Gates of Penance-Chapter 29: Spectral abilities

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Passive Ability: [Dual Insight]

Ability description: Knowledge is a double edged sword and a two way mirror. Specters are born from a place in which they know nothing and can’t know anything. All they know is their name. Commune your name to another and they can not escape you.

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Nacht looked at the runes with an incredulous expression. This ability didn’t currently help him in any way, but he knew that it was quite a useful ability. Knowing where someone is could prove to be beneficial in a number of circumstances. Even so, it was quite a strange ability.

Nacht translated the runes pertaining to his primary ability.

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Primary Ability: [Spectral Projection]

Ability description: Project an avatar of yourself into the physical world.

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Nacht looked at the ability’s description with interest.

This was exactly what he needed to solve his current predicament. He didn’t know exactly what this ability would entail but he would find out soon enough.

Nacht looked to his rank and wasn’t surprised to see that he was still a sinner. The gate of sacrifice was unique in that upon entering, you advanced to the next rank. For the other gates it was a bit different. Only after conquering the other gates would your rank and power core advance.

Speaking of his power core, it had awakened and changed to a spectral core. Nacht didn’t know what the difference was, but it sounded cooler so maybe it wasn’t so bad?

Nacht translated the runes pertaining to his traits and was surprised to see that some things have changed. He was glad to see that the {Soul Bind} trait was gone. The [Herald of Darkness] trait was still the same. The same could be said for the [Abstract] Trait which was normal since it was his archetype. However, one of his traits changed. He also got an entirely new trait all together.

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Trait: [Untethered]

Trait description: You are resistant to most forms of detection.

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’It evolved.’

The [Unmarked] trait he used to have, evolved into the [Untethered] trait. The evolved trait allowed him to stay hidden from a wider range of detection methods. Nacht wondered why this specific trait evolved and not his other traits. His theory was that this trait in particular evolved due to the affinity it had with his rune.

Nevertheless, the last trait that Nacht translated gave him the most pause.

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Trait: [Graceless]

Trait description: You have inherited the forbidden nature of the abstracts.

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’...that can’t be good.’

His trait reminded him of a trait that belonged to a certain red haired smiling sinner. Except that sinner managed to inherit the divine nature of the gods while he inherited the forbidden nature of the abstracts.

’What kind of injustice is this! I can’t be more monstrous than that freak.’

Nacht sighed in exasperation.

He wasn’t too happy with this particular trait.

He looked towards the runes describing the relic he took off the corpse.

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Relic: [Blood Coin]

Grade: Mortal

Type: Artifact

Relic description: A coin bathed in the blood of the silent dead. Flip the coin. Red grants orren. Black takes it away.

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The [Blood Coin] had quite a dreadful description with an ability that could either be extremely helpful or extremely deadly. Needless to say, Nacht didn’t think he would ever find himself in a situation where he would have to rely on the relic. Still... the option was always there.

Finally, Nacht made it to the runes that he dreaded the most... his punishment. He reluctantly translated the runes, and when he did, his expression morphed into one of pure disbelief.

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Punishment: [Cursed Object]

Punishment description: Your soul no longer belongs to you alone. It is bound to the weapon that took your life, anchoring your existence between life and death.

Cursed Object: [Death March]

Grade: Mortal

Type: weapon

Object description: Once a reliable sword wielded by a desperate sinner, now a harrowing punishment befitting the crimes of an abominable specter, the Death March is a reflection of its wielder’s sins.

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Nacht looked at the runes with a pale expression on his face.

’That can’t be right... can it?’

He thought back to what the voice had said about his punishment. At the time he was incoherent and didn’t understand what it was saying, but now he remembered as if the voice’s words were spoken directly to his mind and could never be forgotten.

’Shouldn’t my punishment be a gift? Not whatever the hell this is!’

Nacht let out a defeated sigh.

In a sense the voice did not lie. His body was destroyed and the only way to save him was by anchoring his soul to something other than his physical body, giving him a second chance at life. Well, he wasn’t completely alive either but the voice did its best.

Wait, was he still human? He had to be. He still held the rank of sinner. He was now a ghost but he was still a human. He couldn’t possibly be an abstract since his mind hadn’t gone insane and he could feel that he was no longer infected with the infection ever since he was bestowed his rune.

Speaking of his rune, how did he get one in the first place? He had been bestowed one by someone or something.

Nacht shivered.

He still vividly remembered the sensation. His soul had bonded to something indescribable, infecting him with sin. Then he had been bestowed a rune, allowing his core to synchronize with it and become an enlightened. It wasn’t until he walked the enlightened path, cleansing his soul from sin that he became a complete enlightened.

’Whatever that thing was must have bestowed a rune onto me.’

Nacht couldn’t think of any other explanation.

He reached out for the thread connected to his physical body and grasped it. His consciousness was suddenly pulled back to his incorporeal body.

He had many things to test and figure out.

Nacht looked down at himself and confirmed that his incorporeal body still looked like... well, himself. He was even still wearing his torn clothes. Even so, he did notice that his skin looked healthier than it had from before he became an enlightened. His skin also lacked any sort of imperfections that he could see, but he couldn’t be sure until he found a mirror.

However, upon closer inspection, he noticed something odd. He could perceive small imperceivable threads that extended from his body.