In the quiet town of Soragant, the night crept in, cloaking the world outside in shadows and stars. The night air was crisp, filled with the subtle scent of earth and wood smoke from distant chimneys.
At the Night family's cozy home, the warm glow of lights flickered from the basement window, illuminating the frosted glass with a golden hue. Inside, Sparrow Night, his sister Canary, and their aunt Autumn Elheart gathered near the hexagram pattern they had carefully drawn on the floor, a sense of anticipation crackling in the air.
The basement was a sanctuary for the two siblings, a wide, neat, and homely underground room filled with plush couches, warm light, an inviting fireplace, musical instruments, and towering bookshelves.
It was here that Sparrow and Canary had relaxed and practiced their hobbies for years, whenever it was raining or snowing outside. Today, however, was different; today marked the beginning of their journey into the second evolution of their mystery classes.
"Are you ready, Row?" Autumn asked, her voice steady but laced with excitement as she surveyed the materials laid out before them. The trip to the Mystery Market earlier had provided them with everything they needed, and even more.
Sparrow, his tall and muscular frame silhouetted against the dim light, nodded silently. His right green eye shone with determination, while the black eyepatch covered the artificial purple left eye that had become his mark of resilience.
Under the guidance of his [Greater Appraisal], he had decisively chosen the eldritch amethyst, its deep violet hue radiating an aura of mystery and power of the unknown.
Canary, her petite figure bouncing with enthusiasm, grinned at her brother. "I can't wait to be an Arcane Marksman! Come on Birdbro! Hurry up!" Her green eyes sparkled with dreams and possibilities, the small beauty mark under her left eye giving her an endearing charm.
Sparrow moved to and stood at the center of the intricate hexagram design made of the mixture of salt and ash from burned hawthorn, a protective barrier against energy corruption.
Autumn Elheart watched with keen vigilance. "Remember the instructions I gave you, Row," she reminded Sparrow softly, her voice calm yet firm. "Focus on the energy and don't let distractions cloud your mind."
Sparrow nodded, grounding himself with a deep breath. He could feel the energy of the basement thrumming beneath him, as if the very walls were alive with anticipation.
With practiced precision, he took out the eldritch amethyst from his pocket. The stone pulsed in his palm, a deep violet light illuminating the hexagram around him. He closed his eyes, centering his thoughts, envisioning the power he sought to harness.
With a steady movement, his other hand picked up the vial containing the advancement potion - a shimmering liquid made of holy water, pure honey, and liquid aether — and uncorked it with a single hand. The faint glow illuminated his face, casting shadows that danced along the walls.
With a swift motion, Sparrow consumed the amethyst. The instant it touched his tongue, a rush of energy surged through him—warm, strange, and intoxicating. It tasted of the unknown, like biting into a forbidden fruit.
He quickly followed with a gulp of the advancement potion. The sweetness filled his mouth, a stark contrast to the amethyst's bitter edge, and he could feel the energies within him begin to swirl and intertwine.
As he dropped down into kneeling position at the center of the hexagram, the ground beneath him vibrated, reacting to the potent mixture coursing through his veins. An ethereal light began to glow at his feet, expanding outward in luminous tendrils that danced around the drawn pattern.
"Birdbro!" Canary whispered, her voice laced with uncharacteristic worry.
Sparrow focused on the light, on the energy that now enveloped him. He felt the eldritch energy seep into his bones, every fiber of his being vibrating with a resonance that was both alien and familiar. Suddenly, a jolt of pain shot through him, as if the universe itself was testing his resolve. He gritted his teeth, pushing through the discomfort.
"Stay calm, Row," Autumn encouraged, her eyes never leaving him. "Breathe. You're close."
The light intensified, swirling into a tempest around him. Memories flashed before his mind's eye - his current life childhood, his previous life, the pain of losing parents, and then, Canary's bright smile that had always pulled him back from the brink. With each recollection, he felt his strength solidify, the eldritch energy coalescing into a solid form within him.
And then, with a final surge of will, he let out a primal grunt, releasing the energy in a brilliant explosion of violet light that illuminated the entire basement. The hexagram glowed brighter, absorbing the energy, as the room seemed to hold its breath.
When the light faded, Sparrow fell to his knees, panting heavily, but a triumphant grin broke across his face. He had done it; he felt the connection to the eldritch energy solidified within him.
He opened his right palm facing upward. A clear image of the silvery poker card, the second of spade, appeared, floating and rotating slowly. The transformation had taken place—he was now an
Sparrow felt an invigorating surge course through him, a tangible upswing in his very being. It wasn't just a feeling; it was a demonstrable reality. His muscles seemed denser, his movements quicker, his senses sharper. It was as though his physical form had been supercharged, doubling in power.
This newfound strength was mirrored by a profound shift within. His mind felt clearer, sharper, capable of processing information with remarkable speed and efficiency. He could grasp concepts that had previously eluded him, and his intuition sharpened to a razor's edge.
The spiritual aspect of himself, the core of his being, resonated with a newfound harmony, bolstering his resolve and filling him with an unwavering sense of purpose.
But the enhancements didn't stop at simple augmentations to his existing capabilities. Sparrow had also acquired two distinct and potent active skills, abilities that promised to drastically alter his combat prowess.
The first was [Eldritch Energy Coating]. He instinctively understood how it worked. He could summon forth a shimmering, violet energy, a palpable manifestation of something mysterious and otherworldly. This energy, when channeled, could be molded and applied to specific parts of his body, forming a protective layer.
This wasn't merely a shield, though it certainly offered significant resistance to physical and magical attacks. More than that, It enhanced the lethality of his attacks. A blow with a coated fist would carry the weight of the eldritch power, causing significantly more damage than a standard strike. It was both a shield and a weapon, a versatile tool for both offense and defense.
The second skill, [Eldritch Energy Projection], was even more intriguing. It granted him the ability to unleash blasts of that same violet energy, firing them towards his enemies from mid-range. There was a catch, of course. The projected energy was only half as potent as the energy he could directly apply with the [Eldritch Energy Coating].
However, this reduction in power came with a significant advantage, the ability to bypass conventional defenses. The energy, somehow, phased through anything that wasn't his intended target. He could, in theory, strike down a foe sheltered behind a thick stone wall, the energy simply ignoring the obstacle and impacting only the target.
He could even injure an armored knight without so much as scratching the surface of his plate. This ability to bypass barriers and armor made [Eldritch Energy Projection] an incredibly dangerous tool, perfect for dealing with heavily protected targets or those hiding behind cover.
He envisioned the possibilities - striking vital organs directly, ignoring cumbersome armor, and eliminating enemies from seemingly impossible angles. It was a game-changer, and Sparrow felt a thrill of anticipation at the prospect of mastering these newfound abilities.
"How is it?" Autumn asked curiously.
Sparrow grinned widely. "Amazing. It was even better than what I expect..." He then openly told his sister and aunt about what he had gained from the mystery class advancement. He had long decided to trust them completely, withholding only the information about his blurry past life memory... as he still couldn't make sense of it yet.
"My turn now! My turn!" Canary chirped a catchy melody in delight, rushing forward to replace Sparrow in the center of the hexagram. "I can do it right away, can't I, Li'l Aunt?"
Autumn watched her in amusement, a smile tugging at her lips. "Are you ready, Ree?"
Canary nodded, a determined glint in her eye, her small frame radiating confidence. She took out the arcane pearl from her pocket. Her other hand was already holding a vial of advancement concoction. She took a deep breath, her heart racing with anticipation.
"I'm ready," she declared, her voice steady.
"Good! You can start now."
As Canary consumed the pearl and took the potion, a brilliant blue light began to swirl around her. The hexagram pulsed in response, mirroring the energy she unleashed. She didn't show any sign of discomfort at all. Sparrow's heart swelled with pride; his sister had always been a fierce warrior in her own right.
"Just like that, Tweety! Focus!" he whispered, his voice filled with encouragement.
Canary's eyes narrowed in concentration, and she leaned into the flow of arcane energy. The light enveloped her, and she felt it merging with her spirit, a power unlike anything she had experienced before. She could see patterns and movements in her mind, the air around her becoming a tapestry of possibility.
And then, the light exploded outward, cascading through the basement as if the very fabric of reality was tearing apart. Sparrow shielded his eyes, but he felt the warmth of the magic enveloping him, a reminder that they were on this journey together.
When the light finally subsided, Canary stood proudly in the center of the hexagram, breathing heavily but with a triumphant smile on her face. A clear image of the silvery poker card, the tenth of spade, floating and rotating slowly above her open hand. She had advanced to...
Autumn fixed her gaze on Canary, her brow furrowed with genuine curiosity. "So, how is it?" she inquired.
Canary's green eyes sparkled with an almost overwhelming energy. "Amazing," she breathed, the word barely audible yet charged with excitement. "It's... just amazing."
She paused, gathering her thoughts, her words tumbling out in a rush. "It's like my mind is sharper, clearer, Li'l Aunt. I feel like my mind power has at least doubled. It's simply.... wow! Like, like I can process information faster, understand things more clarity, and think with much, much greater focus. And, and my body and soul power also gets super boost."
Autumn nodded calmly, but her eyes alight with pride. "But that's not all, is it?"
Canary shook her head, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Nope! I also gained two active skills. It's super duper amazing skills!" She clapped her hands together, unable to contain the exuberance bubbling inside her.
"Tell me about them!" Autumn urged, her voice laced with anticipation. Sparrow also paid very careful attention beside her.
Canary settled down, taking a moment to compose herself. "The first one is called [Arcane Energy Projectiles]. Basically, it lets me replace any physical projectile with one made of pure arcane energy. Think arrows, bolts, even bullets – I can swap them all for these shimmering energy constructs."
"The drawback?" Sparrow asked quietly.
Canary chewed on her lip for a moment. "Well," she admitted, "They might not be quite as strong or as fast as a regular arrow or bullet."
She grinned as she continued though. "But the real deal is their maneuverability. I can control their trajectory before shooting. Imagine arrows that curve around obstacles, bullets that zig-zag to reach their target." She gestured wildly with her hands, illustrating the possibilities. "It gives me much more options."
Autumn's eyes widened, a strange smile imbued with pride and envy spreading across her face. "You two are really.. I'm so jealous! How the hell did you both get so lucky? What about the other one?"
Canary grinned and explained even in prouder vibe. "The second one is [Arcane Instant Escape]. It's even better than the first skill... in a way. It allows me to transform my entire body into an incorporeal form of pure arcane energy for a few seconds."
After pausing for a while, she continued, "While I'm in that form, nothing can touch me. I become completely invulnerable, like a ghost. And I can move incredibly fast... about tenfold as fast as normal."
Autumn raised her eyebrows. "The catch?"
Canary's proud smile faded slightly. "I can't attack while I'm in that form. It's purely for escape. And it's incredibly draining. Each use consumes a huge amount of arcane energy – almost a quarter of my total reserves."
Autumn nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "So," she concluded, "It was a life-saving skill that should only be used during emergency?"
"Yep!"
Autumn sighed in a mock exasperation. "Did you two drink lucky potions or something? Such great skills for silver card upgrade? Damn you, kids! I'm so jealous."