. Why would he say such a thing? I was about to ask, but considering he said nothing more about it, I decided against it. Since Ivar didn’t go into too much detail, there had to be a reason.
I nodded. "If I can avoid it, I will be sure to do so."
He said nothing. Silence settled between us as we both stared at the aurora. Eventually, with an almost never-seen solemn expression, Ivar said:
"If the System transports you into the Hollow Land... do your best to stay alive."
My eyes narrowed.
The fact that he would say that even after considering my abilities caused my frown to deepen, a growing sense of unease settling within me.
What unsettled me even more was the dark expression on Ivar’s face.
What could possibly be dreadful enough to elicit such a reaction from him? I wondered grimly.
...But then again, as cruel as the System could be, it was still somewhat logical. After all, Ivar was a Champion and also possessed an unknown-ranked Soul Core. Surely, it wouldn’t make me face something Second Eldest Brother had barely survived as a True Awakened.
Would it?
My expression darkened even further. Considering the illogical nature of the System, I really couldn’t be so sure.
I glanced at the distant land, as though I could somehow see the Lands of Nightmares lying to the north.
In a few days’ time, I would have to venture into that dreadful, horrifying land. The thought, for reasons I couldn’t explain, deeply unsettled me.