As Jamie uttered the final syllable of the blessing, [Crescendo], a profound darkness enveloped the room. It was as if the very essence of light had been siphoned away, leaving behind an abyssal void. The ambient sounds of the tavern faded into nothingness, replaced by an oppressive silence that pressed in from all sides. Jamie felt a familiar sensation wash over him, a disorienting blend of déjà vu and otherworldliness. It was akin to the moment of his Passage.

His eyelids grew heavy, weighted by an unseen force compelling them to close. Yet, even as his vision dimmed, Jamie was acutely aware of Thomas beside him. An intangible connection pulsed between them, a cord of shared purpose and fate.

Surrendering to the heaviness, Jamie allowed his eyes to close. When they opened again—or perhaps not at all—he found himself standing within a vast chamber. The air was thick with mystery, swirling with eddies of intangible energies that prickled against his skin. A low melody drifted through the space, its notes ethereal and enigmatic. The music seemed to originate from everywhere and nowhere, wrapping around them like a shroud. Far from soothing, the sound set his nerves on edge, as if each note was a question without an answer.

Before them stood a grand wooden table, its surface worn yet bearing the intricate carvings of ancient symbols that seemed to shift and shimmer when not directly observed. Two high-backed chairs flanked the table, their dark wood gleaming softly despite the absence of visible light sources.

Jamie glanced at Thomas. In the half-light, his friend's features were etched with a mix of awe and apprehension. No words passed between them; none were needed. A mutual understanding flowed in the space between their gazes.

Silently, they moved forward and took their seats at the table. The moment his palms rested upon the tabletop, a surge of energy coursed through him. It was as if the table was alive, a conduit linking him to forces beyond mortal comprehension.

An otherworldly voice resonated within his mind.

[A sacrifice is necessary.]

Glowing script materialized in the air before them, lines of text formed from threads of light that twisted and wove into words.

[To ascend from [Common] to [Rare], experience must be offered.]

[Do you wish to sacrifice 1,000 experience points?]

Jamie inhaled deeply, feeling the weight of the decision. "Yes," he affirmed aloud, his voice steady and resolute.

As the word left his lips, a gentle wind stirred within the chamber, rustling his hair and clothing despite the enclosed space.

[Extracting points]

A translucent overlay appeared before him, displaying their new statuses.

--

| James Frostwatch (Soul: James Murtagh) | Class: Bard [Rare] | Level: 3 | Experience: 670 / 9,000

| 2# Member: Thomas Hartfield | Trust: [60/100] | Class: Farmer [Common] | Level: 3 | Experience: 3,138 / 6,000

--

Jamie felt a slight tugging sensation as though a part of his essence was gently drawn away. Across the table, Thomas's eyes widened imperceptibly. Despite his efforts to maintain composure, a flicker of surprise crossed his face as he watched his experience points diminish. The veneer of stoicism cracked, revealing a glimpse of vulnerability.

[Experience Points consumed]

[Initiating ritual]

Without conscious thought, Jamie's right hand lifted and extended over the table. He sensed mana surging through his body, converging in his arm and flowing to his fingertips. Tendrils of shimmering energy unfurled from his fingers like silken threads, cascading onto the table's surface and weaving intricate patterns.

A flurry of motion erupted from the shadows surrounding them. Cards began to materialize and soar through the air, hundreds upon hundreds of them. They resembled the ones Jamie had encountered during his Passage, but this time, their numbers were vast, swirling in a mesmerizing cyclone of color and motion. The cards spun and danced, their edges glinting with arcane symbols and cryptic illustrations that seemed to come alive in the periphery of vision.

The whirlwind of cards encircled them, creating a vortex that pulsed with raw magic. Each card whispered as it passed, a susurrus of voices speaking in languages long forgotten.

The bluish mana dripping from Jamie's hand began to change color slowly. It gradually shifted from blue to red until it was finally scarlet.

As the first scarlet drop fell upon the table, it splashed delicately against the polished wood, creating a small pool of shimmering crimson. The droplet's impact sent a ripple through the air, and one of the myriad swirling cards froze mid-flight, drifting gently downward to rest upon the glistening bead of blood. A second drop followed shortly after, then a third, each summoning another card from the ethereal dance to settle upon the tabletop.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

All around them, the thousands of other cards faltered in their graceful trajectories. Like leaves caught in a sudden gust, they spiraled downward, their once mesmerizing patterns dissolving into chaotic flurries. Yet none dared approach the table; instead, they cascaded to the floor in silent descent, vanishing upon contact with the shadowed ground as though they had never existed.

"Thomas Hartfield," Jamie intoned, his voice resonating with an otherworldly timbre. The words flowed unbidden from his lips, summoned from a place beyond conscious thought. He felt them welling up within him, compelled to be spoken. "Destiny cannot be broken. Yet, it can be shaped, altered, refined."

"With the right sacrifice, even death can be averted," Jamie continued. "A frog may become a prince, and a farmer, a hero."

Thomas stood transfixed, his eyes locked onto Jamie. He nodded subtly, understanding the gravity of the moment, but no words came forth. His mouth was dry, the enormity of the situation rendering him momentarily mute. His heart pounded within his chest, each beat echoing like a drum in his ears.

"Know that the future you choose will be bound to the trial I present to you," Jamie declared. Reaching forward, he grasped the first of the three cards that lay upon the table. The backs of the cards were intricately designed, swirling patterns of silver and gold that seemed to shift and move of their own accord.

He turned the first card over with deliberate care. "The Harvest Guardian," he announced, tilting the card so Thomas could see the illustrated image. It depicted a robust figure standing amidst golden fields of grain, muscles honed from years of toil. In his hands, he wielded a scythe.

"A farmer who has honed their strength through labor," Jamie described. "Wielding farming tools as deadly weapons and protecting their land with unwavering resilience."

He placed the card down, its image facing upward, and moved to the second one. Gently lifting it, he revealed the next option. "Beast Shepherd," he declared. The illustration revealed a figure surrounded by a myriad of creatures—wolves, bears, hawks—all coexisting. The shepherd stood tall, a calm authority emanating from his stance, as the beasts looked to him with fierce loyalty.

"Specializes in animal husbandry," Jamie explained. "Taming and training beasts for battle, hunting, or companionship."

Finally, Jamie reached for the third card. "And lastly," he said softly, "Earthbound Druid." He turned the card over to reveal a serene figure entwined with nature itself. Vines wrapped around their arms, flowers blossomed at their feet, and a gentle aura of green light emanated from their form. They stood in a forest glade, leaves swirling around them as if caught in an invisible breeze.

"Gains a deeper connection to the land," Jamie detailed. "Allowing them to influence soil, plants, and weather to enhance crop growth and natural defenses."

He carefully spread the three cards across the table, each one radiant with possibility.

"To select," Jamie instructed, his eyes meeting Thomas's with an encouraging gaze, "simply take the card that you desire."

Thomas's face was etched with confusion, his brow furrowed as he stared at the cards laid out before him. He had never heard of the classes presented to him; they were entirely unfamiliar, each more enigmatic than the last. Perhaps it was because no one had ever elevated a [Farmer] to a [Rare] level before, leaving him with little guidance on what path to choose.

Initially, Thomas had believed that Jamie's blessing would allow him to ascend to any [Rare] class he desired, perhaps even one aligned with the military. Yet now, confronted with the tangible options represented by the cards, it was evident that his choices were evolutions of his current class, each branching in a different direction yet rooted in his identity as a farmer.

He shook his head slowly, attempting to focus his thoughts. Each class seemed a fusion of his existing skills with new, untapped potential. But which path was truly his to follow?

Jamie could sense the turmoil brewing within his friend, the guard was at a crossroads, each option tempting in its own way yet fraught with uncertainty.

At length, Thomas drew a deep breath, steadying himself. His eyes lingered on the first card—the Harvest Guardian. There was something innately resonant about it, a connection that tugged at his core. The image of a stalwart protector, harnessing the strength honed through years of toil, safeguarding the land he held dear, it mirrored his own experiences and values.

"I choose the Harvest Guardian," Thomas declared firmly. His hand reached out, fingertips brushing the surface of the card. As he lifted it, a subtle warmth emanated from the illustration, seeping into his skin and coursing up his arm like a gentle current.

Jamie nodded, a subtle smile of approval touching his lips.

[Ritual Completed]

The disembodied words resonated around them, and gradually, the swirling cards began to fade from sight. Like wisps of smoke caught in a breeze, they dissolved into shimmering motes of light before vanishing altogether. The enigmatic chamber itself began to dissolve, the shadows receding as a soft luminescence enveloped them.

When Jamie opened his eyes, the familiar surroundings of the tavern's office came into focus.

Thomas stood beside him, his expression still reflecting a mixture of wonder and disbelief. He glanced around, reaffirming their return to the tangible world. "Are you all right?" he asked, noticing the slight pallor of Jamie's complexion.

Jamie exhaled slowly, feeling the residual fatigue settle. "Yes," he replied with a faint smile. "Just... drained. The ritual took more out of me than I anticipated." He could feel that his mana reserves were depleted, leaving a hollow sensation akin to the aftermath of intense exertion. It would likely take at least a day before he could wield any blessings or spells again.

A soft chime sounded in their minds as a new notification materialized before them, the translucent text hovering in the air.

[New Quest Obtained]

[Become a Harvest Guardian]

Objective: Use [Reap] 1,000 times within 240 hours.

Failure to complete the quest within the allotted time will result in the loss of experience, and the ritual must be performed anew.

Thomas read the notification aloud, his eyes widening at the magnitude of the task. "'A thousand times?' I must use [Reap] a thousand times in ten days?" He ran a hand through his hair, clearly daunted. "That means I need to use it at least a hundred times a day, five times every hour without rest!"

Jamie rubbed his chin thoughtfully, concern evident in his gaze. "How often can you use [Reap] consecutively before your mana is exhausted?"

"At first, I can manage about fifteen times," Thomas explained, furrowing his brow. "But once my mana runs low, perhaps only two or three times per hour."

Silence hung between them as Jamie contemplated their options. The challenge was formidable, but not insurmountable. After a moment, a determined glint sparked in his eyes. Reaching into his leather pouch, he retrieved two gleaming gold coins, placing them firmly into Thomas's hand.

"Take these," Jamie said decisively. "I want you to purchase as many mana potions as you can."

Thomas stared at the coins, then back at Jamie. "Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly. "That's a considerable sum. I don't want to deplete our resources."

Jamie offered a reassuring smile. "Absolutely. Let's see what your new class is truly capable of."

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