Watcher of Fate

Elara sat cross-legged on the cool sand beneath the protective dome of blue flames Lily had conjured. The shade provided a brief respite from the relentless desert sun, but her mind was focused elsewhere. She had been mulling over the strategic decisions they needed to make and the challenges ahead, but there was something she had to address first that had been lingering on her mind since they had discussed the need to complete Lyrielle’s Request.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her character interface and focused on her Intelligence stat. It had been lagging, holding her back from completing the quest. But now, with her gained experience, she had the needed points. Without hesitation, Elara assigned 15 points to her Intelligence, increasing the stat to an even 100.

A soft chime echoed in her mind as soon as she did, signaling something had changed. The sound was gentle, but it carried a weight of significance. Elara quickly brought up her notifications, her eyes scanning the glowing text that appeared before her:

You have completed Lyrielle’s Request quest and have received 500 Experience Points and a System Update.

Elara allowed herself a small smile. Finally, one less thing to worry about. She swiped away the notification, ready to move on to the next task. But as she dismissed the message, a sharp, sudden pain flared up inside her, catching her off guard. She stiffened, her breath hitching as the pain grew, radiating from deep within her core and spreading outward like wildfire.

At first, Elara tried to suppress the pain, clenching her jaw and closing her eyes tightly. She couldn’t afford to draw attention to herself, not out in the open desert where monsters could lurk just beyond the dunes. But the pain was relentless, a searing agony that seemed to expand, clawing at her from the inside. It was as if something was tearing her apart, piece by piece, and she could do nothing to stop it.

Her hands instinctively gripped the sand beneath her, her fingers digging into the coarse grains as she fought to remain silent. The pain escalated, becoming a sharp, piercing sensation that centered in her head. It felt as though her skull was being crushed, her mind tearing at the seams. She couldn’t contain it any longer. A strangled gasp escaped her lips despite her best efforts to stay quiet.

Lily, quietly preparing for their next steps, immediately noticed something was wrong. Her ears twitched, and she was by Elara’s side instantly, her eyes wide with concern. "Elara!" she hissed, keeping her voice low but urgent. "What’s happening? What’s wrong?"

Elara couldn’t respond, the pain too overwhelming to form coherent words. She felt like her head was about to explode, the pressure building until it was unbearable. The world around her blurred, her vision darkening at the edges as she struggled to keep control. Lily knelt beside her, one hand on Elara’s shoulder, the other hovering over her as if she could help ease the pain.

"Stay with me," Lily urged, steady but laced with worry. "Focus on my voice. Breathe. Just breathe through it."

Elara tried to do as Lily instructed, forcing herself to take slow, deliberate breaths, even as every inhale sent new waves of pain crashing through her. It felt like an eternity, but gradually, the intensity of the pain began to subside. The searing heat in her head cooled, the sharpness dulled, and the pressure slowly eased off. Finally, the pain faded to a manageable level, leaving her feeling drained and shaky but no longer on the brink of collapse.

She blinked, her vision clearing as she slowly regained her senses. Lily’s concerned face came into focus, her golden eyes watching Elara closely. "What was that?" Lily asked her voice a mixture of curiosity and concern. "It looked like you were about to pass out."

Elara took a moment to catch her breath, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Quest reward," she muttered, her voice hoarse from the effort of staying silent through the ordeal.

Lily raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. "That’s one hell of a reward," she commented dryly. "Are you alright now?"

Elara nodded, though she still felt a lingering ache in her head. "I think so," she said, her voice steadier now. "But I’d better check my notifications and see if there’s anything different."

With a deep breath, Elara pulled up her interface again, focusing on any changes that might have occurred after the completion of Lyrielle’s Request. She scanned the system, searching for anything new or altered, hoping that whatever had just happened had a purpose beyond causing her pain.

Name: Elara Crowhurst

Race: Human(Norn)

Class: The Watcher of Fate

Level: (276,528 of 283,000) 32

Quenya: (235,691 of 253,000) 31

Resources:

HP: 8,127 of 8,127 (13.2/min)

Energy: 17,559 of 17,559 (4.4/sec)

Attributes:

Armor Class: 113

Strength: 54

Dexterity: 219 (240)

Constitution: 117

Perception: 217 (358)

Intelligence: 100 (110)

Resolve: 176 (255)

Free Points: 28

3 Free Slots

Class Skills:

Sanctuary of Learning (Legendary): 14

Skein of Destiny (Mythic): 11

Cognizance (Mythic): 25

Ephemeral (Legendary): 16

Crimson Quill Dance (Unique): 21 PERMANENT

Unified Presence (Legendary): 25

Moment in Time (Mythic): 2

Racial Skills:

Quenya Skills:

Crimson Quill Dance (Unique): 21 PERMANENT

Intelligence has surpassed the 100 threshold, and skills that rely on perception have improved.

With a deep breath, Elara scanned her interface again, eyes darting across her status screen to see if anything had changed after completing Lyrielle’s Request. She quickly checked her stats, noting the newly increased Intelligence score of 100. Her other stats seemed unchanged, but there was a subtle difference in how her interface responded: faster, more fluid. She sensed more profound responsiveness as if the system had become more attuned to her. Still, there was no clear indication of what the "System Update" entailed or why the process had been so excruciating.

Swiping away the status screen, Elara frowned, her mind spinning with questions. What did Lyrielle’s Request mean by the system changes? She wondered. And why did it require such a painful adjustment? There had to be more to this reward than just a simple boost in stats. She needed to dig deeper to see if anything had shifted in the core of her abilities.

Elara took a deep breath, bracing herself as she pulled up the interface and focused on one of her most trusted and powerful skills, [Cognizance]. She felt a slight thrill of anticipation as the updated description and details of the skill unfolded before her eyes, more comprehensive and intricate than she remembered:

---

Skill: Cognizance

Rarity: Mythic

Stat: Perception

Description: This skill hones the user’s senses to a superhuman level, unlocking layers of perception that transcend ordinary understanding. When activated, [Cognizance] allows the user to perceive the world with unparalleled clarity and depth, granting insight into both the physical and metaphysical realms. The skill enhances visual acuity and the ability to interpret complex information instantaneously, making the user a formidable force in combat and strategy.

Sub-skills:

Omnidirectional Awareness: The user can see in all directions simultaneously within a range determined by their Perception stat. This field of awareness is not hindered by physical obstructions, providing a 360-degree view that extends through walls and barriers.

True Sight: The user can see through all status effects, including invisibility, illusions, magical obscurities, and natural darkness. This ability also pierces through concealment spells and skills, revealing hidden traps, knots, or enemies.

Spirit Sight: The user gains the ability to perceive the spirit realm, allowing them to see spiritual entities, souls, and the residual energies left behind by skills or spells. This sight extends to spirit-bound bonds and contracts, offering an understanding of spiritual strength and weakness.

Threads of Fate: The user can see the threads of fate that weave through the world, revealing potential paths, choices, and outcomes. These threads connect people, events, and decisions, allowing users to glimpse possible futures and make informed choices that shape destiny.

Unknown Sub-skill: The fifth aspect of [Cognizance] remains locked and obscured, its nature is hidden until the user meets certain undisclosed conditions or reaches a new level of mastery with the skill. The potential of this sub-skill is vast and unpredictable, awaiting discovery.

---

Elara couldn’t help but be impressed. The depth and clarity of the description were far more detailed than she remembered. The system’s update had given her a more refined understanding of [Cognizance], revealing subtleties she hadn’t noticed before. She realized that this skill was more than just a tool for detection. It was a comprehensive guide to seeing the world in ways few could comprehend, both in the seen and unseen realms.

“Interesting…” she muttered, eyes still glued to the interface. “There’s more to this than I thought." She took a mental note of the locked sub-skill. She’d need to explore that more. There was untapped potential there, waiting to be unlocked.

But before she could dwell on it further, the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the dunes and turning the sky a deep orange. The day's heat was beginning to dissipate, replaced by a cooler breeze that swept across the desert. Elara knew they had to start moving soon before night fell completely.

With the encroaching twilight, Elara decided to test the enhanced [Cognizance]. She turned her focus to Lily, activating the skill. Immediately, the world around Lily seemed to shift and warp as a myriad of threads of fate sprang into existence around her. These threads glowed in different colors, some vibrant and robust, others faded and fragile, each representing potential futures and choices ahead of her.

Elara studied the threads, watching how they twisted and intertwined around Lily, each tied to a different decision or action. She could see the threads connected to Lily’s immediate desire to find a place to perform the class selection ritual, a safe, hidden spot where they could be undisturbed. Those bright threads indicated how central that desire was to Lily’s current path.

Let’s narrow this down, Elara thought, channeling her focus. She concentrated on that desire to find a suitable place nearby that was safe and secure for the ritual. She pushed that intention into the framework of [Skein of Destiny], the skill that allowed her to shape and consolidate the threads of fate.

The threads around Lily wavered momentarily, their multitude of colors and directions flickering. Then, as if pulled by a powerful magnet, they began to snap together, converging into a single golden thread. It stretched out before them like a line of molten gold, cutting through the fabric of reality to show the most optimal path forward.

A chime sounded in Elara’s mind, resonating softly yet clearly, signaling a new quest alert. She opened the notification, her eyes scanning the new quest that had appeared:

---

New Quest Alert!

Secure the Sanctuary

Difficulty: B Rank

Objective: Locate an area suitable for performing a class selection ritual for Lily.

Reward: Gain experience and increase affinity with Lily.

---

Elara studied the quest's details, feeling a sense of clarity settled over her. The system had responded to their needs, crystallizing their immediate goal into a clear objective. She glanced at Lily, who had been watching her closely, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

"Looks like we have our next mission laid out," Elara said, her voice steady and filled with determination. "Time to secure a sanctuary for your ritual."

Lily’s smile widened, her tails swaying with anticipation. “Then let’s find it,” she replied, her tone eager. “A place where we can work undisturbed and make our moves without anyone else catching on.”

With the golden thread guiding their way and the quest now set, Elara and Lily prepared to set out, ready to face the unknown and turn opportunity into strength.