Kain stepped into the Pathfinders' building and imdiately felt as though he had travelled back in ti or entered another world.
The very air contributed to the antiquated atmosphere as the scent of various herbs mingled with the scent of aged parchnt and sothing faintly sweet, like the sap of ancient trees.
The lighting was dim, provided not by modern fixtures but by softly glowing orbs encased in sconces shaped like dragon claws, which looked as though they'd been chiselled from so black shining tal that faintly pulsed with spiritual power.
The floor beneath his feet was a patchwork of materials: so tiles glead with the sheen of polished stone, while others had the silver and gold speckled coloured reflective quality of a tal Kain had only read about in ancient texts—solvanium, a legendary alloy said to calm the mind and amplify the spiritual energy of those who stood on it.
Intricate patterns covered the walls, carved in ancient scripts that had long since died out with the nations that created them.
Their anings were lost to ti, but Kain couldn't help but feel they seed to emit a tangible power, only slightly weaker than sigils.
Interspersed among the carvings were paintings depicting scenes of exploration: adventurers crossing rugged landscapes, deciphering relics, and battling towering spiritual creatures.
"The entire building, aside from the murals, is composed of materials brought back by our pathfinders." Kain turned to see a faintly lit individual in what appeared to be a reception area.
The reception area was marked by an arched entryway flanked by two towering statues. These statues depicted figures faintly resembling the almost mythical sirens, won with the upper half of a human and a lower body that could take on the form of a myriad of aquatic creatures.
The ones depicted in the statues had delicate features, and one had the lower body of what appeared to be an octopus, while the other's lower body was an elongated fishtail resembling a cross between an aquatic serpent and fish.
They were both holding lanterns made of what appeared to be pure starlight that pulsed rhythmically. And their vacant gazes sohow seed to follow Kain as he passed beneath the arch, adding to the building's sense of pressure and mystery given to the new arrivals.
The receptionist sat behind a long, polished desk made of a rich, dark wood veined with streaks of silver—likely harvested from so ancient forest now extinct given the words they'd ntioned before about the source of everything in this building.
The attire of the receptionist fit in perfectly with the surroundings: he wore a fitted coat of deep blue velvet trimd with silver thread, paired with bracers made of so kind of an antique, dull bronze alloy.
Beneath the coat, hints of an embroidered tunic peeked through, with intricate vine-like patterns.
A silver circlet adorned his forehead, with a small, faintly glowing gem at its center, which seed to pulse in sync with the starlight in the lanterns held by the two statues.
He had long light-blue hair and a thin, delicate figure that gave him an almost androgynous appearance.
The receptionist's eyes, were a piercing gray that shimred faintly in the dim light, fixed on Kain as he approached. A faint smile curved their lips, and they inclined their head slightly in greeting.
Kain cleared his throat, trying to match their calm deanour. "I'm here to join the Pathfinders. I've reviewed my profile and decided this subdivision aligns best with my strengths."
The receptionist extended a gloved hand, and Kain handed over the booklet containing his report card. They opened it carefully, their gloved fingers skimming over the pages with practiced ease.
Then, in a move that broke the ancient atmosphere of the space, an extrely modern holographic screen appeared before them which he seed to use to confirm that Kain was indeed a candidate able to instantly join the Pathfinders.
After confirming, he closed the booklet with a soft snap and t Kain's gaze. "Your decision is noted, and your report reflects a promising alignnt with our subdivision's needs. If you're certain, we can begin the formal process of welcoming you into the Pathfinders. Be advised—this subdivision is not without its unique challenges and the opportunity to change subdivisions is not available until you have accumulated a certain amount of contribution points. However, the rewards and feelings of accomplishnt granted to Pathfinders are unlike any others."
"I'm certain," Kain said firmly.
The receptionist nodded and gestured toward an ornately carved door to the right of the reception desk. "Very well. Through that door lies the Orientation Chamber. It will provide you with the next steps to formally integrate into our ranks since further assessnt for you is unnecessary. Take this with you."
They handed Kain a small dallion, the size of his palm, made from the sa silvery-gold alloy that glimred faintly in the floor tiles. The second it landed in Kain's hand, he felt a refreshing feeling pass through his mind and the ease with which he could utilize his spiritual power was faintly stronger.
The center of the dallion was etched with a constellation that Kain had never seen before on any star maps—and he was unsure of its significance.
It resembled a compass rose, with four smaller stars positioned at the cardinal points—north, south, east, and west. However, at the center of the constellation was a large, luminescent star, slightly elongated, as if it were stretching to reach each of the cardinal points. Encircling the large central star. And between it and the 4 stars in each cardinal direction was a ring of six smaller stars, arranged in a perfect hexagon.
It was an extrely distinct constellation, so Kain beca even more certain as he examined it that it didn't represent any constellation that existed. He didn't even think there was a star close enough to the planet to appear so much larger in comparison to the others.
"Place the dallion on the pedestal inside the chamber within the platform in the adjoining room and it will automatically transport you into the orientation room specific to the Pathfinders. Also, make sure to keep the dallion on you at all tis, not only does it have tangible benefits and is expensive to replace. It will also be your entry ticket into all areas with restricted access available to you in the Eclipse Order," the receptionist instructed. "I wish you luck on your future path."
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