I opened my eyes, the corner I was in far more detailed, seemingly far more structurally worse than I imagined.
Everything seemed far clearer, each detail on a plank, each imprint on a brick, the disgusting smell I was giving on, a smell I instinctively realized was the spell's.
I shuddered at the disgusting smell, immediately leaving the corner. Only to meet eye to eye, or should I say eyes. As dozens of creatures were inside my home, the same wolves, humanoid bird-like creatures, and giant crab-like spiders. As one, all of their gazes snapped to me, yet they did not move, not a single one, they didn't even seem to breathe. Then a wolf stood up I instinctively realized that it was the same one that tracked me down. It approached me slowly, sniffing at the air, then it slowly walked around me in a circle. Then, it barked... it fucking barked?! I stared at the dangerous nightmare creature, a creature capable of tearing through humans with ease, my mind somehow coming up with the answer that it was a Awakened Demon. In fact, most of them were Awakened, none higher than this one, though. And then it rubbed its head against my leg, and I decided "screw it, I die I die" and bent down, slowly reaching towards it with my right arm. The wolf stared at it intensely, intelligent, too intelligent. And then I touched it, and nothing happened, just my hand brushing against the soft fur of a nightmare creature. Then howls, barks, screeches, and chattering broke through. Not in animosity, but in happiness. I was confused beyond comprehension, now sitting on the ground, dozens of creatures all around me, the spiders clinging to my back and shoulders, the main wolf resting its head on my lap, the other surrounding me like a pack. And it was strange, I wasn't horrified, nor disgusted, I was happy, because for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt as if I had a family, even if not an entirely human one. And so I fell asleep, exhausted by revelations I still didn't understand, surrounded by creatures.
When I awoke, only the wolf remained; others seemingly dispersed long ago. The wolf's dark eyes seemed to stare directly into my soul. And I somehow understood, that it wanted to eat, and so we left the house and entered the city, I would not attack any of the creatures from last night, it seemed wrong to do so after sharing such a moment with all of them, and I could feel a bond inside myself, with every single one of them. And so I traveled with the wolf through the city, the creature sniffing the air occasionally, head turning every which way. The streets seemed far emptier than I remembered them being, almost as if everything had scurried off.
***
Finally, we found a creature, its torso covered by tentacles, legs barely able to carry its no doubt overwhelming weight.
A single gigantic eye made of fire stared directly at me, narrowed, and fired a beam of pure flames at me.
I jumped to the side, still unused to my greater speed. Wolf darted through the surrounding buildings, waiting for a clean shot. Finally, I summoned my memories.
First the the clothing one.
It manifested from abysmal dark motes around my form, first framed in black leather combat boots, then the equally dark cargo pants, followed by a black skin-tight long-sleeved shirt, and an equally dark metal chest plate forming on top of it. Then a long black leather coat manifested, surrounding me like a shield. And shield it did, as I paid for my inatention with a tentacle swipe, getting sent backwards. Yet I felt no pain, no injury either, just the sharp object feeling more like a blunt force. Then I manifested the [Vamparic dagger], the black hilt covered slightly by a red cloth followed by a blood red dagger manifesting in my right hand. Then I moved, far faster than I've ever had, my balance was perfect, instinctual. I dodged a tentacle, then a second one, finally I took the third head on, it brushing against my side as I changed my posture. Finally, I was in range of the creature, slicing directly at its eye, only for it to jump, its legs extending from inside of itself. It landed hard, a small dust cloud rising. Then the wolf pounced, tearing into the abomination's back. I dashed forward as well, throwing the dagger directly at its eye. The creature immediately froze from the hit, then collapsed.
[You have killed an Awakened Demon, Fire Octopus].
"Huh, an octopus?" I shrugged off the meaningless name and approached Wolf, who was already tearing into the creature's flesh, which honestly didn't smell too badly.
I sliced off several huge chunks of flesh, actually finding a soul shard that I completely forgot about. I crushed it in my grasp, the soul essence combining with my own. Increasing my nightmare fragments counter.
Then I grabbed the severed meat in one hand, picking up one of the tentacles to drag back the corpse for the wolf.
***
Soon enough I was sitting in my base, eating roasted meat, wolf lying close to the fire, obviously enjoying the warmth.
I chewed slowly, the flavour was decent, the texture strange, but not unappealing. Then a thought struck me, I can actually go back. The realization hit hard, it wouldn't matter if the creature was still there right? Since nothing should attack me unless I made a move first, or seemingly if I approached with the intent to fight.
Then I looked towards the wolf, realizing that I probably should name the creature.
I whistled lowly, the creature's head turning to me lazily.
"So I was thinking, you probably need a name if you will stick around", the creature's head cocked to the side, then it yipped, it fucking yipped... a realization struck me like a thunderbolt, far harder than the previous one.
"You can understand me...?"
The creature slowly got up, approached my location slowly, and sat in front of me like a dog.
Ideas already filled my mind, the usefulness, the dangers, the fucking impossibility of this situation.
"Uhm...do a roll?" Wolf cocked its head to the side again, then barked and did an actual fucking roll.
I laughed, at pure amazement and shock.
This could open so many doors, so many scenarios opened just because of this.
I grinned and clapped my hands "Alright, time to start giving names, just growl if no and bark if yes".
The creature barked and we started.
After about ten minutes, the creature finally barked, and so the creature was now named Fenrir.
Then I actually decided to check over the entirety of my runes. And so the slow and arduous task began.
Name: ######.
True name: Apex Of Nightmares.
Rank: Dreamer.
Nightmare core: beast [1/7].
Nightmare fragments: [16/1000].
Memories: [Assassin's wear], [Vampiric dagger], [Twilight bow].
Echoes: —.
Attributes: [Heir Of Oblivion], [Mark Of the -Unknown-], ["Perfect"], [Recovery], [Creature].
Aspect name: [Oblivion's Heir].
Aspect rank: [Unholy].
Aspect description: [Chosen by the -Unknown- to wield a fraction of its power, you bring Chaos and Oblivion].
Inherent ability: [One of their own].
Ability description: [As the Heir of Oblivion, no creature shall challenge you, unless you challenge them].
Aspect ability: [Warp].
Aspect ability description: [Warp the very fabric of reality, making the space be replaced by anything you wish it to be, even yourself].
Flaw name: [The "perfect" being].
Flaw description: [You are "perfect" and so a perfect being does not have a flaw].
I stared at the runes, a small frown on my face. Three of my attributes literally did nothing, and two were so simple that they didn't even need a description.
Then I moved on to my memories.
Memory name: [Assassin's wear].
Memory type: [Armor].
Memory Rank: [Awakened].
Progression: [1/100]
Memory description: [An attire specifically made to hunt and kill, to remain unseen and hidden, the assassin's location is only revealed when he strikes].
Memory Enchantments: [Stealth], [Growth], [Bluntness].
[Stealth] Enchantment Description: [the user is hidden until he moves].
[Growth] Enchantment Description: [This piece of attire grows the more blood it has seen].
[Bluntness] Enchantment Description: [Any physical damage will turn into blunt force that spreads through a large area].
I let out a whistle, this memory was insanely good, especially with its ability to grow.
Memory name: [Twilight bow].
Memory type: [Weapon].
Memory rank: [Ascended].
Progression: [0/500].
Memory description: [A giant stood under a Twilight sky, it was so beautiful, and it died enjoying that beauty as a different kind of beauty killed it from the dark].
Memory Enchantments: [Momentum], [Silent], [Growth].
[Momentum] Enchantment Description: [The longer the arrow flies, the faster it travels].
[Silent] Enchantment Description: [The bow and any arrow fired from it are completely silent].
I stared at the runes, gobsmacked. An ascended memory, with complete enchantments for his armor. It was perfect for him. Not to mention its raw power at range.
And so I turned my eyes to the last memory.
Memory name: [Vamparic dagger].
Memory type: [Weapon].
Memory rank: [Awakened].
Progression: [1/100].
Memory description: [A great vampire sat in his office, preparing to fight against the sunlight with the protection of the moon, yet before he could act upon the ingenious plans, he was betrayed, and the army that followed the light killed his followers and then him].
Memory Enchantments: [Vampirism], [Growth].
[Vampirism] Enchantment Description: [Draw blood from any living creature and you will steal some of their lifespan to increase your own].
I stared at the enchantment, it said lifespan, not regeneration...
"Am I fucking immortal?!"