1 In Shadow Slave

[A/N: Before we start! I already wrote down what to expect in the synopsis, I suggest you read the first chapter just in case you want to skip the first nightmare (Because i normally do), in that case, skip to chapter 3 when I upload it. The reason I wanted you, my beautiful reader, to read the first chapter is becaue I am going to show all the attributes in this chapter it self. Also, these chapters are a bit longer that than other fanfic(1500-2500 words) so please. I will take my sweet time writing. (15k words by chapter 7-8) Anyway! enjoy]

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'What?'

That was the first thought that crossed my mind as my heavy, disoriented eyes blinked open to a world ablaze with blinding light. My body felt strangely heavy as if it had been hit by a truck.

My face met the sky above, a never-ending expanse of blue offering no respite from the relentless assault of the sun.

'Where am I…'

Wherever I was, it was hot.

Too hot.

With a groan, I pushed myself up from the searing sand that embraced my back. My body felt alien as if it had never been mine. I looked at my garments, which were simply a ragged brown shirt and a half-torn pair of brown pants.

I raised my palms and saw countless calluses. My eyes widened as I instinctively rubbed my abdomen. I frowned as I felt rock-hard abs in place of a slightly fat stomach.

I hurriedly looked around in panic.

Sand.

Sand.

Sand.

SAND!

It was all sand. In every direction! Before I could comprehend anything, a scorching hot pain shot through my feet.

"Ah!" I gasped in pain, jumping in agony while cursing my situation. I looked around to find anything to stand on. To my relief, I found a white rock protruding from the wicked sand. It was still hot, but anything was better than the sand. My thoughts, however, were interrupted by an eccentrically familiar voice whispering in my mind.

[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]

My expression froze.

'What! The Nightmare Spell? Like the one in Shadow Slave?? WHERE THE HELL AM I?!' I was lost in thought. The last time I checked, I was a 16-year-old depressed college kid who gets bullied. Now, I am in another world…

"ISN'T THAT LIKE SUPER COOL!" I shouted in the middle of the isolated desert.

Asher's facial expression instantly turned to a wide grin. "Now… let's see my status." He tried to think of words like status and sure enough, a page appeared in front of him.

Name: Asher.

True Name: —

Rank: Aspirant.

Soul Core: Dormant.

Memories: [???].

Echoes: —

Attributes: [Eidetic Perception], [Flame of Anomaly], [Aetherial Harmony], [Nimble Intellect], [Spectral Sight], [Soul Veil], [Dreamspawn].

Aspect: [Gravity].

Description: [Grants the wielder mastery over one of the fundamental forces of the universe, enabling them to control and manipulate gravitational fields to a small extent.]

Asher's lips curled as he saw his runes. "As expected, I am strong!" He laughed with his hands on his sides. Asher was happy, of course, he was. He was but an immature boy who had been transported into Shadow Slave. He still had questions, though.

'Why the hell am I a Dreamspawn though? Is it because I came into this world and spawned in a nightmare? And why do I have this memory.' He tried instinctively summoning it. Soon, a pearl-like orb sparked into existence. He tried summoning the runes for the memory, but nothing popped up. Two more futile attempts later, he returned the orb back to his soul sea. Then, he tried summoning the runes for his attributes since many of them were a mystery to him.

[Eidetic Perception] Attribute Description: Allows you to learn anything you see in a matter of seconds.

[Flame of Anomaly] Attribute Description: Your soul is aflame with the curse of Anomaly.

[Aetherial Harmony] Attribute Description: You are granted rudimentary control over the elements around you. (Requires soul essence to use)

Asher's eyes widened. 'This alone should be an aspect!' he shrieked in his mind as he continued to read through the attribute descriptions.

[Nimble Intellect] Attribute Description: You can think very fast in any situation.

[Spectral Sight] Attribute Description: You can see many things that others usually can't.

[Soul Veil] Attribute Description: You are completely immune to any form of soul attacks while wielding the grim ability to absorb the essence of the humans you kill.

[Dreamspawn] Attribute Description: "You are born of two worlds, belonging to both, but welcomed in neither. Your soul exists on the edge between nightmare and reality."

"All of my attributes are busted! I don't really get all of them but all of them sound so cool!" Asher said while jumping in excitement. All of a sudden, the white rock he was standing on started to move! Caught off guard, Asher instinctively caught onto the rock he was previously standing on as it emerged from the sand.

Asher gazed over what looked like a stone golem, at a towering height of 10 meters! That was the moment he realized he was not on earth. He had a grim expression as he saw the golem under him. It seemed to not be aware of his position due to the lack of sensitivity on the stone skin that covered it.

'Although I am basically OP, I do not have any super strength or anything like that, killing this thing is basically impossible for the current me unless I break this stone somehow. I might actually die, but man!!! Look at that stone golem! It looks so awesome! But Holy hell! I am thinking so fast! [Nimble Intellect] is busted!' he thought as he struggled to hold his grip on the golem. Asher observed the latter rushing towards a bunch of men.

'Wait what! Men?! Some special eyes I have when I can't even see men this close to me!' Asher frowned and his brows furrowed. "Special eyes..." he muttered as he instantly looked at the golem once again. He didn't know what changed but, this time, he saw two glimmering orbs of sorts in the golem.

'Awakened monster...'

"Hey, foolish one! I need your help to kill this beast!" Asher clenched his jaw as he directed his gaze to a handsome young man holding a sword with a grim expression.

Seeing Asher's worried expression, the youth smirked as he yelled again, "Don't worry! The beast lacks the ability to hear!" Asher's expression instantly changed as he sighed in relief as he saw the other men retreat south, into the desert, "Sure, what do you want me to do?"

"I'll create an opening, just punch its heart. Don't worry, its heart is like glass!" The youth yelled as he dodged a deadly blow from the golem. Asher quickly nodded

Though outwardly composed, inwardly he was gripped by a paralyzing fear. He didn't even know how to punch! What was his plan here?

As the youth engaged the golem, Asher clutched the rock tightly, his mind racing with uncertainty.

A cold sweat trickled down his temple as he saw the youth fight. Suddenly, in a moment of clarity, something stirred within him. It felt as if he could hold a sword. Swing a sword.

'[Eidetic Perception] I believe...' he thought as the youth went in for a strike.

"Dragon claw arts: Sixth form... Twister slash!" he shouted as Asher almost spat blood. 'I didn't realize how cringe it was shouting your attack!' He thought with a grimace. The youth's 'twister slash' landed on its target causing the golem's chest to expose itself. The latter, however, didn't even flinch as it couldn't feel pain. The golem proceeded to slam its arm onto the youth who was sent back, flying into the sand. "I leave it to you, foolish one!" the youth shouted before hitting the sand.

Asher instantly began to shiver. How the hell was he supposed to break this scary monster's heart? His legs started trembling as he thought of a way to break the exposed ruby on the golem's chest.

That's when a smile crept onto Asher's face. The golem slowly made its way over to the youth, who was recovering from the brutal blow that landed on his chest. All of a sudden, the golem felt a sudden pressure pushing it down. As a monster, it had basic intelligence to feel that the source was something on top of it. It twisted its head in an irregular manner to look at its own back.

To its dismay, it found nothing and it never will as the red glint in its eyes faded. Asher, eyes brimming with tears, darted aside just in time to evade the golem's collapsing form, its heart shattered by his decisive blow. Gasping for breath, he steadied himself, hands trembling as he struggled to regain composure.

"That was the scariest thing that ever happened to me in my life!" He said to himself as he began panting heavily, supporting his body by placing his hands on his knees. When he had increased the gravitational force around him, he lost balance due to the shift in his centre of gravity and fell over the golem! That scared the living hell out of him as he thought he was going to die.

[You have slain an awakened monster, Stone Golem.]

[You have received a Memory: Stoneblade]

[Stoneblade: Despite its unassuming appearance, its weight belies a quiet strength, a reminder of forgotten ages and the secrets they hold.]

A wide grin appeared on Asher's face as he summoned his memory. A bunch of sparks of light formed together to make, well, a stone blade. Asher held the sword as he thought, 'I really am in another world, huh..'

"I honestly thought you were going to die, foolish one!" The youth exclaimed, seemingly unaffected by the slam from the golem.

"Who the hell are you??" Asher hissed, feeling jealous of the youth's looks.

"Ohohoh, well if you have to know, I call myself Eurys…"