Luck was left speechless.
He had mixed feelings — out of all the attributes, this was one of the ones he had least considered.
"Now, Mr. Sunrise, I will guide you to the influence test."
The priest walked down the corridor, and Luck followed with hesitant steps. Little by little, his mind began to regain its pace.
_Well… it's not as bad as it seems. It wasn't my first choice… but it definitely wasn't the last either._
_Especially if I manage to get a good influence._
'_If I'm lucky, maybe I'll get Telekinesis or Construction… imagine controlling an entire arsenal in the air and fighting with all of it at once. Or maybe… creating energy constructs, like weapons and barriers — I've heard of legendary warriors who even molded replicas of themselves with all their techniques. Doppelgängers… that would be incredible._'
'_I just don't want Clairvoyance… becoming some trinket appraiser in a dusty little shop would be the end. And Control? Spending a lifetime interrogating people in a dark cell? No way. Although… making enemies destroy each other on their own doesn't sound so bad.'
The priest led him to a spiral staircase at the far end of the corridor. They climbed in silence, their steps echoing softly against the stone walls.
At the top, the doors opened and Luck found himself in a vast chamber. The oposite wall was almost entirely made of stained glass, letting beams of light wash the floor in colorful tones.
In the center, a few steps led to a slightly elevated platform. Aligned before the stained glass stood fifteen pedestals — each one holding a set of five glowing spheres, the same colors used in the decantation machine.
On the side of the chamber, a tangle of cables stretched from the floor, snaking toward a control station in the corner. The wires seemed to connect the pedestals to the structure beneath the floor.
In front of each pedestal, small lines of youths had formed, those who had already gone through decantation. Luck joined the line corresponding to the magenta orbs; it was short compared to the others — ahead of him were only four children.
The technicians beside the pedestals scribbled on clipboards while instructing each youth.
At the psychic orb pedestal, the first to step up was a thin boy with a hard stare. His clothes were frayed at the elbows and knees, his shoes loosely tied, exposing ankles covered in dust. His gray, messy hair seemed to have lost its shine — whether from time or neglect. In his dark eyes burned a restless focus.
"Place your hand on the core, boy."
He obeyed, setting his hand on the first sphere — nothing happened.
"Next."
The second showed no response either.
"One more."
At the third orb, there was a brief flicker. The boy did not react, his expression steady, and moved his hand to the fourth, which shone brighter. The technician raised his eyebrows before recording the result.
The fifth remained dark.
A click echoed from the display. Letters appeared slowly as the priest declared:
"Two influences… Telekinesis and Construction."
For an instant, the technician looked surprised. Then he returned to his neutral tone:
"Congratulations, boy."
The two children ahead of Luck, a boy and a girl, whispered to each other:
"Wow… two influences."
"Yeah, and both are really good for combat. If he wants to follow that path, doors will open in any guild."
"Too bad he doesn't seem very well-off. I asked his surname earlier… looks like he doesn't have one."
"I figured. Did you see the state of his clothes?"
Luck, overhearing bits of the conversation, remained indifferent.
The technician typed something on a small terminal attached to the pedestal. Moments later, a side hatch at the base lit up with a faint glow.
From within, a **metal card** slid out, clicking lightly as it stopped in the tray.
"Here is your identification. The instructor will escort you to the exit."
His eyes followed the boy, who descended the platform with restless steps, his firm, unshaken gaze highlighted all the more by his deep eye bags.
_Two influences… not bad. I hope I'm that lucky…_
The next in line climbed the platform. He was a tall boy, with caramel skin and black hair. He wore simple clothes, yet of fine quality — firm stitching, expensive fabric.
The other two children began whispering again:
"Who's that? Did you ask his name too?"
"Yes. He carries the name of the Hajar family."
"That name sounds familiar… who are they?"
"The Hajars own the largest construction company in the city. From what I've heard, even the northern wall was their work. My father said they're from Nabara — they came here back when the city was still being built. Helped a lot with the expansion."
"In that case, I bet his influence is…"
Before the girl could finish, the priest announced, in a firm, ceremonial voice:
"Congratulations, young master. You possess the power of Construction. Please proceed to the brown orb line for your second attribute test."
The boy only nodded and descended the platform in silence. His expression remained sober, almost inexpressive.
The children ahead of Luck followed him with their eyes, then exchanged glances.
"First dual attribute of the year…" the boy muttered with a touch of admiration.
"As expected of a renowned family. Somehow, it's always them who achieve this kind of feat…"
"Yeah. And his second attribute fits the lineage — Earth is practically a requirement among the city's builders."
"Looks like an heir worthy of the name he carries."
Luck, listening closely, let slip a quiet:
"Wow…"
The children turned at once, surprised — not only by the comment but also for not having noticed Luck so close.
The girl arched an eyebrow, assessing him with a curious look. The other gave a short laugh through his nose, as if recognizing someone who shared the same anticipation.
"Hey… didn't notice you there," said the more sociable boy with a light smile. "What's your name?"
Luck hesitated for a moment, then answered naturally:
"Luccas."
The two stared, waiting for him to finish.
After a brief sigh, he added:
"…Sunrise."
Their eyes widened — and for a moment, silence fell.
"Whoa… so you're…" the girl began, then stumbled over her words. "It's not every day we see…"
"Forgive us, Luccas. We didn't even introduce ourselves," the boy cut in, trying to ease the moment.
"I'm Erven Darruk," he said, the more talkative one, with a sideways smile as he extended a hand in greeting. "My father works for Heavyduty as an investigator."
The girl nodded silently, then spoke more reservedly:
"And I'm Nael Virel. My family runs a shop for explorers' items nearby."
Nael then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small card with golden edges and elegant letters.
"My father makes me carry these," she said, handing it shyly to Luck. "Says it's good to promote the store whenever there's a chance. If you ever need any item or an appraisal, just contact us — stop by anytime."
Luck took the card with a discreet nod, still surprised by the interaction.
"Thanks…" he murmured, slipping it into his pocket.
Erven crossed his arms, thoughtful for a moment.
"My father also offers some services… he works as an investigator for Heavyduty but sometimes takes private cases."
He paused briefly, then added:
"Since both guilds maintain friendly relations, it shouldn't be a problem — as long as there's no conflict of interest."
He cast a quick glance at Luck and concluded:
"If you ever need help… you know where to find him."
Luck answered with a faint smile:
"I'll keep that in mind."
The line moved forward. Erven, who was in front, was called up. Luck, however, already had an idea of the result.
The boy climbed with steady steps and touched the first magenta orb with a grand gesture. It shone for a while, but none of the other four reacted. The display lit up:
"Influence: Control."
He descended in silence, maintaining the same serene composure.
Nael came next. She climbed with less enthusiasm and touched the orb with a simple motion. The only one that reacted was the second, glowing for a few seconds before revealing:
"Influence: Clairvoyance."
Nael raised her eyebrows, satisfied, and descended the steps swaying her shoulders, as if she had expected the result.
The priest then called the next — apparently the last:
"Luccas Sunrise… step forward."