CHAPTER 214: CHAPTER 214:[MORIA’S WEAVE] [1]

"Huam-"

My eyes fluttered open as a rather pleasant shudder bounced through my body as i stretched my arm, my toes curling inwardly underneath the sheets. A very deep and fulfilling yawn squeezed uncontrollably out of my lips as i stretched awake.

I felt the warm gentle, and soft glow of the early morning sun dance across the skin of my face and over my eyes, causing me to wince just slightly. But it was partly thanks to that i managed to wake up.

Although i say that, i didn’t get up.

No, i didn’t want to.

Not yet...

’One more minute, ma...’

"Haa..." A soft sigh drew from my lips as i gave myself willingly to the soft embrace of my bed, my figure sinking like quick sand.

How devious...but i can’t resist... My thoughts were muffled.

My eyes partly fluttered half open, a sweet moan leaking from my lips.

But then.

•[DING!]

I heard a muffled sound prick me at the back of my head. I promptly ignored it, tossing around under my bed sheet as my left leg stuck out. Tye morning sunlight felt soft on my face..

But.

•[DING!]

"Ngh..."

The sound...

•[DING!!]

No matter how much i tried to ignore it...

•[DING!!]

The damned thing just...

•[DING!!!]

"Ngnh..!"

•[DI—!!]

’For fuc—"

"Ahh...! I got it, I’m up already!"

Reluctantly, i snapped up from my bed, the bedsheets ruffling and flailing around the air in the process. I rubbed my eyes, grumbling under my breath as i sat up.

"Gah... dammit, so loud..."

Despite my grumblings, however, i felt strangely good at myself. No. Refreshed was the word.

"Huam~"

Letting out another stretched yawn, as if fighting an internal war and struggle against the drowsiness — in a matter of seconds i managed to easily get over my irritation from suddenly waking up.

Then i just sat still, legs dangling off the edge of my bed — with the tips of my toes grazing the cold wooden floorboards underneath — and watched the soft golden rays of the early sun trickle in like a cascading waterfall.

The warm and familiar interior of my room unraveled before my view, and it was then I noticed the door was unlocked. Almost at the same time, feeling the warmth of the sun, i realised even my window had veen left open.

’Oh yeah...’

I blinked my eyes for a few seconds before gradually beginning to regain more clarity. My brows furrowed as a result, a small frown etched on my face.

Eventually, i rubbed my eyes and sighed, my frown giving way to a slacked expression.

"I fell asleep..."

At some point, and without realising.

That would explain how I could carelessly leave my door unlocked and my windows wide open throughout the night.

Wait...

No.

...That aas careless. Too careless. I almost couldn’t imagine myself doing such a thing, for some reason. Well...i guess in the end, nothing really happened, and everything turned out fine thankfully — but how exhausted could i have been to have carelessly passed out that way?

I paused, my hand freezing overy face for a quick second.

Hold on...

Now that i realise it...

’I don’t really remember anything from before i fell asleep...’

My expression became more slack.

When did i...?

As i tried to vaguely recall, bits and pieces of the night before slowly formed an unclear picture in my mind. Eventually, i grabbed my heaf before lowering.

"Ugh... I can’t really remember."

But strangely, rather than feel particularly disturbed by that fact, i felt the complete opposite.

In fact...

I think i felt the best i had ever been in the last couple of weeks since waking up from my coma. My body felt light and gentle, my mind almost as soft as a feather. It was...so relaxed and quiet — and perhaps was the reason why i somehow struggled to recall just what happened before i passed out the previous night.

I just felt really good and refreshed, that i almost wasn’t bothered to really think about it. In the end, it really seemed like a nice long, and good night sleep was all i needed to calm my mind and soothe my previous thoughts from the other day.

It was strange really. And what was stranger was that, it was a good type of strange.

My expression froze and i pursed my lips.

’Okay, now I’m not making any sense.’

Ah, in any case, shrugging off the mild sense of discomfort this whole thing brought me, i slowly rose to my feet, letting the loose bedsheets ruffle down to the floor at my toes.

"Oh yeah... wasn’t that from the System?"

I recalled the incessant chime that had forcefully awoken me from my slumber with a light frown while stretching my body in full. My torso was left bare and naked, so i could clearly see as my body flexed as my skin stretched.

In the silence of my light groans, i blinked and summoned the System notification screen with a thought and a transparent, blue interface flickered before my eyes.

A long list of tabs and notifications hovered before my face, my eyes narrowing to slits as i began to read them.

And by the time i was finished...

"What...?"

I inhaled deeplly.

====

•[DING!! Synchronisation Alert!]

•[Branding Complete!]

»You have acquired a Temporary Stigma; [Moria’s Weave]

...

•[Stigma] (Temporary)

•[Moria’s Weave]

»Description: Rejoice, you have received the patronage of ’The Architect’. Your deed and achievements haven’t gone unnoticed and have been acknowledged by ’Him’ — as a result, you have received a part of ’His’ will, bearing ’His’ ’Mark’. This Stigmata contains a fraction of ’His’ power, it grants you a temporary substantial boost in all aspects of your stats, and raises your Rank by two.

»Note: The Stigma can only be used once for a limited period of time only, and a ’cost’ shall be taken in relative to how much time the Stigma was activated — this may relate to a permanent loss to some of your Stats, or even skills. ’The Architect’ is no charity giver — only by proving your worth, shall you continue to gain ’His’ merit along your journey.

....

====

As soon as i read through the unexpected notification before my eyes, but just before i could even remotely comprehend any of it, i was suddenly overcome by a strange simmering sensation that flooded right through my body out of nowhere.

"Ah..."

My eyes flickered and my lips parted, causing the blue screen to momentarily disappear. A strange heat was cast through my body, seemingly flowing and concentrating towards my lower back.

-Tszz -Tszz

The next moment, a sharp and searing pain carved through my back from behind, causing me to jolt to to the tip of my toes and stagger forward.

"Hisss...."

I grit my teeth, a powerful hiss leaking from my lips as i managed to stop myself from falling just barely.

-Tszzz -Tszzz

The searing pain that felt like a hot knife or a heated needle tearing through the surface of the skin on my back intensified with the sizzling sounds that accompanied it.

The faint, putrid scent of burnt flesh hung in the air, tickling my nose

My brows furrowed as my eyes quivered, gritting my teeth together. My expression wrinkled, the sizzling sound rising from my back intensifying with each second.

-Tszzz -Tszzz

"What... the...hell...?"

The pain actually wasn’t that overwhelming, neither was it something i couldn’t handle, to be honest. But the sudden arrival and nature of it — the whole inexplicable thing that was happening put me on the very edge.

It was like a hot knife was carving hurtful scars and lines across my back.

I stumbled forward, unable to fully control my balance, each of my steps powerfully thumped against the wooden floor as i staggered my way to the bathroom.

"A mirror..."

I headed for the mirror.

Something strange was happening...

I needed to see.

Thinking so, the bathroom mirror hung over the wall over me. By this point, it seemed the searing heat and pain gathering at my lower back had reduced substantially.

Even the sizzling sounds had become nothing louder than that of a simmer. But the faint smell of burnt flesh still followed me like a shroud into the bathroom, as i stood before the window and turned around.

Facing my back towards it’s reflective surface.

"What in the..."

The sight that met me left me speechless and at a loss for words as i stared at my reflection from the window

No, really.

How was i supposed to describe this. I could feel my brows furrow as a headache slowly marched its way into my head.

Then at the same time, i seemed to finally remember just what happened before i fell asleep last night, and the word choice of the system then and earlier resounded in my head.

’ ..Branding complete...’

’You have got to be kidding me!’

I didn’t think it meant that literally!

.