Soren led Clyde into a dim room lit by a pale blue lamp. Shadows lingered along the walls, gathering in the corners as though unwilling to leave, and the air felt cold, carrying a faint trace of Lunar Ichor energy that prickled against the skin. The room was quiet in a way that felt deliberate, sealed off from the rest of the world.
"We only have four Ichor cards left," Soren said.
He placed them on the table one at a time. Each card glowed faintly, but the symbols etched into them drew Clyde's attention more than the colors themselves. They were precise and unfamiliar, carved with a confidence that suggested purpose rather than ornament.
"First," Soren said, setting down a midnight-blue card, "Abyss Ichor."
A spiraling vortex was engraved at its center, a single eye resting within the curve. Clyde felt a subtle pull just from looking at it, as if the symbol resisted being observed too closely.
"It allows the manipulation of gravity."
Soren moved on and placed the second card down. This one glowed amber-gold, its surface marked with overlapping triangles and alchemical symbols that formed a collapsing circle, dense and orderly.
"Second, Alkahest Ichor. It purifies poisons, stabilizes baptisms, and breaks down materials at the molecular level. It reduces the risk of crafting incorrect baptism ingredients."
The third card shimmered silver-white. Its symbol resembled layered soundwaves frozen into a crescent, vibrating faintly even while still.
"Third, Echo Ichor. It manipulates vibration and waveform. Used properly, it can damage internal tissues and bones."
Last came the fourth card.
It glowed violet, its light steady and subdued, almost restrained. A ring of small constellation-like dots formed a star map around its center. Inside lay a horizontal infinity symbol, with a small six-pointed star engraved above it, sharp and exact.
"And lastly," Soren said, "Hollow Star Ichor."
Clyde felt his attention narrow without meaning to. The other cards faded from his awareness, as though the room itself had decided what he should see.
"It's new," Soren continued. "The first phase grants Hollow Eyes. You'll be able to see through disguised Howlings and analyze spells at the molecular level. It has little combat application. It reveals truth."
"I choose the Hollow Star Ichor," Clyde said.
The words came out calmly, even though his pulse had begun to quicken.
Soren paused.
"Once you choose, there is no turning back."
"I know," Clyde replied.
Soren placed his hand over the card.
The surface trembled beneath his palm. Fine fractures spread across it, branching outward in patterns that resembled constellations. Light flared briefly, and the card lifted from the table, hovering as if held aloft by something unseen.
The symbols rotated, accelerating until they blurred together. Then, with a soft pulse, the card collapsed into a small violet orb.
Soren caught it carefully, as though handling something fragile despite its glow.
"It's awake," he said. "The Hollow Star recognizes you."
He lowered the orb into a bowl carved from Lunarglass. Inside it were Lunar Water and Lunar Essence, both faintly luminous. When the orb touched the mixture, the bowl began to vibrate, a low hum resonating through the room.
"Take the knife," Soren said. "Add your blood."
Clyde hesitated only briefly before obeying. When his blood touched the mixture, it hissed, releasing a thin fog as its color shifted between purple and silver. Faint whispers filled the room, brushing against the edge of his thoughts without forming words.
Soren poured the solution into a Moonstone Quartz mold. It hardened quickly, forming a dark violet orb that pulsed once, then stilled.
"When I break this," Soren said, "the baptism will begin. Your frequency will change. You must stabilize it."
He shattered the orb.
Cold surged through Clyde's body, sharp and immediate. His muscles tightened, his breath caught, and he dropped to one knee as Lunar Ichor scattered violently inside him, no longer obeying familiar paths.
"Soren," he said through clenched teeth, "something's wrong."
"Absorb it," Soren said firmly. "Pull it back. Control the frequency. If you don't, the Hollow Star will overwhelm you."
Clyde shut his eyes and focused inward. He reached for the scattered ichor, forcing it back toward his core, holding it there despite the strain. Slowly, the pressure eased. The whispers faded into silence.
His breathing steadied.
When he stood, his legs felt weak but stable. Something inside him had shifted, settled into a new alignment. His Lunar Ichor resonated differently now, unfamiliar yet controlled, as though it had found a deeper rhythm.
His eyes glowed violet for a brief moment before returning to blue.
Soren stepped back, studying him carefully.
"You are now an Ichorborn of the Hollow Star."