At this moment, both of our sigils began to slowly buzz and glow with that radiant crimson light. The sensation wasn't painful, but it was reminiscent of that feeling when two magnets were held in front of each other. I looked towards the sigil on my left palm, feeling a surge of bewilderment.
The sigil, which had also remained on my forehead, began to buzz and pulse too. Taking notice of these changes, Kael smirked softly. He clasped one hand over the other, resting both hands on the counter.
He spoke in a slow, almost methodical tone.
"You're the first Acolyte I've seen in over a thousand years."
An Acolyte? Hearing the vastly unfamiliar term, I raised an eyebrow. Countless thoughts raced through my head, causing me to ask, "What?"
The crimson-haired man sighed softly, gazing into my eyes with his own crimson eyes. With the wave of his hands, pure-red flames condensed from seemingly nowhere, taking the form of a small pipe, which he held to his mouth. Seeing this display, my head shot around the bar.
"You can just do that here?"
If anyone outside of the Pollinators were to display magical abilities, they'd most likely be killed or tortured for heresy. As for figures like Raymond, I'd either assume they didn't notice him, or he's a high-ranking individual in society, thus subtracting him from the equation.
"No one's here, at least, no one that sees us."
"Huh?" I gazed at the two now empty glasses of our beverages, immediately taking notice of this contradiction.
"He gave us drinks, thus, shouldn't he be able to see us?" I arched an eyebrow, speculation brewing inside me like a warm stew.
"You see..." Kael reached for my strawberry shake, using a small, hand-held spoon to stir the surface of the drink. Within the liquid, illusory bubbles and swirls appeared, glowing with radiant light.
"Once one becomes a Seeker, or an Acolyte, like us, they can choose to use their spiritual invisibility. It renders them invisible to both the physical, and mental eyes."
Before I could question anything, Kael continued. "Currently, we're both Acolytes—Seekers of the Apocalypse pathway—and we're able to masquerade anything as 'normal', whether unintentionally or intentionally."
"So you're saying ...my horns ...and my wings are seemingly normal, because I willed it?"
Kael shook his head with a low, almost seductive laugh. "No, they're normal overall. While it's quite rare overall, humans with inhuman features aren't seen as scary to most."
"So that's why Aaron didn't immediately run." I realized this situation, chuckling self-deprecatingly.
"Anyways..." Kael pushed away the beverage, resting an elbow on the table. "...it's not everyday a demi-god of the Apocalypse pathway appears out of the blue."
"A demi-god?"
Sensing my confusion, the crimson-haired man nodded his head. "Advancing to Order 4 of any pathway grants you demi-god status. Below Order 4 are the Titans, and below that are the regular, more human Seekers."
"Wow..." I considered my current placement in the Apocalypse pathway. Currently, I am Order 8: Harbinger. Who knows what abilities Kael has, or how powerful he is!
"Powerful, isn't it?" The enigmatic man across from me scoffed, rolling his elbows on the smooth countertop.
"Are you Order 8?"
I nodded my head, a small fluster forming on my face. Confessing my rank to him made me a little embarrassed; he was so much more powerful than me. What if he'd make fun of me?
"I-I ...am."
"Oh." Kael spoke softly, as if feeling the hesitancy on his tongue, tasting the slight lukewarmness behind the words.
"And you advanced to Order 9 how long ago? When did you first receive your potion?"
"About ...a month ago from what I remember." I recalled the incident where the shady dealer called me into his stall, granting me the potion, the Blood-Moon Charm and Whisper-wishing bone. Now, I had absorbed those objects into my body, thus enhancing my power by a little bit more.
"Already? Aren't you a smart cookie," Kael extended his index finger, playfully tapping me on the nose.
"Ok, who exactly are you, and why did you come here to visit me of all people?" I swatted away his hand, scooting away from him, feeling a little tense.
Instead of retorting or acting blunt regarding my actions, Kael simply smiled and replied. "When's the last time you ate something good?"
"Does some restaurant cheesecake count?" I remembered the dessert I had eaten earlier tonight.
"Well then, when's the last time you, or your friends had a large meal?"
My thoughts suddenly trailed back to the dinner we had last Thursday, or the breakfast we had this morning. It wasn't the best or heartiest breakfast, but it woke us all up and got us moving. But it was nothing compared to the usual breakfast they served, often fluffy pancakes or fried eggs with pepper.
"I don't really remember," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck.
"Oh, really? I figured, you're pretty damn skinny in your own right."
"I'm not skinny," I retorted, planting my foot onto Kael's boot, causing the man to wince slightly.
"If you said that to the people of my kingdom, they'd feel quite envious." Kael stifled a small moan, shrugging off the stomp of his foot.
"Your kingdom, you're not from here?"
Kael suddenly reached inside his soft leather coat, taking out a small badge with an orange and black insignia inscribed into a metallic surface. It was a regal symbol, yet it also seemed to contain almost violent undertones.
"I'm from the Katshin Empire." Kael proudly flaunted the badge like it was worth a fortune, tucking it back into his jacket and adjusting his posture.
The Katshin Empire? The same soldiers that were positioned at the garrison near the edge of the kingdom?
"Really now." I sipped my strawberry beverage, the taste now slightly tangy from Kael's previous ministrations.
He nodded his head, running a hand through his hair. "The emperor sent me and another ambassador to check out your little crop production and see how everything's running around here."
Kael waved his hand, conjuring a small pair of rounded glasses and placing them on the bridge of his nose. He took out a piece of paper, handing it to me. I slowly took the paper, unfolding it. Before I could read the contents, Kael took a hold of my chin and turned my head towards him, forcing me to look into his eyes.
"They took notice of your current economic and agricultural struggles, so I commissioned my own little charity organization to help things run smoothly."
I looked back at the paper; it looked like a letter. The contents of the letter were written in neat handwriting and black ink.
To Kael Cavindash,
Our boat shall arrive at the harbor on tomorrow's dawn, and we shall make the corresponding arrangements to get everything settled.
Your cherished accomplice, Felonious.
After I finished scanning its contents, Kael took the paper back from me. With the flick of his palm, the paper burst into flames and disintegrated into ashes in a mere moment.
As the last embers completely faded away, Kael turned back to me, rapping his hands on the smooth bar counter.
"My little charity organization is a tightly-woven network of connections, ambassadors and powerful individuals, all working in unison to make the world a better place. As you read, one of my closest accomplices, Felonious of the Indun Empire, shall arrive tomorrow on the Katshin docks to deliver me my much-needed people."
"Much needed people?" I questioned, feeling a wave of security and curiosity.
"A meeting for another time," Kael dismissed.
"Now... I sense something troubles you, I can feel it in your eyes."
The moment Kael's words registered within me, I felt my stomach sink. Did this man somehow know about my encounter with the dog and the girl? If he knew I killed the dog, could he turn me into the authorities?
With much hesitancy, I responded. "Yes, there is something..."
Kael arched an eyebrow, leaning in closer. His voice dropped to a whisper that brushed against my ears, making every hair stand on end.
"Tell me, what troubles you?"
In order to confirm something, I looked around the bar one more time. The band playing music remained in their spot, oblivious to our spiritual presences. The few, scattered patrons on the bar remained in their seats, chatting quietly amongst each other, sipping their own beverages and eating small foods. Once I knew that we were completely 'invisible,' I sighed softly.
"I... killed a girl's dog," I sputtered out, my face going slightly pale.
"You did?" Kael's tone remained the same, almost like a curious father inquiring about his son's newest hobby.
"You're not, like, going to turn me into the Pollinators?"
Kael suddenly laughed at my words, wiping a stray tear that threatened to spill down his left eye. He seemed to find amusement in my words, which made me feel slightly relieved. Adjusting my posture, I now felt a little more comfortable.
"But I didn't tell her that I did it, me and my friend simply assumed it was a lost animal and we couldn't find it."
"So, you embrace serpentine tactics to ensure your own survival? It happens to the best of us." Kael sipped my strawberry drink until there was none left.
"Isn't that a bad thing? I lied about it and she feels sad now." My stomach felt eerily warm and churning, almost like I'd throw up my bodily contents all over my outfit and onto the counter.
Kael sighed softly, turning back to me. His vermillion eyes seemed to soften a small amount as he smiled, revealing his almost sharp teeth. He suddenly reached into his coat, taking out a pouch from a hidden compartment. When he handed it to me, I could hear the jiggling and moving of coins inside.
"Consider this a favor for her. If she can't find her dog, she can always buy a new one."
"W-what?" I opened the small pouch, looking inside at the large bundle of golden coins.
They didn't look like Lumin in any sense, more mottled and run-down, yet they still seemed to flicker with their unique golden luster. A symbol was inscribed into them, a side-profile of a man with fiery eyes, spiky, light-colored hair, and clad in armor. This figure was most likely an emperor.
"These are Katshinese pounds; they should get the job done."
Before I stood up, a thought passed through my mind. I had no idea where this girl lived, and I had no idea where she'd be if she and Aaron were still searching for the dog. The kingdom was wide, about the size of a small city!
"I don't know where to take these..." I admitted, feeling a little flustered.
At this moment, Kael conjured a paper out of thin air through the same vermillion flames, a small paper with an address written on it.
"I believe this is the address for the post office."
"The post office? I still have no idea where she lives? I can't just walk in, put down the sack and hope for the best. What if someone steals them?"
"Don't worry, trust me." Kael winked at me, smiling.
He spun around in his stool as he watched me stand up, sliding both of our drinks away.
"Do you want a mentor of sorts?" He asked, clasping both his hands together whilst folding one leg over the other.
"A mentor?" I turned around, racing the man as I raised an eyebrow, considering this possibility for a few moments.
Kael was a demi-god, a Seeker with lots of power. With his help, perhaps I could advance faster and help everyone get back home sooner? Could I prove this malevolent power is only based on its user? Was this an opportunity?
"I'll consider it..."
Before I left the bar, I turned back to him one more time. "Where would you want to meet?"
Kael said with a smile. "I'll always come to you; it's better to not be followed."