Lowly Ascent

'The journal stated that after the soul condensed and was refined, it was to become whole. There is a strong belief in this path that all beings are born fragmented, picking up the pieces as they grow older and gain more experience. Yet very few people would ever find all the pieces to their soul and become whole.'

'Only with a whole soul can someone undergo a transformation and their soul grant the full abilities it was supposed to have.'

Sitting in his cage, Cain went over the facts he knew about Wholeness.

'Funny, these people think humans should have great powers. I suppose they do if they walk the path. I wonder where this path originated from...'

Cain used much of his thought processes late into the night. He didn't plan to sleep until right before he was to meet the scientists to retain a bit of soul energy, but even then he would have an ample amount, all he was doing was thinking, and most of his thoughts only brushed the surface, not going deep into theories.

'Reaching wholeness itself is relatively simple, finding purpose or an understanding of oneself through purpose, "real purpose" as the journal says. Since I'm not in the Wholeness Stage already, I guess my goals don't count as purpose.'

'Hmm...up until this point my goals have been relatively childish, going with whatever I felt like with no real foundation. The only thing that stayed consistent was my curiosity and want for full control of my body and life. I still haven't decided on what I want to do. To think I would have to face this problem now of all times.'

Cain continued to think until he decided to take a nap. He didn't know the time yet it was better safe than sorry.

...

Clang Clang Clang

"Wakey Wakey. Time to meet your friends in the lab." The counselor rattled Cain's cage with a pipe.

Before Cain could even wake up fully, a hand grabbed him and pulled him out of his cage.

'Today might suck, or it will go well. I just need to make sure I don't give anything away and take this opportunity to get some leverage in whatever way I can. Hopefully, the machine doesn't even work.'

Going through the sewers, the counselor creaked open a metal door with scientists eagerly waiting on the other side.

"You're here! Excellent, we already have everything ready, place the bird in the confinement chair and we'll strap the device on it."

The counselor rolled his eyes and did as they said.

The scientists were good-hearted but were unknowingly demanding, even to their superiors. When it came to science, they acted as such, but even the Priest didn't mind it so the counselor could only control himself.

Cain was put down in a cushioned vice as a massive machine with lights and wires beeped above his head.

"And now we just need to put on the receiver cowl...and....voila! Activate the program!"

Another scientist pressed a few buttons and Cain's felt nothing happen.

'Did it work?'

An artificial voice came from the machine, "Did it work?"

'Oh, I can hear myself.'

"Oh, I can hear myself."

"Haha! We did it!" The scientists cheered.

The counselor quickly coughed and the scientists became serious. The head scientist walked over to Cain, his face dark.

"You have proven yourself intelligent time and time again, so, what do you know, why do the gods want you?"

Unlike the Priest, the Scientists and even the Counselor didn't know of the reason their god wanted Cain. The Priest may have told his daughter some hints but he kept everything under wraps, many of the cults did so, with only those in charge knowing to make sure they have complete control over anything that may occur.

The leaders of the cults would be reminded yearly of the Ravens through visions, making the birds high on the priority list, but not too high as they knew the reason behind it and it wasn't like they could get their hands on any.

A single raven may be useful, but very minor, the gods mostly wanted groups of them. 

As the next in line, Darla was told some things to prepare her but nothing substantial, she only had as much information as everyone else who only knew the ravens were important.

Cain was silent for a while, but soon the artificial voice rang in everyone's ears, leaving them stunned as the bird before them answered.

"Because a being they cannot stop is coming for this world looking for followers. Vale especially wants our creator gone."

"Vale....are you referring to....the god of the Church?! Speaking so casually about it, even as a servant of a god you shouldn't-"

Cain cut him off, "Oh? Since I am a measly creation of God, I can't speak casually about false idols? They will all disappear under my creator's might anyhow, it doesn't matter if I disrespect them or not."

The scientists' jaws were dropped. Cain had basically insulted every god there is, including their own.

The Counselor stepped forward, "And what makes you think your god is a real god? How do you even know about all this, ravens don't live long enough to know these things, don't they now?"

"Perhaps in the wild, but in captivity we live quite long. We don't have to deal with so many things. I was lucky enough to be told by my elders before they died of old age, as for my god, you will know when the time comes." Cain smugly responded. 

Silence encased the room. Cain had spewed lie after lie, but the cultists had no way to verify his words, even the Priest couldn't. A god wouldn't respond to a question asked by a follower, they gave their blessings and received sacrifices, nothing more.

"We...we will convey what you said, Counselor, please bring this thing back to its cage, we will contact you later." The Head Scientist left with the others to meet with the Priest.

"Sigh. Come on, I don't care if what you said is true or not, in the end, you'll get sacrificed, none of this matters to me." The Counselor picked up Cain and brought him back.

The following days would go uneventful.

...

"For our first mission, the Bureau is sending us to investigate a drug manufacturer based in an abandoned building in the slums. Meet me in the garage in 10 minutes." Laimir gave Isaac a packet before leaving for the elevator.

"Wait, Laimir! I only purified my soul yesterday, I haven't even started the Path of Magi yet!"

The elevator started to shut.

"The Bureau won't wait anymore. Relax, you got me." Laimir disappeared behind the steel doors of the elevator and Cain was left in silence.

'Why is he so confident? I know he's an expert in the Path of the Soul, but his other path is the Path of Combat, is it even that good?'

The Path of Combat was one of the more popularized minor paths. The Path was hard and required hours upon hours of training and experience. It was separated by stars, the more stars the higher strength and achievement, similar to how a military awards veterans, but far more mysterious.

Gaining stars is easy at the start, the first three only require daily training and experience in combat, beating any opponents you face.

However, from that moment on to reach the next star, the user has to make specific achievements in the realm of combat not even known to them. Through research and trial and error, there are some common achievements listed for the 4th and 5th stars but not much for the 6th and 7th.

The stars are very personal to those that walk the path and Cain had yet to learn how Laimir earned his 4th, 5th, and 6th star.

While Cain was in the bureau, he also learned why the minor paths were separated from the three main ones.

Simply put, the three main paths can reach a higher level of power. An example would be someone with Seven Stars in the Path of Combat is only at the level of someone in the Wholeness Stage of the Soul Path. The same goes for the Magi path, three moons reaching Wholeness but unable to go further.

This is why the minor paths are used in tandem with the main paths, to create diversity so that if two opponents were at the same level, their minor paths could help give an edge.

However, the Path of Sacrifice is an outlier, since it seemingly has no limit, it is just that no one has succeeded in getting more power from it than the other two main paths.

'I should get ready, I'm still in civilian clothes.'

Cain left the elevator, going to his quarters to change before joining his partner on their first mission.