Kael stared in awe at the floating letters summoned by the Tower, shimmering like ethereal symbols just out of reach. He blinked, half expecting them to vanish, but they stayed in place, waiting for him to take in the information they carried.
Still feeling stunned, Kael glanced at Elowen, as if she might explain the phenomenon. But she was already a step ahead, speaking before he could even ask.
"You can see the letters, right?" she asked, arms crossed, a small smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.
"Well, don't worry. Even though I can see that you've summoned some information, I can't actually read it. To me, it's all just gibberish."
Kael raised an eyebrow, both surprised and somewhat relieved by that fact.
"So, only I can read it?"
"Yep," Elowen confirmed with a nod.
"It's the Tower's way of keeping things private. Everyone can see that something's being read, but only the fatewalker who summoned the information can actually make sense of it."
Kael, for reasons he couldn't quite explain, felt an odd sense of gratitude for that feature. Privacy… The concept felt distant, yet important. He didn't know why, but in that moment, it made him feel more secure.
Returning his attention to the shimmering letters, Kael began reading aloud.
-----
Item Name: Dullblade of the Novice
Rank: Common
Sockets: 1
Description:
The Dullblade of the Novice is a training sword designed to be safe for beginners and apprentices. Its edge is blunt, unable to inflict serious damage, but it remains sturdy and reliable for learning the fundamentals of combat. Though lacking sharpness, its weight and balance are ideal for developing swordsmanship techniques, making it a popular tool among new adventurers.
Despite its humble appearance, many masters fondly recall their first battles with a Dullblade, and it serves as a reminder that skill, not the weapon, determines victory.
•Durability: High
•Weight: Light
•Requirement: None
•Damage: Minimal (Blunt)
•Socket: Beginner's Discipline – Grants 10% bonus experience when practicing basic sword skills.
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As Kael finished reading, he couldn't help but feel a sense of… disappointment. A training sword? That was the best the Tower could give him? He barely survived his trial, and this was his boon?
His thoughts were interrupted by a burst of laughter from Elowen.
"Figures!" she exclaimed between giggles.
"A Dullblade. That explains why you barely did any damage during the trial."
Kael flushed in embarrassment, but before he could retort, Elowen added,
"Still, a boon is a boon. And you should be grateful you even got something. Not every challenger walks away with a weapon on their first trial."
Kael frowned, muttering under his breath,
"Grateful, huh? You didn't see what I went through…" He felt his face flush as the reality of his struggles came back to him. Yet despite his embarrassment, there was a strange sense of dark humor about it all. He had survived a hellish trial with a blunt sword.
But then, something clicked in his mind.
"Wait," Kael said, sitting up straighter.
"I got another boon during the trial—a belt. I haven't checked it yet."
He dismissed the information about the Dullblade and summoned the details of the belt. More shimmering letters floated into the air before him as he began reading aloud once again.
-----
Item Name: Hunter's Enduring Belt
Rank: Rare
Sockets: 3
Description:
The Hunter's Enduring Belt is a master-crafted piece of gear, coveted by adventurers, hunters, and survivalists alike. Made from the hide of a long-extinct beast, the belt is both lightweight and impossibly durable, able to withstand the harshest of conditions. It carries with it a number of invaluable tools, each imbued with unique properties.
• Razorfang Dagger: A finely crafted skinning knife, permanently enchanted to never dull, making it a perfect tool for skinning animals or delicate work.
• Everflame Flint & Steel: This ancient fire-starting set is charmed to create a spark under any condition—whether rain, snow, or intense wind. With a single strike, it guarantees a flame.
• Voidwoven Pouch: A small, resilient pouch attached to the belt, made from a mysterious, almost indestructible material. It is resistant to tearing, burning, and magical damage, safeguarding whatever it holds.
• Bottomless Flask: Though it appears to be a normal-sized flask, this enchanted container can hold significantly more liquid than its size suggests. Ideal for long journeys, it always provides what the wearer needs.
The Hunter's Enduring Belt is a mark of resourcefulness and self-reliance, perfect for those who need to survive in the wilderness or operate away from civilization. It is the kind of belt you wear when you expect the unexpected.
•Durability: Extremely High
•Weight: Light
•Requirement: None
•Socket: Endless Edge – The dagger never loses sharpness, granting extra precision and speed for tasks like skinning or crafting.
•Socket: Unyielding Fire – The Flint & Steel will always ignite, regardless of environmental conditions.
•Socket: Eternal Storage – The flask and pouch both offer more capacity than their physical appearance suggests.
-----
Kael barely had time to process the description before Elowen's expression changed dramatically. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pressed into a thin line. It wasn't anger exactly, but there was clear frustration in her voice when she muttered,
"A rare item… in your first trial? You've got to be kidding me."
Kael smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.
"Uh, lucky me?"
Elowen shot him a look, one part annoyance and one part amazement.
"Do you know how long it took me to get a rare boon? And yours just so happens to be a survival kit? The amount of suffering I would have disregarded in my trials if I just happened to have one of those…"
Kael's smile widened into something more like a grimace. He couldn't help but find some dark humor in the situation, but he wisely kept his mouth shut, deciding not to fan the flames of Elowen's jealousy.
Elowen let out a long sigh, rubbing her temples.
"In any case… moving on."
She waved away her irritation and refocused on Kael.
"Now that you've seen your boons, there's something else you need to know. Just like with boons, you can concentrate on your core and summon basic information about yourself—the Tower provides that, too."
Kael tilted his head.
"Information about myself?"
Elowen nodded.
"Yes. For example, the title you saw me use—The Scarlet Lamb—was given to me by the Tower when I became an Acolyte. Titles are earned through achievements and rank. By focusing on your core, you can access information like that, as well as other details about your abilities, authority, and items."
Kael blinked.
"Titles, abilities, authority? I don't even know what those are."
Elowen groaned, rolling her eyes.
"Of course you don't."
Internally, Kael cursed the lack of knowledge he had when going through the trial. The more I learn, the more I feel cheated. His mind wandered back to Seer, the cryptic figure who had thrust him into all of this with no guidance. The more he thought about it, the more his frustration grew, but he couldn't help but smirk at the absurdity of it. Seer had really thrown him to the wolves—literally—with barely any preparation.
Shaking off the thought, Kael refocused on the task at hand. He concentrated on his core, feeling the strange energy within him hum quietly, almost like it was waiting to be called upon. Following Elowen's instructions, he mentally reached for the core itself, trying to summon information about his own identity.
And then, once again, floating letters appeared before him.
---------------------------------
Name: Kael
Rank: Challenger
Title: –
Authority: –
Abilities: –
Items: Dullblade of the Novice, Hunter's Enduring Belt
[Progress to Saturation: 1/100]
---------------------------------
Kael frowned, staring at the information in front of him. His name was listed simply as Kael, with no mention of anything related to the Neverborn God or Acheron. There were also empty dashes next to where titles, abilities, and authority should have been listed. It was clear he had a long way to go.
Then, his gaze fell on a number—a single digit at the bottom of the information: 1.
Next to the number, a thin, empty bar sat ominously below, followed by 1/100.
"What does that mean?" Kael asked, turning toward Elowen.
Elowen scratched her head, glancing at Kael.
"That's your essence amount. Right now, you're at the very beginning, which means you've barely gathered any essence at all. You'll need to gather a lot more before you can grow stronger."
Kael sighed, his initial excitement about the boons fading slightly as the reality of how far he had to go hit him. The path ahead looked daunting, and the more he learned, the more it became clear how unprepared he was for what lay ahead.
Elowen chuckled softly, seeing his expression.
"Don't worry, you'll get there. Every fatewalker starts at the bottom. Just be glad you've made it this far."
Kael nodded, though his mind was still racing. There was so much he didn't know, so much he needed to learn.
The journey was only just beginning.