Chapter 3: The Whispering Island

While Atlas faced her trial to keep her unique profession, Victoria was transported to an otherworldly realm filled with gods and goddesses. Seeing a new member of such a tender age, the gods took her under their wing, giving her everything almost freely.

They provided her with a legendary quest called Threads of Destiny.

Victoria checked her status and saw that it was the same as Jared's and Atlas's in terms of attributes. She loved how her avatar looked and wished she resembled it in their world.

She checked the description of Aeon Weaver, as she had no clue what it was about.

Aeon Weavers are master manipulators of time and destiny, capable of affecting the past, present, and future to safeguard their reality and aid their allies. They draw on the mystical arts of divination, the strategic foresight of scouts, and the protective zeal of guardians to maintain balance and order across timelines.

The skills she had gained were:

[Veil of Possibilities]: Scan multiple potential futures to choose the most advantageous path for the Weaver and their allies, enhancing tactical decisions.

[Echoes of Age]: Temporarily summon past and future versions of allies or foes for assistance or disruption in battle.

[Chrono Shield]: Deploy a temporal barrier that absorbs and nullifies any time-altering effects within its bounds, protecting the area from temporal disruptions.

[Destiny's Guidance]: Use divination tools to reveal hidden information about enemies or environments, granting strategic advantages.

[Temporal Reversion]: Rewind time for the Weaver or an ally, correcting critical mistakes or reviving from a fatal blow once per battle.

[Paradox Strike]: Unleash a devastating attack that combines the energies of different epochs, overwhelming enemies with anachronistic force.

Under her quest log, she saw the background and objectives.

Quest Background: As a newly inducted Aeon Weaver, Victoria has caught the eye of the gods and goddesses who wish to test her ability to manipulate the threads of time and destiny. To prove her worth, Victoria must complete a quest that not only demonstrates her mastery over temporal powers but also her wisdom in wielding them.

Objective: Restore the broken timeline of Salem, a once-great civilization that fell into ruin due to a temporal anomaly. By weaving the threads of past, present, and future, Victoria must correct the course of history and revive Salem's lost glory.

Quest Stages:

Stage 1: Gathering the Threads

Reward: Based on completion rank.

Stage 2: Locked

Stage 3: Locked

Stage 4: Locked

Stage 5: Locked

On Atlas's side, she read the quest background and objectives.

Quest Background: Newly arrived in the plane of Piracy World, the player must prove their worthiness to claim the mantle of the legendary Shapeshifter Pirate. To do so, they must undertake the "Rite of the Crimson Sails," a traditional proving ground for pirates who seek to surpass mere mastery of the seas.

Objective: Successfully navigate through a series of challenges to retrieve the Crimson Flag from the haunted isle of Marrow's End, thereby earning the respect and allegiance of the local pirate lords and solidifying your status as a Shapeshifter Pirate.

Quest Stages:

Stage 1: Gathering intel at Port Blackwater

Reward: Depend on rate of completion.

Stage 2: Locked

Stage 3: Locked

Stage 4: Locked

Stage 5: Locked

Stage 6: Locked

Just as Atlas finished reading the quest details, a sharp wind blew through the city, carrying a whispering voice, "Beware the shadows." She felt unease as the bustling market fell silent. People vanished, leaving only their wares and a sense of foreboding. A hooded figure stood at the end of the street, beckoning her with a skeletal hand. "The darkness comes for you, Atlas. You must be ready." A cold shiver ran down her spine as the sky darkened. She knew she was not prepared for what was coming.

She quickly decided to follow the hooded figure, hoping he could help with her first quest. He led her through back alleys to a door marked with a black skull. The hooded figure knocked rhythmically and waited for it to open.

When the door opened, the hooded figure motioned for Atlas to follow. They walked down a dark hallway to a blinding light. Inside, she saw people, including Javin Blackwater from the square. He said, "I am glad to see you, Atlas. I hope you can help us."

 Atlas asked, "How may I assist you all?"

"We were cursed by the undead clan; they invaded our plane and cursed us to this wretched land. We are pirates made to be out at sea but were stuck on this forsaken land. We beg you to reclaim the artifact that has bound us to this land."

Atlas asked, "Is this place Port Blackwater?"

The hooded figure with the skeletal hand unveiled himself as a handsome bloke with blonde hair and sea-green eyes. "This is only a remnant of Port Blackwater, stuck in time. For you to reach the real Port Blackwater, you would need to escape this place."

Atlas asked, "Is there any other information you can provide me with?"

Javin Blackwater shook his head sadly. Atlas nodded and returned to the market. She checked the leftover items and found a weathered map under a seller's tarp. The map directed her to a hidden island accessible only by an underwater tributary.

She went back to the black skull door and saw the hooded figure again. She stated, "I might have found a clue, but I need your assistance."

He nodded. Atlas took that as a gesture to continue, so she said, "I need a boat."

The hooded figure led her to another part of the city. At the port, many boats lined the docks, but one caught her eye: a dark red ship, like dried blood, with a silver flag bearing a black skull. The name on the ship was the Crimson Maiden.

Atlas's heart shivered, and she knew that this was her ship. She pointed to the ship; under the hood, a surprised look crossed his face. He did not say anything and just nodded. Using the game storage, she stored the boat and left the hooded figure where he stood.

The hooded figure watched as she walked away, wondering if she would be the one to free them from this cursed place.

Within Serene Plane, Jared exited his soul sphere and looked at the place with new eyes. He thought this could be an easter egg in disguise. Instead of searching for his quest, he decided to try to form contracts with the baby animals around him.

Atlas found the manhole leading to the underwater tributary. She stood beside it, steeling her nerves. Taking out the ship, she set it on the water. Manning the ship alone would be arduous, but she knew she could do it.

After a couple of hours preparing the ship, Atlas realized it was too arduous to man alone. She stored it, morphed into her shark form, and swam in the direction depicted on the map. Smooth sailing, she went undetected by all the undead's traps.

Upon arrival, what she found was not what she expected. She found herself on an eerie island, shrouded in mist and strewn with the wreckage of forgotten ships. The air was thick with the scent of salt and decay, and each step echoed with the whispers of the past.

The path led her to a dense forest of twisted trees and glowing vines, their eerie light casting ghostly shadows. At the island's heart, she stumbled upon a colossal tree, its roots encircling a glowing, crystalline artifact. The artifact pulsed with a rhythm that seemed to match her heartbeat, beckoning her closer.

As she reached out to touch it, the ground trembled, and a menacing growl echoed through the clearing. Shadows coalesced into a towering figure with glowing eyes, and Atlas realized she was not alone. The true challenge had only just begun...