Chapter 11: Wheels have begun to move

"Ha, ha," I panted heavily, my stomach churning inside out. The ceiling seemed distant, while the cold floor beneath me sent shivers through my body. Everything felt strange, as if my senses were in disarray.

It was hard to focus on a single thing. My eyes lost their focus almost immediately - eyes?

I raised my hand and traced around my left eyeball, and -

"What the fuck?" I mumbled in disbelief. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to react, but -

Tud*

"Ouch," My left shoulder hit something as I tried to stand up, but I ignored the pain and looked for the mirror.

Walking toward the mirror, I hesitated for a moment.

[We are out of the Ordeal, don't worry.]

The text appeared, but these mirrors now gave me an eerie feeling.

I walked up to the mirror and looked at my reflection.

"Fuck this god," I cursed under my breath.

My entire face was as it was before, but there was an empty hole where my left eyeball should be. I could see everything inside the cavity, as if it were on display.

I inched closer to the mirror.

System: [Congratulations! You have completed the trial!]

But this notification made me flinch, and I immediately stepped back.

System:[Crediting the ownership of rune piece.]

System:[Crediting the skill]

System:[Binding souls]

One after another, these voices echoed in my mind.

[Use a binder on the first Serpent.]

I don't know why, but I quickly searched for the wand, and I found it on the floor.

Picking it up, I placed it on my wrist, where the snake was. And the serpent came to life.

"Huh?" I watched in surprise as the snake moved on its own. I kept the binder on it as it moved from my wrist to my shoulder, then neck, and finally my left cheek, near the empty eye socket.

Before I could react, it eerily slithered inside the hollow of the eyeball.

[Don't put the wand inside there.]

I read the text and noticed that the location of the text could change - it could appear anywhere on my body.

As the snake slithered into the hollow of my left eye socket, I felt a peculiar sensation, a mixture of warmth and gentle tingling. It was as if the missing eye was being coaxed back into existence.

I watched in awe as the empty socket gradually filled with a translucent, gel-like substance. It started from the inner edges and slowly extended, shaping itself into a new eye.

The sensation was surreal, like witnessing a miracle. The eye continued to form, its contours becoming more defined with each passing moment. It wasn't an instantaneous process, but a gradual and meticulous regeneration.

Finally, when the process was complete, I blinked my newly regenerated left eye. It felt as natural as the one I had lost, and my vision was unimpaired.

"Cool,"The sense of wonder and relief washed over me.

[The first trial is over. Now, you possess the Rune's power and can access its abilities.]

As I looked in the mirror, my face had returned to normal, just like before. The pain was gone, and everything that had happened felt like a distant dream.

I examined my hand and saw the text that displayed my stats:

[Age: 16

Race: Human

Strength: 2/10

Intelligence: 4/10

Rune Control: 12.5

Skill: Serpentine Vision.]

My stats were lower than I expected, particularly my strength and intelligence, despite being an advanced-level swordsman in three different origin sword techniques.

[Don't worry, the bar is set high.]

"And what is the Serpentine Vision?" I asked, curious about this new skill.

[Say, "Selvà."]

"Selvà," I said, and -

*Srk*

I was taken aback when a small, half-skull-like symbol appeared on the left side of my face, resembling the same mark that Middos had worn.

"What does this do?" I questioned.

[Try going outside.]

However, I hesitated. "What if someone sees this mark? I don't want anyone to know I have the rune."

[Nobody besides you can see the incomplete transformation.]

I touched the skull-like symbol, and I could feel it. It was strange that the rune claimed that no one else could see it. To be safe, I put on a shirt to cover my back and then went outside, still cautious about revealing anything.

The command to go to the banquet left me in a moment of hesitation. Why would I attend a banquet? It seemed absurd, and I had just been through a series of trials in this peculiar world. Drawing attention to myself at this point felt unnecessary.

[You must attend the banquet to observe your brother and comprehend the nature of the power granted by the first rune.]

With a sigh, I adjusted my clothing and made sure I looked presentable. Reluctantly, I decided to follow the rune's advice and headed towards the banquet hall, curious about what awaited me there.

***

As I entered the banquet hall, the sight that met my eyes was nothing short of extravagant. The opulence of the room was overwhelming, with an abundance of food, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses filled the air, and guests reveled in dance and merriment.

"This is messed up on many levels," I muttered under my breath, feeling out of place in this extravagant setting.

The room was filled with aristocrats, each one dressed in elaborate attire, enjoying the luxuries of the evening. My eyes wandered to the last round table, which was occupied by the family that hosted this grand event, the Vaishè Family.

Amire, Elaria, Esme, and Eldric, all of them sat together, sharing laughter and cherishing their time together. Their unity and sense of belonging were a stark contrast to how I had always felt in this family.

But what made me shook was.

Is that the Seraph Eldric Contracted to?

A small blue azure bird perched on Eldric's head, its appearance marred by the fact that it had only one wing and one eye. Despite its imperfections, the bird was strikingly beautiful.

I found myself moving closer unconsciously, drawn to the ethereal quality of the bird. Something floated in the air above both Eldric and the avian companion.

[Strength: 1

Intelligence: 1.2

Rune Control: 35%

Skill: Wind Control.]

Those were Eldric's stats? I was taken aback, particularly by his high rune control at 35%. It seemed like he had been born with a silver spoon, or in his case, a silver wing.

[Basic rank Seraph, nothing to be shocked about.]

The rune's grumpy commentary didn't help ease my surprise.

At that moment, someone tapped on my shoulder, and I turned around to see an elderly man holding a glass of wine. He was accompanied by a group of others.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, young master... I suppose I should start addressing you by name now, Asher," the man said with a cocky tone.

"Why not? You might as well consider me your future son-in-law. Got any daughters for me?" I retorted, not in the mood for pleasantries.

The old man seemed taken aback. "Huh?"

"Haa, get out of my sight," I said dismissively and left the spot, uninterested in continuing the conversation.

I returned to my room, pondering the newfound power granted by the first rune.

"So, this is the power," I mused.

[Yes, you can see what others can't.]

Seraphs were typically unseen once the contract was complete, and old folklore told tales of them guiding the souls to heaven. However, it seemed that these stories were far from accurate.

[That's not true; they disappear after the contractor's death.]

Another piece of information that I had been unaware of. But there were more pressing matters to consider.

"So, it allows me to see into the Seraph realm?" I asked.

[No, it allows you to look into the Serakhshá realm. Seraphs can observe this world, but you are the only one who can gaze back.]

The idea was rather eerie, the notion of being watched around the clock.

"Wait, does that mean Middos can see me too?" I inquired.

[Do you think a deity has the time or inclination to watch you? Don't compare him to mere Seraphs.]

I began to see the potential of this new skill. I could observe Seraphs, scrutinize their stats, and even -

"What else can I do with this?" I asked.

[As long as you keep the binder on the snake, which is now in your eye socket, you can adjust the distance you can see and even peer through walls if you can control the flow of mana accurately.]

I couldn't help but let out a dry laugh. It had been a long time since I had gained a power that could truly be for my benefit. This could be the end of my struggles.

"Tomorrow, I start a new life."

***

[Third Person View.]

"Hope you don't die,kid....not before you get me my stuff." Middos stared into the emptiness with his hollow gaze as for some reason half of his face was not there.

"Wheels have begun to move," His voice echoed around.