As the darkness receded, I found myself back in the church, staring at the crystal pulsating with darkness in front of me. The priest, seemingly recovering from a shock, stuttered, “D-Dark Attunement level 9. Mana Control level 8. Mana Regeneration level 10. Mana Capacity level 7!”
The crowd erupted in cheers. The priest continued, "We have a potential Archmage candidate!" The crowd went from cheers to pure pandemonium.
I knew what it meant. While dark magic might have a bad rap, having an attunement level above five automatically placed me in the top five percent of mages. And here I was, with a level nine attunement.
Bloody hell. No wonder my dark magic was so potent.
The crowd's jubilation reached a new decibel level. The priest, in the midst of the uproar, continued praising the goddess. As for me, I was still trying to wrap my head around what had just happened.
I was momentarily convinced I had stumbled... somewhere else. The crystal was undeniably crimson, not the current dark aura it had. There was a voice too. My head throbbed as if the voice had said something important, but now it was just a headache-inducing mystery. I decided it was better not to dwell on it; thinking about it only made my head protest more vehemently.
Turning my attention back to the ceremony, my father appeared at my side, enveloping me in a hug. Daniel sported a cheeky grin, Fiona, my stepmother, and Richard wore wide-eyed expressions, a rare crack in their usual stoic demeanor.
Despite this all, I felt oddly numb. What should I be feeling at this moment? Emotions seemed to elude me, leaving behind a peculiar calm and empty peace. Honestly, all I wanted was to crawl into bed and enjoy a long nap.
Drowsy and detached, I endured the prolonged ceremony. The fervor of the crowd began to subside, and I found myself drifting into a haze, barely registering the names being called. My mind felt foggy, as if I was forgetting something important.
It wasn’t until a name was called and my sleepy eyes snapped open.
“Alicia Bennett.”
A girl with fiery red hair stepped up to the crystal, and my heart skipped a beat.
It couldn't be happening this early, could it?
I had expected to meet the character from the novel at some point, but I wasn't prepared for it now!
The crystal glowed bright red, and suddenly, I could taste the element on my tongue. The force of energy, untamed and wild. The concept of consumption, of purification, of forging anew.
The guide. The nurturer. The beacon.
Fire.
“Fire Attunement level 6. Mana Control level 5. Mana Regeneration level 6. Mana Capacity level 10!”
The crowd erupted once more, celebrating Alicia's awakening. She was a key figure in the protagonist's circle, a commoner destined to become a renowned fire mage. The revelation that she hailed from our county was the thing that caught me off guard. Such a small world.
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While everyone around me cheered, I remained silent. Father noticed my lack of enthusiasm and inquired about my well-being. His mood had noticeably improved; our county had awakened three mages this week, and two of them possessed an attunement level over five. A one-in-a-decade talent, and his own daughter was one of them. I guessed he was... proud?
I couldn't find the words to respond. Something was amiss, and I was struggling to muster any emotions. It felt as if something had taken them away, leaving me in a state of eternal peace.
Father frowned, pressing for an answer. My silence prompted him to give me space, redirecting his attention to the center of the church. Perhaps he grasped something that eluded me.
No one else awakened, and the ceremony concluded with one final prayer to thank the Moonweaver.
***
During the carriage ride back, Daniel and Marie exchanged worried glances, seemingly saying something to me. However, I paid no attention. I had no desire to listen.
The peace and serenity within me were delicate. I refused to let anything interrupt them.
Closing my eyes, I leaned against the carriage, shutting myself off from the outside world.
The rhythmic clatter of the carriage wheels and the muffled sounds of conversation became distant, drowned out by the serenity I sought to preserve.
***
I woke up with a gasp. My room greeted me with all the enthusiasm of a cozy dungeon. Hand pressed against my forehead, I felt a headache crash the awakening.
[Adaptation] once again decided to play the butler, gradually escorting the headache out of my skull. [Adaptation] sent a report that I promptly treated like a spam email – straight to the ignore folder.
A glance out the window revealed the darkness of the night, and my memory of the recent events played in my mind like a sequel nobody asked for. But something was off. Ever since my weird crystal rendezvous, I'd been living in a magical episode of the Twilight Zone.
What in the hocus pocus was going on?
Emotions hit me like a tornado of magical confetti. Suddenly, it dawned on me – the Goddess herself, The Moonweaver, had apparently slid into my DMs and dubbed me the Saintess of The Hunt.
My response was eloquent: "WhatthefuckwhatthefuckWHATTHEFUCK?"
There was this tiny problem- I had zero clue what that meant. The first five volumes of the original novel had left me hanging, with plots thickening like an overcooked stew and foreshadowed stuff still lurking in the... well, shadows. The frustration of being clueless once again clawed at me.
Did the Goddess know I was just someone playing the character named Eli and not the real deal? Doubtful. Her lack of reaction to my identity suggested 'She' was either an excellent actress or genuinely oblivious.
But the weird thing was, just hearing Her voice had sent my self-awareness packing. That surreal peace and serenity I felt should have been terrifying if I had a normal emotional spectrum, which, unfortunately, I didn't. My heart raced, and I felt strangely full, bloated – not emotionally, but… physically.
A bulb went off in my head. The stupid system! The blessing.
This with the urgency of someone checking their online order tracking, I pulled up my stat screen.
Elidranthia Shadowstep, Blessed of the [Killing Star That Wanders The Cosmos]
Blessing Tier 1: [The Crimson Larva]
Enlightenment Rate: 100%
Metamorphosis Conditions: [View]
Current Perks:
· Fearlessness
· Eyes of Terror Evocation
· Adaptation
Skills:
1. Keen Perception
2. Aerial Grace
3. Visionary Mastery
4. Featherweight Descent
5. Lethal Precision
6. Umbral Concealment
7. Fleet-footed Sprint
No fucking way.