Impressive. Impressive… Marcellus read through a few pages and found the advancement of Apprentice. He discovered that the description was identical to what Old Man Aulus had said.
"Sequence 9, Apprentice Aspirants, exhibit rather peculiar abilities that hint at the origins of magecraft. They possess an uncanny knack for evading capture, proving exceedingly difficult to apprehend. Their knack for escaping and navigating obstacles is unmatched."
"Advancing from Apprentice, Sequence 8 Infiltrator exhibits a wide array of unusual but relatively weak spells."
Marcellus's eyes narrowed as he read the description of the Infiltrator pathway.
"A wide array of unusual but relatively weak spells," he muttered to himself, his voice laced with disappointment. He had hoped for something more powerful for Finn.
"Sequence 7, known as Astrologer, builds upon the foundations of Sequence 8. They excel in divination and can disrupt the spiritual intuition of those in their surroundings while enhancing their own spiritual perception."
'Considering Finn's potential, he might excel in divination if he ever advances in the Sequences. However, at present, he possesses no such abilities.' Marcellus reflected, making a reasoned judgment after carefully perusing the descriptions laid out before him.
Marcellus's gaze lingered on the pages, his thoughts intertwining with the possibilities that lay in Finn's future. The paths of the Aspirants were myriad, each with its allure and peril.
Finn, currently untapped in his abilities, stood at the threshold of a world brimming with arcane secrets and hidden powers.
After absorbing the contents of the previous page, I eagerly turned to the next one, hungry for more knowledge.
"Sequence 9: Savant. The corresponding Aspirant believes that knowledge is power. They possess a rough understanding of the supernatural, but their true expertise lies in aqua regia, nitroglycerin, and intricate bolts and gears. They seem to have a boundless thirst for knowledge and often fall into the realm of Gnosticism."
With each word, Marcellus' curiosity deepened. The intricacies of these Sequences were becoming clearer.
He continued to read, and the words on the page unveiled the secrets of Sequence 8.
"Sequence 8: Appraiser. These individuals possess an innate ability to intuitively understand the powers and potential problems of most extraordinary items, enabling them to use these items while minimizing the associated dangers."
"Sequence 7: Artisan. These Aspirants are blessed with a natural affinity for craftsmanship and an intricate understanding of creating extraordinary items. They possess a unique talent for crafting and enhancing items of power, bestowing upon them mystical properties that defy the ordinary."
The pages of knowledge unfolded before him, revealing the intricacies of the world of Aspirants and their mysterious Sequences.
As Marcellus's security clearance was insufficient, he only had access to Sequence pathways up to 7, Which were considered low-sequence Aspirants.
It left him a little frustrated, but there was no other way around it.
If he became a member of the Stormseekers, he would have to swear a binding oath or sign a special contract. That way, he would have a chance of becoming a formal member and obtaining a higher security clearance.
Collecting himself, Marcellus read the material seriously from cover to cover. He knew that the sequences following Warrior were Blacksmith and Armsmaster. He also knew that there was no information about Sequence 8 of the Jinx path. Not only was there no name for the potion, but even the description had been left blank.
However, there was a name for Sequence 7 of that path: Disciple of Portents!
Sounds impressive… Marcellus slowly flipped the page and saw Accused and Sexton, which he had heard of before. Their records only reached Sequence 8 and nothing more.
"Sequence 9: Accused. They are skilled at taking advantage of loopholes…"
He was already familiar with this.
"Sequence 8: Barbarian. They gain a constitution that breaks all rules… In terms of strength, they are as strong as a Sailor. Don't engage in hand-to-hand combat under any circumstance."
Marcellus was a little shocked. This was the only warning here...Barbarian!
"Sequence 9: Sexton. They gain certain corpse characteristics. They would develop a gloomy presence and develop a lower body temperature. Experts at determining the cause of death…"
"Sequence 8: Forgemaster. They can bring people and animals back from the dead through an art (Unlife) similar to Necromancy and call demonic spirits from Hell into intact corpses, transmogrifying the bodies and turning them into entities known as Night Creatures…"
Night Creatures… Forgemaster… Barbarian, Marcellus whispered under his breath, the words carrying a weight that seemed to resonate within the depths of his being. As he delved into the corresponding case studies, his heart quickened with a mix of excitement and trepidation.
The descriptions, outlined in meticulous detail, painted a vivid picture of the extraordinary powers and abilities possessed by those who had advanced in their respective Sequences.
"They can make people die in the most unnaturally. They can communicate with a small number of spirits that are close to them to help them."
With each case study he perused, the notion that Sequence 8 represented a significant leap in power and capability became increasingly clear, but this notion was inconsistent it didn't apply to every pathway.
There was a whole dossier explaining what Night Creatures are… "Night creatures are loyal to their masters. Every forge-master has a different way of doing this spell. Using this (Unlife) on live humans doesn't work but will make living people die in strange ways."
Marcellus couldn't help but wonder about the implications of the Forgemaster's abilities. The idea of raising the dead and creating Night Creatures was both fascinating and horrifying.
It was the first power that defied the natural order since he heard of Aspirants, a power that could unleash unimaginable chaos upon the world.
Speaking of unnatural deaths Marcellus's thoughts drifted to the incidents he had witnessed as soon as he awoke from the dream, the unnatural deaths, and the eerie occurrences that had plagued Bastard's Haven. Could there be a connection between these events and the powers of the Forgemaster?
He could not help but recall 'Thin Man', yes, Thin Man from Wisbech, specifically how Thin Man killed the Innkeeper of Bastard's Haven. It was still the most unnatural thing Marcellus had seen since he woke up from the dream. Maybe the second would be the Hollow serpent's maw and the third the Wereshark maw.
Marcellus's thoughts drifted back to the harrowing incident at the inn, the memory vivid and unsettling. He could still hear the innkeeper's scream of agony echoing in his ears, a sound that chilled him to the bone. The scene that had unfolded before his eyes was one of pure horror.
He could see why but blood had begun to seep from the innkeeper's orifices, a sinister and gruesome manifestation of some unseen, malevolent force. The innkeeper's body contorted unnaturally as if wracked by an internal cataclysm beyond understanding. A grotesque mass protruded from his body, painting a nightmarish picture that seemed to defy the natural order of things.
The most haunting of all was the sight of the innkeeper's eyes. They melted away, dissolving in a horrific manner as if his very soul was being consumed by an infernal fire from within. It was as if he were an internal explosion personified, a victim to a curse or a power so dark and unfathomable that it bordered on the demonic.
This memory, suppressed deeply into Marcellus's mind surfaced at this moment.
Marcellus shuddered at the recollection. The incident at the inn had been a pivotal moment, a harsh introduction to the reality for Marcellus. It had ignited in him a burning desire to become stronger, to become a knight, and to seek a better life.
But still, Marcellus remembered it like it was yesterday because most of his memories in between had been foggy. Less than a week after he woke up from the dream, he encountered what he now believes to be a cursed diary.
This cursed diary, with its ominous contents, had become an ever-present companion in Marcellus's life since that ill-fated encounter with the now-deceased cook.
Its secrets, dark and enigmatic, had only begun to unfurl before him. The diary seemed to murmur to him, enticing him deeper into its unsettling depths.
Marcellus couldn't recall why he had killed the cook for this accursed tome. The memories were shrouded in a haze of uncertainty. Was there a malevolent force manipulating his actions? The thought of self-inflicted harm was unsettling, to say the least.
As he delved further into the details of his memory and Aspirants f different pathways, suspicion crept into every corner of his mind. The need to uncover the truth, to unravel the mysteries surrounding the dream and the diary, burned within him. Three weeks had passed since Ayden's letter, and Marcellus couldn't help but wonder about the delay. Surely they had their reasons
His quest for answers led him to a revelation about Severin, the notorious pirate—a Cipherist.