Watcher of Fate

Elara stood before the four figures, weighing each choice carefully. Her gaze lingered on the [Magi] figure, its skin glowing with mana flowing like liquid light, radiating an aura of immense power. For a moment, she imagined what it would be like to wield such raw magical strength, to have her intellect and dexterity amplified beyond mortal limits. The very thought stirred something deep within her, an echo of the dreams she once had as a little girl, poring over ancient tomes and imagining herself as a powerful wizard who could bend the elements to her will, command the forces of nature, and stand toe-to-toe with the mightiest of mages.

But reality had shaped her differently. Elara was no wizard, and as much as the [Magi] subrace glittered with promise, she knew it wasn’t meant for her. She couldn’t cast the powerful offensive or defensive spells that would use the [Magi]’s enhancements. Her skills were different, more nuanced. The spells she could cast were unusual, but they weren’t her primary tools in battle; they were just a part of her broader strategy. Her magic was woven into the fabric of reality through subtler means, skills that manipulated perception, shifted reality and guided her through the shadows of fate.

If she were a pure caster and had walked the path of a sorceress or wizard like the heroes of her childhood fantasies, the [Magi] subrace would have been a gift from the gods. It would have allowed her to channel devastating spells with effortless grace and unleash arcane power torrents that would leave her enemies scorched and shattered. But that wasn’t who she was. Her abilities lay in the delicate balance between sword and spell, reading the flow of combat and manipulating the threads of fate itself.

No, she needed something that would enhance her unique strengths. Her abilities, [Cognizance], [Skein of Destiny], and [Moment in Time], were not the blunt force of a wizard’s fireball or the impenetrable wall of a conjured shield. They were far more refined, more precise. They were the tools of a [Watcher of Fate], a bard who danced on the razor’s edge of reality, bending time and destiny to her will. And for those skills to truly flourish, she needed more than raw magical potential.

Her eyes shifted to the [Norn] figure, a tall, ageless woman whose presence felt calm and commanding, her regal and reassuring posture. The [Norn] offered something different, something more profound: a heightened sense of perception, an enhanced ability to read the future and navigate the intricate web of fate. It promised to sharpen her mind and resolve, empower the skills that had kept her alive in Tartarus, and allow her to outmaneuver every foe Malakar had set against her.

The choice became clear. The [Norn] would amplify her class’s unique abilities, making her a true master of fate. It would enhance her [Cognizance], allowing her to see a moment ahead and the multitude of potential futures unfolding before her with unparalleled clarity. Her [Skein of Destiny] would become even more potent, letting her interact with the threads of fate with a precision that could alter the course of battles or even history itself. And [Moment in Time], her last resort when all seemed lost, would give her an even greater edge when death loomed near.

Elara took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the decision settle within her. The [Magi] was tempting but would not serve her true purpose. She was not here to fling spells like a wizard of legend; she was here to shape reality itself, to understand the flow of fate and guide it to her advantage. The [Norn] would allow her to do that and more.

With renewed confidence, Elara stepped forward, reaching for the [Norn] figure. As her hand touched the ageless woman’s, she felt a surge of energy course through her, a sensation of pathways opening, of doors unlocking within her mind. The other figures began to fade away, their lights dimming as the [Norn] enveloped her, merging its power with hers.

A notification box appeared before her, glowing softly:

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You have embraced the path of the [Norn].

Perception increased by 30%

Constitution decreased by 20%

Increased food consumption

Intelligence increased by 10%

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Elara felt a strange sensation course through her body, a tingling that spread from her toes to the top of her head. Her perspective shifted the world around her, seeming to shrink slightly as she grew taller. She felt a rush of energy, her muscles stretching, bones elongating, and her posture shifting into something more upright, more poised. Her sight sharpened, details she’d never noticed before springing into focus. The faintest imperfections in the marble columns the fine patterns of veins in the stone, all became vividly clear to her.

As she turned her gaze toward one of the columns, something new appeared at the edges of her perception. Threads, faint and flickering like wisps of mist in the moonlight, began to emerge. They wove in and out of existence, thin strands of silver, gold, and countless other colors intertwining and dancing along the room's surfaces. They hovered there, at the very limits of her vision, like secrets waiting to be unraveled.

Elara concentrated, squinting slightly, and felt the threads solidify more. They were everywhere, lines of potential, paths of possibility, all woven into the fabric of reality itself. She reached out instinctively, feeling a connection with the threads, a sense that they were there for her to grasp, understand, and manipulate.

Her senses buzzed with newfound clarity, each thread humming with untold possibilities. She knew this was the result of her choice, the sight of a [Norn], the ability to perceive the very strands of fate.

Another chime rang out, more precise and sharper, pulling her focus back. A new notification appeared before her eyes, glowing with a soft, ethereal light:

Beginning Class Upgrade to Silver…

3 unassigned slots have been added.

Features of Class: The Watcher of Fate upgraded

You cannot learn offensive or defensive spells or combat skills.

Combat spells or skills provided by equipment cost significantly more energy to use.

Gain no experience from killing monsters.

Gain significant experience from witnessing important events, places, and things.

30% > 35% bonus to Perception Stat

10% bonus to Resolve Stat

You are fate-touched.

You have leveled up to 31.

You have leveled up to 32.

Elara dismissed the notifications with a flick of her wrist, her urgency cutting through any curiosity she might have felt. The full weight of reality was beginning to press against her, time inching forward again. She knew she couldn’t afford to linger here any longer.

Her eyes lifted to the sphere above, the shimmering window to the vault, where everything remained still yet subtly shifting. The spell she had cast, [Altered Reality], made the heavy vault door appear solidly shut to anyone looking from the outside. But to her eyes, sharpened by [Cognizance], the illusion was just a faint overlay, translucent enough that she could see right through to the guards just beyond it. Their figures were frozen in mid-motion, their faces still etched with confusion and determination, their bodies caught between footsteps.

Elara could feel the world around them gradually beginning to thaw, like ice melting under a slow, creeping heat. The guards were still within that slowed-down world, unaware that time had been momentarily stopped. But she could see the tension in their muscles starting to ease, their limbs beginning to tremble with the first signs of movement as reality began to catch up.

She took a deep breath, her body thrumming with energy as she focused on the scene before her. The guards remained on the other side of her illusionary vault door, caught in the false image she had woven, but it wouldn’t hold forever. Their steps would soon resume, their eyes scanning the room once again.

Elara felt the urgency build inside her, knowing she had only moments before they realized something was wrong. She could see their movements slowly picking up speed, their awareness creeping back in. The world outside the sphere was starting to flow again, like a river unfreezing after a long winter.

She willed herself toward the vault, her mind racing. She thrust herself against the boundaries of this strange space, feeling the ethereal threads of reality pull tight around her. The courtyard and columns blurred, dissolving into mist, and she pushed harder, propelling herself through the fabric that separated her from the vault.

Elara crossed the boundary with a sudden jolt, slipping back into the vault. The air felt dense, vibrating with the tension of time resuming its normal course. The illusory door stood firm, but she could see the guards starting to blink, their bodies twitching as if waking from a deep sleep. They were beginning to unfreeze, and the world around her was returning to life.

Elara landed softly on the cold stone floor, her senses heightened, feeling the pulse of energy in the air. Every second seemed to tick back into place, her muscles taut with anticipation. The guards were beginning to stir, their bodies slowly regaining motion as the frozen world around them started to thaw. Confusion flickered across their faces, unaware of the brief pause that had just occurred, but their confusion was quickly giving way to suspicion.

Quill's voice echoed in her mind, laced with surprise. "Elara, what happened? You’ve… changed."

She could sense his shock but kept her focus sharp. "I’ll explain later, Quill. Right now, it’s time to escape.”

Without missing a beat, Elara summoned the energy for [Dimensional Link], weaving the familiar purple and gold threads. A small barrel of melted cooking lard, still warm and liquid, materialized before her from her [Spirit Domain]. She had been surprised at the cost of acquiring such a thing, but with the gems she had collected, it was a small price to pay for what she needed to do.

Quickly, she splashed the lard around the vault, coating the stone floor and walls with the slippery substance. The thick, greasy liquid clung to every surface, creating a treacherous trap for anyone attempting to pursue her. The task was nearly complete when she felt a familiar, unsettling presence approaching, the [Evil Eye]. Its baleful gaze drew nearer, the air growing heavier with the weight of its scrutiny.

With a final flick of her wrist, Elara spread the lard just as the [Evil Eye] reached the illusory vault door. She wove [Create Flame], red threads sparking to life between her fingers, igniting the grease with a small but potent flame. The fire spread quickly, racing along the floor and up the walls, consuming the lard with a fierce hunger. Thick, black smoke billowed into the air, filling the room with a choking cloud that obscured everything in sight.

The [Evil Eye] hovered at the entrance, its gaze locked on the illusory vault door. But as the flames licked at its edge, the illusion shattered like fragile glass under the [Evil Eye]’s gaze, revealing the true state of the vault. Elara didn’t wait for the [Evil Eye] to react. She immediately wove [Shadow Step], her body dissolving into a swirl of midnight blue smoke that mingled seamlessly with the black clouds billowing from the fire.

She zipped through the room, her smoke-like form darting past the confused guards and the [Evil Eye], hidden within the thick, acrid smoke. In a final burst, she reappeared on the second-floor walkway where her infiltration had begun, the cold stone beneath her feet once more solid and reassuring.

Still clad in the stolen official’s robe and jade badge, Elara adjusted her appearance, blending in with the other officials beginning to flee the rapidly spreading smoke. Her [Ephemeral] skill worked its subtle magic, ensuring that she looked every bit the part as she descended the stairs and stepped out into the open, slipping into the flow of officials escaping the smoke-filled building without a single glance cast her way.

Elara moved quickly, her heart still pounding from the adrenaline of the escape. She slipped into a narrow alleyway, the shadows swallowing her as she distanced herself from the chaos at the spirit crystal reserve. The distant sound of commotion reached her ears, but she pushed it out of her mind, focusing on her next move.

Once she was certain she was out of sight, Elara paused, the cool darkness of the alley offering a brief moment of reprieve. She unfastened the jade badge from the front of her robe, the smooth stone cool against her fingers as she held it for a moment before tucking it away. The robe and hat followed, each item disappearing into her [Spirit Domain] with a deft weave of [Dimensional Link], purple and gold threads swirling momentarily as they vanished from sight.

With the disguise safely stored, Elara took a deep breath and pulled up her status screen. The familiar interface flickered into view before her eyes, displaying her current level, skills, and recent notifications. The world around her seemed to fade as she focused on the screen, the tension of the last few moments slipping away as she assessed her situation.

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Name: Elara Crowhurst

Race: Human(Norn)

Class: The Watcher of Fate

Level: (271,228 of 283,000) 32

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

Resources:

HP: 5,537 of 8,099 (12.9/min)

Energy: 5,048 of 16,718 (4.3/sec)

Attributes:

Armor Class: 113

Strength: 53

Dexterity: 219 (240)

Constitution: 117

Perception: 217 (358)

Intelligence: 85 (93)

Resolve: 176 (255)

Free Points: 28

3 Free Slots

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