《The Creator, The Heir, and The World》


 Chapter 1: The Two Brothers

    Dozens of airships fled through the skies above the medieval-esque city of Ventoria, each with its own unique appearance, ranging sizes and structures. Inside one of those ships were two brothers; one was named Caelum. Dressed in a loose white shirt with slack black pants, wearing a good sum of vintage wristbands and two antique necklaces made of twine. He had a smooth olive-like complexion. Short white hair with light purple eyes which only further accentuated his unique appearance amongst the people of Ventoria.


    His older brother, Vaelen, wore a similar, yet more collected attire. He donned a loose white blouse with black, more form-fitting pants. He, too, had quite a striking appearance. Curly long black hair which accentuated his overall slender, androgynous frame. A more tanned complexion and dark brown eyes. His voice, as opposed to Caelum¡¯s, was deep.


    Within a narrow pathway, Vaelen watched Caelum climb up a ladder leading towards the deck of the ship they were in, sighing in annoyance as his brother said,


    ¡°Keep an eye out for me, will ya?¡±


    ¡°For goodness sake¡­¡±


    Not considering Vaelen¡¯s obvious opposition to his plan, Caelum let out a cheerful smile as he climbed, opening a small, iron door by turning its wheel. With a firm push, Caelum¡¯s hair fluttered as the outside sky revealed itself to them from the other end of the aperture.


    Caelum continued to climb, eventually standing on the deck. The beautiful view of the city spread out before his eyes once more, standing as tall as the ancient-looking buildings of stone, mixed with more modern, concrete-made structures. Chirping birds flew past him as he spread his arms wide in the air, chanting with a loud tone,


    ¡°This is what freedom must feel like! Ever thought of how unrestrained birds have to be, Vae?¡±


    Vaelen, still inside the moving ship, turned his head towards the left, widening his eyes in fright with a gasp, as he saw a robust, middle-aged man wearing a flat modest hat storming towards him, shouting his name with a thunderous tone.


    As he closed the distance between them, barely making his way through the narrow pathway, Vaelen was forced to climb up the ladder as quickly as he could, closing off the door behind him as his hair and attire fluttered in the wind. Caelum¡¯s face turned thoughtful, as he asked him,


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Vaelen began, firmly shutting off the door with the outer wheel. ¡°Hank¡¯s on our trails!¡±


    Caelum clicked his tongue as both he and his brother looked around, trying to find a tall enough building they could latch onto. This was until Caelum noticed a stone parapet connected to a building coming closer.


    As Hank managed to steer open the door, he peeked his head out of the crevice and shouted for them to return, shaking his fist in the air. The two brothers then ran towards the extent of the deck as the ship came closer to the stone parapet.


    With a final turn towards the middle-aged man, Caelum exclaimed chucklingly, ¡°Sorry, Hanks!¡± and followed Vaelen as the both of them took a big leap towards the rampart. Caelum was the first to climb his way up the low wall, afterwards helping his brother get on the platform.


    They both looked at the ship passing them by, Caelum smilingly waving at the man with nervously closed eyes. He then turned around, discerning the large open central space surrounded by a U-shaped building, much reminiscent of a courtyard building. He soon realized that they found themselves standing in one of Ventoria¡¯s libraries, which meant that a certain person they would never wish to encounter at this moment could very much be present on that day.


    Nevertheless, Caelum shrugged and walked towards a wooden door to the right side, turning towards Vaelen as he held the door¡¯s knob.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get inside.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Vaelen said, reaching out his hand. ¡°What if she finds us?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s just go!¡±


    Vaelen let out an exasperated sigh as he followed his brother into the building. The both of them ran through myriads of Victorian-esque corridors comprising bust sculptures, paintings of important figures, and servants whose eyes followed the passing figures of the two shenanigans. They eventually made it to a large closed ornate wooden door, presumably leading towards their escape, however, right as Caelum stretched his hand towards the door¡¯s knob¡­


    ¡­The both of them levitated in the air as if an invisible string suddenly pulled them upwards.


    ¡°Halt, the both of you.¡±


    ¡°Damnit,¡± Caelum said, clicking his tongue. Vaelen looked at him with a disappointed expression. ¡°See? I knew taking this route would be troublesome¡­¡±


    The one walking towards them was Helvega, now thirty-two years old. It seemed she ensured her health as she never lost the glamour on her smooth pale skin. Her monotone dark brown eyes were still bereft of illumination, and she kept her frequent sedated facial expression from her youth. She was dressed in a form-fitting white Victorian shirt with loose sleeves, sided with black pants that gracefully outlined her slender figure. Her snow-white hair never lost its grace, and she was now wearing a set of glasses.


    Her voice, as opposed to over a decade earlier, had a significant change. It was now deep but harmonious. The capability to entrance anyone listening to her if she wanted to. With a serious, but bothered tone, she spoke to them, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Let me guess. Got chased around by a ship owner for trespassing on their property?¡±


    Caelum let another nervous smile tug at the corners of his lips, closing his eyes. ¡°¡­We won¡¯t do it again¡­?¡±


    ¡°You can wipe that smirk off your face,¡± Helvega said, turning her back towards them as they both plummeted onto the ground. ¡°I needed some help with cleaning one of the rooms, anyway. Come with me.¡±


    They both wiped the dust from their clothes and struggled their way through a large hallway, following their older sister towards their destination. It was a regular librarian''s room, albeit quite dishevelled, with books scattered across the tables and ground, which prompted the two brothers to sigh disgracefully after Helvega shut the door behind them, leaving them to care for the chamber.


    As Vaelen proceeded to do as told, collecting books from the ground and tables, Caelum crashed on one of the wooden chairs, nonchalantly resting his feet on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one on the chin, Vae,¡± he then yawned, stretching his arms wide in the air. ¡°I¡¯m wayyy too tired for this, though¡­¡±


    ¡°Too tired?¡± Vaelen said, raising his left eyebrow. ¡°You seemed quite energetic minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s when I don¡¯t have to deal with crap like this!¡±


    Caelum then leaned forward, snatching a book from the table. It had an old, dark green facade and a weathered outline. With its title written in gold as the cover.


    ¡°The art of the Gaian Creed¡­¡± he began, turning to the first page. ¡°Saint Avarion, the Founding Father of the Gaian prominence¡­ Yada yada yada! How do people manage to memorize things they read about, anyway?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, Caelum,¡± Vaelen sighed, looking at him over the shoulder as he carried a handful of books. ¡°The Inquisition happens tomorrow. You should at least know some aspects of our history and how one of the Gaian Saints managed to turn the temple into what it is today.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He then placed the pile of books on the table, resting his right elbow on the little tower he made. Looking at Caelum with his left hand on his hip. ¡°He has become the prime example, not to mention the central pillar for anyone who wishes to become a part of the Creed.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, smart face,¡± Caelum retorted, closing the book shut as it let out a thumping noise, and a gush of a pleasant aroma brushing against his face. ¡°I am surely prepared for what is to come!¡±


    He then jolted himself back to his feet, raising his arms in the air as he walked around the chamber in circles.


    ¡°We¡¯ll finally be getting our Grimoires! What do you think mine will look like? I am guessing a bow or something among the lines of anything resembling the armaments of my soul soaring the skies!¡±


    ¡°I can see you holding a bow,¡± Vaelen said, placing the books on their respective bookshelves. ¡°Whether or not you will actually manage to master one is the real question.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shoo! I¡¯m a quick learner! Besides, becoming an Awakener isn¡¯t my end goal, anyway. Becoming a Sequencer is.¡±


    ¡°A Sequencer, you say? Well, good luck reaching the summits being as airheaded as you currently are.¡±


    ¡°I am capable,¡± Caelum said with a ferocious tone. ¡°I will prove it right now!¡±


    He walked towards a corner, far right from Vaelen, and grabbed two wooden poles resembling swords. After denying several times, Vaelen had no choice but to accept his brother¡¯s duel. They stood adjacent to each other, firmly holding their weapons as dust particles gently floated in the air, with the sun¡¯s ray gracefully bathing the chamber in a delightful, soothing atmosphere.


    ¡°The battle of the Jinton brothers! The one who loses has to lick the winner¡¯s sole!¡±


    Vaelen sneered. ¡°Not in a thousand years!¡± as the both of them engaged in their friendly, but fierce battle. They were both considered complete amateurs when it came to swordsmanship as honing one¡¯s sword was never a norm in their homeland. However, this fact did not make the battle any less amusing. Despite having little to no experience, Vaelen¡¯s form seemed a lot sharper and composed in contrast to Caelum¡¯s loose approach.


    Vaelen leaned backwards, Caelum¡¯s pole narrowly soaring right in front of his face. He then graciously turned his body to the left with great speed and landed a clean backwards slash onto his brother, who could only barely defend himself with his arms to lessen the impact, yet not stopping him from crashing into the bookshelf to his right, the collision causing the many books to fall onto his defeated figure. Vaelen held his pole in front of Caelum, silently acknowledging his victory with a closed smile, as the door behind them burst open¡­


    ¡­Revealing Helvega, visibly annoyed, walking into the chamber.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been ten minutes¡­¡± she frowned, pinching the bridge of her nose.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, sis,¡± Caelum said, standing up. ¡°We were just playing around.¡±


    ¡°You call that playing around?!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ maybe you wouldn¡¯t understand because you probably never had a fun childhood!¡±


    Vaelen turned towards him, as if non-verbally telling him to apologize.


    ¡°¡­Sorry, sis.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    She let out a deep sigh and began to arrange some of the books by herself, prompting the two brothers to follow suit. After several minutes, Helvega broke the silence whilst continuing to actively placing the books on the shelves.


    ¡°And? Are the both of you prepared to become Awakened?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Vaelen responded, standing next to her. ¡°Not sure if Caelum is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be that challenging,¡± Caelum, standing next to Vaelen said, turning his head towards Helvega. ¡°How was your experience?¡±


    ¡°Whether the Inquisition is challenging differs from person to person,¡± Helvega began. ¡°In my experience, it was quite the storm to pass through. Most, if not all odds were against me. Ranging from people I had to work with, as well as the ¡®adversaries¡¯ put against us for the quests.¡±


    ¡°It often stemmed from their resentment towards the Arcane temple. And I, as the daughter of someone who was a prominent member within the ranks of the Arcane Conjurers, was naturally frowned upon. However, a lot of things changed during the past decade. I can safely assume that your experiences won¡¯t be as ¡®confined¡¯ as mine was.¡±


    ¡°That makes me think, Hel,¡± Caelum began. ¡°You seem capable enough to join the Arcane temple, let alone become a part of the Zephyr Assembly. How come you have devoted yourself to the librarian life so much?¡±


    ¡°¡­Trust me, I have received a fair number of letters from the Zephyrs regarding their interest in my association. But, at some point in your lives, you will realize what your soul truly yearns for. For me, delving myself into books and the art of knowledge seemed like my place to be.¡±


    ¡°They sent you letters?¡± Vaelen asked.


    ¡°They have, but most of them were because of my former affiliation with the Luria Assembly. Since they work alongside Luria for the sake of manufacturing ships, the expertise of people like me is deemed necessary for all sorts of things. Think of the exact compatible materials for, let¡¯s say, a ship¡¯s beak, or the types of blades a ship needs depending on its size.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Vaelen murmured. ¡°No wonder Mother is so proud of who you have become.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Caelum agreed. ¡°You have definitely proved yourself, Helvega, especially after becoming the caretaker of¡­ well, this library for what it is worth. However! It is our turn now!¡±


    ¡°I am sure you both will surpass me in one way or another, as long as you have each other. I never had the luxury of growing up with a sibling, let alone a sibling with the same age as mine,¡± she said, turning her head towards the two with a closed smile. ¡°Don¡¯t take this blessing for granted.¡±


    As soon as she ended her words, the door behind them opened once more. The one stepping inside was Miriam, visibly having fallen under the traversal of time. She was dressed in a long, dark brown coat that matched perfectly with her overall attire. She also wore a wide-brimmed hat of the same hue and held a brown suitcase in her right hand.


    ¡°Everything at bay here?¡± she said with a smile. Helvega turned towards the two brothers, telling them they were allowed to go as long as they wouldn¡¯t cause a ruckus again. With illuminated spirits, they both walked past Miriam whilst respectfully greeting her, closing the door afterwards, leaving the two esteemed figures alone within the modest chamber.


    ¡°They¡¯re surely filled with enthusiasm, aren¡¯t they?¡± Miriam began, placing her suitcase on the table.


    ¡°Especially Caelum,¡± Helvega responded. ¡°I don¡¯t know where he got it from, honestly. But, it is good to see two perfectly aligned young souls.¡±


    ¡°Really makes you think how well off the world would be if people simply aligned with each other¡­¡± Miriam murmured, leaving Helvega silent in response. She then took the word once more.


    ¡°It¡¯s already been five years since you took over the torch. You left most of your life behind to dedicate yourself to this role¡­ Knowing you¡¯re someone who knows what she wants, I¡¯ve always felt reassured that you will keep the library in good hands.¡±


    Helvega humblingly lowered her head in a closed smile. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have been possible without your help, Miriam.¡±


    ¡°Surely, surely,¡± she chuckled. ¡°But don¡¯t discredit yourself. Having graduated from Ventoria University at nineteen, correspondingly taking the role of the library¡¯s Head at twenty-seven, all whilst having spent six years within Luria, before, at twenty-nine, deciding that it may just not be for you!¡±


    Helvega chuckled. ¡°¡­My younger self would fill buckets with tears if she knew I didn¡¯t want to work for the assembly anymore. I guess life can really be spontaneous sometimes.¡±


    ¡°True!¡± she said. ¡°Besides, how¡¯s Aurora doing? Isn¡¯t it challenging for her to take care of two young boys whilst dealing with sickness?¡±


    ¡°She is quite the perseverant woman¡­¡± Helvega began, her voice turning worriedly. ¡°On top of raising Caelum and Vaelen, she never really gave up searching for Emon. Even though I repeatedly told her to just¡­ give up and move on, she never considered it.¡±


    ¡°I know what kind of relationship she had with Emon, based on what you told me, but¡­ to be this consistent for almost two decades is just¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really get it either, Miriam,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Well, she does deserve all of my respect for taking in his kids,¡± Miriam said. ¡°They would have definitely been put in worse life conditions, especially given the CA hasn¡¯t been quite ¡®welcoming¡¯ during the recent years.¡±


    Helvega sighed once more. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to visit her after I¡¯ve finished some tasks here.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t distract you any further. It¡¯s time for me to head off, too.¡±


    ¡°Surely. I¡¯ll see you at another time.¡±


    ¡°Take care, Helvega!¡±


    Miriam made her way out of the chamber, finding herself within a hallway comprising a number of bust statues, and dozens of ornate windows lined up across the entire hall, allowing it to be illuminated in the sun¡¯s gentle glow. She slowly walked through the hallway, her footsteps echoing throughout the space, as she opened the door to her mind.


    I¡¯ve only met the man a few times¡­


    During important discussions regarding the Monlay and Luria Assemblies.


    He seemed like a very¡­ charismatic and well-spoken man.


    For someone like him, Luria¡¯s First Administrator, to disappear, right after giving birth to his children, right after being given the throne of Luria, right after his life was facing a prominent change¡­


    It simply seems unlikely.


    And I believe this may have been a strong motive for Aurora to continue her search for him¡­

 Chapter 2: The Gaian Temple

    Later that day, Caelum and Vaelen sat together with Aurora at the dinner table after having nourished themselves. It now only comprised a teacup perched in Aurora¡¯s slightly wrinkled arms.


    The traversal of time, as well as other disturbances, seemed to have taken an effect on her physical appearance. The luminosity her face had once been embellished in was no more, all left a shell of the woman she once was. Her once beautiful brown hair appeared weathered, the hue of grey overtaking most of her tresses. Her face was wrinkled, shallow, with hollow cheekbones accentuating the state of her fragile body. She was dressed in a silk, loose robe-like coat of white hue over the brown shirt underneath.


    The space itself seemed to mirror the comfortable atmosphere. Dark, sturdy wooden surrounding walls carrying paintings of the three when they were younger. A crackling fireplace was also present, broiling calmly in the background before Aurora took the word, staring at her cup with a closed smile.


    ¡°Time goes so fast, don¡¯t you boys think? You were both so¡­ small and oblivious¡­ And now¡ªlook at you, starting your journeys at the Gaian temple.¡±


    ¡°Not only that,¡± Caelum chimed in from her right. ¡°But Sequencers!¡±


    ¡°There he goes again¡­¡± Vaelen sighed from her left, facepalming, to which Caelum responded,


    ¡°Mom, if you had to choose between one of us, who would you reckon to be the strongest?¡±


    Aurora let a bittersweet chuckle escape her lips. ¡°I always saw the both of you as the sun and moon. When you wanted to play outside and cause a ruckus, Vaelen always sought after staying inside with me reading a book or the sort.¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ quite the answer I was looking for¡­¡± Caelum sighed as Aurora continued.


    ¡°A good metaphor I can think of right now¡­ A wooden ship. I imagine you, Caelum, being the one rowing the vessel, whilst Vaelen is steering it. You may have the strength, but it will only go so far without proper guidance. The same goes for the wheel¡ªit serves no real purpose without any fuel.¡±


    ¡°I like that idea,¡± Vaelen smiled. ¡°Caelum could never survive without me.¡±


    ¡°Not a bad metaphor, indeed,¡± Caelum added. ¡°This world seems crazy enough as it is. You would definitely lose your mind if I wasn¡¯t by your side.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Vaelen began, looking at Aurora with his arms crossed. ¡°How are you doing besides, Mom? Are the medicals helping you well?¡±


    ¡°They are, yes¡­ Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Resigning from a position many could only dream of was always going to be your best choice, so if you still feel any regrets, don¡¯t. I genuinely think you would have been far worse off if you still had to deal with the Assembly.¡±


    Aurora¡¯s eyes turned even darker than they were before as if Vaelen¡¯s words struck a deep nerve within her.


    ¡°¡­Luria¡­ has deteriorated.¡±


    Both Caelum and Vaelen squinted their eyes in contemplation. The silence prompted Aurora to continue her anecdote.


    ¡°I can only tell you both since you are my sons¡­ It is the truth. Ever since a certain person rose to power, things changed drastically within the ranks.¡±


    She then took a deep sigh, preparing herself for her next words.


    ¡°Did I not tell you about a man who I considered a close friend?¡±


    ¡°Ah, what was his name again?¡± Caelum asked.


    ¡°Dark, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Vaelen added, to which Aurora slowly nodded, taking a sip from her tea as if gulping down the palpable emotions that tried to escape her body.


    ¡°¡­Yes, his name was Dark. Soon, after a man who went by the name Phineas Leander rose to prominence, Dark passed away. It was prior to Leander¡¯s knowledge that Dark wished to become the First Administrator of Luria. His death was labelled as a suicide, and Wilfred¡ªLeander¡¯s right hand¡ªwas given the role instead.¡±


    She then continued, lowering her head slightly.


    ¡°¡­I knew Dark well. He never showed any suicidal tendencies. I was always sceptical about Leander for albeit shallow reasons, but I never forgot the words Dark told me about the man. He was never to be trusted¡­¡±


    ¡°Soon afterwards, key figures within the Assembly who publicly opposed Leander¡¯s ideals were all either disposed of or killed, much like how I believed Dark met his end. Especially after¡­¡±


    Aurora stopped herself from finishing her sentence, taking another deep sigh whilst staring into her warm cup.


    ¡°¡­Sorry, I got taken away.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom,¡± Vaelen said calmly. ¡°I am sure he is in a far better place now, watching over you with a smile. You don¡¯t have to deal with the Assembly anymore, so just rest enough and be soon rejuvenated.¡±


    She remained silent in response, as Caelum added, his back now leaning against the chair¡¯s support, contemplatively staring into the distance.


    ¡°¡­If people like us could make a change¡­¡±


    ¡°Bringing a change to a theocracy?¡± Vaelen said, knowing what his brother had in mind. ¡°As democratic as Ventoria may seem, in reality, it could not be any further from that idea. The people in power will forever remain in power because that has already been preordained even before their birth. People are born to be successful, wealthy, adequate¡­ That is how the world works.¡±


    Caelum ticked his tongue in annoyance.


    ¡°What does a theocracy even mean?¡±


    Vaelen then responded, fully turned towards Caelum¡¯s direction.


    ¡°You know the temples and churches? Those are institutions that hold the greatest power and influence in this world. The Assemblies like Luria, Zephyr, and Monlay, are all acolytes of the central church, as well as the temples associated with a country. For us, Denevians, the church of Urdall is the central embodiment of the country¡¯s role and purpose within Livayae.¡±


    ¡°However, with the sheer amount of churches and their temples scattered across the world, they all serve as planets orbiting around the dominant sun, the greatest church of them all; the Golden church. It is the Golden church the entire world gravitates towards. Theoretically speaking, the entirety of Livayae could be considered a theocracy.¡±


    He then continued, his voice slowing down, sounding a lot more calm and collected as he lowered his head.


    ¡°Bringing a change to Ventoria is equivalent to plucking a single grass leaf in the hopes of stripping an entire field naked. Everything was already destined to be when All created this world.¡±


    Aurora could only stare aimlessly into the distance as she listened along. Caelum looked at Vaelen and began to speak in a rebellious tone.


    ¡°So? You think changing the world is impossible when people like me exist?¡±


    He then stood up, confidently looking at Vaelen, who, alongside Aurora, looked at him with silently surprised expressions.


    ¡°Remember this well, Vaelen. I will change the world. In one way or another!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Vaelen chuckled, crossing his arms. ¡°Well, you won¡¯t be able to do that alone, then.¡±


    ¡°Which is why I have you, Vaelen!¡±


    Aurora then finally chimed in, a closed smile forming on her face.


    ¡°As long as the two of you are together, nothing, not even the greatest powers in this world will be able to tear you apart. You should cherish this gift in your lives for having a sibling who loves you just as much as you love them.¡±


    ¡°Of course I do! Isn¡¯t that right, Vae?¡±


    Vaelen chuckled, closing his eyes.


    ¡°Right, right. It is getting late. We should be heading to bed now.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even have to remind you two myself,¡± Aurora tittered. ¡°Since your sister will be picking you both up tomorrow, I won¡¯t be able to see you off, sadly. But¡­¡±


    She raised her head to meet Caelum¡¯s eyes and then turned towards Vaelen with a bittersweet smile.


    ¡°¡­Promise me that you will pay me visits every now and then.¡±


    ¡°No worries, Mom,¡± Vaelen said, patting her hand, as Caelum gently brushed her back with his hand.


    ¡°We will be sure to do so as often as we can!¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­ Sleep well, loves.¡±


    The two brothers then made their way to the upper level after saying their goodbyes to their mother. Aurora¡¯s face turned contemplative once more, taking a sip from her now coldened tea.


    ***


    The next day arrived. The two brothers, as Aurora had foretold, never had the chance to be properly seen off, however, their new, eagerly anticipated journey awaited them. Alongside Helvega, who was dressed in a long black coat that blended seamlessly with the black shirt and pants she wore, stood before the main gates leading into the Gaian temple.


    The threshold was connected with towering, grandiose walls stretching from both directions, as well as a large bridge they traversed. Two guards wearing dark green leather armour opened the gates, unveiling a medieval-like town eagerly awaiting their first steps inside.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Helvega said, taking a deep breath. ¡°Do you both have everything you need? If you tell me now, I can quickly make my way back home and bring the things you¡¯ve forgotten.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks!¡± Caelum said as Vaelen added the same sentiment.


    ¡°Well then, let us go.¡±


    An ornately decorated room housed two important individuals conversing with each other. One was a young woman, Eunice, clad in a dark brown suit that sharply contrasted with her white hair. She had a carefree demeanour, standing in front of one of the large arched windows with her arms crossed behind her back.


    ¡°This year¡¯s Inquisition is bound to be quite the spectacle, don¡¯t you think, Simeon?¡±


    Behind her, a man, also dressed in a dark brown suit, sat on the centre wooden table. His demeanour appeared substantially more ¡®serious¡¯ than hers. Sharp eyes, short, well-groomed blond hair, and a semi-muscular frame. He sighed, closing his eyes, as he responded,


    ¡°While my hopes aren¡¯t high, it is bound to be a special one, indeed. This will be the fifth year of our service to the Gaian temple, and I can comfortably say that this will be the most anticipated one we¡¯ve been a part of to date¡­¡±


    ¡°It may have actually been a good idea to properly disperse the students for the sake of the family members to remain with each other. Flock of Veils houses members of the Yraemonde family, brought under my supervision, whilst you have been given the responsibility over Pale Fangs, the group comprising the Heamour family¡ªleaving the third group¡ªJormungandr¡ªin Vash¡¯s hands. The only group consisting of scattered individuals. Not to discredit them, though¡­¡±


    Simeon leaned over, resting his elbows on his lap.


    ¡°Luria¡¯s former First Administrator¡­ Emon was his name, no?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Eunice responded, walking back towards the table. ¡°His two biological sons are participating, although under the Jinton family name. Quite ironic given we are dealing with both the Yraemonde and Haemour families, right?¡±


    Simeon chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think much resentment will brew amongst these youngins. The people of Ventoria are very well known to be bohemians. Regardless of their shared history, I assume their elders wish for them to just focus on the Inquisition and that alone, rather than engaging in unnecessary conflicts. This is not Vayonne, nor is it Grudea.¡±


    The adjacent door in front of Simeon opened, followed by Vash, a young man appearing quite dishevelled, with unkempt long brown hair, a stubble, and a loose dark brown suit detailing his tall and slender frame. He smiled with closed eyes, waving at them both friendly.


    ¡°Sorry for being late, guys!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Eunice said, crossing her arms in front of her. ¡°The Head Master hasn¡¯t arrived yet. We were in the process of describing this year¡¯s Inquisition.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± Vash began, walking inside. ¡°I do have to thank the both of you again for your hospitality. This is my first time overseeing an Inquisition, so I will be doing my utter best in order to be up to standard.¡±


    ¡°No worries, Vash,¡± Simeon said. ¡°There have been quite a few adjustments to how the temple decided to hold the Inquisition. Given the status and role of the Head Master within Ventoria, both Eunice and I are confident in believing you were chosen for a good reason.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    The door behind Vash opened the moment Simeon finished his words.


    It was followed by the appearance of a certain man.


    He was clad in an impeccable red and black suit, carrying his black overcoat in his arms. A tall, and well-defined man in his sixties. His short, blonde hair never diminished its splendour, and the same could be said for his charismatic demeanour and speech.


    ¡°A good reason it was, indeed,¡± he said with a smile, as Eunice looked at him with great fondness and admiration.


    ¡°Ah, there you are. We¡¯re glad to have you here.¡±


    ¡°Likewise,¡± he said. ¡°Let us prepare for the opening ceremony. There¡¯s not much time left.¡±


    Caelum, Vaelen, and Helvega eventually arrived at the medieval-esque ceremonial building, with green vines latching onto its facade. In front of the building, a long, stone-arched gateway was situated. Beneath the gateway, three other individuals stood in front of the wooden door, awaiting the arrival of the two brothers.


    They were a trio of late teenagers. The tallest, most commanding attention one was a young man named Declan. He was dressed in a dark brown leather, loose-fitting long coat over the black shirt he wore underneath. He had a handsome face, and his hair was short blonde.


    Next to him was an androgynous young man named Lunar. Someone noticeably shorter than the other two. He was dressed in a form-fitting hooded black tunic. His skin was smooth and pale, and his white tresses were short and curly. His face appeared charming. Not as chiselled as Declan¡¯s, but a lot more¡­ eloquent, in a way.


    Finally, there was Geneve. A well-built young lady almost as tall as Declan. She had long, crimson-red hair that fell over her shoulders. Her skin was tanned, and she was dressed in a white Victorian blouse with loose sleeves that matched well with her black pants. Her face often seemed serious, and unsocial.


    Caelum waved at them upon arrival, greeting them all with a joyous tone. Declan walked towards him with a wide smile, patting his back like a proud father.


    ¡°Look who it is!¡±


    ¡°Perfect timing,¡± Vaelen said behind Caelum, crossing his arms as he, too, smiled. ¡°Seems like the three of you got ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°We did,¡± Declan said. ¡°Not too long ago, though.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, did Declan bring you both here?¡± Caelum asked, looking at the other two. Lunar stepped towards him with his arms crossed behind his back.


    ¡°He did. It wasn¡¯t necessary to bring guardian figures since we only needed to have our identities confirmed.¡±


    He then raised his head to meet Helvega¡¯s eyes. ¡°Though, it seems like your sister brought you here. It is a honour to meet the caretaker of Ventoria¡¯s greatest library here, within the clutches of the Gaian temple.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she smiled. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be able to locate the ceremonial room without my aid, anyway.¡±


    She then took an uplifted breath as she looked at Geneve, who also stepped into their bubble. ¡°Do the three of you know about the upcoming procedures?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know¡­¡± Geneve began. ¡°We¡¯ll be given keys to our dorms at some point, as well as the Initiation Ritual that will take place soon after settling in.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Helvega nodded. ¡°It seems that the other groups have already gathered, given you are all the only ones outside the building. I will have to stand by the background, so this will be the last time we¡¯ll see each other for a little while.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for bringing us,¡± Vaelen responded. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure to visit both you and Mother as soon as we can.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that for now,¡± Helvega smiled. ¡°You can think about visiting us after you¡¯ve done your necessities.¡±


    She then turned to the other side, passing a final wave before walking towards the adjacent building, where parents or guardian figures were to spectate the ceremony. Declan took the word after silence seeped into their bubble, folding his hands.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but eavesdrop on some people who apparently already knew about the other students. It seems like we¡¯ll be dealing with members from prominent families.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Caelum sounded, raising his eyebrows, as Lunar added, lowering his head.


    ¡°Apparently, people from both the Yraemonde and Haemour families are participating in this year¡¯s Inquisition.¡±


    His words caused Vaelen to squint his eyes.


    ¡°Yraemonde¡­¡±


    Lunar then turned his head towards him. ¡°Ah, you remember?¡±


    ¡°I do. I am quite well-versed in the history of our family, the Jinton family. For as long as the Jintons and Yraemondes were established, they, in essence, initiated many wars against each other for the sake of Grudea, the homeland of the Jinton family.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± he continued. ¡°It went far deeper than just that. The two then acknowledged Heads, during the fourth Age, were known to have a deep-seated hatred and resentment towards each other. For centuries, the Yraemonde sought after the destruction of Grudea so that it would correlate to the downfall of the Jinton family.¡±


    ¡°But, at a grander scale-wise, none of their plans ¡®really¡¯ succeeded mostly because of the alliance between the Jinton and Haemour families. This resulted in even more conflicts between Haemour and Yraemonde primarily within Vayonne, the homeland of the Yraemonde family.¡±


    Lunar then crossed his arms, adding to Vaelen¡¯s anecdote.


    ¡°Makes you quite curious as to how this Inquisition will play out, no?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out later,¡± Geneve said, opening the door. ¡°Let¡¯s head inside.¡±


    ***


    The group was met with a small threshold with three different pathways leading towards different directions. Geneve took the lead, walking onto the left verge as the others followed suit. After several moments, she opened a second door which led right into the heart of the ceremonial room.


    It was a wide, empty vast space that only comprised wide, lengthy balconies for the guardians and parents to stand on. Helvega was to be seen alongside just two other individuals. A middle-aged man and a middle-aged woman, both dressed in dark, Victorian suits.


    The two other groups were indeed also present. Standing at the far right, and far middle of the space. Whilst most of them did not mind the arrival of the third group, one of them, a young man, dressed in a brown suit with a leather hat over his curly blonde hair turned his pupils towards them. The moment his eyes were met with Caelum¡¯s figure, he couldn¡¯t stop the corners of his lips from curling up in a closed smile.


    Caelum and the others respectively took their stance at the left, as their attention was lured towards the centre of the room, where another balcony stood, allowing for the Head Master to step inside¡­


    ¡­Helvega, standing above, held a rather composed demeanour until it all shattered as soon as the Head Master stepped inside. Her eyes widened, her mouth left ajar, as sweat began to rise from beneath her skin. Phineas, dressed in an ancient, dark green layered robe that was engraved with intricate carvings, revealed himself from the shadows.


    Ph¡­ Phineas?! Helvega thought once more.


    ¡°Welcome to the Gaian Inquisition,¡± Phineas began, his deep voice echoing throughout the large, hollow space. ¡°My name is Roderick Clinton, the Head Master of the Inquisition. It is a pleasure to meet you all.¡±


    Vaelen squinted his eyes recalling Aurora¡¯s tale from the day before. He then cautiously turned his head to the left to see Caelum looking right back at him, silently mirroring his passive emotion.


    Phineas cast a quick glance at Helvega, as if he was aware of the tumultuous state of her mind. He then turned his attention back to the students, reaching his right hand in the air.


    ¡°The time has come for the worthy students of the city of Ventoria to gather and journey towards their Awakening. Given this period is considered a ¡®trial¡¯ procedure, meaning that your capabilities will first be tested, I advise you all to succeed your limits if you want to be someone acknowledged as one of the strongest individuals Ventoria has ever witnessed.¡±


    ¡°Officially, this is the 250th Gaian Inquisition. Our Saint Avarion¡¯s name shall be cherished, and held in high regard during this sacred period. Given the Gaian Administrative Office already predetermined the groupings, your assemblage shall be titled with a given name, followed by the arrival of your respective masters.¡±


    After uttering these words, he clicked his finger, commanding a large, arched hole to form on the wall beneath him. From within, the three Masters stepped outside and stood adjacent to each other, silently awaiting Phineas¡¯ guidance.


    Phineas then turned his head to the far left. ¡°Starting from the Haemour family. You will be given the name ¡®Flock of Veils¡¯, and will be put under the supervision of Eunice Wintermann.¡±


    Eunice then stepped towards the Pale Fangs and graciously greeted the five group members.


    ¡°The second group will be titled ¡®Pale Fangs¡¯, Phineas continued. ¡°And it will be held in collection by Simeon Carley.¡±


    Simeon then stepped towards the group comprising the Yraemonde family, greeting them all with a bright demeanour.


    ¡°And lastly¡­ we have Jormungandr, who will be taken care of by Vash Duncke.¡±


    Caelum turned his eyes towards Vash¡¯s approaching figure, who then gave everyone a firm handshake before turning back towards Phineas.


    ¡°Any possible queries you may have, your Master will be your main guiding point. They will be the ones explaining the upcoming procedures,¡± he said, as he continued,


    ¡°You will all be staying in three respective dorms. Each dorm consists of all the necessities you may need. Given your short arrival, let your Master guide you all towards your places of accommodation. Station your luggage and settle in before we begin the Initiation Ritual. I will see you all soon.¡±


    Vash then turned towards the others, speaking in a friendly, whispering tone.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be going first, follow me.¡±


    Helvega, still standing above the others, silently watched Caelum¡¯s group depart from the ceremonial room before turning towards an adjacent door leading towards the other building. The two other figures turned their heads towards her with little to no care for her actions.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Vash led the group through the town, with pedestrians, most dressed in dark green layered robes passing by. Ancient-looking buildings, their facades evidently eroded with time, serving to accentuate the mystical atmosphere that encapsulated the place. He then turned towards the others, speaking in his usual friendly tone.


    ¡°Is the place finding you all well?¡±


    ¡°It exceeded our expectations, truly,¡± Declan responded, to his left. ¡°We were already aware of how the Gaian temple was amongst few others one of the most aesthetically pleasing temples¡ªbut experiencing it firsthand is definitely a stark contrast to the tales we¡¯ve been told.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Vash began, smiling. ¡°We are currently close to the heart of the temple, where the Gaian Creed resides. The temple primarily consists of three separate locations: the threshold, where anyone interested in our culture and methodology is welcome to enter. Often visited by children or students under the age of eighteen.¡±


    ¡°Secondly, we have the Inquisition. This is where everything regarding one¡¯s Inquisition occurs, given its advantageous location, with a few gates leading straight towards the Great Eastern Forest, the place where most of your quests will happen.¡±


    ¡°Lastly, we have the Creed, the holiest of places, where those who succeeded the Inquisition and wish to delve deeper into the Gaian phenomenon are allowed to enter. It is there where the Creed, as well as the Ruler of the temple, reside. The only times when the Creed is open for outsiders is during special and honoured ceremonies, such as the Gaian Requiem, where fallen soldiers, who served the temple, are memorialized and sent to the eternal Continuum.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Lunar said, placing two fingers under his chin. ¡°So that was it. I always assumed the Gaian temple was just one massively-scaled place.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Vash responded. ¡°Most temples are built this way. This is why, when people comment on the state or situation of a temple, they will most likely refer to the outer layer. In our case, it would be the threshold. As you may know, given the threshold is situated in Eastern Ventoria, it is not necessarily renowned¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­But! Let me properly introduce myself,¡± he continued, raising his pointer finger in the air. ¡°You can all just call me Vash. This will be my first time overseeing a group for an Inquisition, so I will be sure to do my best!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s reassuring to hear, Vash!¡± Caelum smiled.


    ¡°Surely!¡± he responded, taking a few moments before continuing as he squinted his eyes at the two brothers. ¡°Caelum and Vaelen, wasn¡¯t it? I learned that both of you were adopted into the Jinton family. Your father, Emon Moreau, was someone widely considered to be one of Ventoria¡¯s most successful individuals. But you must have heard thousands of tales about his adventures at this point.¡±


    Caelum, still smiling with closed lips, lowered his head as he responded,


    ¡°We don¡¯t really know much about him. Most of what we¡¯ve been told was regarding his role within the Luria Assembly. At the peak of his career, it was said that he was picked to become Luria¡¯s new Head, but it was during that period when he suddenly vanished from existence¡­¡±


    ¡°The same goes for our biological mother,¡± Vaelen said, mirroring Caelum¡¯s bittersweet crestfallen demeanour. ¡°She died while giving birth to us, which resulted in Aurora taking us in as her own.¡±


    ¡°But, hey,¡± Declan joined in, patting Vaelen¡¯s back. ¡°That is not to say your current household is any less than Emon¡¯s heritage. Like, seriously, I should be jealous of how well-off the both of you are. Aurora was also a former member of the Assembly, and held an esteemed position as both Emon¡¯s right hand and the Head Overseer of Operations.¡±


    ¡°Not only that,¡± Lunar added, next to Caelum. ¡°But Helvega, Aurora¡¯s daughter, ended up becoming the Caretaker of Ventoria¡¯s greatest library.¡±


    He then smiled at the brothers.


    ¡°Quite the weight of responsibility that has fallen on your backs, no?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Caelum explained, raising his fist in the air. ¡°We will all pave our own paths and reach greatness! Your birth is and will never be an excuse for the dreams you have,¡± he then turned towards his brother. ¡°Is that not right, Vae?¡±


    ¡°Indeed it is,¡± he nodded, as Geneve from behind chimed in, her arms crossed and eyes closed.


    ¡°Funny how even our dreams are scattered around, perfectly mirroring our group as opposed to the other two.¡±


    ¡°The Inquisition was actually supposed to hold around thirty participants, but some prominent changes were made, and the ones left available to be invited just so happened to be you all, as well as the other two groups,¡± Vash said. ¡°The groupings often consist of people from various backgrounds, so this is most definitely a special occasion.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Declan responded. ¡°That, as well as the fact that this is the 250th Inquisition, officially. However, given the Gaian temple is one of the oldest out there, how did people become Awakened under the Gaian influence?¡±


    A doubtful expression washed over Vash¡¯s face. He, as a Master, was expected to be knowledgeable regarding Gaian history. It was a completely reasonable explanation with a reasonable answer, yet, Vash remained silent for a few moments, casting the question away as he said,


    ¡°¡­Good question. Perhaps you may find more about the history in one of our libraries.¡±


    ¡°You guys have libraries here?¡± Caelum sighed. ¡°What¡¯s up with Ventoria and its libraries, man? It¡¯s as if there has to be a library in any corner I turn towards¡­¡±


    ¡°The main city only has two libraries,¡± Vaelen retorted. ¡°As far as I am concerned, the libraries designated for temples aren¡¯t considered ¡®libraries¡¯, there¡¯s a specific term for that.¡±


    ¡°They are referred to as Divine Archives,¡± Lunar responded, his arms crossed behind his back. ¡°Places comprising old books and tales regarding any specific temple. However, fragments of their books aren¡¯t limited to the Archives alone. For example, a book containing the history of the Gaian temple can reasonably be found within any regular library due to Ventoria¡¯s alliance with the church of Urdall.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Vash nodded, confidence suddenly alighting his countenance. ¡°Ventoria solely houses the church of Urdall, the central point of the entirety of Deneve. Correspondingly, Urdall¡¯s church has two acolytes, which are the Gaian and Arcane temples. The distribution of the holy books throughout the country stems from the Convention Slate. Have any of you been taught about this specific event?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I remember,¡± Vaelen said, staring into the distance as a horse-powered carriage passed them, its driver waving his hand in the air in greeting. The group would then arrive at a long bridge that led straight towards their dorm which was now visible in the long distance.


    ¡°The Convention Slate, in essence, refers to the third Age when the church of Urdall signed a treaty with the two temples to further spread out their alliances. The Slate, currently held within the church, held various agreements stemming from Inquisitions, infrastructures, associations with foreign temples, and the distribution of materials, as well as intellectual resources, which I will assume the allocation of the holy books within the generic libraries stem from.¡±


    ¡°Seems like someone¡¯s well taught, huh?¡± Declan jested, as Caelum responded,


    ¡°He¡¯s always like this. It doesn¡¯t outweigh his lack of social skills, though.¡±


    ¡°Very impressive, young man!¡± Vash exclaimed. ¡°It seems that the Inquisition will be held in good hands!¡±


    ***


    Outside the temple, Helvega would have already crossed the bridge leading to the main parking lot. She sat in her car, contemplating Phineas¡¯ appearance.


    What¡­ is happening?


    Why is Leander here¡­?


    Is it not practically impossible to overtake the role of a Head Master at any given time?


    Why¡­ why is he here?!


    Urgh!


    ¡­


    There was no mistaking it.


    That smile, that posture¡­


    ¡­Mother has to know about this!

 Chapter 3: Assemblage

    The group eventually made their way inside their dorm; a large, expansive house, its interior a mix of medieval and fantastical mystique. The main living room was a vast space that had wooden-made balconies encapsulating the area, its walls embellished with ancient, folk-like carvings. The place was encumbered in a delightful wood mixed with vanilla-esque aroma that brushed against everyone¡¯s faces the moment Vash opened the front door.


    A few moments later, the group re-assembled within the living room. Each of them sitting in their place with Vash being the only one standing, his hands placed on his hips as he spoke,


    ¡°Have you all managed to take care of your luggage?¡±


    ¡°Seems like it!¡± Caelum said enthusiastically. ¡°I thought we¡¯d be placed in some massive school-like building alongside the other two groups. This would by far be the better alternative if we ever had a choice.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Vash nodded. ¡°There are three houses in total situated quite far from each other. We are currently occupying the Western house, whilst the others reside within the Northern and Eastern houses. Each house is grand enough for one to consider their quarters to be just like an entire modest house, so appreciate the privilege while you can.¡±


    ¡°Surely, surely!¡± Declan added. ¡°But, one question¡­ Are we allowed to bring booze in here?¡±


    ¡°As long as you keep it sedated, it is allowed,¡± Vash confirmed. ¡°We have taverns and vendors in both the threshold and the Inquisition, so everything regarding food or drinks should be reassured. The leader of your group will also be given a weekly allowance that should cover your daily needs.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Caelum sounded. ¡°Do we have to choose the leader ourselves?¡±


    ¡°Correct. Given we will not be rushing things, you can all take your time discussing who could be the best fit. In short, the leader will be your group¡¯s representative. They are the ones who will be granted any necessary letter or note from us first. Their role also affects the various quests you will all be doing during the Inquisition.¡±


    ¡°Regarding the foods and drinks, the storage rooms have already been filled for this week. Within those rooms are notes consisting of every item that has been ordered at that time. Additionally, every morning from eight to ten, afternoon from twelve to two, and evening from six to eight, you will be visited by chefs who will prepare your nourishment.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d like to have something different for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, then make sure to leave a note inside the storage rooms where the food is being kept since that is where they will take all the necessary ingredients from.¡±


    ¡°Quite fancy, I must say,¡± Lunar responded, his arms crossed. ¡°Are there any specific rules?¡±


    ¡°Well, there aren¡¯t concrete rules besides common sense as well as the oath you will all have to do again during the Initiation Ritual. The ritual will be your first and only main objective of the day, so if you¡¯d like to further explore the Inquisition, you¡¯re free to do so.¡±


    ¡°When does the ritual begin?¡± Declan asked.


    ¡°I will return here at midnight,¡± Vash began. ¡°The ritual itself will not take long, so you don¡¯t have to worry about sleeping too late. After the ritual, we will start a week¡¯s long training focused on mastering your Grimoires. After the training, the actual Inquisition will begin.¡±


    ¡°Do not fret if this seems like a lot of information. We will be taking the days of the week slowly, as you will learn more about the Inquisition and get a hold of what lies ahead of you.¡±


    He then walked towards the closed front door, where a small, square wooden bucket hung against the wall. Inside, a wooden flute resided. Upon picking it up, he turned back to the others and began speaking once more.


    ¡°If anyone has any query or wishes to send a report, you can do so by simply blowing on this flute. This will summon a guiding raven that will lead the way towards the Administrative Establishment, where you will find either me or people who can be of help. Alternatively, you can make the raven send your thoughts, as well.¡±


    ¡°With that said, are there any questions?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve made things quite clear,¡± Caelum responded. ¡°So you¡¯ll be here at midnight?¡±


    ¡°Twelve, to be exact. So be sure to occasionally check your clocks.¡±


    ¡°Is there any procedure we will have to do after the ritual?¡± Lunar asked. ¡°Or will we just return here once we¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°The procedure will happen the next afternoon,¡± Vash responded, placing back the flute. ¡°So when you¡¯ve finished the ritual, you ought to return here and rest enough before we start training.¡±


    ¡°Once more, any other questions?¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re good, chief,¡± Declan smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Very well¡­ Ah, I almost forgot¡­¡± Vash chuckled awkwardly. Fishing out a bush of five keys out of his pocket. ¡°Here are the five master keys for each of you. Take good care of them. There are other miscellaneous keys for rooms like the storage room, or bathrooms, all situated inside the chest you see there,¡± he said, pointing towards a wooden and gold chest against the wall behind the couch where Caelum and Vaelen sat.


    He then opened the door, stepping outside before looking at the others over his shoulder.


    ¡°Have a good rest of your days. See you all tonight.¡±


    As he handed his prompt goodbyes, the group was now left within the aesthetically pleasing house. Declan, seated on a singular chair, leaned backwards, his hands behind his head.


    ¡°Damn¡­ Look at us now, huh?¡±


    ¡°Took us a few years before we could finally fight to become Awakeners,¡± Lunar chuckled. ¡°But our time is now.¡±


    ¡°Really good-looking place, as well¡­¡± Caelum murmured, sightseeing the place. ¡°Don¡¯t you think, Vae?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it distract you from your true purpose here, Caelum,¡± Vaelen responded, closing his eyes whilst folding his arms.


    Caelum smiled as he frowned his eyebrows, responding to him,


    ¡°Of course, but there¡¯s no harm in having some fun every now and then, right?¡±


    ¡°Eeeeexactly!¡± Declan shouted, jumping from his chair. ¡°Which is why I think it¡¯d be a great idea to buy ourselves some booze before the shops close!¡±


    ¡°I would advise against that,¡± Geneve chimed in, also crossing her arms. ¡°At least stuff yourself after the ritual.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Lunar agreed. ¡°We don¡¯t want to have your stench distracting us when we¡¯ll be trying to focus.¡±


    ¡°Valid excuse,¡± Declan nodded. You may be afraid to get a little loose, but I will never know for sure, I guess.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll head outside, and explore the place a little,¡± Caelum said, standing up. ¡°Anyone tagging along?¡±


    ¡°Well, someone has to make sure you don¡¯t get lost,¡± Vaelen responded as he stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll close my eyes for a little. You guys have fun,¡± Geneve added, closing her eyes in a sigh as Declan stood up, wrapping his left arm around Caelum.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come along. What about you, Lunar?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay behind here, as well,¡± Lunar said, standing up. ¡°Just be sure to return before six, got it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ***


    Left alone with Geneve, Lunar walked around the living room, gliding his hand over the furnishments as he spoke with a gentle tone, looking at Geneve, who was still seated comfortably in her chair over his shoulders.


    ¡°Seems like I wasn¡¯t the only one in need of some rest.¡±


    ¡°I just had to deal with my sister before heading out,¡± she sighed. ¡°She really has a knack for making you feel worried whether or not she will be fine without you.¡±


    ¡°Is she getting better?¡±


    ¡°¡­Kind of,¡± she responded, gazing at the high ceiling. ¡°I gave her instructions for her daily dose of meds. Something tells me she won¡¯t be able to follow it.¡±


    ¡°We can always head to the main city at any given time,¡± Lunar reassured. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Geneve yawned. ¡°What do you think about the other groups? I could tell you were feeling a little apprehensive when we stepped into that building.¡±


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a new avenue we have been thrown into. I will naturally feel a little tingly when I find myself in a curious space.¡±


    He then smiled as he walked towards her, his hands crossed behind his back.


    ¡°We always dreamed of becoming Awakeners, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Geneve chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to what our Grimoires will look like. Perhaps a sword or some magical sledgehammer would fit me well.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t set your aspirations in stone,¡± Lunar responded. ¡°It is said that one¡¯s Grimoire is a perfect representation of one¡¯s soul. We are most likely going to be thrown off guard.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± she groaned as she stood up, walking towards the large staircase. ¡°Mind waking me up before dinner?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±


    As Geneve wandered to her chambers, Lunar plunged himself on the couch, resting his head on its cushion support, contemplatively gazing at the ceiling as he murmured,


    ¡°¡­A Sequencer, huh¡­¡±


    -Helvega-


    Soon after departing from the Gaian temple, I hurriedly drove past the picturesque mountainous freeways, and the narrow, busy medieval-like streets, with a handful of presumably young teenage students casting glances towards me in awe. Some of them waved at me, some of them smiled at me, while some simply stared at my passing car. Considering what their thoughts may be as soon as they saw me was not my priority for my own thoughts were filled on their own.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The Custody Agency was my current objective. It was there where my mother was currently residing for her daily physiotherapy. She was sadly not able to see the two boys off due to this, and my arrival would most likely let questions regarding them ascend her mind¡¯s sea of ponders. However, I was certain that Phineas¡¯ reveal would throw her off guard, and push her worries aside.


    Caelum and Vaelen were both eagerly awaiting their eighteenth birthday in order to become Awakeners. It reminded me much of how avidly I was looking forward to my Inquisition. Having known them both for their entire lives, I was determined to ensure that their experience wouldn¡¯t be as mine, may it be using my influence as the Caretaker of Ventoria¡¯s library, or measures falling outside that bubble, such as my previous association with Luria.


    Yet, seeing that man¡¯s pitiful face both disgusted and stunned me. My thought process had just now gradually faded back into my mind like a series of rain falling back onto the earth.


    And the first thing that came to mind was to visit her.


    Call it a child¡¯s instincts to retreat back to their parent if you will, but despite holding a large hold of influence within not only Ventoria but a major part of Deneve due to my association with the Monlay Assembly, I felt like my mother would know the best way to deal with that one individual¡­


    I knew Phineas was now the most powerful man in at least the entirety of Ventoria. Seeing someone like him serving an Inquisition was simply confusing. It was like seeing the son of Urdall himself attend the library to congratulate the newly appointed Caretaker. Of course, the library, being a Monlay acolyte, has strong ties with the church of Urdall, but it would still feel extremely strange for such an esteemed figure to visit the institution.


    That was how I felt when I saw him. He was not supposed to be there. He knew that the Inquisition was not a place that required his presence, let alone requiring the owner of Luria himself to become a Head Master of a religious tradition. It was clear to me that something was at bay within the Gaian Administrative Office. Anyone above the age of twenty-five would recognize that face, not only because he currently owns Luria, but also because of his position within Terra Firma.


    Regardless, I would never, ever, let anyone dare to hurt my siblings, no matter how ¡®important¡¯ or ¡®powerful¡¯ they may seem.


    And thus, I knew my mother would have the right solution. All I needed to do was simply let her know about what happened.


    ***


    The Custody Agency consisted of various departments. Their most well-known department was the one concerning immigrants and the impoverished. Fortunately, that was not my place to go to. Their elderly department was situated quite close to the Luria Assembly, somewhat eastern from the Cyclone Cellar. It was a large, white-walled building with a large entrance in the middle. After parking my car, I went inside and stood before the main reception counter, holding both my hands in the pockets of my black coat, as I spoke to the lady dressed in a white, doctor-like dress.


    ¡°Excuse me, but could you lead me to Aurora Jinton¡¯s room?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± she said, her pupils suddenly lighting up. ¡°You must be Helvega Jinton, correct?¡±


    ¡°Indeed I am.¡±


    ¡°Very well. If you follow the main hallway and take a turn to the left, there is a staircase leading towards the upper level. Aurora¡¯s room is situated at the very end of the hallway on the second level. Room thirty to be exact.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± I responded, making my way towards the upper level.


    As soon as I got there, another lady, dressed in a black suit that matched her dark brown hair, stood right next to the door leading to my mother¡¯s room, carrying a plate filled with toasted breads and fruits. That was Ylena, mother¡¯s personal assistant. She immediately recognized me as I approached her.


    ¡°Oh, good afternoon, Helvega. You came at the right time. Your mother just finished with her physiotherapy.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. Is she in there right now?¡±


    ¡°She is. I was just about to bring her lunch¡­¡± she said, her tone evidently lowered. ¡°¡­She hasn¡¯t been eating quite well lately, Helvega¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I can bring her the food,¡± I responded, taking the plate from the confused lady. ¡°Take some additional break time.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ well, okay!¡± she exclaimed, stepping away. ¡°Please let her know I will be waiting downstairs!¡±


    ¡°Will do.¡±


    With a sigh, I gave the door a few knocks and announced myself before stepping inside the simple room.


    She was sitting on the side of her dark brown bed, dressed in a loose, white patient-like dress. She slowly raised her eyes and smiled as they were met with my figure. I put the plate of food on a nearby counter and took my stance next to her.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked. ¡°Did you see Ylene in the hallway?¡±


    ¡°I did. She¡¯s waiting downstairs to bring you back home. How did your therapy go?¡±


    ¡°It went fine, but I¡¯ve been feeling quite lightheaded ever since the early mornings¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably not eating enough,¡± I responded, putting the plate next to her on the mattress. ¡°Have some of this. Ylene had taken care of providing you with your lunch.¡±


    She let out a deep sigh and didn¡¯t respond to my words, which prompted me to continue, muttering,


    ¡°You look like you lost some weight as well¡­ Is Ylene doing her job right?¡±


    ¡°She is, don¡¯t worry¡­ I¡¯ve¡­ just been a little contemplative lately.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I said, taking a seat next to her on the mattress. As I looked at her, she aimlessly held her gaze forward. Her face suddenly turned depressing, as if an old but hurtful memory suddenly flashed through her mind.


    ¡°¡­Nothing. Just your usual daunting period. You should be no stranger to it, I assume.¡±


    ¡°Sadly not, no¡­ Today has been quite thoughtful for me, as well.¡±


    ¡°Ah, how did the ceremony go?¡± she asked with an uplifting tone, turning towards me. ¡°Did the boys arrive there safely?¡±


    ¡°¡­They did, but¡­ something happened.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    I mustered the courage and composure to clearly answer her query.


    ¡°After arriving at the temple and having the boys reunite with their friends¡­ you¡¯re not going to believe this, but, it seems that Phineas Leander is mastering this year¡¯s Inquisition.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Her mien turned befuddled. Her eyebrows narrowed, mouth left ajar, staring at me in silence, non-verbally telling me to continue.


    ¡°I know, it sounds awful, yet, it was really him. I saw him during the ceremony. He serves as the Head Master of the phenomenon¡­¡±


    I then hung my head, as I continued whilst staring into the distance.


    ¡°I was filled with questions the moment my eyes met his figure. An individual serving as Head Master for any temple requires years of study, teaching, and indoctrination into a Creed. In other words, that position is reserved for those who are committing their entire lives to the orthodoxy of their respective temple.¡±


    As I said this, I slowly raised my head to meet my mother¡¯s eyes of distress.


    ¡°We both know that Phineas could never have the time to possibly commit to both Luria and Terra Firma, and be able to spend years in the Gaian temple.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you serious that it was him?¡± she asked, as though desperately hoping all of this was a lie or a joke. ¡°You could have mistak-¡±


    ¡°There was no mistaking it, mother¡­¡± I interjected. ¡°I instantly recognized that voice, not to mention his eerily distinctive face.¡±


    ¡°Did he see you?¡±


    ¡°We shared eye contact once,¡± I sighed. ¡°He was smiling at me as if he knew I was going to be there.¡±


    ¡°Something is going on, mother¡­ He couldn¡¯t have possibly become the Head Master of an Inquisition without having thrown a large bargain on the table. He must have used his large network to come into contact with the Creed and solve things out.¡±


    She took a few moments to marinate her mind in the newfound knowledge. Sitting with her head lowered silently until she finally opened her mouth once more.


    ¡°Is he¡­ really doing this?¡±


    ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°¡­I was always sceptical of him, even during the times when Emon was still around. But, my suspicions of him were set in stone as soon as I found out about Dark¡¯s death¡­¡±


    ***


    -The Cyclone Cellar: Seventeen Years Ago-


    Dressed in my then-usual long white coat over my black shirt, I stood before Zaccheus, who was dressed in a grey sweatshirt that blended well with his long, weathered, dark grey hair, and contrasted sharply against his dark brown pants.


    We were standing in Zaccheus¡¯ office room; a large, yet simple iron-walled space comprising a large table and dozens of chairs scattered across the place. A large window behind the table allowed for a gentle sun ray to bathe the room in a delicate atmosphere. We were in the middle of discussing our concerns regarding the recent occurrences of that time, more specifically Emon¡¯s disappearance.


    Zaccheus, seated on the edge of his table, continued his anecdote as I stood before him with crossed arms.


    ¡°Even though his claims seem albeit structured, it still, somehow, seems flawed to me. It¡¯s as if he knows there are hidden flaws, and is taunting me about it. He knows things we don¡¯t know¡­ but, let me set his claims on the table.¡±


    He then stood up, both his hands in his pockets, head lowered as I held my gaze at the faraway view of Ventoria on the window.


    ¡°Emon¡¯s house was entirely robbed, or, better said emptied after his disappearance and the death of his late wife. Phineas would have technically been the second last person to have seen him alive, based on his story. It still baffles me that the Zephyr Assembly never brought Phineas to further questioning, perhaps a trial based on the suspicion that he may be linked to Emon¡¯s sudden disappearance. It is a shame to them, because the truth is literally in front of our eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°He was brought for questioning once, and that was it,¡± I responded. ¡°They just scrapped the case and gave up as if they weren¡¯t dealing with Luria¡¯s First Administrator. It is like when the Head of the Luminary Bureau suddenly went missing and the Zephyrs didn¡¯t bother to pursue this obvious important case.¡±


    ¡°But, what can we do about it?¡± I continued. ¡°Phineas is the face of Terra Firma, the largest shareholder and producer of materials both the Luria and Zephyr Assemblies heavily depend on. It wouldn¡¯t be as easy as taking care of a regular citizen, right?¡±


    ¡°Not only that,¡± Zaccheus began. ¡°But he still holds an esteemed position within the Luminary Bureau. That alone could have been enough for him to get away with actual murder or assassination. That night when Emon was investigating in Eastern Ventoria, I saw Phineas leave the Cellar alongside an unidentifiable figure, clad in a long, black coat with a black hat.¡±


    He already told this to me. An individual exited the Cellar alongside him on that fateful night. Despite having spent days of frustration and brainstorming on how this could have possibly been tied to his disappearance, at that moment, I felt incensed, and couldn¡¯t help but voice out the annoyance I felt.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense to me, Zaccheus! We held a talk with one of the generals of the Zephyr Assembly, and had you retell exactly that particular part a month ago. Your details could not have possibly just gone over their heads!¡±


    ¡°¡­Be cautious, Aurora,¡± he said calmly. ¡°If Phineas actually manages to claim the throne of Luria, he will arguably be one of the most powerful people in the world. And that is putting it lightly.¡±


    ¡°He will have control over both Luria and Terra Firma, not only that but given his close relationship with the elites of the Luminary Bureau, it wouldn¡¯t be too bold to assume he may end up holding a prominent share in influence within that institution, as well.¡±


    ¡°Apart from Dark, only you and I know the truth. But, I plead to you, Aurora, to not display resentment against him publicly. Because right now, he is more powerful than all of us combined.¡±


    ¡°Then, what do you want us to do?¡± I asked aggressively, turning towards him. ¡°Do we just watch in silence as the world collapses?¡±


    ¡°¡­He will not let this world collapse. He once told me that it would only be a matter of time before Ventoria would be changed into a Utopia. Personally, I believe he will seek to not only make Ventoria, but also our country, the greatest land to have ever existed. However¡­


    ¡­Anyone who opposes his ideologies will be destroyed because he is the most practical individual I have ever encountered.¡±


    ***


    Foreign to Aurora and Zaccheus¡¯ knowledge, a third individual behind the closed door was listening to their conversation.


    That person was Dark.


    After hearing Zaccheus¡¯ final words, he bawled his hands into a fist, gulped in fright, and walked off into the hallway. His intentions and thought process were unknown, as that moment would be the very last depicting him as a living man.


    ***


    -Helvega: Present Time-


    ¡°Mother, what will our plan be? I feel worried about the two boys¡­ Phineas knows they are both Emon¡¯s biological sons. That alone should be enough to assume he has something in mind in regards to them.¡±


    ¡°Be patient, Helvega. We will wait until the boys return home.¡±


    ¡­I failed to understand her sudden change in demeanour. She was now calm, and levelheaded. I leaned towards her, as I spoke,


    ¡°But, why? How can we be so sure nothing happens to them?¡±


    She then stood up and stepped towards the adjacent counter. After pulling its drawer open, she fished out an empty envelope from within and turned towards me.


    ¡°We will send them a letter in three days. Assuming the procedures have remained the same, it will only be one week until the actual Inquisition begins for the students. Phineas knows this. He is a calculating, cautious man. He knows you decided to come here and initiate this conversation with me. Do you really think he will act on his will and bring the boys to danger this hastily?¡±


    I remained silent in response, acknowledging her verdict.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± she continued. ¡°However, that does not mean we should remain still until things happen. Visit Zaccheus and tell him about your encounter, as well as our plan regarding the letter. He will definitely be of help to us. I think he should be at the Cellar right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine,¡± I said, standing up. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Rest, and think. I¡¯ll be heading home now, so I won¡¯t be here by the time you¡¯re done with Zaccheus.¡±


    With a heavy sigh, I responded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± and opened the adjacent door. She bore a bittersweet smile as she handed her goodbyes.

 Chapter 4: Exploration

    -The Gaian Temple-


    Caelum, Vaelen, and Declan made their way through the vibrant town the Inquisition comprised. Much akin to Western Ventoria, the Inquisition, too, was made of medieval-like buildings, with vendors scattered across the entire area. At one corner, next to an open gate leading further into the town, Alex stood cooking up various different foods.


    Having caught Declan¡¯s attention, he joyfully waved at the group, prompting the three of them to take their stances in front of his little traversable shop. Vaelen was visibly disinterested in the encounter, as opposed to Caelum, who stood by with a closed smile, watching Declan engage in a friendly conversation with Alex.


    ¡°Good day!¡± he began. ¡°What may it be?¡±


    ¡°A pesco for me! The other two aren¡¯t feeling famished right now.¡±


    ¡°Comin¡¯ right up!¡±


    As Alex began assembling the Pesco, he threw a few glances towards the two brothers, asking them with a curious tone,


    ¡°Are you lot the new students here?¡±


    ¡°We are, yes,¡± Declan confirmed. ¡°We just had the ceremony and are awaiting the upcoming ritual. Are you familiar here? You don¡¯t seem like a Sequencer to me.¡±


    ¡°A little, yes. I wasn¡¯t born with Sequencer characteristics, but I own a small food business in the heart of Ventoria. Been servin¡¯ food for close to twenty-five years now.¡± Alex responded. ¡°I was requested to standby here with my team for a period of time in exchange for a fair bargain. Lucky for you, Pescos are in my field of expertise!¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t wait to try it out, then!¡±


    After a short giggle, Alex glanced at Caelum, who nervously looked back.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, fella?¡±


    ¡°Caelum, sir.¡±


    ¡°Caelum? Interesting¡­¡± he murmured, finishing up the Pesco. ¡°You look awfully similar to someone who loved buying my Pescos.¡±


    ¡°Do you know his name?¡± Caelum asked, already knowing what he was going to respond with.


    ¡°Emon Moreau! A very handsome but well-reserved fella, I must say¡­¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Caelum smiled. ¡°I often get told this by people who knew him¡­ He is our father.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Like, the three of you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Declan responded. ¡°He¡¯s their father. I don¡¯t have parents.¡±


    Vaelen, his gaze wandering off the conversation with crossed arms, was pulled back into the bubble as Alex called out to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, boy?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Vaelen¡­¡±


    ¡°I see, I see!¡± Alex exclaimed, handing out the Pesco to Declan, who immediately began indulging himself.


    ¡°Let me tell you; he was a very quiet man. Never enjoyed talking for a long period of time. The only times I saw him was whenever he would come by the store for some food. I would always try to have a nice talk with the guy, but he would never let me breach his gates!¡±


    The two brothers remained silent in response as Alex continued.


    ¡°But, I am assuming you both know about his background, no?¡±


    ¡°No?¡± Caelum responded. ¡°What background? Do you know anything?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Alex sighed. ¡°His background in relations to the Luria Assembly. Lots of things about him were revealed after his alleged passing. I always knew him as the well-loved teacher at the University, but I never thought he¡¯d be amongst the elites of this world! Surely the two of you must have been adopted into an esteemed family, no?¡±


    ¡°¡­Esteemed family¡­¡± Caelum murmured. Right before he could answer Alex¡¯s query, two other young gentlemen approached them from Vaelen¡¯s side. One was dressed noticeably more ¡°formerly¡± than the other. A tall, pale-skinned young man with short and curly blond hair. He was draped in a form-fitting dark gray waistcoat that matched well with the gray, wide brimmed hat he wore.


    Next to him, a shorter, slender gentleman. Dressed in a loose white blouse that contrasted nicely with his short trimmed white coloured hair. He wore a pair of loose, brown-hued medieval pants with no shoes, just his bare feet touching the stoney surface.


    The taller individual waved joyfully towards them with closed eyes and a wide smile, causing the three to turn towards them, with Declan still munching on his Pesco.


    ¡°Good day!¡±


    ¡°Greetings!¡± Declan said with a full mouth, confidently stepping in front of Vaelen. ¡°You must be the person from the second group¡­ Pale Fangs, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Indeed!¡± the gentleman responded. ¡°The name¡¯s Qlint. Qlint Marshew. It is nice to meet you all.¡±


    ¡°Declan. Likewise,¡± he said, shaking his hand as he looked at the shorter individual. ¡°And you are?¡±


    With a short, firm, and emotionless tone, the young man responded,


    ¡°Bartholomew.¡±


    Whilst keeping his smile, Declan couldn¡¯t help but let his face slightly contort into a nervous frown, with both Caelum and Vaelen silently listening along behind him.


    ¡°Greetings¡­ Is it fine if we keep it to Barth?¡±


    Bartholomew didn¡¯t respond. He remained silent, aimlessly staring forwards, as Qlint took the initiative once more.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t talk much, excuse him.¡±


    He then turned his head towards the two brothers, and asked kindly,


    ¡°Besides, what about the other two?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Caelum, and this is Vaelen.¡±


    ¡°Caelum and Vaelen¡­¡± he squinted his eyes. ¡°Are you brothers of each other?¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± Vaelen responded, nodding. ¡°How could you tell?¡±


    ¡°How could I tell? Well, how could I not tell?¡± Qlint responded, causing Alex to smile nervously, turning back to his deeds.


    ¡°The Cowright Family just had their third-ever foreign individual take control over one of their greatest aspects. Knowing the brothers of Helvega Jinton isn¡¯t that hard.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Vaelen began. ¡°I am assuming the both of you stem from the same family, as well?¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, speak more proudly!¡± Qlint jested. ¡°We are blood allies! Well, perhaps you wouldn¡¯t immediately recognize the gravity of this very encounter. It may be our first time meeting each other, but it is a honour.¡±


    ¡°Likewise. May we have a great time shared together,¡± Vaelen responded.


    Qlint, together with Bartholomew, walked past them towards the open gate. Qlint then took a stop, looking at the three over his shoulder.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°We will see you all at the academy soon. Take care for now.¡±


    ¡°Well, let us head back,¡± Declan said, tossing three coins rounding up to five Quills on the counter. ¡°Thank you for the Pescos!¡±


    ¡°All well!¡± Alex waved. ¡°Good luck on your journeys!¡±


    As the three walked off, Alex contemplatively stared at the coins in his palms, reminiscing about Emon¡¯s face close to two decades ago. The short but friendly conversation they shared stuck with him deeply after he learned about his supposed passing.


    Emon¡¯s sons, huh?


    He turned his head towards the group; Declan walking in the middle, stretching his arms over Vaelen and Caelum as they slowly faded away into the distance. His face turned neutral, feeling as if he should have said a lot more to them despite having only known Emon on a surface-level.


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    ***


    [Several minutes later]


    The three were now traversing the main bridge leading towards their abode. The moment felt particularly tranquil, as none of them were speaking, with only the distant chirping of birds breaking the silence. Caelum¡¯s eyes seemed less illuminative than usual, which Vaelen noticed, compelling him to ask,


    ¡°Are you well, Caelum?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± he stammered awake. ¡°I am, yeah. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°You just seem a little sedated right now. It¡¯s unlike you.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± he smiled with closed lips. ¡°You¡¯ve always seen me like this. It¡¯s not as if I am running on full energy twenty-four-seven, right?¡±


    ¡°He just needs to have some good food,¡± Declan yawned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll be having, but let¡¯s hope it¡¯ll be filling.¡±


    ***


    Back within the abode, Lunar stood before the now opened front door with crossed arms, smiling as the three stepped inside.


    ¡°Right on time, boys.¡±


    Geneve, sitting on the couch with her arms stretching along the back support, added with a loud tone.


    ¡°Did y¡¯all have some fun?¡±


    ¡°We survived. The Inquisition doesn¡¯t seem that different from the usual city,¡± Declan responded. ¡°Has the chef arrived?¡±


    ¡°She did,¡± Geneve said, standing up while groaning. ¡°We were just waiting for you lot before we can eat.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the dining room?¡± Caelum asked, as Lunar closed his eyes and walked off towards the other end of the living room, a large, open threshold leading towards the other quarters of the building.


    ¡°Follow me. It¡¯s surprisingly hard to find.¡±


    They all followed Lunar¡¯s trail until the dinner room materialized before their sights. It was a spacious room with wooden walls on which a number of ornately-carved light bulbs hung upon. The large wooden table in the midst was flanked by a beautiful lady, presumably in her thirties. She was dressed in a white suit that contrasted sharply against her tanned complexion and long, curly dark brown hair. She bore a magnificent smile the moment her eyes were met with the assembled group as she placed the final plate on the table.


    ¡°Ah, has the group finally reunited?¡±


    Her beauty was understandably noticeable, however, Declan seemed to have been the most entranced by her appearance. His mouth was slightly left ajar as he watched her approaching them.


    ¡°Hello! I am Kasey Hungman. I will be the chef serving you your foods for the duration of the Inquisition.¡±


    Declan took a confident step forward, and stretched his hand out. As Kasey received his greeting, he properly introduced himself, forcing his voice to sound deeper.


    ¡°I¡¯m Declan, nice to meet you.¡±


    Whilst Lunar smilingly shook his head, Kasey¡¯s eyes were seemingly just as fond of Declan as he was of her, seemingly acknowledging Declan¡¯s handsome features.


    ¡°Declan¡­ Likewise!¡± she said, turning towards the two brothers. ¡°And you two must be Caelum and Vaelen, correct?¡±


    ¡°Indeed we are,¡± Caelum said, nodding with a smile.


    Following this, Kasey turned towards the table comprising their dinner, stretching out her right arm towards it.


    ¡°Well, take a seat! I¡¯ve prepared you all some succulent goat skewers marinated in a blend of exotic spices. Additionally, please enjoy some grilled flatbread, and golden rice with yoghurt sauce!¡±


    ¡°Mesmerizing¡­¡± Declan muttered while the others were taking their seats, standing right next to Kasey, to whom he turned his head to. ¡°You made this all by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yep!¡± she chuckled. ¡°Has your Master already inclined you about the storage rooms? I was able to make all of this from the currently stored ingredients. If you want me to make something unique to your liking, just leave a note behind.¡±


    ¡°Surely, surely!¡± Declan responded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us for dinner? You didn¡¯t make all of this just for us, right?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she smiled nervously, as Declan gently tapped her left shoulder, causing her to look up to him in delight.


    ¡°No need to stumble. You made this, so you should be able to enjoy it yourself, too. I¡¯ll get you a plate and a glass.¡±


    Lunar, seated at the head of the table, looked at Declan with his head slightly tilted to the left.


    ¡°Do you know where the kitchen is?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right¡­¡± Declan laughed nervously as Kasey responded,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll accompany him, if you all don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Totally,¡± Geneve said. ¡°There¡¯s enough space for you to join.¡±


    Kasey then led Declan back into the path he and the others came from, their mingled conversations slowly fading away in the background.


    Lunar, left with the other three, watched Caelum not partaking in the meal. His voice turned worrying, as he asked him if he was feeling well. Caelum reciprocated with the same response he threw at Vaelen earlier, prompting Lunar to squint his eyes, continuing,


    ¡°If necessary, get some sleep before we begin the ritual. That¡¯ll help you get out of your hazy state of mind.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I do need some sleep after this, yeah¡­¡±


    Declan then walked inside the dining room alongside Kasey, holding her plate and its utilities, whilst Kasey held her glass.


    ¡°The plate¡¯s been secured!¡±


    The proceeding evening seemed quite ardent. Kasey appeared to blend well with the students, sharing introductory and miscellaneous conversations, and even Caelum, who appeared tired, was able to let out a few hearty laughs alongside his brother. Their first evening at the Gaian temple went as placid as one could imagine.


    ***


    [Several hours later]


    After Vash¡¯s appearance, the group was led into a special section within the academy. A far-stretching corridor that was dimly lit by ornate light bulbs hanging onto the walls. The five of them were lined up, each standing in front of their own respective closed door. Vash stood at the very end of the corridor with his arms crossed, waiting for his students to marinate their mind into the current occurrence before speaking with a proper, and calming tone,


    ¡°You may open your doors.¡±


    Caelum quickly turned his head to the right, exchanging a prompt nod with Vaelen before he opened his door that led towards a spacious, mystical room that was encumbered in a vanilla-like smell emitting from various candles. In the middle of the surface, a large golden eye was painted, its pupil heading upward, pointing towards a second figure standing at the very end of the chamber.


    An old man, presumably in his fifties, draped in a long, ancient, dark green robe. He held a weathered-looking book in his right hand as he greeted Caelum with a calm demeanour.


    ¡°Good evening, young man. Are you prepared for the ritual?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Caelum nodded. ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. Please take a seat with folded legs on the symbol you see on the ground.¡±


    After Caelum followed suit, the man continued, stepping towards him.


    ¡°Now, close your eyes, and put yourself into a deep concentration. Attempt to step inside your own mind as you hear my recitations, and surrender yourself to your soul¡­¡±


    A few moments of struggle passed, and it seemed that Caelum finally stepped foot into the realm of introspection. The religious and melodic recitations of the man walking in circles around him seemed to slowly fade into silence as Caelum¡¯s mind was taken into a different world.


    Right before he was fully submerged in his dazed mind, he could feel a small object floating beside him. It was a bronze, antique-looking glass vessel that poured out golden words that suspended in the air.


    Inauguration for Caelum Jinton¡­


    -Awakened-


    Sequencer characteristics:


    Holy Spirit: ???


    Rank: ???


    The floating glass vessel strangely disappeared after displaying the contents. As though having been freed from the vessel¡¯s presence, Caelum unconsciousness became more prevalent.


    The world around him was nothing but utter and complete darkness. He was now a formless entity, his once human body now an amorphous frame.The concept of thought or procession seemed to not exist within this realm, which resulted in Caelum aimlessly taking slow steps forwards, until a large, towering iron gate suddenly formed right before him.


    The gate¡¯s facade was engraved with an intricate carving depicting a young woman in a loose robe holding a formless child in her arms with closed eyes, portrayed in a renaissance, dramatic style.


    Caelum¡¯s hand began to move on its own, gravitating itself towards the gate as if it called for him as an ominous, diabolical surge of atmosphere washed over his entire body. Foreign to Caelum¡¯s knowledge, the carving of the young woman came to life, and her eyes opened, staring deeply into Caelum¡¯s soul as her eyes widened the closer his hand got to the gate, silently luring him to open the gate, as if it would unleash a legion of demonic spirits onto the physical world.


    The man, outside this realm, continued his chants, yet he too could feel an ominous aura emanating from within Caelum. It was at this moment when he felt confounded since a student would have had their Grimoires already realized. Nevertheless, he continued, intensifying his tone, as Caelum, within this mysterious realm, finally placed his hand on the cold surface of the gate.


    The woman¡¯s eyes remained widened, non-verbally telling him to push the gate open. Without thinking, Caelum mindlessly followed her command, causing the gate to gradually open¡­


    ¡­The man who was once vocal in his recitations abruptly ceased.


    Shocked, he widened his eyes and trembled as a loud thud echoed through the chamber.


    Caelum had collapsed right before his feet.

 Chapter 5: The Dark Castle

    [One day later]


    The group, Declan, Geneve, Lunar, and Vaelen, all surrounded Caelum¡¯s bed for as long as they could. Each of their postures was unique to their visible fret for their childhood friend and younger brother. Declan stood against the wall with crossed arms, aimlessly staring into the distance, while Geneve, in front of Declan, stood next to Caelum¡¯s bed with her arms, too, crossed.


    Lunar held his hands folded over each other behind his back as he contemplatively stared out the window that oversaw the long bridge leading towards their dorm. Vaelen sat on the edge of his brother¡¯s bed, his eyes slowly widening as soon as Caelum¡¯s face made a slight twitch.


    ¡°¡­Caelum?¡±


    His eyes gradually opened, jolting everyone around him awake as they all turned towards him.


    ¡°Va¡­elen¡­¡±


    Whilst Declan, Geneve, and Vaelen exhibited a loud relief, throwing words of thankfulness towards the barely conscious young fellow, Lunar only looked at their embrace over his head with a closed, serene smile.


    Caelum took a proper seat, realizing the shirt he wore felt a lot ¡°looser¡± than usual. He remained silent for several seconds, fluttering his eyes before asking with a gentle, confused tone,


    ¡°What¡­ happened?¡±


    Vaelen looked at him as if he were on the verge of breaking down in tears. For Caelum, seeing his older brother in such a caring, emotional state, confounded him slightly. He obviously forgot that he collapsed during the Initiation Ritual, yet, for some reason, the bittersweet looks on each of their faces seemed to hint towards another layer of concern.


    And sadly, it was Declan who eventually decided to address the elephant in the room.


    ¡°Do we have a mirror?¡± he asked, looking around. In response, Geneve held him on, exiting the room to grab a mirror. Caelum frowned slightly, understandably confused, asking his brother what was going on. Despite his awakening, Lunar held his gaze forwards, outside the window, as if alleviated that Caelum could finally learn about his circumstance.


    ¡°Caelum, look at your hand.¡±


    He slowly lowered his head and stretched his fingers. Contrary to expectation, his reaction was a lot more tranquil than Vaelen expected.


    His hand turned pale, a clear difference from his complexion just a day ago.


    Yet, that was not all. His entire body turned as pale as a vampire, or some supernatural being. As Geneve returned, he handed him the small mirror, with Vaelen repeatedly asking him not to panic. Sadly, seeing his own face seemed to have broken the barrier for him¡ª


    ¡ªHis eyes widened as he gasped, prompting his brother to sit closer to him just in case he would start to freak out.


    ¡°Your skin has been entirely bleached, it¡¯s as if you suddenly lost all your melanin¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­What happened?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re trying to understand, too,¡± Geneve sighed. ¡°We were told you suddenly collapsed during the ritual. The RM who took care of you also detailed the Grimoires that were realized.¡±


    Her words seemed to have confounded him even more.


    ¡°Grimoires?¡±


    ¡°Yes, multiple, which is normally unheard of,¡± Lunar finally spoke, turning towards him with a serious expression. ¡°The Grimoires you summoned were allegedly a silver bow, engraved with delicate carvings, as well as an ancient, silver polished book, with an upside down iron cross on its front facade.¡±


    Caelum hung his head. He still couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. Lunar was correct; anyone who would be engaged in an Initiation Ritual would be able to summon their very own Grimoire. Just one, the reason being that one¡¯s Grimoire is meant to be intricately linked to that person¡¯s soul. It is essentially someone¡¯s very own ¡°soul manifestation¡±. Therefore, for someone to summon two separate Grimoires could only mean one thing¡­


    Vaelen was the most silent in the room as he knew the truth had to be told. Sensing his inner turmoil, Lunar stepped towards Vaelen and gently tapped on his shoulder as he spoke,


    ¡°We will have to tell him, Vaelen.¡±


    ¡°Tell me¡­what?¡± Caelum murmured, as Geneve from his left responded,


    ¡°Are you familiar with the Golden Book, Caelum?¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t,¡± Vaelen said, his head lowered. ¡°But, he knows about the prophecy.¡±


    Caelum¡¯s mouth was slightly left open, muttering Vaelen¡¯s name in disbelief, as Lunar closed his eyes, and began reciting a passage from the Golden Book.


    ¡°The Book of Darkness, Book two, chapter six, verse twelve: ¡®And His soul shall not be solitaire. The Perished One¡¯s body will be shared between Him and the source of all sins. Her immortality will be manifested through His body.¡±


    ¡°¡­This is a joke, isn¡¯t it?¡± Caelum chuckled in incredulity. As Vaelen reached out his hand, muttering his name in the hopes of soothing him, he jumped out of his bed, prompting everyone else present to turn their heads towards him. Lunar seemed the only one unfazed, his dark brown eyes staring at Caelum¡¯s commotion over his shoulder.


    ¡°This is a joke! It must be! Why would I be the Perished One? What kind of nonsense is that?!¡±


    With a sigh, Lunar closed his eyes and facaded a smile, approaching him with a gentle demeanour.


    ¡°We know you aren¡¯t the Perished One. But, just to be sure, try to meditate and summon your Grimoire. If you summon two separate Grimoires, it means that the Ritual Master was right. Though, you can¡¯t trust most people these days, can you?¡±


    Even Lunar himself knew what he just said virtually and did not bear any weight. It would not make sense for the Gaian Administrative Office to simply lie about him housing two different souls within his body. It wouldn¡¯t make sense. Whilst the others were seemingly in a state of denial, agreeing with his words, Lunar already knew the truth.


    ¡°Do you remember how it goes?¡± Declan chimed in. ¡°Simply close your eyes, and focus on your own soul. Then, try and channel your soul pressure outside your body. Much like imagining letting a wind current flow out of your body. Only then will they appear.¡±


    ¡°Try it, Caelum,¡± Vaelen pleaded, pushing Caelum back on his bed as he silently nodded. He took a deep breath, sitting on his bed with folded legs. Despite having just woken up from collapsing the night before, it seemed like the reassurance of his brother, as well as the acting of Lunar made him feel comforted¡ª


    ¡ªHe took deep breaths until he grasped control over his breathing. His surroundings fell silent, as if the concept of sound instantly dissipated into thin air. He could feel his soul pressure within his abdomen area, and commanded it to erupt from his body¡­


    ¡­Yet, right at that moment, right when the slightest bit of his aura barely grazed against the threshold of his fingertips,


    He collapsed, once more.


    This time, he did not find himself standing before an iron gate with that mysterious, eerie lady etched within it.


    He was laying on a cold, marble-like surface.


    That gate he saw last night, depicting the young woman holding a child, that image, seemed to have been reacted, in a way.


    The young woman was now in physical form, seated on her knees. She was dressed in an all-black, layered robe, which contrasted sharply with Her weathered, curly gray hair. Her complexion was grey-ish, as if She was the humanized version of Caelum¡¯s second Grimoire. Her dark green eyes were sharp, but understanding, Her face as slim and well-carved as a princess from a taradiddle tale.


    She was indeed holding a child. And Caelum, as soon as he opened his eyes, found himself in Her embrace.


    With a gentle tone, She spoke in her deep and alluring voice, delicately brushing her fingers over Caelum¡¯s scalp. The sound of Her voice echoing throughout the entire space.


    ¡°¡­He has finally awoken.¡±


    As soon as consciousness seeped into his mind, he immediately freed himself from Her grasp, struggling his way to distance himself from Her, constantly falling onto the surface whilst crawling away.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Who¡­ who are you?! Where am I?!¡± he said with a broken tone as he looked around, only to be met with an overarching darkness. The place seemed different than anything he had ever seen before. Judging by what he could see, he thought he found himself in a grand, Gothic castle.


    It seemed that realization, or, better said ¡®fear¡¯ was yet to wash over him. She remained silent as a response, prompting him to question Her further.


    ¡°Are you not¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Wait¡­


    She¡­


    ¡­No, that can¡¯t be¡­


    That can¡¯t be!


    ¡°¡­Going to¡­ answer me?!¡±


    She remained silent once more, a closed smile tugging at the corners of Her lips whilst standing back up.


    ¡°Talk to me, now!¡±


    It felt as if he was talking to a wall. And it was only after staring at the woman¡¯s face for a few moments that fear finally struck him. He turned around and ran as fast as he could until he bumped against a large, iron gate¡­


    ¡­He slowly raised his head and beheld a completely different engraving.


    The iron gate now depicted a slender, emaciated man. It looked as if he was hanging on an invisible cross¡­ both his arms stretched wide, his legs pressed against each other, his head hanging over, causing his long tresses to fall over his face.


    Nonetheless, Caelum attempted to push and pull the gate open with all his might, yet to no avail. Tears began to slide down his face, thinking he may be killed, or be a witness to some unspeakable horror.


    ¡°Let me out of here, now!¡±


    ¡°¡­So, you would like to leave this place?¡±


    After several moments of panting, Caelum finally calmed down, and turned towards Her, mumbling ¡°Yes¡­¡± before he took a sudden stop, and confusingly stared at the woman standing before him.


    ¡°¡­Who¡­ are you?¡±


    ¡°Take a good look at me, Caelum,¡± She smiled. ¡°Who do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡­¡± he began, shaking his head. ¡°Am I¡­ dreaming?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not. This is reality, my dear son.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡± he frowned, averting his head with his eyes shut. ¡°No, no! This can¡¯t be! I never met my mother, nor do I even know what she looks like!¡±


    The woman chuckled, closing Her eyes. ¡°Perhaps it is safe to assume that this is a Devil¡¯s Proof; Proving to you that I am, indeed, your mother seems impossible at this moment, yet, the lack of evidence fails to disprove that. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°What¡­ are you saying¡­¡± he muttered, stumbling backwards. The woman lifted Her right sleeve, revealing Her slender arms with an unnaturally pale complexion.


    ¡°Look at yourself, Caelum. Your skin has gotten as pale as mine. If this isn¡¯t enough, then what would you want me to do to prove that I am, indeed, your mother?¡±


    This was undoubtedly something unnatural and illogical to tell in the hopes of convincing someone. She knew this, and still decided to shamelessly ¡®taunt¡¯ the young gentleman who was clearly in a perplexed state of mind. It was as if She deliberately said something as idiotic as this just to further provoke Caelum, so that he, himself, could find out the answer on his own.


    Regardless, Her words seemed to have gone over his head. The moment their eyes met, he was already in a state of pure denial. A state where it appeared as if the both of them had already engaged in an hour-long debate whether or not he truly was Her child. Caelum unwaveringly continued his disbelief, muttering to himself,


    ¡°But, you can¡¯t be my mother¡­ She¡­ died giving birth to me¡­¡±


    ¡°I did, yes. However¡­


    ¡­we are not of this world, Caelum. You are different. Your aspirations are unique. Your ambitions are what will make a change to this world, and I know that¡­¡±


    Her words now seemed to have suddenly soothed Caelum¡¯s mind as She slowly stepped towards him.


    ¡°How¡­ are you here¡­?¡± he mumbled once more.


    ¡°As I said before¡­ We are no mortals, Caelum. Your friend told you the truth; My immortality will be manifested through His body¡ªthat being you¡ªthe prophesied Perished One.¡±


    ¡°N- nonsense!¡± he grimaced, prompting Her to ask him,


    ¡°How would you like me to prove it, then?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± he shouted. ¡°How could you possibly pro-¡±


    ¡­The concept of realisation seemed to have dissipated for a second.


    It happened so fast, that Caelum spoke out his second phrase while his now decapitated head floated in the air.


    And only after stopping his sentence midway, was when he felt the actual impact of the sudden slash that dispersed his head from his body.


    As both his head and body collapsed, the woman smilingly stepped in front of his blood-soaked body, speaking in a malicious tone.


    ¡°You shall creep out of your former body like a snake¡­¡±


    As She began, She knelt down before his body and placed Her right palm on his chest.


    ¡°¡­cursed to traverse the earth with an immortal body.¡±


    It seemed as if She was channelling some kind of aura, or energy from within her palm onto his body, as Caelum¡¯s body began to quiver as if he were possessed by a legion of demons.


    ¡°You will return back to life each time you are slain¡­¡±


    From Caelum¡¯s perspective, all he could see was a faint illuminating threshold surrounded by utter darkness. He was forced to crawl towards that glowing threshold, his five senses slowly fading back into being the closer he got to that opening.


    ¡°¡­for your soul¡¯s perishing is reserved for the Sword of Yius.¡±


    Right as he made his way out of the aperture, he slowly opened his eyes and found himself being carried by the same woman, who was making Her way through the nocturnal Gothic hall. His body was completely intact, as if nothing ever happened before.


    ¡°I understand how you must be feeling, I truly do,¡± She began. ¡°But, the time of truth is now.¡±


    Caused by the recent occurrence, Caelum only silently listened to Her as She brought him to a large, stained glass window that depicted a black goat with red eyes being ridden by an unidentifiable pale child. The portrait was shrouded in a diabolical, ominous atmosphere, like a well-known bad omen, told by millions of people to never be touched by a pure soul.


    However, not even this hauntingly beautiful art piece fazed Caelum, for his eyes already widened in shock as soon as he noticed something else.


    It was¡­ himself. Levitating right in front of the stained glass, in the same position as the man depicted in the iron gate, as if he was bound to an invisible cross.


    He released himself from the woman¡¯s grasp and could only stare in disbelief.


    Was that truly him?


    Why was there a second ¡°Caelum¡±, floating in the air, in a place like this?


    Was the ¡°Caelum¡± standing on the ground, not the real ¡°Caelum¡±? If so, then¡­ who is he? How can he see him?


    What is going on?!


    These words that seemed like thoughts swirling throughout his mind were only questions he could have asked himself, yet, his mind went blank. Everything was beyond him. Him suddenly dying and resurrecting, the woman¡¯s nature and odd resemblance to a Mother he never met or saw before, seeing his very own body, floating in the air as if he was in some sort of satanic ritual.


    It was too much for him.


    And yet, the woman¡¯s words were just enough to bring him back to his senses.


    ¡°This is the body visible to your loved ones in the physical world¡­¡±


    Caelum¡¯s second body then slowly descended, and floated towards him, like a marionette attached to strings being moved by a puppeteer.


    ¡°See it for yourself. Touch it.¡±


    Without questioning anything further, Caelum slowly raised his hand¡­


    ¡­And as soon as his fingers reached contact with his second face,


    He felt as if he was touching himself.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of the prophecy?¡± the woman, standing behind him, asked.


    ¡°I¡­ have, yes¡­¡± he said, turning towards Her. ¡°¡­Is this real?¡±


    She remained silent in response, prompting Caelum to continue with a frightened tone.


    ¡°What will you do to me?¡±


    She chuckled, responding, ¡°I told you earlier, Caelum¡­ Your aspirations are unique. Even though you have now realised your role in this world, your first truthful question is a selfish one.¡±


    ¡°I can not possibly hurt my Lord, dear,¡± She continued. ¡°If I were to do so, I would be a false vessel of the one who will change this world.¡±


    A dark shadow fell over Caelum¡¯s eyes as if the woman¡¯s words flicked a switch within him. He took everything that happened so far into his hands and threw them away. Anger washed over him, as well as desperation for simply leaving this place, or, better said, ¡®wake up¡¯ from this nightmare.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t give a damn about this religious nonsense. I don¡¯t know you, nor does this ¡®prophecy¡¯ apply to me.¡±


    She remained silent, her eyes turning emotionless, as Caelum continued.


    ¡°Who do you think you are? Accusing me of being the so-called ¡®Perished One¡¯? Are you stupid? Is the Perished One not supposed to be marked with misfortune as soon as he is born?¡±


    He then turned towards his unconscious physical body, lowering his head.


    ¡°I am not him. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, there¡¯s a goal I must reach.¡±


    ¡°That being?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Without responding, he forcibly grasped the chest of his physical body, prevalently feeling the sensation, too. Nonetheless, this did not faze him, either, as all he could think was to be freed from this nightmare.


    With a strong yank, his physical body collapsed on the ground, as if the invisible strings broke due the force of his pull. Afterwards, he began dragging it across the marble floor towards the iron gate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to tell me, but I will need you to let me leave this place. Right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­As you wish, my Lord¡­¡±


    With a respectful, and understanding sigh, She closed her eyes, and telepathically caused the iron gate to open, revealing the dark, indistinguishable surrounding world. Despite knowing he was walking into a pit of pure oblivion, he kept on going, the sensation of his physical body crawling throughout his lower body.


    Right before he was lost in the darkness, the woman spoke gently, barely above a whisper.


    ¡°However, do not forget¡­¡± she began, as Caelum was now lost from her sight, causing the iron gate to close, its sound reverberating throughout the entire area.


    It was right then when the appearances of three other individuals came to be.


    They were not mere ¡®entrances¡¯, no, they were individuals who were not yet discovered by Caelum, but by the woman clad in Her black robe.


    They, too, were in similar positions as the man etched in the iron gate, being unconsciously hung on an invisible cross. Each of them situated on three different sides of the grand hall.


    In the Western part, in front of the dark walls, was Geneve.


    In the Eastern part, in front of the large, arched pillars, was Declan.


    In the Northern part, right above the stained glass window, was Lunar.


    ¡°...You will not be alone.¡±

 Chapter 6: Waking

    [Later that evening]


    The group, excluding Caelum, gathered in the main living room, each dressed in comfortable clothing; Lunar, Declan and Vaelen sporting loose white blouses whilst Geneve draped in a rugged, dark brown shirt that matched well with her dark brown pants. They all sat scattered around on chairs and couches, their eyes set on Vash, the only one standing in the middle, sporting a positive demeanour.


    ¡°Alright! That was quite the first day, heh?¡± he began. ¡°How are you guys feeling?¡±


    ¡°It was alright,¡± Declan yawned. ¡°Definitely easier than I expected.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to agree with him on that,¡± Geneve chimed in, her arms crossed. ¡°It felt very ¡®natural¡¯, especially the bare bones of our training, summoning the Grimoires.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you may have asked yourself how you could have possibly been able to summon your Grimoire without prior knowledge or form of cultivation,¡± Vash said, slowly walking in circles. ¡°The answer is quite simple.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone in this world is born with Sequencer characteristics. Those who are born without make use of Divination Tools, which are practically Hex-infused weapons that allow for one to reach the same potential as a Sequencer. However, there lies one important difference¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­While non-Sequencers do require a hefty amount of practice and knowledge on how to use their Divination Tools, Sequencers have the luxury of being ¡®naturally gifted¡¯ when it comes to adapting to their Grimoires. In other words¡ª


    ¡ªany Sequencer may have been able to summon their Grimoires at birth. However, the Initiation Ritual is thankfully something that prevents things like this from happening.¡±


    ¡°Then, do non-Sequencers have to go through their own ¡®Inquisition¡¯ to master their Divination Tools?¡± Declan asked with a curious tone.


    ¡°It is not as straightforward as you lot arriving here for training,¡± Vash responded, looking at Declan over his shoulder before walking in circles again.


    ¡°Divination Tools are everywhere, despite the government attempting to intervene with the accessibility of them, by establishing a requirement of a ¡®DT Certificate¡¯. They are classified as ¡®vacant relics¡¯ that range from seven, the least problematic, or, better said, dangerous, to zero, which¡­ speaks for itself.¡±


    ¡°Much like regular potion cards, Divination Tools can be crafted, bought, and discovered. Again, even though the DT Certificate poses no real issue, as anyone could just hide their Tools at their discretion, the fact that Divination Tools are explorable doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they are ¡®easy¡¯ to be found, or used.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Declan asked, as Lunar and Vaelen visibly became more interested; With Lunar, seated on a single chair, listening along with head resting on his left hand, and Vaelen, sitting next to Geneve, crossing his arms in contemplation.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Vash began once more. ¡°These Tools generally cost a lot of money. If your regular Frank wishes to get a hold of, let¡¯s say a grade-five relic, he can already expect to face prices in the thousands from any merchant. However, Frank is able to engage in Quests in exchange for potions, or other relics in order to craft his desired Divination Tool¡ª


    ¡ªBut, then again, there are consequences tied to him failing a Quest, the prices he has to pay in order to complete his Quest and the severity of the Quest. You can initiate an easy Quest, but that will take you a significantly longer amount of time as opposed to more difficult ones.¡±


    ¡°So, essentially¡­¡± Lunar spoke. ¡°People who have lots of wealth are able to buy whatever they¡¯d like?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Vash said. ¡°Let¡¯s get bold and assume the improbable possibility of a grade-three relic being for sale. We¡¯re getting really bold here, since only relics from grades seven to five are commonly sold, with four being a great rarity. Because of this, most, if not all people will go and look for the relics on their own. This also explains why non-Sequencers tend to die in casualties a lot more than Sequencers.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can understand that,¡± Declan responded, nodding. ¡°You mentioned the ¡®DT Certificate¡¯, but is there no governmental intervention concerning high-level relics? What if some crazy lunatic gets a hold of a super dangerous relic? Given its power, chances are they would be able to make their deranged fantasies come true, no?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, which is why assemblies such as the Zephyrs exist. Have you lot not been taught about their significance at school?¡±


    ¡°We have,¡± Declan sighed. ¡°But they¡¯re honestly not that interesting to me. They¡¯re basically the ¡®police force¡¯, or better said military and defence arm of Deneve, whilst the Monlay Assembly is just an excuse for nerds to associate themselves with a nice-sounding title, and the Luria Assembly¡­ I don¡¯t even know what they¡¯re doing exactly, honestly.¡±


    ¡°Maybe Vaelen would like to enlighten us, no?¡± Lunar smiled, yet Vaelen did not reciprocate an answer, prompting Declan to step up, walk towards him, and give him a firm pat on the shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Vaelen. Caelum¡¯s gonna be fine.¡±


    With their attention gravitating towards Vaelen, Vash was the first person to have noticed Caelum sluggishly descending the staircase towards the living room.


    ¡°Ha! Speak of the Devil!¡±


    They all turned their heads towards Vash and then towards the trajectory of his gaze. As soon as they were met with Caelum¡¯s figure, also dressed in a loose white blouse, their eyes widened in surprise, as Declan immediately leapt over the couch and stormed towards Caelum.


    ¡°Goodness gracious, man. We really thought you wouldn¡¯t be waking up anymore!¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a stretch,¡± Geneve added, walking towards them with crossed arms. ¡°How are you feeling, Caelum?¡±


    Caelum held his head slightly lowered, his mind wandering off for a moment. He remembered Lunar reciting a passage from the Golden Book, which visibly caused his face to turn crestfallen; Yet, somehow, none of the others noticed, or rather assumed he still needed to wake up properly. He shrugged his thoughts off, and asked them with a tired tone,


    ¡°¡­What happened?¡±


    ¡°You collapsed again, my friend,¡± Declan chuckled. ¡°You tried summoning your Grimoires, but it seemed like it didn¡¯t work. Would you like something to eat? Have a water?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I just feel a little drowsy.¡±


    Vash then began walking towards them with a closed smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the situation, howe-¡±


    ¡°Wait, Vash,¡± Declan intervened. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen with him?¡±


    ¡°Let me finish, Declan,¡± he said carefully. ¡°Caelum, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. Summoning a Grimoire for the first time can also potentially bring side effects to one¡¯s body. It may be reasonable for Caelum to develop a lighter complexion because of this.¡±


    His words threw everyone, except Declan, off in some way. They never heard something like ¡°side effects¡± potentially bringing harm to one¡¯s body for summoning their Grimoire for the first time. The three of them threw quick glances at each other before Declan took the word once more.


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°I know so,¡± Vash responded. ¡°I¡¯ve experienced it first hand. Look at this.¡±


    He pulled up his right sleeve and held his arm in the air, exposing a strange, black stain that looked similar to a cut mark, as if he took black paint and slid it across his forearm.


    ¡°Thankfully, this is not a battle-inflicted wound,¡± he continued. ¡°This has been with me for decades, back when I also started out at this temple. It looks as if a part of your body just decides to remove all of its melanins. No, even worse, as if Nichts, the God of Darkness Himself, took His sword and slashed my arm with it. Freaky, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Caelum remained silent, which prompted Declan to mutter his name in a worrying tone before he mustered up the courage and responded to Vash.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ for understanding.¡±


    ¡°Of course! But, as your Master¡­¡± Vash began, putting his sleeve back into place. ¡°I am required to ask you if you¡¯re okay with being blood tested. The Gaian Administrative Office already suggested this procedure. It¡¯s nothing serious, just a small extraction and you¡¯re good to go.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Vaelen said, breaking the comfortable atmosphere. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this first.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s fine. You have forty-eight hours. Additionally, since you¡¯ve missed the first day of training, I¡¯ll come by and pick you up at six in the morning, so you can catch up with the rest before we continue with the second day. So be sure to at least try and get some sleep tonight.¡±


    ¡°I understand, thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± he smiled. ¡°I should get going now, got some other things to take care of before I¡¯ll be considered done. Keep the young fella in good hands, alright?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Of course! We got it!¡± Declan exclaimed as Vash opened the door with his final words.


    ¡°Great. See you all tomorrow!¡±


    Several moments after Vash¡¯s departure, Geneve broke the silence, turning back to the group.


    ¡°Did you guys buy what he said regarding Caelum¡¯s condition? I surely didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Neither,¡± Declan responded. ¡°But, he¡¯s a good guy. I wouldn¡¯t blame him for being so dubious.¡±


    Lunar then took a firm step in front of Caelum, staring at his defeated figure as he spoke with a serious tone.


    ¡°Caelum, would you like to try it once more?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Declan interjected, holding Lunar¡¯s right shoulder in protest. ¡°Lunar, you need to stop being so pushy sometimes, man. He just woke up from an unwanted series of events. Let him recollect his thoughts before he tries!¡±


    ¡°I agree with Declan, Lunar,¡± Vaelen said, frowning his eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯re being too much right now.¡±


    Caelum then raised his hand, speaking with a comprehending tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Declan and Vaelen were visibly surprised by Caelum¡¯s answer, while Lunar and Geneve remained as placid as they were before. Declan even tried to convince him to understandably wait and hold off for some time before trying it again, yet Caelum insisted.


    ¡°For some reason, I don¡¯t feel like collapsing anymore. Let me do it again.¡±


    ¡°Caelum, are you sure?¡± Vaelen asked.


    ¡°Yes, I am sure.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a step backwards,¡± Lunar suggested. ¡°He probably needs some space to effectively concentrate.¡±


    The three of them made their distance as Caelum began focusing on his own mind and soul once more. Several minutes of pure introspection passed by, until he could feel a single stream of aura encapsulating the right side of his soul. It felt as if the two auras were divided between two different parts, with the aura on the left side of his soul entirely barren, but the right side full of energy.


    He then directed it to flow out of his right hand, and as soon as his aura brushed against the tip of his fingers¡­


    ¡­A Grimoire appeared, and he did not collapse.


    It was the beautifully-polished silver bow with Gothic engravings etched on its facade. It floated gently next to him, and he grasped it gracefully, surprising everyone around him as they beheld his Grimoire.


    Everyone¡¯s befuddlement was palpable. Silence slipped into the atmosphere, marinating everyone inside of it for several moments before Geneve broke it.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ only one Grimoire¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­R- right,¡± Caelum stammered. ¡°Yes, it is¡­¡±


    Vaelen squinted his eyes slightly, staring at the silver bow in Caelum¡¯s hands as Lunar added,


    ¡°I see. It seems that Vash may have been right, after all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still a little doubtful,¡± Geneve said. ¡°But, this may be an extremely improbable case of experiencing side effects from summoning your Grimoire. This is definitely something that has been studied before, so I think that blood test will bring us some more answers.¡±


    ¡°Do you agree, Vaelen?¡± Lunar asked, jolting him awake. He hesitantly replied,


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    His words prompted Declan to feel incensed. He grasped his left shoulder and shook it with an impressive force, making Vaelen¡¯s entire upper body swing along in the motion. ¡°Your brother¡¯s doing all fine now, and he really doesn¡¯t possess a second Grimoire! What¡¯s with the low gaze?¡±


    Vaelen slowly raised his head and momentarily exchanged glances with his brother in a poignant moment before shaking his head, responding,


    ¡°No¡­ you¡¯re right. I¡¯m glad, Caelum.¡±


    As he sported a faux closed smile, Caelum concurred with closed lips. Declan, his entire left arm now wrapped around Vaelen¡¯s shoulders, turned his head to the right, where Lunar stood.


    ¡°Sooo, what do we do next, Lunar?¡±


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll simply wait. Geneve has a point, Vaelen. Caelum should undergo a blood test, just to make sure there isn¡¯t anything serious going on. However, my mind is a little stuck at the words of the Ritual Master.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right!¡± Declan exclaimed, abruptly relieving Vaelen from his embrace. ¡°Caelum, have you recollected your memories about the Ritual?¡±


    ¡°Ehm¡­ ¡­not really, no,¡± he murmured, scratching his scalp. Geneve, her head lowered and eyes squinted, talked in a manner as if she was talking to herself.


    ¡°For what reason would the RM be lying about something like this¡­¡±


    ¡°He may have been hallucinating, or the sort,¡± Declan responded. ¡°Maybe it really was just this single Grimoire you summoned, and the other one may have just been an illusory object. Those chambers seemed magical enough to convince me that abstract and unnatural things have a possibility of happening.¡±


    ¡°From my understanding,¡± Lunar said, wrapping his left arm over his abdomen, fingers of his right hand contemplatively supporting his chin. ¡°Caelum shouldn¡¯t have known how to properly master the summoning of his Grimoire, since he missed the first day of training. If this wasn¡¯t the case and he already knew his ways, he could have easily manipulated the flow of his soul pressure, and manage to summon just one Grimoire¡ª


    ¡ªThat is also where the difference lies in mastery and intuition. People with little to no knowledge may be able to freely summon their Grimoires, but those who are able to manipulate their soul pressure, which is acquired by training, are able to do so in more advanced ways, like summoning their Grimoires rather instantly than requiring several moments of introspection.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, let¡¯s set this clear,¡± Geneve said firmly. ¡°Next time you meet with Vash, you¡¯ll tell him that you¡¯re okay with being blood tested. Alright?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sure.¡±


    ¡°Starting to feel hungry now, Caelum?¡± Declan asked with a smile.


    ¡°A little, yes.¡±


    ¡°Then come with me! Kasey made sure to save your share of today¡¯s dinner.¡±


    Vaelen then stepped past the group towards the adjacent staircase, a shadow fallen over his eyes as he spoke with a solemn tone,


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to get some sleep. See you all later.¡±


    ¡°Sure! Sleep well!¡± Declan waved, as Caelum, alongside Lunar and Geneve, wordlessly watched his departing figure. It appeared that Caelum was the only one who felt worryful, but Vaelen disengaging from socialization was nothing new to him. There were moments when Declan would visit their abodes to spend some friendly time with them; Vaelen would often, if not, always find some sort of excuse to flee the social grasp.


    Despite his exceptionally handsome appearance and chances to gain a large entourage, Vaelen was as introverted as a house cat. While this was something Caelum understood, Lunar and Geneve, in particular, thought otherwise. They considered the latter, perhaps he was still conflicted about Caelum¡¯s circumstances while being a very religious person.


    ***


    [One month ago: The Church of Urdall]


    It was during a Sunday when Vaelen, by himself, attended a Mass alongside fellow church members. He was dressed in an all-black ulster coat that blended seamlessly with his long and curly black hair¡ª


    ¡ªAfter the Mass reached its crescendo, he found himself standing in front of a member of Urdall¡¯s Creed on a wooden platform. An elderly man draped in an ancient, layered dark purple robe, with a holy mitre where a dark purple, swirling symbol was engraved in the middle; the symbol of Urdall.


    He was holding Vaelens right hand with both hands, his eyes filled with appreciation and awe, as he spoke in a tone audible enough from the cluster of voices from the people in the background.


    ¡°You pristine young child¡­ May the God of Creation bestow His blessings onto you, Vaelen.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, teacher¡­¡± Vaelen said, smiling.


    ¡°¡­I tell you this many times, young man. Your orthodox nature truly makes you one of a kind. A bright future awaits you; A future that many will see, both good and bad people. I can only hope that your illumination will shine bright enough to bring your younger brother back on his rightful path¡­¡±


    Vaelen gulped nervously before responding, his eyes aimlessly lowered.


    ¡°¡­I hope so too.¡±


    ***


    Back in the present, an hour had gone by since the occasion. Inside the sunset-lit room, Vaelen hung his head whilst sitting on the edge of his bed, his laps supporting his arms. It was obvious that something was lingering in his mind. This was a side of him that his brother only rarely saw, mainly because he consciously averted the possibility of Caelum seeing him in such a seemingly wrecked state.


    Moments passed, until eventually, a few knocks on the adjacent door reverberated throughout the chamber. Right before Vaelen could voice out his question, the one standing behind the other side of the door had already spoken out loud.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Lunar. Mind if I step inside?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Lunar gently swung the door open, and stepped inside, his arms crossed behind his back, gaze held forward on the large window in front of Vaelen.


    ¡°I can understand if you weren¡¯t able to shut off after an eventful day. But, it seems like you extricated yourself from difficult situations.¡±


    ¡°What is it, Lunar?¡± he said with an unwelcoming tone, remaining in his crestfallen position.


    ¡°¡­What did you think about Caelum?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see your face, but I can already tell that you¡¯re on two minds,¡± Lunar said, a closed smile tugging at the corners of his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve always been the religious type of guy, no? Always making sure you stay on the right track, following the teachings of your uppers, staying consistent with your daily prayers¡­¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I know that we¡¯ve found ourselves within the Gaian Temple, the first acolyte of Urdall¡¯s Church, but I can assure you that I am one of many who attend the Inquisition without the intention of becoming a part of the Creed, or the Church.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Vaelen sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t really imagine you being that religious, no.¡±


    ¡°Call it intrigue, if you will,¡± Lunar chuckled. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re getting a little off track here. Once more, all of us always saw you as the ¡®righteous¡¯, ¡®greater than earth¡¯ type of person. I never really noticed any flaws in your demeanour as well as your appearance¡ª


    ¡ªI mean, it goes without saying that you must have a good number of maidens wanting to invite you to their abodes. And yet, you¡¯re still here, living alongside your family. The Jinton Family¡¯s name is a remarkable one. Mingle that with your potential, and after you finish your Inquisition, you¡¯re bound to be met with success.¡±


    Vaelen could not utter a single word. It seemed as if his words caused him to feel even more defeated than he already was. Yet, Lunar mercilessly continued.


    ¡°Yet, you¡¯re still here. I can not see your face, Vaelen, but I do discern your heart and mind.¡±


    He then turned back to the door, his arms still crossed behind his back.


    ¡°There are times when we need to depend on our minds, but our hearts will always be the right answer at the right times. That is what keeps us balanced, and prevents us from being torn apart.¡±


    After sounding his words, he slowly pulled the door open, and looked at Vaelen¡¯s back over his shoulder for the last time.


    ¡°Have a good night, Vaelen.¡±


    After closing the door behind him, he made his way to the back garden of the abode. It was a magnificently beautiful place; a medium-high cliff-side grass field with a large wooden bench in the middle. He stood on the stone platform leading inside and smiled the moment Geneve, who sat on the bench, her gaze fixated on the mountainous view, spoke to him.


    ¡°And? How did it go?¡±


    ¡°His mouth was shut yet did he tell me more than a thousand words,¡± Lunar responded, sighing as he stepped towards her. ¡°He knows what he wants, there¡¯s no doubt in that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a hunter, Lunar. You won¡¯t even let the poor young man relieve his mind for the night,¡± Geneve chuckled.


    ¡°I only hunt things that intrigue me. And this, Geneve, is the most interesting occasion I¡¯ve ever had the honour to witness.¡±


    And with a firm final step, both he and Geneve silently beheld the beautiful view, as the wind gently flew past their figures. After taking a deep breath through his nose, Lunar slowly raised his head, and said with a proud, but calm tone,


    ¡°...And I mean that wholeheartedly..¡±

 Chapter 7: First Day

    It was the next day. Soon after Caelum had risen at around 5:30 AM, he prepared himself for today¡¯s training. Because he wasn¡¯t aware of how to dismiss his Grimoire, he was surprised to see that both of his Grimoires were already siphoned back into his soul. The mysterious book that once lay beneath his pillow was no more, as he could feel its aura shrouding himself from within.


    ¡­Seems like you really can¡¯t keep your Grimoire up for as long as you wish.


    Alright, Caelum, let¡¯s just¡­ focus. Vash is surely going to want me to summon my Grimoire. I just need to find a way to only summon my bow.


    But¡­ how do I do it¡­?


    Perplexed, he sat on the edge of his bed, dressed in a dark green billowing windbreaker robe, with an opening at the center that revealed a glimpse of his inner garment beneath. He was thinking about how he could possibly display advanced control over his Grimoire.


    Think¡­! I only have around thirty minutes before he¡¯s going to arrive here¡­ It shouldn¡¯t be that hard, right?


    ¡­Alright¡­ eh¡­


    He stood up, and contemplatively began walking in circles. It was still well early in the morning, so he had to remain as quiet as possible to prevent waking his friends.


    Think! What did Declan say again? Or, was it¡­ Vash?


    Argh! I don¡¯t know, but it has to be linked to how one normally summons their Grimoire.


    If we take that into consideration, summoning a Grimoire by manipulating your soul pressure, or, at least imagining it, is enough to succeed.


    So that means¡­


    ¡­If I ¡®imagine¡¯ manipulating my soul pressure at just one side of my body¡­


    ¡°Yes-!¡± he exclaimed instinctively before realizing he had just shouted loudly in the middle of the early morning.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Okay! Let¡¯s try it! But, which side should I choose?


    ¡­That Grimoire¡­


    Yesterday, when I tried summoning it, only my bow appeared. But that was only because, somehow, it had already been summoned.


    However, I can still faintly remember how I felt when summoning them in front of the others¡­


    It was¡­


    ¡­My right hand, yes. It must have been.


    Alright, let¡¯s just do it with my left hand¡­


    With a deep sigh of determination, he closed his eyes, and began meditating. The fresh and gentle sunlight bathed both the chamber and himself in a serene atmosphere. It did not take long before he could feel the two separate auras flowing inside of his soul¡ª


    ¡ªAnd just as he presumed, the aura on his right side was unquestionably more sinister than the one on the left, judged by his sensation every time he attempted to focus on the right side.


    And thus, like a gentle blow against a dandelion, the aura on his left side began flowing towards the edge of his fingertips. As Caelum pushed it further, he could feel a sensation similar to a balloon forced to spew out all of its air; And when he opened his eyes, he fortunately only saw the beautifully-polished silver bow with Gothic engravings floating right in front of him.


    This was something unheard of.


    Manipulating one¡¯s soul pressure on this level would have required an adequate amount of training and knowledge. Despite being granted a Sequencer¡¯s natural ability to summon Grimoires, for Caelum to actually exploit the flow of his soul pressure and have it extracted from the left side of his body would have made Vash extremely impressed. Yet, understandably, Caelum wasn¡¯t aware of the gravity of his deed.


    Nevertheless, he was visibly elevated by his success, and decided to push his limits even further.


    Okay, well¡­ now I need it to be gone.


    I will just assume that, to expel one¡¯s Grimoire¡­ you¡¯re supposed to act like some sort of vacuum.


    It makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?


    I would just have to imagine sort of ¡®siphoning¡¯ my soul pressure from my Grimoire to make it vanish.


    Having built up confidence from managing to summon only his bow, he amicably raised his left hand and pointed it towards the floating silver bow. He then closed his eyes, and began imagining sucking the life force from it.


    His fingers began to quiver, as he could feel his aura returning to his body, as if he was injected with some sort of fluid that would spread backwards into his arm like some sort of wild-spreading virus.


    As soon as he felt like there was no more aura left to siphon, he opened his eyes.


    ¡°¡­It works!¡±


    He took a deep sigh of relief as he stared into his left palm.


    I guess I will only be depending on this one.


    It is kind of unfortunate that I wasn¡¯t able to be excited with my bow, but I¡¯ve always wanted something like this. It is perfect.


    Though, I can only hope I¡¯ll be able to succeed like this in front of Vash¡­


    With another sigh, he let himself plummet on the bed, and wordlessly gazed at the ceiling.


    I wonder how sis and mother are doing.


    ¡­They must be missing us so much already.


    But! It¡¯ll be fine. I feel much better than yesterday, and a lot less depressed, so it won¡¯t be long before we will visit you both.


    My first day at the academy, huh¡­


    Well, I won¡¯t count the ritual as my ¡®first day¡¯, putting the incident aside. At the end of the day, all we were met with was a dark corridor none of us could barely discern well.


    So, this will be my first day!


    I can¡¯t wait to meet the other students as well, honestly. That Qlint guy seemed pretty cool.


    And, ah, right, what was his name again¡­? Batolomew? Barthomew?


    ¡­Forget it. I¡¯ll just ask him what his name is when I meet him.


    I can still remember the other individuals who were present at the opening ceremony. They definitely knew each other well; I could feel this kind of ¡®chemistry¡¯ both Vaelen and I have with the others.


    ¡­Whatever may await us on this journey, it is bound to be something¡­ interesting.


    Alright! Time to get up!


    ***


    [6:15 AM: The Gaian Academy]You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Soon after departing from the dorm alongside Vash, who donned a simple white blouse with black pants, they both traversed the beautiful, sunrise-laced landscapes and architectures before arriving at the grandiose academy. At the front courtyard, situated in the middle, were towering twin statues. On the left was one depicting Urdall, draped in an encapsulating windbreaker that obscured His face. He placed His palm on the crown of a kneeling figure resembling a middle-aged woman with long hair dressed in an ancient layered robe, the God of the Gaian Wanderers, Valeria.


    Caelum watched the magnificent statues with awe as Vash, walking in front of him, looked back at him over his shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful morning today, isn¡¯t it? Have you managed to get some sleep?¡±


    ¡°I have, somewhat,¡± Caelum smiled as Vash squinted his eyes in question.


    ¡°Somewhat, you say? What was it? A nightmare?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I guess you could say that.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, don¡¯t worry,¡± he chuckled. ¡°The second training procedure will be happening at around three in the afternoon. It is quarter over six at the moment, so that¡¯d be close to nine hours.


    I will be sure to take things slowly as I did yesterday with the others. This way, you¡¯ll be able to keep on track despite the information you¡¯re about to receive. Sadly, we have to get through this quicker than usual, but I guess not everything goes how you want it to go, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I understand,¡± Caelum responded, suddenly widening his eyes afterwards. ¡°Oh, Vash, about that blood test¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°We talked about it, and decided it would be a good idea to undergo it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, perfect! We¡¯ll discuss this further after today¡¯s training procedure. If that won¡¯t work, I¡¯ll be sure to reach out tomorrow.¡±


    The both of them, upon entering the academy, made their way through various of the dimly lit, Victorian-styled labyrinth-esque hallways and corridors, each comprising paintings, or bust statues of important figures within the Gaian Temple. It had a distinct smell, one that strongly resembled smoked cigars mixed with brewing alchemy potions. It was quite pleasant, and accentuated the pristine feel Caelum experienced.


    They eventually arrived at a spacious U-shaped courtyard that was surrounded by balconies leading back to the academy. Vash took the lead and stopped right in the middle, asking Caelum with an easily understandable tone.


    ¡°Alright! Let us start off by explaining the nature of your Grimoire. You¡¯ve already tried summoning your Grimoire before, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, yes¡­¡± Caelum said, walking towards him as his windbreaker robe billowed around him. ¡°I tried it last night, and it seemed to have worked out for me, at last.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Vash nodded, crossing his arms. ¡°Your body must have finally adapted to the changing atmosphere, then. That¡¯s unusual since it should¡¯ve been able to adapt to your higher soul pressure as opposed to non Sequencers. Anyway, please summon your Grimoire for me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    As Caelum slowly lowered his head, trying to re-enact his methods from earlier this morning in his head, Vash spoke once more, his eyes fixated on the troubled young man as a gentle gust of wind flew past their figures.


    ¡°Remember, take a series of deep breaths, and imagine your inner aura erupting from within your body.¡±


    With a quick and determined nod, Caelum concentrated on the left side of his soul once more. Obeying his telepathic command, his aura began to flow outside of his left hand, resulting in the appearance of his majestic silver bow.


    Vash widened his eyes and began to clap proudly.


    ¡°Perfect! That¡¯s a very beautiful-looking Grimoire! So, as you already know, your Grimoire is the manifestation of your soul. Think of things that you have ambitions for, or dreams you wish to achieve.


    When I look at your bow, I think of an exuberant soul who has a strong love for freedom, or maybe roaming the skies as an arrow would. Am I getting close?¡±


    Caelum chuckled as he grasped his bow.


    ¡°Yes, you are. I often enjoy spending time on the ships, or simply exploring Ventoria, despite having already been to most places.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I mean! Your Grimoire is, well, ¡®You¡¯. It is often considered to be your ¡®second finger print¡¯ because of its significance. What about dismissing your Grimoire? Do you know how to do it?¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, for me, it would seem logical if I were to just imagine me sucking away the aura of my Grimoire, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°It actually is one of few ways one is able to make their Grimoires vanish. Go ahead, try it out.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Knowing that Vash could never be aware of his recent success, Caelum demonstrated his natural talent; raising his left arm with his eyes closed, resulting in the vanishing of his Grimoire. Vash nodded silently with a bright, closed smile, before congratulating him.


    ¡°Good job. This normally takes a few days for someone to take a hold of, but it seems that you¡¯re able to comfortably manipulate your soul pressure.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Caelum responded.


    ¡°Because you have now manifested your Grimoire, you are now also able to perceive Earthen Beings. Have you ever been taught this at school?¡±


    Erm¡­


    ¡­Ah, wait!


    It was when¡­ Vaelen and I attended that one class¡­


    ¡°I have!¡±


    ¡°Splendid,¡± Vash smiled. ¡°Enlighten me.¡±


    ¡°So, basically, humans born with Sequencer characteristics are able to act their five senses, touch, smell, sight, hearing, and taste onto Earthen Beings. These are organisms that exist beyond the normal human frequency¡­ right?¡±


    ¡°Very close!¡± Vash responded. ¡°Yes, you were right about the fact that Sequencer characteristics allow for humans to interact with things that normally aren¡¯t meant to be seen by normal people. However, there is one important thing to note:


    This may sound confusing, but despite being born with Sequencer characteristics, you weren¡¯t able to perceive Earthen Beings until your Grimoire was manifested. This is acknowledged as the ¡®Gaizer Productivity Spectrum¡¯. It originates from the well-known Gaizer Vynal; a scientist and philosopher who lived during the Third Age.


    He was one of the first to question the source of our uniquenesses. During his journey, he discovered another problem soon after he was met with an Earthen Animal for the first time. He wanted to know why he wasn¡¯t able to notice these beings before becoming Awakened. In essence, a single Earthen Being he once captured brought his answer.


    That being was only able to see him when his Grimoire was summoned. After spending a tremendous amount of time researching and conceptualizing the anatomy of that single being, he came to the conclusion that the projection of a higher frequency was only able to be brought into reality after one would realize their own projection. In other words¡ª


    ¡ªthe projection, or, actuality of anything of a higher frequency, is only able to be seen after one has realized, or summoned their Grimoire.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see,¡± Caelum said carefully. ¡°But, then, what about the Earthen Beings? Do they not see us?¡±


    ¡°They do see us, but they can not interact with us. It¡¯s exactly like how spirits of the deceased will attempt to touch you or speak to you. You won¡¯t be able to hear them, but they can hear you. The same goes for touch and speech.¡±


    That¡¯s¡­ a little creepy¡­ Caelum thought to himself. Vash somehow seemed to be aware of his inner distress. He chuckled it off, as he continued,


    ¡°Do not fret. The entirety of Deneve is mostly free of Earthen Beings, with the only exception being the Great Eastern Forest.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re basically saying that I wasn¡¯t able to perceive those beings because I hadn¡¯t summoned my Grimoire yet?¡±


    ¡°Precisely! As soon as you let go of your Grimoire, so will you let go of your sixth sense. Now, while this may have sounded straightforward, you may be thinking of occasions where you found yourself in a battle against an Earthen Being¡­¡±


    ¡°I mean, wouldn¡¯t I just be able to turn off my Grimoire to save myself?¡± Caelum asked, tilting his head to the left.


    ¡°That seems reasonable, yes. Well, sadly, it¡¯s not as easy as you may think. Let us go back to Mister Gaizer really quickly. The Productivity Spectrum was not his only theory:


    He had another one called ¡®The Adaptation Complex Theory¡¯. It referred to an Earthen Being able to adapt to one¡¯s Grimoire. The reason why humans without Sequencer characteristics are able to see our Grimoire is because it exists within both realms of frequencies.


    Now, you will have to take the Productivity Spectrum into consideration. Because of this theory, Earthen Beings, whilst engaged in any sort of activity with a person¡¯s Grimoire, are able to adapt to both frequencies over time. This means that even after you have dismissed your Grimoire, the Earthen Beings are, for a short amount of time, able to intervene with you even on a normal frequency.


    This is also in correlation to the duration of when you summon your Grimoire and dispel it. This is something even Gaizer wasn¡¯t able to penetrate, but since it connects to the Adaptation theory, it made a lot of sense for people. In essence, any Earthen Being is theoretically able to instantly adapt to a normal frequency, despite how fast you may make it vanish. However, this is entirely dependent on the speed of the Being¡¯s reaction, since their adaptation lasts significantly shorter than it would when they were able to adapt to one¡¯s Grimoire over a longer amount of time.¡±


    Caelum, despite understanding what he said, still felt a little overwhelmed by the theories. He remained silent in response, which was a clear indicator for Vash to slow things down a little.


    ¡°Getting a little too much?¡± he asked.


    ¡°A little, yes. But, I think I understand.¡±


    ¡°Then summarize it for me.¡±


    With a deep sigh, Caelum adhered to his request.


    ¡°¡­So, Grimoires are the manifestation of your soul. Your second fingerprint. Due to the Grimories, we are able to see mystical beings that only exist on a higher level of frequency. The explanation for this is Gaizer¡¯s Productivity Spectrum theory. It concerns the nature of the connection between us, and higher frequencies. Or, better said, organisms that operate on those frequencies.¡±


    ¡°Last part?¡± Vash said calmly, jestingly raising his eyebrows.


    ¡°Ehm, the last part was¡­ that the beings are able to adapt to normal frequencies.¡±


    ¡°Over time, yes,¡± he nodded. ¡°The longer you interact with them, the easier it is for them to adapt to our normal frequency.¡±


    With his arms crossed, he stepped towards Caelum with a bright demeanour.


    ¡°Anyway! I think it¡¯s time for some coffee. Come, let us head to Ventoria and share some breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Right now? Didn¡¯t you say that we had to get over this quickly?¡±


    ¡°I did, but, I guess I was being a little dramatic. With your sense of understanding, I believe we¡¯ll be finished in no time. To do so, you¡¯ll have to be properly invigorated!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Caelum chuckled, following Vash¡¯s trail back inside the academy.