"Warrior, Sleeper, Exiled, Jinxed, and Hallowed—any of these could suit your journey."
Marcellus listened intently as Aulus elaborated on the potential paths laid out before him, each with its allure and mystery. His mind weighed the implications and strengths of each choice.
"The Warrior's path is quite forthright; it fortifies your ether body—the nidus of your vital energies and physical vessel. The ether body's aura, visible to those with spiritual vision, varies in colour, luminosity, and solidity, offering a gauge for one's health and emotional state. Its potion formula known to me, held by the Church of Combat in the Dreawayn Empire."
The Warrior path huh I guess I can fight, Marcellus mused.
"The Sleeper pathway is less clear to me, governed by a church in the vast Empire of Rus. Their adepts seem to be ensconced in prolonged slumber, experiencing vivid dreams. The precise benefits elude me, and so does the formula. It's a path shrouded in the mists of their subconscious."
Sleeper you say, is this a reflection of the dream ritual, he reflected with a hint of scepticism.
Lucid dreaming and prolonged slumber didn't immediately appeal to his active nature.
"Exiled, as the name suggests, is a path about which I know very little, shrouded in whispers and shadows."
"Then we have the Jinxed—a pathway that arms its followers with the precognition of misfortune. It's a foresight that can steer one clear of doom. Alas, I lack the formula for this as well, but it's within the grasp of the Viper's Captain, a Jinxed. Alternatively, an individual in the service of Mythralis's governor might possess it."
"If you want you could try to buy it from them"
Jinxed. The ability to foresee misfortune, to possibly avoid the calamitous turns of fate, was undeniably tempting. That the captain of the Viper—a sequence 9 Jinxed—so that's it he had mystical powers all along.
"As for sequence 9 hallowed, They have Cold Resistance and resilient minds, that shed derangements and animalistic quirks and will become resistant to mind tricks, they are also proficient in rituals and sigils. For this, I do hold the formula."
Each path held a piece of the puzzle that was Marcellus.
The Warrior's fortitude, the Sleeper's subconscious voyages, the Jinxed's foresight, and the Hallowed's internal fortress—all facets of power that called to different corners of his soul.
"Your insight has given me much to consider," Marcellus finally said, the weight of decision evident in his voice. "Each path offers its form of mastery."
Marcellus, immersed in deep thought, meticulously considered his options.
The urgency of acquiring strength made it imperative to forgo paths that lay beyond his immediate grasp, drawing his focus towards the more accessible choices of Warrior and Hallowed.
The ethos of the Warrior pathway resonated with Marcellus, echoing a past where the enhancement of physical capabilities would have been the unequivocal choice, particularly suited to his previous exploits in Wisbech.
Now, however, as his life unfurled into a maelstrom of unpredictability, the thought of undergoing unknown transformations held an air of potential peril, which he could ill afford in his tumultuous existence.
Aulus, observing Marcellus's introspective state, offered a caveat, "Remember, once a pathway is chosen, it's a lifelong commitment and you can't take a potion until you digested this potion. Finn is aware of this; I trust he shared it with you."
Marcellus nodded not thinking too much about it.
Contrarily, it was the Hallowed path that truly captivated Marcellus's curiosity. Not for an inherent interest in the mystical arts or ritual mastery, but for the defensive capabilities it promised.
His recent perilous brush with Lancel—a man who dragged him into a ritual dream—had left an indelible impression.
Marcellus sought not the offensive might of ritual magic but the means to counteract it. The prospect of a mind encased in armour, impervious to the sorceries and machinations of adversaries like Lancel, was enticing.
In the quietude of his contemplation, a resolution began to take form.
The Hallowed pathway, with its cool detachment and robust mental defences, beckoned him.
For Marcellus, the choice became apparent—the Hallowed path, a bastion for his mind against the spectral dangers that skulked in his future.
Marcellus declared his decision with a measure of resolve, "I choose the Hallowed pathway."
Aulus nodded, his expression carrying an amalgam of indifference. He reached into the depths of his cloak and retrieved a small, intricately inscribed scroll.
The parchment was aged, the edges frayed with the touch of time, but the writing held the crispness of authority. He handed it to Marcellus, who received it with curiosity.
"This," Aulus began, his voice carrying the timbre of the room, "is the Knight Breathing Technique, you must impart it to Finn."
Marcellus unrolled the scroll slightly, catching a glimpse of the complex diagrams. He understood the gravity of what he held; a breathing technique to train the ether body.
"Teach him this," Aulus continued, his gaze fixed on Marcellus as if peering into the very essence of his resolve. "It will build his foundation, strengthen his ether body, and prepare him for life as a pirate."
"Ensure that he masters it," Aulus imparted with finality. "The road he must walk is difficult, and this technique will offer him an edge. And as you fulfil your part of our accord, so shall I fulfil mine. The formula of the Hallowed path will be yours."
Marcellus re-rolled the scroll and tucked it securely into his attire, his mind already mapping out the regimen Finn would undertake.
He had never taught anyone anything before, he was constantly beaten by his priestess. How would she do it? he thought.
"Consider it done," Marcellus responded, his voice a low vow. "I'll ensure Finn becomes adept with the sword."
"Blackeye," Aulus began, presenting an aged vellum scroll with ingredients inscribed in a meticulous hand, "is the potion of the Hallowed."
Marcellus accepted the scroll with reverence. The ingredients listed were as rare as they were potent, and he knew the gathering of each would be a quest in its own right—a series of trials that would test his resolve.
The Heart of a Cloud Serpent, was untouchable by all but the most intrepid of hunters. To claim such a heart was hard.
Seven drops of Weeping Willow sap—each a tear of the tree.
A hundred millilitres of pure water, maybe this water would bind the potion, a symbol of renewal as he shed his old self.
The Echo Berry Juice is a mere five millilitres, yet brimming with the sweetness to resonate with the soul's silent song.
Three spoons of Purifier Salt, gleaned from the tears of the ocean, safeguard him in his transformation. As Marcellus considered the salt, he felt it was out of place from the other ingredients.
And the Eclipse Fish Eye, a singular orb that gazed into the murk and saw the truth.
Aulus's cryptic smile was the only complement to the wisdom he imparted, and it was clear to Marcellus that the making of the potion was more than an alchemical process—it was a rite of passage, a metamorphosis of both mind and matter.
Marcellus unrolled the scroll, the ink gleaming as if alive with anticipation.
"Remember," Aulus said, his gaze piercing the veil of the mundane, "the crafting of this potion is serious make sure the utensils are clean and your mind is clear before taking it."
With a heart both heavy and exhilarated, Marcellus folded the scroll, tucking it into his shirt.
Potion Formula:
Main Ingredients:
Heart of a Hallow Serpent (1)
Eclipse Fish Eye (1 eye)
Supplementary Ingredients:
100 millilitres of pure water.
Echo Berry Juice (5 milliliters)
Purifier Salt (3 spoon)
Sap of a Weeping Willow (7 drops)