The days flew by.
Ariandel had only four weeks to prepare for the journey to the Realm of Dreams, so there was no time to waste. He was relentless, demanding from both his main body and the Refraction at once, in an effort to absorb as much knowledge and as many skills as possible in that short span of time.
With his main body, he studied under Professor Julius, slowly learning how to survive and take care of himself in the absence of civilization. His lessons ranged from relatively simple matters, such as various ways to start a fire, to far more obscure and esoteric topics, like celestial navigation.
What made celestial navigation so challenging?
Here is the explanation for those who have not read the original novel: the Realm of Dreams was a place of unstable stellar geography. Each region displayed unique constellations and stars, as well as a variable number of moons. The sun, though seemingly familiar, behaved in a highly unpredictable manner, making any attempt at orientation even more complex.
Still, with enough knowledge, one could find ways to study the skies and, consequently, navigate.
Most of these lessons were already part of school curricula and were familiar to most Sleepers. However, learning something from a textbook and learning the same thing from an Awakened were two entirely different matters.
Professor Julius had a habit of delving much deeper when explaining his subject. Thanks to this time-consuming habit, Ariandel not only learned the 'what' but also caught glimpses of the 'why'.
This early understanding of the principles underlying the environments of the Realm of Dreams gave him the ability to face any situation with at least some measure of readiness.
With the lessons in dead languages, Ariandel did more than merely entertain himself. This was largely due to the fact that the Spell communicated with humans in one of those forgotten tongues.
By mastering that language, he was able to interpret a wide variety of observations and descriptions more clearly. The most intriguing example was the discovery surrounding his True Name:
'Ariandel'. It was not a direct translation, but rather the phonetic transcription of two specific runes.
'Arian' — a rune associated with the concept of "noble material", linked to purity and radiance.
'Del' — a rune encoding the idea of "fantasy".
The combination of these runes could yield various interpretations, with even broader nuances — especially due to the flexibility of 'Del'. The possibilities ranged from embarrassingly grandiose formulations like "Magnificent One Shaped by Dreams", to concise and poetic interpretations such as "Mirror of Gold" or "Valley of Silver".
Though the reason the Spell adopted such a creative naming remained unclear, the Peregrine and Professor Julius concluded, after analysis, that the most accurate translation would be "Illustrious Artisan of Fantasy" — a literal representation that synthesized the dualities inherent to one who has fantasy as both mother and raw material, standing out through remarkable works and deeds.
"Hmm... I like the sound of that." — Ariandel of Fantasy
In the little that Ariandel knew about himself, he recognized a passion for learning. He found the process of acquiring great amounts of theoretical knowledge simply euphoric, enlightening, and thrilling.
... But with it came the burden of knowing the truth.
For instance, knowledge was something only the privileged had access to. It was also this authority over knowledge that kept them in power, creating a vicious cycle of inequality.
The poor had no opportunity to study and, without the advantage of a good education, could not escape their condition.
The slightly more unsettling part of all this was that Ariandel was now one of those privileged few. More than that, he stood at the top of the social hierarchy.
Not only had he gained access to an unlimited amount of knowledge, but his basic needs, such as food and shelter, were also cared for by the government, allowing him to focus entirely on his sole objective: developing himself as an Awakened.
There was nothing he could do to resolve those feelings of injustice. That was the truth of this world on the path to its own destruction: a dystopia with no room for compassion, a society operating on merit.
Professor Julius also conducted practical lessons every other day, even if some had to be held in virtual reality simulations, using full-immersion stations with enhanced physical feedback.
As a result, Ariandel confirmed that his body, woven from aspirations, fears, and hope, could still grow tired. But he also discovered that he possessed an innate strength slightly beyond the ordinary.
Despite his main body having only one core with virtually no saturation, Ariandel, with all the exercise, had never been in better shape. Even without combat training, he could feel his strength, endurance, and agility improving by leaps and bounds.
He experienced firsthand how Awakening and the saturation of the core elevated the body’s innate potential. It was up to him to realize that potential through sweat, effort, and hard work. The practical application of wilderness survival techniques granted him the opportunity to do so.
Meanwhile, the Refraction secretly gathered information about the world and other Sleepers, while also exploring the extent of its abilities.
His twin was truly independent and could be sent on scouting missions without his direct control. She snuck here and there, listening to conversations and observing different classes where Sleepers had to demonstrate their Aspect Abilities. Then, after Ariandel finished his meal and returned to his room, she would return and share everything she had seen and heard throughout the day.
The only problem was her personality. The fun of having such an arrogant companion did not last long. But, left to her own devices, Ariandel confirmed that the Refraction did not possess a will of her own — or rather: she possessed Ariandel’s own will.
The Refraction had independence of body, mind, soul, and dream-essence of the soul, but she held Ariandel’s core and shared his spirit, being just as capable as he was.
He could take full control of her, and it didn’t divide his focus; it was as if the Refraction’s mind became an extension of his own. The experience of being two individuals simultaneously was not as challenging as he had expected; in truth, it felt entirely natural. Ariandel attributed this to the effect of one of his Attributes.
The Refraction could not use Memories or access the Spell, but she could employ his Aspect without apparent limitation. On the contrary, observe:
Ariandel contemplated the true scope of his Aspect Ability, together with his Legacy. The power to manifest his imagination into reality was divided into two main facets:
First, there was the illusion of Psychological Invisibility. This ability allowed him to "disappear", becoming wholly nonexistent to the minds of his targets, as if the very idea of his presence were forcibly forgotten.
Second, there were the tangible illusions — manifestations directly linked to the concepts defined by the Relics. The manifestations of the First Relic took the form of his garments: armor of metal, scales, leather, or fabric, as shaped by the forces his imagination conceived.
On the other hand, he could also create other manifestations between those two extremes — such as an ephemeral coffee cup. However, such creations were more of a luxury than something practical.
Finally, there was the relationship between his ability and the Refraction, who could manifest something beyond what he himself could create: the Memories she carried.
These Memories were perfect copies of the magical items he kept equipped, manifested with greater freedom and durability than his own ephemeral creations.
The [Thread of Dreams], he believed, was not an Aspect with clearly defined concepts, but rather the manifestation of his subconscious imagination. His Abilities translated his purpose and personality into power, embodied in metaphors that reflected his essence.
And so the days passed, turning into weeks. Before Ariandel realized it, the winter solstice had already arrived.