Saris then brought out four card's from the black deck. Each one Jasen recognized belonging to the Tarot deck. He only knew about them in a passive way. He played video games that happened to have the deck, and the cards symbolism was part of the games story structure.
The cards read in order:
0: The Adventurer
1: The Wizard
11: The Order
13: The Ending
Each black card had a gold inscription and pictures aligning with the tittles. The Adventurer. and Wizard he recognized already, but the Order and Ending were new. The Order's gold illustration was of scales. The old kind Jasen recognized, which were mostly used in the early centuries of Earth. These type of scale was used to measure the weight of money or other things from different sides.
Now the Ending's illustrations is different, Jasen thought. The gold illustration was of a hooded robed figure. No distinguishing features or face. The background was blank with no other features on the card.
Saris then spoke. "To put it simply Path's are how mere mortal's gain the power to fight the dark and unholy entities of the world. These are the four the Sixth Eye's have access to." Saris then placed another book Infront of me. the title said. "The Path's".
"This is a magical index that is connected to the Order's Library. It has the information on the pathways we mainly use. From the required ingredients, ranks, and abilities gained. Look through which of the four paths you would like to pick."
"Is it really just like that?" Jasen asked. He was surprised to hear he could pick a path to power so easily.
Saris sighed. Looking so annoyed with him. "It's not that easy' Saris said putting a pistol and knife on the table. "You have to make a oath and drink the potion. Then you have to sync with the oath and have the potion accept itself in your body."
Jasen's eyes widen. "Oath?...Potion?....Sync? What does any of that even mean?"
"Basically each path is different and has it's own benefits. Some are harder to ascend and don't have benefits until the higher ranks."
Saris then opened the book and went to the contents of the adventure.
"Here." Path 0: The Adventurer. This Path is focused on new beginnings, freedom and maximizing your potential through travel, or different paths of life. At rank F, you gain a few abilities. Whenever you focus on finding something it will be found. Whether it be a lost item or person. Mind you it's not direct, more like event's playing out in your favor. This is called Finder." She then pointed her finger to the next ability.
"Next is call Lucky, your natural luck will have moments of being better. Especially the more you are in certain situations. Say a lucky strike or your life being saved. Some investigator's have even won fortunes or gotten married. The main connection was that all of them used the Adventurer Path. You also get another ability called the Wonderer. No matter where you are you will never become lost. This one is useful."
"Is that all ?" Jasen asked.
Saris shook her head. "Not even close. Just know past the E rank is classified."
"Classified?" Jasen wondered.
"Yes. The Paths are dangerous, especially when other-worlder's use them. When your synchronicity reaches a certain point, and your ready to ascend to the next rank. The order sends a specialist to record your progress and investigates you."
A Specialist? Jasen's eyes narrowed. They must keep the way of ascending to higher ranks a tight lipped secret.
"You don't need to worry. Most people don't make it past the E or F ranks. Mainly humans spend most of their lives in those two ranks without ascending. D ranks and higher among humans are rare and show how gifted one is."
She said humans. So does that mean the other species are different or have a easier time ascending. Jasen looked at Saris's slightly pointy ears. I wonder.
"So does that mean other species have a easier time?" Jasen asked.
"Some do and some don't. The paths aren't about how long lived a species is, it's more about your skill and ability to move in that path."
Saris then flipped to the next Path.
"Path 1:The Wizard. The Path is mostly focused on using ones willpower and desire to manifest their dreams. This path requires one to be resourceful, and have level of skill, and ability to concentrate on their craft."
I remember this card as well. I believe this one is a magic focus one.
"At F rank you unlock mana. depending on who you are this is good. Some people go their whole lives without the ability to use magic, but only by items or touching it in small ways. If you already have access to mana then taking this path will double your mana reserves. The second ability is call magic sense. Whenever your near a magical item you will have the ability to sense it. No matter how small."
Then Saris pointed to the final ability for the F rank. "Now this ability is a mix bag. It's good but has it's draw backs. It's called Weave Toucher."
"Why is it a mixed bag?"
"Because this path is mostly focused on magic, and the ability to touch it in all it's forms. So higher or demonic entities are connected to it in some way. The Weave is what connects all magic, and the paths access this to. Each oath allows a person with or without magical abilities to touch it on a better level then most. Unless your blessed or a true genius. These entities sometimes like to mess with the user's of this pathway. You hear whisper's, sometimes see hallucinations, and are more susceptible to corruption or possession."
That sounds crazy. Any higher being good or bad can just influence me? "Then why do people take this path or are their ways to prevent that from happening?" Jasen asked.
"There are ways to protect from outer influences. Like wards or contracts. Others just fight them for as long as they can. The reason people still take this pathway is because magic becomes easier to access on higher levels. Several new magics and Path's have been discovered and explored, thanks to this path."
Jasen nodded sipping the tea in front of him. So far these paths seem interesting, but there is still a lot of context being left out. I need to wait to hear the rest before I make a decision.
As Saris turned to the next page.
"Path 11: The Order. This pathway is mainly used by the majority of most in the Sixth Eyes. This path focuses on maintaining the order of the world. The way our order does it is by focusing on finding and maintaining the Truth. Of the world and the people in it. If you look closely at the card the scale has a eye on it. The very same symbol the order uses as it's emblem."
Well isn't that poetic, but I doubt this organization isn't hiding a few secrets themselves.
"The first ability of the F rank is True Sight. This allows you to notice when a person is lying. Some see it as vibrations in the air around the person. But it also works when people are disguising themselves. A useful ability for investigators, and the ability get's better the higher in synchronicity and rank."
There she goes again with this Synchronicity. What does that mean.
"The second ability is Karma's Scales. This one is more focused around balancing things out. Do good things and good things will happen. Do bad things and bad things will happen. Some investigators have been helped out with a certain case. Whether its finding evidence or the suspect or culprit. Some have also gotten hurt or worse because their scales weren't favorable odds."
A karma system. That is interesting, but by who's rules does it go by. The world itself or the people in it? That part is important to know, and if there's a way to check ones Karma balance.
"This path doesn't have a lot of abilities in the beginning, but with higher ranks start to improve that. Now for the next path." Saris turned a few pages.
"Path 13: The Ending. This path is more focused around transformations through the ending of life. The phrase would be Death is not the End but only the beginning."
Jasen eyes narrowed as he pieced it together. The number 13 and the hooded individual. This card is death.
"This card is useful in our line of work, but corruption is more easily to occur if one is not careful with this path. The first ability is called Voice of Death. Should their be Spector's or newly killed victims, then you will be able to communicate with them. You may even be able to command them to answer your questions. It all depends on the user and the soul. The second is Death's essence. This ability is carefully watched because of what it can do. You are able to absorb the remaining essence of the deceased. It will slowly increase your bodies physical and magical abilities. "
Saris had a cold expression on her face. She probably didn't want to tell me this. The ability itself sounds interesting but very addicting. Unless it worked on magical creatures, I wouldn't want to go around killing people to grow stronger.
"The final ability is called The ending. This ability allows one to gain incredible strength, speed, and magical power the closer the user get's to deaths door. It's a very handy ability when driven to a corner. But some thinking nearly killing themselves will help them, but it doesn't."
Sari's expression shifted. It seemed like she was becoming sad as if she remembered something.
"These are the paths. You don't have to pick them now , but before you become a official investigator you will need to pick one."
Good I have time to choose a path, this isn't a easy decision, and their are some concerns I have.
"I have some questions. Is it possible to take two path ways at the same time?"
"I figured you would ask that." She said coldly. "While yes it is possible, the odds of success are barely 0.1% successful. Some paths are similar to each other, and it is more recommended to become at least an A rank in one path, then transition to a mirroring path. Even then your success rate only increases to 10 or 13 percent. The power you keep from the previous path will be diminished by to 70 percent. Depending on how higher you were in that path will be a major blow to some."
"Why is the success rates so low?"
"It's low because, these paths requires oaths that must be upheld even in the higher ranks. The higher you go in the Path's rank the more oaths you must make. The potion ingredients also become harder if not impossible to obtain. Its a very hard ritual to achieve."
"So Oath's and potions are needed to advance the ranks?"
"No, they are the last part. Your synchronicity with the path is what you need to worry about."
You keep saying stuff about some synchronicity. " Jasen said sounding confused and annoyed. "But you never explained what it is."
Saris calmly breathed in and out, and looked at Jasen with a stoic expression. "Synchronicity is how aligned you are with your Path and Oath. When you start a path you must create a oath. This Oath you must uphold and increase as you ascend along your path. If it meets the same criteria of the path it will increase. The higher it goes the stronger your abilities will be. And one it becomes 100% you will be a interim of the next rank. Think of it like having 50 percent of the extra power of the next rank, but not allowed to have 100% of them or the next ranks abilities."
"Okay," Jasen said. "That sounds simple enough to do."
Saris shook her head. "It's not. A path users synchronicity can fall to uphold your oath of the path and cause's corruption. Do you know what happens when a user's synchronicity reaches zero?" Saris said coldly.
Jasen only pondered on the question for a moment before he realized what she meant. The user's become monster's and the other worlder's become calamities. Now it all makes sense why this is a hidden secret.
Saris looked at Jason with a analytical gaze. "I take it you figured it out then. If I were you I wouldn't take a path. the world doesn't need anymore monster's. and if your worried about having money or the power to defend yourself. This job alone offers many different avenues. Magical items and classes, and the pay is the top upper middle class of the country. "
Jasen wasn't listening to Saris. His mind was focused on the paths and the one he wanted to take. Then he remembered the Path from the Head Inspector's office.
"Excuse me," Jasen said cutting off Saris's explanation. He then picked up the Adventure card.
"So that's the path your choosing I take it?" Saris said. Then Jasen placed the card on the table in the reverse position. The golden illustration shifted and morphed. It said Path 0: The Conqueror. The image looked like a cloaked figure descending down stairs into what looked like a dungeon.
Saris eyes widen in surprise. "How did you know that?"
I knew there were more paths then what she told me. Which means she is hiding something. "I want you to tell me about this Path please." Jasen said coldly, now more confidence in his actions.
Saris eyes narrowed. Her hand shifting to the blade near her.