"How much do you know about the First Vision?"
"As much as anyone else, I guess," said Yun, grabbing his chin. Mentally, of course.
"So not much."
Dion leaned back, closing her eyes and massaging her forehead like she was trying to force a thought. Then, her eyes snapped open.
"Oh shit, I skipped a step. Your family's status. Are they currently in Divine Service?"
"…"
Quite the simple inquiry, if only the same could be said about the answer.
"My sister is a Divine. My mother never awakened. As for both their whereabouts… They're around. Somewhere."
There was silence for a good minute or so. Yun entertained himself by imagining the Divine struggling for a response, even if her face didn't show it. Virtue Dion soon cleared her throat, chasing away Yun's wishful musings.
"Could you tell me why you were on the city's outer wall?"
Yun tested the seals on his wrists. They didn't give, but they weren't uncomfortable either. "Not even. My mind's still blank around that. I'm not in trouble, right?"
"Hmph, no worries. But if I were you, I'd want answers if I suddenly wake up somewhere I wouldn't normally go."
"Well, didn't you just say I've awakened the Curse? That should explain it, right. I had a Vision spell."
"It's called Severin's Curse. When it first manifests, it makes Descendants like us susceptible to Vision spells, which render you immobile."
Virtue Dion stretched her arms, groaning softly.
"Each spell makes you a bit hungry, except that hunger feeds on your memories. It does not control your actions before, during, or after a spell."
Yun shivered. A spell must've caught him when he was already on that wall, immobilizing him. If it wasn't for Dion, another one would've become the cause of his death.
Meaning the Curse didn't put him there. Yun was there of his own volition. The Curse just ate the memory of why he would do that, along with the last three days.
"What would have happened to me if the spells progressed further?"
Virtue Dion remained silent, simply staring at Yun. An image of the humanoid silhouettes he saw on the wall flashed by for a second. That's what he'd have become, just an empty husk spewing corruption. A Plague catalyst.
Yun was too young to understand what was happening when his sister became a Divine. She must've gone through this same process. The Morrigan Clan even came and snatched her back before she had fully awakened into one. He wondered if the same would happen to him. Probably not. He was Tainted; his sister was not.
"So it's my turn to be a Divine, huh?"
The words left a bitter aftertaste.
"How do I stop this thing from eating me alive?"
"Listen to the voice. Fully submit to the Curse. You're still fighting back, whether you know it or not."
Yun furrowed his eyebrows at Dion.
"Ain't that what I shouldn't be doing?"
Virtue Dion cradled her forehead and sighed… again. She whispered, "They say the same shit."
She shook her head. "Let's get back on track. Kid, how much do you know about the First Vision?"
Yun resisted the urge to lick his lips.
"I'm guessing I fall asleep, fight monsters and bad guys in a dream, and wake up a powerful Divine with my very own magic powers. That's about it, right?"
"I don't know about sleeping, but you're halfway right. The Curse will place you in its recreation of historical events from the Forsaken Realm. And it's up to your judgement what you do from there."
Yun dropped his head, eyes narrowed.
"How significant are the events simulated in these Visions?"
The Divine contemplated Yun's words for a second, then shook her head.
"I can't tell you how significant they are to you, but they tend to be unique for each aspirant. Expect a monster or two, nothing too crazy. Hopefully.
"The best answer I can give you is this: pay attention."
"... Got it."
Sensing the solemn mood, Virtue Dion stood up and made her way to lean against the wall.
"Look on the bright side. If you survive, you'll hopefully get a non-combat Lineage Path. That way, you can just spend your days as a pencil-pushing bureaucrat for the government."
Yun tilted his head. "Lineage Path?"
"The 'magic powers' genius."
"Right, but only if I survive."
"Would you rather I give you a choice, then? Die by my hand right now or fully accept the Curse and let me guide you through the process. I'm not willing to let you become a catalyst."
That escalated quickly. Being murdered definitely wasn't an option, but Yun wasn't exactly fond of his chances in the First Vision.
He wasn't some pure-blood Descendant, trained by their Clans and families for this since birth. His own Clan exiled him before he was even born, and his family, well, his family had better things to do.
Tainted Descendants like him could barely fend for themselves in this world, much less the Forsaken Realm.
Oh, well.
"I… fully accept the Curse."
A shadow fell on Dion's face. Yun couldn't describe it if he wanted to. Pity? Contempt? Did he say the wrong thing? As he contemplated that, Dion spoke.
"I know that the Tainted mortality rate is the highest it's ever been right now, but…"
She moved closer.
"Yun, please try not to die."
Yun smiled weakly. "What? You're not in the mood to clean up a monster outbreak?"
For the first time, Virtue Dion chuckled. "You're a Hollows kid, right? You'll be fine. You're smart."
As she spoke, she grabbed her chair and brought it next to Yun. She sat back down facing his side.
"Now listen closely. I know you can feel it. Almost like the Curse embedded something in you. Something that doesn't belong in your body. Reach out to it."
The Divine's breath caressed Yun's cheek as she guided him. Yun struggled to subdue his heartbeat and follow the instructions simultaneously. His focus descended into the deepest parts of his consciousness, searching for the foreign object.
Finding it was rather easy; he just had to follow the hunger.
"Found it yet? Now, grab it. Consume it."
Yun hesitated.
Am I really doing this?
Before the thought could finish, he had already followed through.
And just like that…
[Descendant! You have consumed a Celestial Fragment].
A familiar voice chimed in Yun's ears, drowning out Virtue Dion as she echoed some parting words: "When you wake up, check your Traits and your Lineage Path. And remember, even if they're shitty, your actions in the Vision may still trigger an evolution, so don't mope around!"
The voice was too familiar. He couldn't quite tell before, but it was clearer now.
[Prepare to enter the Forsaken Realm].
It was his own.
What?
[Your Path awaits…]