Chapter 15: Transformation

A sense of unease washed over him as he noticed the eerie silence that enveloped the house. It was unusually quiet, devoid of the usual sounds of his parents moving about.

Frowning, Reese glanced at the clock on the wall, expecting to see the time indicating the late hours of the night of the next day. To his surprise, the clock displayed March 16, 2024, at 4:30 a.m. Same date, but an hour passed after he arrived home after his parents picked him up from school earlier that day.

Confusion clouded Reese's mind as he tried to make sense of the situation. 'How could it still be the same day and only an hour pass? Did I somehow travel back in time? Did the Orb have the power to travel back in time? ' Reese thought as he scratched his head in confusion. But he did not think about it for now. 

Reese went back to his room, ready to rest after his first cultivation. He then noticed the foul stench in his body: 'Shit!' Reese cursed on his way to his bathroom. After taking a bath and feeling refreshed, he then lied down on his bed and couldn't help but reminisce about what had happened. It was still so surreal for him, no matter how many times he thought about it. One thing he was very certain about. "It was all real," Reese said in his slightly lit bedroom with a big, fat smile on his face.

As Reese lay on his bed with his eyes closed, his mind was abuzz with plans to test his new power. The Amethyst Orb was the perfect place to push the limits of his abilities, but the lack of obstacles presented a challenge. No trees to punch, no rocks to crush—just an expansive, featureless terrain stretched out before him.

How could he effectively gauge the extent of his newfound strength without any obstacles to overcome? The thought of returning to the Amethyst Orb only to find it devoid of suitable testing grounds left him feeling disheartened, so he just willed the Amethyst Orb to absorb spiritual energy around him as much as it could.

Lost in thought, Reese opened his eyes back to reality at the sound of his mother's voice calling from downstairs for breakfast. The scent of breakfast wafted up to his room. 'It's already morning?' Reese thought. With a sigh of resignation, Reese reluctantly set aside his plans for testing his power and rose from his bed. 

As Reese entered the kitchen, his family turned to greet him with warm smiles, but their expressions quickly shifted to shock and concern as they laid eyes on him. His parents and younger brother stared in astonishment at Reese's appearance. 

As Reese was eating, he noticed his parents and younger brother were looking at him strangely. Wondering why his family was giving him strange looks, he asked. "What's wrong? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Then his father gestured toward the nearby mirror with a concerned expression. "Son, just take a look at yourself," he urged gently.

Curious and slightly apprehensive, Reese approached the mirror and gazed at his reflection. What he saw there left him speechless and horrified. His skin, once familiar and unremarkable, now had an otherworldly shine to it, smooth and flawless like polished marble, and his hair was flowy and silky. And his eyes—those were the most shocking of all. Instead of their usual brown hue, they now gleamed with a mesmerizing shade of purple, like twin orbs of amethyst.

Shock and disbelief coursed through Reese as he struggled to comprehend the extent of his transformation. 'What the hell? How did I turn into this? I looked like I just jumped out of an anime.' Then he remembered what his master said about the Amethyst Aura tempering his body. 'It must be the Amethyst Aura; that must be it.' 

Frantically searching for an explanation, Reese's mind raced with excuses. Finally, he settled on the first thing that came to mind.

"I was just trying out some new cosmetic products last night," he stammered, his voice betraying his uncertainty. "You, you know, are experimenting with different looks, and this," Reese pointed at his eyes. "It's just a contact lens." 

'Shit! What kind of excuse was that? I'm screwed.' Reese scolded himself in wardly

His parents exchanged incredulous glances, clearly unconvinced by Reese's feeble explanation, but they did not dwell on it as long as he was alright. His younger brother simply stared at him wide-eyed, then broke out into laughter after hearing his excuse.

"Really, Kuya?" his brother asked skeptically, his tone tinged with disbelief. "Cosmetic products that completely change your skin overnight? Contact lenses? You really think I cannot tell the difference between contact lenses and real eyes? Can you make a better excuse than that?" Ryan continued to laugh.

"Shut up!" Reese snapped at his younger brother.

Reese's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he struggled to maintain his composure. He knew that his excuse sounded absurd, but he couldn't bring himself to admit the truth—that he had been transformed by the mysterious power of the Amethyst Aura. 

"Kuya, this transformation of you will definitely make you popular now at school. Your nickname will not be Mr. Ordinary anymore," Ryan teased him again while chuckling.

Feeling the weight of his family's curious gazes bearing down on him, Reese hastily excused himself from the kitchen under the guise of needing to retrieve something from his room. As he retreated into his own space, he felt relief wash over him. Relaxed, Reese thought of ways to cover up his appearance. If he goes to school like this without covering his face and eyes, it will make a big fuss at school.

First, he should buy a brown contact lens, cover his mouth and nose with a face mask, and wear long-sleeved clothes for the next two weeks. It was a good thing that he was graduating; he didn't need to wear a uniform for the rest of the school year. 

Reese then stood up in his bed, changed his clothes into long sleeves, grabbed his black eyeglasses, and wore a black hat. After he changed, he looked himself in the mirror. 'Goodness, I looked like a wannabe K-pop star.' Reese chuckled at his ridiculous outfit. Then he went down the stairs and told his parents he was going out for a bit.

As Reese stepped out of his house, he couldn't help but feel a sense of appreciation for his parents for choosing to live in the middle of the city. Even though their city was still developing, it was still a bustling hub of activity, with shops and establishments lining the streets, all within walking distance from his home. With a contented smile on his face, Reese began his leisurely stroll towards Watson Pharmacy. The sun was shining brightly overhead, casting a warm glow over the bustling city streets. People bustled, going about their daily routines.

After 5 minutes, Reese arrived at Watson Pharmacy. He pushed open the door and stepped inside. He saw a lot of shoppers inquiring about the products in their hands. Then he spotted a petite, short attendant in uniform, and he went straight to ask about contact lenses. 

"Excuse me, Miss," Reese began, "Do you happen to sell contact lenses with a brown color?"

The attendant was caught off guard by the clothes this customer was wearing, as if he were really trying hard not to be recognized. It was odd, but the attendant did not dwell on it.

The attendant, a friendly-looking woman with a warm smile, nodded in response. "Yes, sir, we do have brown-colored contact lenses available. What do you prefer, soft or hard?" she replied. 

Reese was puzzled. "Oh, there are two types of contact lenses? I did not know that; I thought they were all the same. What is the difference between the two?" Reese asked the small attendant.

The attendant nodded, then proceeded to explain to Reese the difference. "The soft contact lenses are easier to adapt to, more comfortable, have disposable options available, and are easier to fit and adjust. As for the hard contact lenses, they are very durable, suitable for high spectacles, less drying, and provide clearer vision."

With a quick explanation, the attendant led Reese to a display rack filled with boxes of contact lenses in different colors and styles. She pointed out the options available in brown. Reese listened attentively, considering his choices carefully. After a moment of deliberation, he made his selection; he chose the hard contact lens and handed the box to the smiling attendant.

"I'll take these, please," Reese said with a grateful smile. 

The attendant nodded and began to ring up the purchase, packaging the contact lenses neatly before handing them over to Reese. 

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" the attendant asked kindly.

Reese shook his head, thanking her for her assistance. With the box of brown-colored contact lenses in hand, he left the pharmacy. Returning home with the box of brown-colored contact lenses in hand, he then remembered the memory fragments his master left behind before he vanished. He then went immediately into his room to check on it.

Reese then sat on his bed. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused his mind, allowing the fragments of memories to flow into his consciousness.