THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

. The title pulsed, a steady thrum like a heartbeat, each syllable humming with enigmatic energy. Yet, despite the beauty of the script, confusion wrapped around his mind like an iron shackle.

"[By walking the Path of Ember Divinity, you claim the final flame shared by the Divine Mysteries, a force that unites life\'s warmth and the ash of decay.]"

He read the words aloud, voice barely more than a whisper that flickered in the stillness. They stirred something deep in his soul, an ember that sparked curiosity and a gnawing sense of foreboding.

What was this

final flame

? He leaned back, rubbing his temples as he pieced through the fragments of his knowledge. Yue\'s teachings surfaced in his mind, her melodic voice recounting the known energies of the world: Lumin Essence, Vortex Aether, Verdant Spirit, Pristine Ether, Arcane and Mana. But the final flame? It was unlike anything he\'d ever heard.

Could this flame be an energy beyond the reach of common understanding? A force so potent that it stood apart from the tapestry of familiar powers, perhaps the very lifeblood of the gods themselves? The question burned in his mind, a tantalizing thought wrapped in layers of mystery.

His eyes drifted to the second part of the cryptic message:

"

[However, the Ember draws upon your soul\'s spark; should you falter, its hunger may consume you. Proceed with caution—godhood awaits only those whose fire endures.]

"

David frowned, the warning coiling like a serpent in his chest. The Ember wasn\'t just power; it was hunger—a living, consuming force that demanded more than mere strength. It required resilience, unwavering will. His fingers tensed as he pictured flames licking at his very soul, gnawing at him from within if he proved too weak to master them. The vivid image left a cold sweat on the nape of his neck.

The phrase

Divine Mysteries

drew his attention next, glistening with implications that prickled at the edge of his thoughts. Who—or what—were the Divine Mysteries? He searched the shadows of his memory, trying to dredge up any scraps of lore or whispered myths, but they yielded nothing more than questions. The Mysteries seemed to dance just out of reach, elusive phantoms cloaked in veils of history.

David exhaled, the breath leaving him in a frustrated huff. He could almost hear the laughter of fate teasing him, dangling answers just beyond his grasp. With a resigned shake of his head, he stood, stretching out muscles tight with tension. His mind might be a storm of questions, but he knew better than to dwell on puzzles with missing pieces.

If the Ember Divine truly held secrets worth uncovering, then time and experience would carve out the path. Until then, he would continue forward, gathering each fragment until they formed a whole.

As he gazed out over the horizon, where the sky met the dark curve of the mountains, determination settled in his chest. The mysteries would not remain shrouded forever.

"Godhood awaits," he murmured, the echo of the system\'s words mingling with the silence, as if the world itself had heard his promise. The path ahead was shrouded in shadows and flame, but David\'s fire, fragile though it felt now, would blaze until it could rival the sun.

David\'s gaze flicked to the new category shimmering on the system interface, the letters woven in arcs of glowing silver.

Chronomancer of the Tapestry

, it read, the name alone crackling with an air of ancient power. He walked to the window, the last rays of sunlight stretching over the horizon as night unfurled its dark cloak across the sky. The cold breeze whispered against his face, stirring a flutter of excitement deep within him.

"

[Description: A role that guides the host to navigate the seas of a forgotten story. The host shall peer through time and fate as intended, hence becoming the master of the tapestry of space and time.]

"

David\'s eyes widened, the words sinking into him like molten iron. This was no mundane role like the sword-wielding duelist or an unyielding tank. This was something more, something that transcended the usual limits of skill and imagination.

A role not bound to muscle, magic or steel but entwined with the unseen threads that wove reality itself. His heart thudded as the potential of what it meant bloomed within him, unfolding like an ancient scroll.

"

[Abilities:

Point of View: Visualize multiple potential futures and past events, allowing the user to make informed decisions and foresee outcomes.

Bookmark: Subtly alter the flow of time for individuals or events, nudging outcomes toward desired directions without causing major disruptions.]

"

David blinked, his fingers tightening on the window\'s frame as he processed the words that gleamed before him. The room seemed to fall silent, the world outside fading into the distant rustle of leaves and whispers of wind. He swallowed hard.

Point of View

was more than just foresight; it was a key that unlocked hidden truths, granting him glimpses into the many paths someone had walked or would walk. With this, he could pierce through the veil of time, untangling mysteries and knowing the fate of anyone he focused on.

He let a smile ghost across his lips. "This is exactly what I need," he murmured, a note of awe in his voice. Back on Earth, he had devoured the pages of

Trial of Valor

, but those memories were imperfect, smudged with the passage of time.

Now, with the ability to visualize past events and futures, he could illuminate the obscured corners of stories long forgotten, piecing together fragments and truths hidden even from him.

Yet, an echo of caution threaded through his thoughts. He remembered his encounter with the Earl and Elder La Muerte, powerful figures whom the system refused to reveal. The limitations of

Point of View

were clear: there would always be some who stood beyond his reach, their destinies wrapped too tightly in the fabric of power but that would change as he got stronger.

And then there was

Bookmark

. The concept pulled at his curiosity like a whisper in the dark, promising subtlety in a world where force was often king. To nudge the flow of time itself, altering moments without inviting the wrath of consequence—that was power beyond battlefields.

The idea of gently guiding fate without shattering the balance was intoxicating, the precision of it appealing to his strategic mind. Yet, he knew fate was fickle, a spider that spun threads tangled with unseen dangers.

David\'s eyes lifted to the star-dusted sky, determination sparking in their depths.

David\'s eyes flickered over the final three sub-skills of his newfound role, each line pulsing with the allure and dread of untold power. The text shimmered softly, as if daring him to comprehend the weight of their meaning.

"

[Mend or Sever Threads: Repair broken destinies or sever dangerous connections that could lead to catastrophic outcomes.]

"

A slow breath escaped him, thick with contemplation. The idea that he could repair or sever the very threads of fate set his mind ablaze. This was more than influence; it was dominion over destiny itself. He recalled the moment with Seraphina, the delicate dance that had kept her from embracing her dark fate as the Mad Witch.

Had he unknowingly tested this power then? That can\'t be possible, Was that subtle shift in her path a mere coincidence, or had he already begun to weave fate, bending fate without understanding its true depth? The thought coiled in his chest like a living thing, gnawing at his curiosity. He resolved to probe the limits of

Mend or Sever Threads

, using Seraphina as the first test of his theories. To mold destiny itself—what price would that exact from him?

His gaze moved down to the next ability, and his pulse quickened.

"

[Temporal Sanctuary: Create pockets of time where events can be paused or slowed, providing strategic advantages or moments of respite. (Level still low)]

"

David\'s fingers twitched at the potential this offered. Battles had often been won or lost in the blink of an eye, where moments stretched out or contracted like a heartbeat. The ability to carve out seconds when chaos reigned, to create islands of calm amidst the storm—what more could a strategist wish for?

But the phrase "level still low" loomed like a taunting shadow. Limitations, always limitations. His teeth gritted, a brief flare of frustration breaking through. What would it take to unlock the full breadth of this power, to step beyond the constraints and wield time as freely as the warriors did their blades?

The last sub-skill made the air seem colder, the weight of its implications seeping into his bones.

"

[Guardians of Balance: Ensure the stability and integrity of the timeline, preventing paradoxes or the interference of other time-manipulating entities.]

"

A shiver raced down his spine, dragging the memory of that mysterious being to the forefront of his mind. The figure had appeared in the moments after he claimed his role, an unsettling presence that watched with eyes older than the stars. The thought that there were others—entities lurking in the unseen folds of reality, manipulating time—made his breath catch.

He hadn\'t considered before that he might not be alone in this. The notion that there were beings powerful enough to disrupt timelines, capable of playing god with fate itself, was chilling.

David leaned against the window, the cool glass pressing into his back as he stared into the expanse of night. The stars above him seemed smaller, less reassuring, now that he knew they might be watched by eyes far more ancient and knowing than his own. Experience more content on mvl

Guardians of Balance

wasn\'t just a sub-skill; it was a warning, a burden to maintain the fragile dance of time without letting it collapse into chaos. His role was no mere gift; it was an oath, a pact that bound him to a greater, more perilous calling.

He exhaled slowly, the weight of it all pressing down on him. Power, yes—but wrapped in layers of consequence and mystery that defied simple understanding. If he was to walk this path, he would need not only strength but wisdom and the resolve to confront whatever forces moved unseen in the tapestry of existence.

David straightened, determination hardening in his eyes. The path ahead was treacherous, but he would not falter. He would master time, mend destinies, and guard the balance, even if it meant facing beings that haunted the shadows of eternity itself, it was the least he could do to honour his mother\'s memory.

A heavy knock echoed through the dining chamber, pulling David from the swirling vortex of thoughts. The doors creaked open, revealing the hulking figure of Draven, his dark armour glistening with a dull, ominous sheen. The dark knight\'s eyes, sharp and ever-watchful, met David\'s as he bowed slightly, the movement tense with urgency.

"Master," Draven\'s deep voice resonated, a storm contained within each word. "Lady Seraphina requests your presence in her chambers."

****

A/N: Next up lemons, then maybe a time skip. Happy reading.