Nero dreamt.
Not the usual dream of the verdant green fields and the fluffy white creatures bouncing about.
Not of the soft blue sky and the golden sunrise.
No. This dream was a bit different.
But it was still rather familiar.
He looked around.
Standing in a vast expanse of nothingness, he could see that there was no sky, no earth, and no horizon.
Only an endless void that seemed to stretch to the ends of his imagination, something far beyond his comprehension.
He was not alone in this emptiness too.
Before him floated what he decided to call the Divine Oracle.
An abnormal construct of circular rings and strange runes that also seemed to possess a fleshy body; the same one that had spoken to him at the bottom of the lake.
He pursed his lips and couldn’t help but think,
’Why is it in my dreams?’
{The best way for the Divine Will to communicate with the Heretic, is through dreams and visions}.
Nero frowned,
’So what does this mean? I won’t be able to get any decent rest anymore?! Isn’t that just too unfair?!’
He sighed and looked at the Divine Oracle again.
’It looks a bit smaller now though. It also isn’t as terrifying as it was before. It’s more... human in scale, I guess.’
The rings rotated slowly, their surfaces covered in symbols that hurt to look at directly. Unlike the runes that appeared before him, he couldn’t make sense of these ones at all. They were completely incomprehensible to him.
Even trying to read them made him feel like he was one step away from death.
{From now on, you shall dream here, Heretic}.
The voice came from everywhere and nowhere.
"What is this place?" Nero said as he looked around.
{This space is a portion of the Heretic’s consciousness. In here, the Heretic’s perception of time flows differently from that of the outside world}.
Nero frowned, "What good does that serve?"
He froze for a second.
’Wait... Time flows different in here for me?’
He cleared his throat and asked,
"This time flow difference... What is its nature, and how significant is it?"
{The Heretic will perceive time flow two times slower when he accesses this space}.
’I-Incredible!’ Nero thought to himself.
He immediately realized just how useful something like that could be.
He swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
"So? What can I do in this space? There doesn’t seem to be much of anything in here."
{In this space, the Heretic is permitted to ask the Divine Will three questions a day. The Divine Will can also decide to grant the Heretic blessings and curses at random from this space}.
Nero’s eyelids twitched,
’The good and the bad, huh... I can live with that.’
He suddenly couldn’t help but feel excited.
’Blessings from a divine entity? That sounds absolutely delightful!’
He sucked in a deep breath and reminded himself not to get too excited yet.
He cleared his throat,
"T-three questions you say?"
{Yes, Heretic}.
Nero fell silent as he began to think about what to ask.
"How do I see those floating runes and symbols again?" He muttered absentmindedly.
The Divine Oracle’s answered was fast and immediate;
{Envisioning. So long as the Heretic desires to see, he will see}.
Nero raised a brow, but decided to give it a try.
’Envision...’
Right before him, the fabrics of reality warped and burned as though scourged by divine flames.
***
Name: Nero.
True Name: Armageddon, Angel of Judgement.
Seal Rank: F
Seal(s): Seal of Divinity (locked).
Relics: Silver Blade.
Skills: Heretic Eye.
Description: Town Guard.
Sins: Heretic, Witness.
{Heretic}: You are one who truly does not believe. Thus, you have been deemed a Heretic by the heavens and have acquired the Curse of the Divine Will.
{Witness}: The Heart of a Heretic is the One true witness, for it is the only thing not bound by belief. The Witness cannot be easily afflicted by knowledge and madness.
***
A small grin appeared on his face.
’Well, that was easy...’
Suddenly, he grimaced.
He glanced up,
"Hey... Did I just use up one of my questions?"
{Yes. The Heretic is now down to one question}.
A throbbing vein popped out of his forehead.
"You sure are frugal for a divine entity..."
He sighed and closed his eyes. He didn’t have to think for much longer before making a decision.
His eyes snapped open;
"Give me all the information you have on the Seals and the Seals of Sin."
There was a brief moment of silence.
Nero pursed his lips,
’Will it answer me?’
Just as he was beginning to doubt if the damned thing was still online...
BANG!
An explosion of colors and scenery filled Nero’s mind.
In an instant, Nero was thrown into an ocean of the past and information.
***
{"After the Fall of the Gryghori, the celestial order became fractured. The names of the Nephilim, the abominable seed born of both Divine and mortal blood, were struck from the Books of Life and Death, their essence scattered across a corrupted world already on the edge of descending into madness and sin."
"In the wake of the #*$&/, remnants of the Gryghori’s forbidden knowledge remained. The surviving Church orders found a way to harness it as Seals of Sin, divine runes branded into human flesh and soul, giving the bearer access to powers once thought reserved for angels and demons."
"But this power comes at a cost. The human soul cannot truly comprehend the divine knowledge. Thus, the Seals twist the minds and bodies of their bearers. They lead to madness, mutation, and eventual corruption."
"And since the Abominations that roam the Earth are already corrupted, each one possesses and grows a Seal within their forms. "
"In other words, a Seal of Sin, is a pathway to damnation."
"Each Seal possesses an aspect called a Sin;
The Seal of Knowledge grants the ability to read and understand divine scripture. In turn, the reader runs the risk of going mad from consuming forbidden knowledge and having his soul gradually corrupted."
"The Seal of Blood, grants the ability to mutate the human body by absorbing the blood of Abominations. Doing so leaves the human body and soul unstable and susceptible to corruption."
"The Seal of Craft, grants humans the ability to forge Relics; mystical weapons and items that possess Divine power or blessings. Due to their ill understanding of divinity, the weapons might end up being possessed by the many wild dark spirits and souls that roam the world, creating cursed weapons that can push a human being to explode, or turn into like a grotesque cancerous growth upon making contact."
"There are many types of Seals of Sin, but humans can only harness the power of a limited few."
***
With a loud crash, Nero found himself returning to the void.
Collapsing to the ground, he stayed there dazed for a few moments.
Then he looked up,
"That’s all?"
The Divine Oracle’s response was cold,
{That is all the information available to the Heretic in his current state}.
Nero hummed.
Although that was disappointing to hear, it was not all bad.
After all, he had just gained some very valuable information.