Olivier silently stared at Marcus. Protecting those one wishes to protect? Olivier had similar aspirations. However, usually it was him who received protection from others. Thinking of those who always took care of him, what did they have in common? They were all stronger than him. Not only in physical strength but also in character. They were more assertive and decisive.
So, could he help this young man before him to grow stronger? The coffee beans he could sell weren't exactly helpful in that regard. Furthermore, there should be a reason why Marcus appeared in this room and not in the café upstairs.
Olivier moved his eyes, and his gaze fell on the strange crystal ball. Just from looking at it one could perceive an extremely profound feeling. The black cat had also laid down next to it. Although she didn't deign to look at Olivier, her actions were surely hinting at something.
[??? universe
Can be used to find suitable contractors for your clients.
Cost: 0,5 years]
Contractors… perhaps it was not Olivier himself who was supposed to help people like Marcus, but these contractors instead? Everything hinted at the crystal ball being the solution. Thus, Olivier signalled Marcus to wait as he approached the mysterious object.
As Olivier got closer, the crystal ball was growing infinitely vast in front of his eyes, and he turned into a small, insignificant speck of dust. A profound universe spread in front of him. The infinite distance made everything else feel minuscule. This emotion grew so intense that Olivier doubted whether it was just an illusion. The stars were too beautiful, seemingly hiding countless mysteries.
The seconds ticked by and Olivier threatened to get lost in the sensation. Suddenly he took a deep breath and forcefully closed his eyes. A chill ran don his back. The black cat glanced at him, a hint of pleasant surprise deep in her eyes.
When Olivier reopened his eyes, everything had returned to normal. But the crystal ball still looked mystical, invoking a hint of reverence in one's heart. Olivier was somewhat hesitant. But feeling Marcus's gaze on him he gathered his courage and suddenly placed his hand on top of the crystal ball.
The earlier illusion returned but this time Olivier could feel that he was in control. He was like a ghost floating through the infinite universe, marvelling at the sights around him. Suddenly he felt something in his heart. A faint sensation guided him towards a certain direction.
Olivier followed the call. He raced through the universe at unimaginable speeds, bridging infinity in an instant. He couldn't comprehend if what he saw before him as real or not. But he didn't have much time to think about it as soon a giant planet filled his entire vision. The brown, green, and blue colours covered the planet's surface, leaving Olivier utterly speechless. He didn't even recognize this massive rock as a planet immediately as he had never seen any planet from such a perspective.
Olivier even harboured some doubts. But everything became clear as he continued to move, swiftly racing towards the planet's surface. Continents, countries, cities, towns flashed by until Olivier eventually landed on a single street. His surroundings somewhat reminded him of Sam's world, but they gave a more modern feel. There were strange metal boxes moving around. Olivier guessed those might be the 'flying cars' Benjamin had mentioned before. Only that they weren't flying…
Suddenly Olivier's gaze was fixated on someone. A person walked into his field of vision. They had short black hair, a rather thin body, and a slightly hunched back. They wore a tailored black and white suite. But what gave Olivier a strong shock was their face, which was entirely and older version of Marus!
"What's going on…"
No voice came from Olivier's mouth, and his eyes of truth didn't activate. But a notion appeared directly in his mind. He knew he could invite this person to become a contractor for Marcus.
However, hadn't he just concluded that the so-called contractor needed to be of help to Marcus? This person in front of him with tired eyes, weighed down by the world, really didn't look like they could help anyone…
As this thought came to his mind, Olivier instantly felt a strong force pulling him away from the planet. He raced towards the starry sky, and a new calling came from the distance. In a flash he reached another planet.
Towering, giant trees covered most of the planet's surface. The beings of this planet lived on top of the trees as frightening beasts roamed the ground. But there were not only humans. In fact, alien lifeforms were dominating.
When Olivier came to a stop he appeared inside a lavish manor. In front of him was a human servant, polishing the floor on his knees. Behind him stood a green and blue skinned alien using a whip to discipline the servants. A crisp noise sounded. One of the servants groaned in pain and his strength failed him as he fell to the floor. His frail face was turned towards Olivier, and the latter drew a sharp breath. This face, young in age, closely resembled Marcus as well.
Olivier didn't quite comprehend what he was seeing. Parallel worlds? Clones? Past or future? It was impossible to tell.
"Juela axatz akwei!"
Suddenly the alien shouted something incomprehensible as he swung his whip again. The servant on the floor only twitched and was unable to get up.
"Stop!"
Olivier gritted his teeth, trying to stop the alien but he was unable to do anything. He had already realised it before, but he was not here in corporal form. No one could detect him and objects passed right through his body. He could only helplessly watch the struggling servant as a fire grew in his heart, and his eyes turned red.
But the next second there was a sudden change. The tree trembled as a bear-like beast climbed up the massive trunk. A bellow came from the whip-wielding alien and another servant rushed down a system of stairs and platforms until he arrived in front of the beast. The frail-looking servant swung his tiny fist at the beast's head. With a bang the human and beast collided. The servant was pushed back a few steps, but the beast immediately lost its grip and with a wail fell back to the ground.
Olivier received a heavy shock as he watched the scene. His thoughts churned. He quickly came to a conclusion. Could it be that the beings on this planet were stronger than elsewhere? Even human servants had the power to fight against powerful bears? If this was the case, perhaps…
Turning his gaze back on the servant resembling Marcus, Olivier was ready to take a gamble. He feared the servant might just die here without help. Thus, he focused his eyes on the servant and soon the vague notion appeared in his mind. With a thought he could invite the servant to become a contractor for Marcus. Olivier didn't hesitate. He agreed to the notion in his mind. His eyes remained glued on the half-dead servant.
For a few seconds nothing seemed to happen. But when the whip raced through the air once again, the servant suddenly disappeared on the spot. Olivier felt a powerful force pulling him away. The last thing he saw before he left the planet was the alien's shocked gaze.
Olivier's mind began to spin and after recovering from the dizziness he found himself back in the café. He blinked his eyes a few times to clear his vision.
"What?!"
Suddenly a startled shout came from Marcus. The young man looked at one of the sofas, frozen in shock. Another young man was sitting there in rough, torn clothes. With a thin body and black hair. His face was almost identical to Marcus's.
The servant groaned. He felt a strange force rush into his body, healing his wounds. Even the accumulation of years of mistreatment was cured. He felt incredibly comfortable. His soul relaxed and he almost fell asleep if it weren't for Marcus's sudden shout. Only now did the servant realize what had happened. A strange voice had appeared in his head, asking him if he was willing to sign a contract to assist someone of his lineage. In his delirious state the servant accepted as he instinctively felt that this contract would help him avoid further strikes from the whip. As soon as he did so, he felt a powerful force carry his body away.
Only now did the servant slowly come to realize that he must have fallen for some strange magic. His eyes shot open, and he surveyed his surroundings only to freeze a moment later as he stared at a face so familiar it might as well be a mirror.
"Who are you?"
"Who are you?"
Two questions sounded at the same time. But both young men frowned as they couldn't understand the other's language. While the servant remained bewildered, Marcus turned towards Olivier for answers.