Ariandel firmly believed he was capable of much more than merely being a silent observer, knowing—or assuming, based on what he knew—that the Dormant Ability of a Divine Aspect possessed multiple functions for its bearer to explore.
Nephis held the power to heal both body and soul, to destroy both body and soul, and to strengthen either herself or a Memory.
Sunless, with his 'Shadow Sense', could separate his shadow from himself, perceiving the world through it—or alternatively, using it for enhancement, just like Nephis.
Mordret, whose Ability allowed him to control reflections, see through them, and travel via reflective surfaces, also belonged to this exclusive group.
These three shared the unique ability to forge multiple cores, which granted them greater power, essence reserves, and also enabled the development of additional abilities:
Nephis could burn her cores to unleash "I Am Atomic", while Sunless, upon saying "Rise" to an Echo, would transform it into a Shadow, maintaining one for each core. The Other, in turn, could separate one of his cores to generate his infamous Reflections.
There were other peculiarities as well, such as the purifying property of Nephis's flames, the sentience of Sunless's Shadows, and Mordret's invulnerability—he could only be killed if his reflection was destroyed. And this was still not the full extent of their capabilities—as Dreamers.
A Divine Aspect, in the end, was unfair.
Ariandel had already unfolded a few facets of his Aspect, guided by that instinctive understanding buried deep within his subconscious. He simply needed to access that knowledge and learn how to apply it.
Once again, he reached out to his cores with his Mental Sense and then commanded one to split into a Refraction.
[Transform dreamlike soul core into a Refraction?]
"Yes," the Peregrine replied to the Spell, which whispered in a tender voice.
The pressure was light, like a snap in Ariandel's essence, and the Refraction materialized before him: a version of himself, but with a peculiar gleam in the eyes and a smile that wasn't entirely his.
Ariandel watched, surprised.
"Wow," he admired, a tense laugh escaping his lips. "This is... much more real than I expected."
The Refraction laughed back, almost identical to him, but with a touch of irony.
"What did you expect? That I'd be a soulless mirror?" the Refraction replied, in a tone that played with the idea—referring to something Ariandel clearly understood.
Ariandel blinked, his smile still a little stiff.
"Well, I didn't think you'd have, um... so much self-awareness... and humor."
The Refraction stepped forward and, with a carefree gesture, looked at herself in the mirror.
"Humor is one of my best qualities. After all, I'm an extension of you, am I not?"
Ariandel let silence fill the space between them, tilting his head slightly, as if examining her with a deeper gaze.
"From my point of view: based on what I know about this world's power system, I expected something more like Sunless's Shadows or Mordret's Reflections."
The Refraction then turned to him.
"Seems I'm an even more estimable helper than those. And if I were merely an 'incarnation', I wouldn't have your charm, would I?"
Ariandel then felt a lightness in the air—a strange blend of disbelief and amusement.
"Seems this opens the imagination to some rather well-known and troubling plots," he said, chuckling softly.
"Seems like you're being more 'me' than I am."
She shrugged, with a lightly disdainful expression.
"I am you, but without the burden of being you all the time. I suppose that's what makes me interesting."
Ariandel sighed and observed her again in silence for a moment, marveled at the natural way she moved and her almost irreverent demeanor. He wasn't quite sure what was happening, but he was fascinated.
"Okay," he finally said.
"I'll need to get used to this."
The Refraction responded with a sweeping gesture, as if she were already embracing the situation.
"You tell me what to do; after all, you carry our spirit. I'm just a manifestation of your mental image, anchored to the core you split off."
She lifted her chin slightly and curled her lips with disdain as she added:
"And don't worry too much. Life often calls for a bit of excitement, joy, and anticipation."
Ariandel laughed at the jest, accepting that he was dealing with more than just a manifestation.
"I truly don't know if I'm in control here, but let's see where this goes."
Deciding to test his limits, he instructed the Refraction to manifest the clothes he usually wore. In the blink of an eye, she was dressed exactly like him—but with a touch of her own aura.
"Perfect. Now go to the dinner."
Prudence cleared its throat politely.
"Act naturally. None of that haughty air."
The Refraction looked at him with a sideways smile.
"You underestimate me, Peregrine. Of course I know how to act."
She exited the room with a confident grace that made Ariandel sigh, still unsure of what to expect. He settled into the bathtub, awaiting with both apprehension and curiosity.
In the dining room, the Refraction entered with a calm step, assuming a natural and fluid presence. As she approached the table, Cassia turned toward the sound of Ariandel's footsteps, and Sunless, with a wary look, gave a subtle nod.
The Refraction, now fully immersed in the role, smiled.
"Good evening," she said in a relaxed tone, though with a slight melody of disdain.
Cassia smiled, recognizing the familiar scent of his perfume.
"Good evening."
Sunless, ever watchful, observed the Refraction with mild suspicion.
"You seem different today," he remarked, though not showing much surprise.
The Refraction let out a chuckle, almost daring his suspicious remark.
"I'm always the same. Maybe you're just more sensitive."
Ariandel, on the other side, could take back control of his body at any moment, but there seemed to be no need—it was as if she knew exactly how to behave, despite being... disdainful.
"How was your day, Cassia?" the Refraction asked casually, keeping her tone soft and polite.
"It was good, thank you," Cassia replied with her usual smile.
Ariandel felt a warm comfort, as if that simple gesture of response carried a softness that unexpectedly touched him.
When dinner came to an end, the Refraction rose, nearly dancing as she made her exit.
"See you soon," she said with a tone of affectionate farewell before leaving the room.
Ariandel, in the main body, now lying in bed, laughed with relief. He had no idea how any of this worked, but he was enjoying it. Perhaps, once he got more used to the idea of having a version of himself acting in his place, the possibilities would expand even further.
Back in the room, the Refraction returned, and Ariandel, now more relaxed, merged his consciousness with hers, allowing the experience to become more immersive. He felt her body as if it were his own, movements flowing naturally—yet with the sensation of something new, something unexplored.
"So," he asked mentally, his thoughts merging with the Refraction's, "what's the next step?"
The answer came with a slightly daring laugh, as if he himself were enjoying the moment.
"I guess I'll have to find out, won't I?"