The Time Keeper

Chapter 78 - Visionary Part 2

"Whisperer," I repeated.

Deep within, I knew this was significant.

It wasn't just a word, it was my next tier of advancement. Tier 6: Whisperer.

The realisation washed over me, bringing with it a surge of understanding and purpose

As the pain faded away, I focused on the Visionary ritual and the information I had just garnered. The pieces began to fall into place, and I comprehended the nuances of my new abilities. A Visionary was, in many ways, an advanced version of a Watcher.

While a Watcher could see glimpses of the past and future, static and unmoving like a framed picture, a Visionary could see and hear scenes unfold with greater clarity.

By focusing on a specific moment, a Visionary could extract detailed information, piecing together the past like a detective solving a mystery. The further back in time the scene was, the more challenging it became to scan, but even so, this was easier than peering into the future.

To a newly advanced Visionary, looking 24 hours into the past was comparable to peering 24 minutes into the future in terms of difficulty.

At first glance, this might seem less advantageous since a seasoned Watcher could see days or even weeks into the future. However, a Watcher couldn't hear a scene or see it play out in detail. As a Visionary, I had a far greater upper hand in the battle for information.

I stood up, my body still aching from the ritual, but my mind was sharp, filled with new insights and abilities. This advancement wasn't just about power. It was about understanding and knowledge, seeing beyond the surface to the hidden truths that lay beneath.

Remembering that Alexei had conducted the previous ritual for me made me come to a realisation that I never could understand until now.

By conducting the ritual by oneself, you are provided with various pieces of information such as the next tier and abilities, then Alexei's actions made perfect sense.

Could it be that during my Watcher ritual, Alexei had absorbed the information intended for me? This practice of the ritual, authorised by the churches, seemed designed to slow the advancement of their own official Arcanists. By giving out knowledge sparingly, they ensured that each step was deliberate and considered. No wonder official Arcanists took so long to advance, as Darius had previously implied.

That would likely mean Alexei must either be of the same pathway or at the very least possess detailed knowledge of its progression and abilities.

For non-official Arcanists, the rules were different. They might already possess knowledge of their next advancement, but that advantage would dwindle as they approached higher tiers due to the lack of readily available materials beyond tier 6. As well as the ever-present uncertainty and fear of losing control and turning into a Lamentor.

With so many thoughts, I was becoming drained and tired. Every ounce of energy was sapped from my body.

After a weary sigh, I deactivated the bounded field and stumbled to my bed. Sleep claiming me almost instantly.

Morning arrived with a gentle caress of sunlight streaming through the window. I awoke feeling different—lighter, stronger, more aware.

The room around me seemed brighter, every detail sharply defined. All of my five senses had subtly sharpened, a clear sign of my advancement.

I stretched, feeling the newfound strength coursing through my limbs. Exhaustion had masked these changes last night, but now they were unmistakable. This was the result of my progress, the passive advancement benefits of becoming a Tier 7: Visionary.