Alice stepped from Noelle's aura bubble and took in the surroundings. The streets were alive with bustling aliens of various shapes and sizes, their voices mingling in an unfamiliar yet melodic blend of languages and dialects. Her nose picked up enticing scents wafting from small shop windows, and her eyes darted between the colorful street art lining the buildings to the clusters of aliens engaged in spirited conversations.
"Man, it's good to be back," Rachel sighed, stretching her arms overhead. "Feels like a vacation already.”
"I know right?" Alice said, taking note of a nearby market selling exotic fruits and vegetables. "I can't wait to try some of those weird foods we've heard about.”
"We'll probably spend most of our time eating, shopping, and exploring," Zalgo chuckled, admiring the architecture of a nearby building. "And maybe we could throw in some Void Magic training too, to keep ourselves sharp.”
"Right! Let's get back to Carmen's place, she seems like someone perfect to learn Void Magic from." Rachel said with a grin.
From behind, Rachel felt a hand tousle her hair, hearing a woman's voice say, "You're eager, aren't you? Well, let's go to my place then. I've got something I think you'll find interesting.”
Rachel, along with the other girls, quickly turned around to face the hand's owner, Carmen.
“H-hey! It's you again!” Rachel exclaimed.
Carmen chuckled at Rachel's reaction, a smile on her lips. “Guilty as charged,” she said, pulling her hand back. “It's good to see you again, and your friends as well.”
“Likewise,” Noelle said, a hint of curiosity in her voice. “You mentioned you have something interesting for us to see?”
Carmen's eyes sparkled mischievously. “Indeed, I do. Follow me, and I’ll show you what it is,” she said, gesturing for them to follow her.
Noelle and the Ephemerals exchanged glances, wondering what Carmen had in store for them. Their curiosity piqued, they followed her down the bustling streets of Amaranthine Town. The walk was filled with the chatter of different races and the hum of various species going about their business. Alice's eyes darted around, marveling at the sheer diversity of beings they passed. From lizard folk to pixies, the blend of life forms was as diverse as the universe itself.
As they approached Carmen's home, a modest but inviting abode, she led them inside with a wave of her hand. The interior was cozy and well-organized, with framed photos on the walls and a variety of plants. Carmen gestured for them to take a seat in the living room.
The girls settled into the couches, their eyes trained on Carmen, waiting for the reveal. The anticipation was almost palpable.
"So what's up, Carmen?" Rachel asked, leaning forward.
"Well, I wanted to ask...what do you plan your Void Magic abilities will be?”
Alice blinked, responding, “Well, to put it simply, I came up with gloves that have thread running through the fingertips of them, and I can manipulate the thread in any which way I want.”
“Gotcha.” Carmen nodded, looking over to Rachel. “And how ‘bout you?”
“A large railgun that has alternate fire modes, like a wave motion cannon and stuff.”
With another nod, Carmen's attention shifted to Zalgo. “And you, young lady?”
“Well,” Zalgo began, a hint of determination in her eyes. “I don’t really know, I suppose I'd like to use an array of Aura spears, but it’s not just about flinging them around. I can manipulate their shape and properties as well.”
Huh, Carmen thought. So two Creation skills and one Conversion one. Their skills don't fit their Aura Types, but who am I to judge, it's been done before.
"Hm, very well then. Well, what if I told you three that I can unlock those skills for you right here and now, giving you access to them?"
Alice's eyes widened at the prospect. "You can do that? Just like that?"
Carmen smiled. "Just like that. I have a technique called the Void Channeling Ritual. If all three of you are willing, I can perform it right now.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
The three Ephemerals exchanged glances, silently contemplating Carmen's offer. It was a chance to fast-track their Void Magic skills, a tantalizing offer that could be a game-changer in their quest to save Elysia.
"What's the catch?" Noelle asked, ever the cautious and protective one.
Carmen chuckled at Noelle's question. "Smart girl. Always asking the important questions. There's no catch, really. However, the ritual does require a significant amount of energy. It could leave me feeling a bit exhausted afterward, but I've done it numerous times before. It's completely safe.”
Alice and the others shared reassuring glances, each subtly nodding in agreement.
"Let's do it," Alice said firmly. "We need every advantage we can get.”
Carmen smiled, pleased with their decision. "Great. Just sit back and relax, and I'll begin the ritual."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her hands twitching in anticipation. A faint pulse of energy began to fill the room, almost imperceptible at first.
The energy grew in intensity, creating a tangible aura that seemed to encompass the entire living room. Carmen began to murmur incantations in her mother tongue, her voice a soft hum against the low thrum of power. The three Ephemerals could feel a strange sensation, a tingling at first, then a pulling at their very core. It brought forward flashbacks of Celeste forcing open their aura nodes.
As the energy built, a faint glow emanated from Carmen’s body, her figure becoming hazy and indistinct. The force of energy in the room became almost overwhelming, causing some of the objects in the room to vibrate gently.
Suddenly, Carmen's voice rose, the incantations growing louder and more intense. The energy in the room surged, the glow around her growing brighter. With a final, powerful invocation, Carmen's body seemed to explode with energy, her form dissipating into tendrils of pure power. The tendrils swirled around, as if searching for something before they darted towards Alice.
Alice felt a jolt as the tendrils of energy connected with her body, a strange yet not unpleasant sensation. The energy seemed to probe at the very essence of her being, reaching into the depths of her soul. A sudden flood of images flashed through her mind, visions of the skill set she described swirling in her thoughts.
The visions disappeared as quickly as they appeared, replaced by a feeling of finality. The tendrils withdrew from her, and the intensity of the energy in the room lessened. Alice took a moment to gather her bearings. Just like that, she felt a new presence within her, as if her skills were now etched into her very being.
The energy now turned to Rachel, tendrils of power encircling her like living rope. The cycle repeated itself, with visions of her railgun skills flashing through her mind before being seared into her soul.
Then, the tendrils came for Zalgo. The process repeated one last time, the energy swirling around her body before the visions of her Void spears appeared in her mind, searing into her soul like the other two.
Finally, the energy receded, the glow around Carmen fading. The room fell silent, the air still charged with the remnants of the ritual. Carmen, looking somewhat drained but satisfied, opened her eyes.
"Woah..." Alice murmured, feeling the foreign presence within her. "That...was intense."
Rachel and Zalgo nodded, looking equally affected by the experience.
Carmen took a few deep breaths, trying to regain her composure. "It wasn't as bad for you as it was for me, I assure you," she said, a hint of exhaustion in her voice. "But it's done. You all now have access to the skills you envisioned. Now, I'm not saying you're a master of your abilities already, you still have to train to hone your skills, but I helped you guys bypass the conjuration phase.”
The Ephemeral girls looked at each other, a sense of awe replacing the trepidation. They had just undergone a ritual that unlocked their Void Magic abilities, a significant leap in their training.
"How did it feel?" Carmen asked, curious. “How do you feel now?”
"It's bizarre," Alice answered, her fingers twitching subconsciously as if they were already itching to use her newfound skills. "I can feel something...new, a part of me that wasn't there before."
Rachel nodded in agreement, a mix of excitement and wonder in her eyes. "It's like I can feel the railgun potential just beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed.”
Zalgo's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "It feels...powerful. I can sense the Void Spears within me, like a dormant energy waiting to be unleashed.”
"I see. Well, I have a test for y'all: try to conjure up your newfound skills.”
The Ephemerals exchanged eager glances. They all rose from their seats, excited to test their new abilities. Alice stepped first, focusing her thoughts on her gloves and the threads.
"Here goes nothing," she said, imagining pulling and molding the threads made of her aura. The others watched as Alice's hands began to glow, tendrils of light emerging from them. She closed her eyes, visualizing the threads coming forth. An instant later, blue threads sprouted from Alice's fingertips, stretching out like spider's silk. Her eyes widened at the sight. The threads were tangible, glowing with a gentle blue light.
"It worked!" she exclaimed, her surprise tinged with elation.
Rachel and Zalgo watched in awe as Alice skillfully manipulated the threads, wrapping them around her fingers and then releasing them with a flick. Even Carmen, despite her exhaustion, couldn't help but look impressed.
Seeing Alice's success, Rachel stepped up. She focused her thoughts on her railgun, mentally envisioning each step needed to conjure it.
"Here goes…" she muttered to herself, a deep breath, her hand clenched.
A second later, a metallic ring echoed, and a silver railgun manifested in her hand. Its sleek frame gleamed as the hum of dormant plasma energy vibrated through the room.
The girls watched in astonishment as Rachel's railgun materialized, its form as she had envisioned it. Its length was a good four feet, with coils of energy spinning around its barrel. It looked heavy enough to require superhuman strength to either lift or fire, but the petite Rachel carried it as if it were light as a loaf of bread.
"Incredible," Rachel murmured, her fingers flexing around the grip of the railgun.
All eyes now turned to Zalgo. She had closed her eyes, her entire focus on materializing her void spears. A moment later, she opened them, extending her arm.
In a flash of black and silver, four spears formed in front of her, hovering in the air, ready to obey her command.
The spears were sleek and sharp, their surfaces rippling with Zalgo's aura. Each one was about five feet in length, slender and seemingly weightless in Zalgo's power.
"Sick...sick as hell…" Carmen breathed, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten as she watched the girls harness their newly unlocked abilities.
The girls were too preoccupied by their own abilities to notice Carmen's words. Alice was studying her threads, amazed at how real they felt. Rachel gently caressed her railgun, feeling the hum of energy within it. And Zalgo was staring at her spears, a smile on her face as she manipulated them with a flick of her wrist.
"This is unbelievable," Alice finally said, looking at the other two. "We actually did it. We've unlocked our Void Magic abilities.”
"I know," Rachel agreed, still marveling at her railgun. "It feels...right. Like it's always been a part of us."
Zalgo nodded, her void spears hovering around her like guardian spirits. “Exactly. It’s like a piece of us has been missing, and we’re whole now.”
"You've all got a lot of potential," Carmen said, observing them with a pleased expression. "You should start practicing your skills, get comfortable with them. The more you use them, the more natural they'll feel. Now, before you do that, how about that tour around the Town? I'm pooped, and I could use a bite to eat right about now. I can show y'all around while I'm at it.”
“Yeah, victory meals for the win!” Rachel cheered, dispelling her railgun after admiring it once more.
Alice and Zalgo, still buzzing from the thrill of their unlocked skills, nodded along eagerly and agreed to the tour, alongside Noelle. Carmen beamed with tired yet excited eyes as she turned to face the front door, and the others followed her out of the house.