Occult Awakening: From Commoner to Archmage

They stepped into the darkness of the inn. It was nearly pitch black but he was more than used to such environments.

"Really kid, you get yourself into all sorts of trouble." Digger sighed. "Come on follow me."

The man weaved through the bar's furniture with ease until he got to the familiar door behind the counter.

Luca grinned, though he wasn't sure Digger would see it.

"I just had a few questions that couldn't wait."

The door behind the counter opened with a small creak, and the light crystals in the stairwell flared on, finally allowing Luca to see clearly.

Digger was the same as always, tall and lumbering. He had abandoned his apron and usual uniform for a thin nightwear with bunnies on it.

It was almost funny, if not for the disgruntled death stare the bar owner shot at him.

"Are you sure it couldn't wait at all? It's the middle of the night and there are guards crawling about. You could've gotten yourself killed and forced my hand."

His brows drooped with exasperation.

"Not to mention spoiled my plans."

Luca paused. The sentence remained in his head for a long moment.

'Spoiled his plan?'

Still, he didn't ask. Not yet at least. Soon they reached the area where all the wine barrels and racks of alcohol were being kept.

"What are we doing down here? Do you live in the market hall?"

"Bah, don't be silly!"

Digger's mood had improved considerably. Luca suspected he hadn't been woken from sleep, and if he had, he didn't feel the effects.

Instead of going over to the secret passage wall that had led them to the black market before, Digger walked slowly to another wall, this one at the complete end of the room.

He snapped a finger and the wall separated itself to reveal another passageway.

"I should have guessed." Luca laughed, rolling his eyes.

It was incredible that he had such a large underground residence.

Digger noticed the expression on his face and shrugged.

"You can never be too safe."

Luca didn't think safety was the real reason Digger had built this place.

This hall was shorter than the others. It led only to a small door at the end, and it looked simply like that was the end of it.

Digger pushed the door open, revealing a simple room. It was underwhelming compared to everything else.

The room had a medium-sized bed to the side, two bookshelves and a reading desk.

Unlike Thalia's, Digger's desk was meticulously arranged, with books stacked on one side and writing materials placed carefully on the other.

"Alright, make yourself at home. You can start by taking that damn awful mask off."

"Hey what's wrong with my mask?!" Luca yelled, but he still took off the cloth mask.

Digger shrugged, sitting on the edge of the bed. Luca took the reading chair and faced it in his direction.

"Well it's a good one if you're just trying to be intimidating. But that's not all you're trying to use it for. It's also for hiding your identity. You don't even have any glyphs or enchantments on it. Any rando mage or priest with eye-based magic would be able to peer through it."

That was true. It wasn't as if Luca hadn't considered the possibility.

Digger continued. "However, you're rather lucky that your fate is veiled. They won't find it easy to do so, if at all."

"Veiled fate?"

"That's right. It makes you difficult to track and see with divinations and even high level eye abilities."

That made some sense. His mind dug up things that hadn't made sense before.

He remembered when he met Finley. The man had never said he was able to divine Luca's location directly. Instead the spirit had led him to Smoke, who then directed him toward where Burning Man had gone.

After that, the rest was easy for someone of his stature.

It also reminded him of another statement.

"Child born under the star of Mercury?"

"You know that?"

"Ah, I heard it in passing."

Luca realized the slip and waved it aside. No one knew he had the Emperor of Heresies' legacy. He had no idea what its actual value was, but from what he'd seen, it was priceless.

Digger's face shifted. Luca suspected the man might know something about it, but the look only lasted a brief second.

"Yes I suspect that must be what is causing your veiled fate. A veiled fate is what is also called prolonged interference."

"When something more powerful, or out of the ordinary, is involved with a situation, it becomes more difficult to divine. When that goes on permanently, it means your fate is veiled. But unlike regular interference, a veiled fate won't have as sharp a feedback."

Digger waited to see if Luca had digested it before continuing.

"Mercury is known by many other names: The Magi, The Psychopomp, The Great Transmuter, and most importantly, the Keeper of Secrets."

"Nothing is hidden from him, and in reverse, he may hide any secret, so long as there is need. People favoured by him, like you, cannot be seen or detected easily."

Luca absorbed the knowledge like a sponge dipped in water.

Something occurred to him.

"Does the veiled fate affect my own divinations?"

"Hmm? It shouldn't. It's only meant to deter people who try to see you."

"I see."

His brows furrowed in thought. He had suspected his experience with the Starpath Eyes had something to do with veiled fate, but clearly that was not the case.

The room was quiet for a while before Digger spoke again.

The man stared at him with a serious expression.

He spoke slowly.

"Luca, this world is far bigger and far more baleful than you can ever imagine. There are entities who will be able to see past your veiled fate without the blink of an eye. Beings who can see into the tears of the cosmos, and past the rivers of fate itself."

"You must never let your guard down, lest you die… or worse."