Awakening

Jack and Amelie were shocked. Their minds were slow to process, not knowing what was unfolding before their eyes.

Ethan leaped back after stabbing Tanner's heart while pulling out his bloody dagger. He glanced, seeing the faces of Jack and Amelie.

"What… What are you doing, Ethan?" Amelie asked incredulously.

Ethan didn't answer. There was no trace of guilt on his face. All that existed was the next move he had to make.

Now both of them were aware of the situation. So Ethan couldn't launch the same attack on them as he did a few seconds ago.

They were not weak either. They could wield their swords well, proven by how they killed the wyvern earlier.

Ethan leaped back, grabbed his bow, and nocked an arrow.

"Shit! He's insane! He's going to kill us if we don't act quick!" Jack said.

Tears began to fall on Amelie's face. Her expression showed that she was hurt. But then her eyes turned to anger as she looked back at Ethan.

Ethan noticed it. He could see how her face changed.

"Sorry. We don't have any other choice, do we?" Ethan said.

"We could just talk about it!" Amelie shouted.

"Talk about what? Do you have any other solution? Do you know anything about this Tower?" Ethan replied. "If I don't move quickly, we'll just waste time discussing something useless. I know you also want that power just like me, and you'll want to kill me in the end. But I will not let that happen."

Ethan shot an arrow toward Jack who was already running toward him. Jack managed to twist his body at the right time so that the arrow only pierced his shoulder. But it was enough to make him stop moving for a few seconds.

Ethan ran away again and nocked another arrow. He shot again, this time hitting Jack's leg and making him fall to the ground.

Too focused on Jack, Ethan didn't see Amelie's movement. The girl was now within close range with him. She lunged forward and leaped while raising her sword.

Ethan raised his bow.

*CLANG!*

The sword struck his bow. But the bow was not strong enough, so it started to crack. Ethan threw the bow aside while he rolled to the other side, avoiding Amelie's sword.

Ethan then took his dagger. He used the moment when Amelie staggered to dash toward her.

Unfortunately, Amelie could still parry his dagger aimed at her chest. Amelie's face contorted into a grimace.

Ethan delivered his best attacks that he had learned from training with his father. Amelie struggled with all her might to face him.

But in the end, her strength was weaker than Ethan's especially after she used it to kill the wyvern. While Ethan just waited on the side, observing them.

So Ethan quickly overwhelmed her. He pushed her aside then made a sweeping motion, his dagger giving a deep slash in her stomach.

Amelie was shocked. She looked up, only to see Ethan's cold face approaching her and another pain striking her chest.

A moment later, Amelie dropped to the ground. Now only one more person remained.

Ethan walked up to Jack.

"No! No! Please! I have a family!"

Ignoring his plea, Ethan strove forward and plunged the dagger into his neck. He made the same slashing motion and killed Jack in a swift movement.

Ethan looked around. Seeing the corpses of his former allies scattered on the floor in a bloody mess. Because of his doing.

But his face was cold. The guilt was there but only a little. In the end, he had to make this decision because it was his only choice. As long as he got the cure, he could do anything. Including killing people.

Ethan then walked towards the stone coffin where the rune was. He stood in front of it and waited. After a few seconds, a voice sounded in his head.

[ "Congratulations, Invited. You have obtained the treasure. Now-"]

The voice suddenly gone even though he was sure there was another thing it wanted to convey.

Ethan frowned. His heart began beating faster, realizing that there might be something wrong.

But then, another voice – this time sounding like a woman's voice but he wasn't sure.

[ "Oh, Aspirant. The Tower has been waiting for your arrival. Touch the rune. It has been waiting for you for a very long time."]

'Aspirant?' Ethan wondered inside his head.

But first, he had to get that power. So he touched the rune glowing golden inside the obsidian coffin.

A strange power entered his body. Ethan could see it clearly, it was like golden tendrils creeping from his hands to his body. Until finally, all the golden light was absorbed into him.

Then, the rune appeared in his vision. At first, it looked like scratches of symbols he didn't understand. Before it began to change into something he could read.

[ You have obtained the Talent Rune. ]

[ Your Soul bears the mark of the Aspirant, the one who seeks to become Ascendant. ]

[ Appraisal in progress… ]

Ethan thought that he was just supposed to wait until the Appraisal process finished.

[ You have received a Gear: Aetherbow (Transcendent Treasure) ]

Ethan smiled. Whatever it was that he received, he was sure it was something powerful.

But the rune didn't stop there.

[ You have awakened a Mythical-grade Talent: Soulweaver ]

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