u/PrettyScallion2998

I have no idea if this is even the right flair, but the other ones didn't sound remotely close, so "Novel discussion" it is.

So some time ago, before Cuttlefish released the expanded details of the Reader pathway (potion formulas, abilities, etc.) I tried making my own version of the completed pathway, toying with main ingredients and even different high sequence names and abilities.

I didn't end up posting them, since by then the real ones were already there, but after rereading them just now a couple of months later, I still think they aren't complete shit.

So now I'm going to share with you all the sequence 9 details, since I don't want all these thoughts to forever rott in my notes.

I hope you are going to be merciful with your comments and here it goes.

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Sequence 9: Mnemonist

Knowledge is an act of trust, to believe in the past you have experienced and to let your present be dictated by the truths you have accumulated over time.

[1]: They can organise their own brain, by actively deciding which knowledge to make part of the "Core" and which not.

[2]: They are addicted to recording everything they know, not that it is done in a recognisable manner most of the time.

[3]: They can temporarily filter out everything unimportant and enter a flow state of mind for about two minutes.

Advanced Description:

[1]: Their "Core" is a bit larger than a normal humans one, about 5-10% and the reorganization takes a bit of time. The "Core" is the knowledge most deeply engrained in the mind, the one that is instantly accessible and used most oftenly in your everyday life.

[2]: They take pride in their knowledge and want to keep everything they have ever learnt, even if they forget it, so they record it as best as they can.

[3]: An active ability that works by choosing which things to filter out of your perception and which not, while also letting you enter a flow state of thought (like an athletes the "zone" type of thing).

Main ingredients: Fifty gramms of an "Arctic mammoths" brain, Ten gramms of a "Crystalized mirror" Supplementary ingredients: Eighty milliliter of purified water, Fifty milliliter of an Arctic mammoths blood, Eight mirror shards, Seven petals of a "snow flower"

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Arctic mammoths: A species of creatures that survives in the few remaining colder islands sprinkled around the Northern continent.

Crystallized mirror: A parasite that attaches itself to a mirror and can confuse targets by interfering with their senses.

Snow flower: A rare kind of fauna that has died out in the real world. The only remaining "natural" specimens can be found in the "Garden of Eden".

Name: Alvaro.

True Name: —

Rank: Awakened.

Soul Core: Awakened.

Memories: [Simple mat], [Storm Lance].

Echoes: —

Attributes: [Doubtful], [Rooted], [Enduring].

Aspect: [Crystallized].

Aspect Description: [Crystals can grow in the most unexpected of places, whether in a howling desert, the depths of the ocean or even in the endless horizon of the sky. They fear neither heat, pressure or a lack of nutrients, crystals will endure even if the rest of the world doesn't.]

Aspect Abilities: [Preservative], [Hardened Earth].

Flaw: [Flawed Inheritance].

Flaw Description: [You inherit the Flaw of the first person, that touches you.]

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[Simple mat]: "A normal blue mat, that can be used as a makeshift raft to travel on water."

[Storm Lance]: "You can accelerate the thrust of this weapon with a mighty gale of air, in addition each meter you run with it, adds additional speed."

[Doubtful]: "You tend to try and break out of the frame that is normality, doubt never really leaves you."

[Rooted]: "You are an expert at climbing walls."

[Enduring]: "You need only about 70% of the nutrition of a normal adult."

[Preservative]: "The special crystals you can create are very good at preserving things, allowing a living being to survive about twelve hours in them."

[Hardened Earth]: "You can strengthen the durability of your crystals, to do it permanently takes more time and essence, but you can also do it temporarily."

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At first Alvaro was glad for the Flaw he had been granted, after all he wasn't one for physical contact, especially not with other fellow awakened since he planned on living a quiet life. He would probably try and gain a relatively cushy government position and forever be flawless.

Sadly he was transported to the Forgotten Shore during the winter solstice, landing right atop the waves of the Dark Sea, right onto a very treacherous Shadow.

But that's not even the worst part, because during a slip of tongue he gained knowledge he rather wouldn't have received and now Sunless wants him dead.

So now Alvaro is stuck with a man who would rather die than be enslaved, stuck with a treacherous Shadow, that won't just let him go his seperate ways.

A wonderful Fate awaits these two.

Name: Lionel.

True Name: —

Rank: Awakened.

Soul Core: Awakened.

Memories: —

Echoes: [Blue Parrot].

Attributes: [Gift of Hope], [Trusted], [Papyrus].

Aspect: [Disruptor].

Aspect Description: [You destroy the gift of language, you sow chaos, just by denying the most simplest of things. Because in the vacuum of their silence, fear will spread and bloom most marvelously.]

Aspect Abilities: [Silence], [Distortion].

Flaw: [Cursed by Hope].

Flaw Description: [You cannot communicate.]

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[Blue Parrot]: "An echo that can speak and write for you. You traded it for all your memories gathered in the dream realm."

[Gift of Hope]: "You can understand any language."

[Trusted]: "People tend to speak much more in your presence, as if their very words are attracted to you."

[Papyrus]: "You can sense the presence of words on any surface."

[Silence]: "You can erect a zone around yourself, in which all forms of communication are disabled."

[Distortion]: "You can distort the meaning of any word or gesture. They will still hear no, but they will think of yes."

[Cursed by Hope]: "The gift of language was taken from you, so you can no longer speak or write. Gestures and facial expressions are your only way of "talking" with people.

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Lionel was a very unlucky person, though to say he had no luck would have also been not true. His first Nightmare ended an hour after the winter solstice, for that he was eternally grateful, he didn't dare imagine what would have happened otherwise.

But that also meant that he had to spend a year isolated from everybody around him. He was from the outskirts, it was already a miracle he had survived the death trial, but combined with his flaw he became far more resentful than he had ever been previously.

It made using his Aspect even more joyful, to finally share with the world how wretched he felt, every second of the day. What else was there left for him?

It was only after he got back from the dream realm, after more than a year of silence, that he finally found a way to somewhat "speak" again, using his Awakened ability and a nearby bystander, whose words he could then distort.

Still his resentment for his Flaw was immense, he hated it, he dearly missed the cadence of his own voice, which he would never hear again in his entire life.

Who knows how his existence will change the world?

The headless giant was coming closer and closer and with it the blue light emanating from its torso. Soon a fight broke out between the blue shimmer of the giants souls shards and the red glow, that remained in some of the broken pieces of the Crimson Spire.

For a moment Caster thought the two colors might even mix, giving birth to a most unusual purple, in an most unusual situation.

But no, something even stranger happened. It seemed as if the two colors were alive, fighting for the right to saturate the world around them. It seemed there was a feud going on between these two and knowing what he did, that even made some kind of bizarre sense.

'Huh, I guess even in death some things hold true.'

Steadying himself Caster wiped the tears from his face and looked at the headless giant, heading towards him. If not for where he was and what dire situation he was facing, he might have even appreciated the ambience of the gargantuan machine of stone. But alas, he was where he was and there was no running away from that one.

'So what now?' It was an honest question, considering how close he had been to "liberating" himself from the Forgotten Shore, just moments before. If he wanted he could still go through with it and leave this place behind him, one way or the other.

It might have been foolish, but even with all these depressing thoughts swirling through his mind he still wanted to live, he still wanted to make it out of here and see his family again.

To beginn with he hadn't been that keen on dying either. He simply hadn't seen any other alternative and frantic as he was, he might have gone a bit overboard with his thoughts. He could see that now, as his desire to live reignited with the arrival of the giant. There were still some things he wanted to do.

He could only hope that the colossus would lead him to somewhere useful, either a place with bountiful springs and an endless amount of food or the more realistic eventuality, which Caster had been dreading since the moment he had realized, how royally fucked he was.

'Urgh, but hey a chance is better than no chance, I guess.'

Caster had made his decision and even if it was destined to end in failure, with the Jian at his disposal he had at least some kind of control, over whatever the hell all of this was supposed to be. He could always come back to that first option.

So steeling what meager resolve was inside of him, he begann running towards the walking colossus, letting go of every distraction and solely focusing on not being squished to death.

He hadn't thought about it enough, but this new body of his was ridiculously fast. Even without using his newly won superpower, he still was in possession of a fully saturated soul core and the difference between it and his previous body was truly mind staggering.

It felt like gravity couldn't grasp him, like he was always on the precipe of floating away into the air. It was so easy, pushing himself of the ground with his feels, even the smallest of movements moved him several meters forward.

The air was prickling against his skin and for a short moment Caster was filled with pure joy, running through the world unrestrained. His breathing was calm, his body not feeling even the slightest amount of exhaustion, from running at such blasted speeds.

But his mind was anything but calm, he let his mind be overtaken by the rush, turning off his brain and purely focusing on the now.

Every heartbeat, everytime his skin pushed against the air in front of him, when his feet bounced themselves of the ground.

He hadn't felt such an addicting rush of adrenaline in years. No, he hadn't felt so good from just moving in his entire life! He was sure of it.

War loves the smooth red liquid that gushes down from wounds, that plunges both steel and cloth into shades of crimson.

Shadow longed for the vibrant yellow of the sun. He was always there were it was not, watching with admiration, at how it saturated the world around him.

Dream was always fantasizing about new impossible colors, imagining things no one else could, because they were beyond the scope of this world.

Storm admired lightning, pure white tinged with a hint of azure beauty, dancing through the sky with so much force and grace at the same time. One moment it was there dominating the entire night sky, but then just as suddenly it would vanish.

Hearts favorite color was gold, not the ordinary kind but that little shimmer of divinity he would get to see shine so brightly as people grew and walked the path of ascension. Every step closer to divinity, was a moment of pure ectasy for him.

Sun, contrary to popular belief didn't like gold, yellow or orange the most. No, his favorite had always been green, the elusive kind that would sometimes show up when the sun was neither up or down. When just for a moment a green flash appeared in the world, drowning it with pure vitality.

And finally, Beast was in love with her own element the most, the silvery glow of a full moon, that shimmered quietly, but with steady and powerful rhythm. Curious, how would she have reacted to the grey sky of the Forgotten Shore, what a shame that we will never know it.