Sea of knowledge

"A day shall come when humanity will pay the price for the mistakes of those measly beings who call themselves 'Gods'. An era where the old God's legacy collapses and new figures appear is about to come. With a raging flame of war will come the inevitable awakening of 'him'.

'He' who shall judge the 'Gods' will destroy everything just to create something anew. A new dawn will rise upon this world. And this is the genesis!"

The words echoed in Kai's head. The evil spirits which murmured in his head that day, and the mysterious figure were still haunting him even after a week. It seemed there was no end to it.

Kai opened his eyes and stopped trying to sleep. He stared at the dark ceiling in the night, the copper ceiling-fan in his room rotating at slow speed made some noise because of its movement.

A ray of red light suddenly flashed on Kai's left eye as he turned around and got up from his bed. The source of the red light was a crimson moon, which appeared for a month around April every year. Which is why Kai wasn't taken aback by this phenomenon, as the first day it happened this year was a week before.

The very same day when Kai went through that incident. Could it be a coincidence? Kai just deemed it that. He didn't want to think about it anytime soon.

Kai then proceeded to look at his wooden desk besides his bed. There were many things kept on it, a brass pocketwatch with a red stone behind it. A neatly folded black cloak which had some mysterious crimson fire burning on its right sleeve, beside it were two black flowers which heavily resembled a lotus.

Kai stared at those flowers for a few seconds before opening the drawer of his desk and took out a four barrel revolver. It was made with dark, polished wood with ornate carvings, featuring silver in-lays. The barrel was obviously made out of iron.

He simply pointed the revolver with his right hand on the right side of his head and smiled.

Maybe I should have done this sooner...

Bang!

...

The sunrose from behind the mountains as dawn set in the capital city of the Verdentia Kingdom, Lycran. A young blonde lady could be seen standing in the porch of her house, joining her hands and reciting a prayer as the sunrose from the edge of the city. She wore a casual yet elegant dress.

The girl is wearing a white with a very light touch of light blue, off-the-shoulder dress with short sleeves that have a soft, ruffled design. The dress appears lightweight and flows gently, likely made of a breathable fabric, giving it a casual and elegant summer look. The dress is fitted at the waist with a slight cinch or tie, enhancing its soft, feminine silhouette.

She then opened her vibrant blue eyes that stands out against her light complexion and blonde hair, her prayer was now finished and she let her hands down.

"Praise Lady Liora, the Goddess of Dawn. May her blessings guide me through this new beginning and keep me pure from any harm." The girl added a few lines of her own at the end, it was something she said as a kid when she dreamed of being a writer. But that dream was past her now, she has a different goal.

She then turned around and picked up a breathable cotton-made white summer hat which were complimented by a few blue flowers. She gently wore the hat and picked up a light blue umbrella which was kept near the chair on the porch of her house.

As she exited the porch and stepped onto the small field which surrounded her house and had a small brick path in the middle which led to the gate of her house. She walked elegantly on the path, as she exited through the big black gate of metal and proceeded to walk to her destination.

Where was such an elegant young lady heading this early in the morning?

...

The young girl could be seen walking through the commercial district of Lycran. This district was filled with Post office buildings, libraries, music and instrument shops, different clubs related to Alchemy and Sports but this district was also home to the Divination Clubs.

These are the clubs made by people who can divine through many means and instruments. They use ritualistic magics and astrology to divine one's future, one's location and many other things. These things do not contain any specific description but someone who is experienced can indeed predict or tell many things accurately.

This is quite famous amidst middle class families and poor people as the fees for divination is quite cheap. These clubs also provide membership for someone who is familiar with ritualistic magic.

Our young girl, being the member of the most famous divination centre in the district, was headed to the building of her club. As she headed into a normal commercial building similar to the buildings made in Victorian era, the building had a sign with "The Mystic Loom" written over it.

The blonde girl entered the place as she walked through the door, there was a woman in her thirties on the reception desk at the right of her room. Whereas there were some hangers right besides the door, there could be seen some umbrella's, purses or coats hung over it. The girl greets the lady with a slight boy and is just greeted back with a smile by the older woman.

The girl then hangs her hat and umbrella at the hanger as she heads to the Divination room. As she opens the door, she enters an 'otherwordly' room.

The room is a dimly lit, cozy space with soft lighting from candles. Dark, richly colored fabrics drape the walls, creating a mystical atmosphere. A small table, often covered in a patterned cloth, holds tools like tarot cards, a crystal ball, and rune stones. Shelves contain incense, crystals, and books on mysticism. The room feels tranquil and is designed to promote focus and reflection.

Around a round circular wooden table, sat two beautiful ladies. Both seemingly in their thirties, the blonde girl just made way and sat on her regular seat.

"Good morning Alice!" A lady with black hair and brown eyes smiled at the blonde girl. This lady is wearing a Victorian-style black dress with long, puffed sleeves and a high collar. The dress is fitted at the waist and has a subtle, elegant design that enhances its vintage appearance. The outfit has a classic, Gothic look, complemented by the wavy blonde hair that frames her face.

"Good morning Mrs. Sylvia" the blonde girl, now known as Alice greeted with a non-chalant face. As Alice's eyes drifted to the two other ladies, one of them spoke.

"You know we recieved a request for divination last night. We told them that we'd come to their house early in the morning, which is why you were called here early today."

One of the ladies with blonde hair similar to Alice and had emerald eyes told her. She wore a cream-colored blouse with ruffled details. The blouse has long sleeves, a collar, and buttons down the front. She appears to be wearing a light blue skirt.

Alice nodded. "Then shall we get ready with our instruments? And may I ask where the location is Mrs. Rosalind?"

Rosalind just smiled, Alice acted too professional and rarely was friendly with her and Sylvia. The reason for that may be the age gap between them but even then, they were the only two women Alice could call friends. Rosalind gave a small piece of folded paper to Alice.

Alice read the address out loud "23 Emberlane, Ravenhurst Quarter. Isn't that where most of the rich and noble families live? This will be the first time serving them."

Sylvia just shook her head denying what Alice just said. "No. The family we are going to serve for this divination is the famous blacksmith Mizuhara family. Their roots stem from the immigrants of the Eastern continent."

Alice pursed her lips. It was quite weird seeing a blacksmith family living in such a posh area. But she didn't really care much about it. Rosalind noticed her doubts.

"Mizuhara family has been the lead blacksmith family in the Verdentia Kingdom since ages. It is said that one of their ancestors designed Emperor Reynaldor's current sword which was passed down to him through generations. They hold quite the name in the military for the quality of weapons they produce. We need to divine someone's location."

Alice took in the information and now understood how rich the background of the family is. She got up as she took a set of tarot cards, a book which was completely black on its cover, crystal ball, some mystical crystals. As she packed them in a small bag, she looked at Rosalind and Sylvia.

"I am ready to go." Alice said. Sylvia and Rosalind looked at each other and simply sighed.

"Alice...you forgot something important." Sylvia said looking at the innocent little girl. Alice tilted her head with confusion, as she tried to recall everything she needs.

"When you need to divine someone's exact location, what do you need?" Rosalind asked the young Alice.

"Tarot or Oracle cards mostly, I have taken some runes and crystals too. The 'Book of Changes' can help me in some ways too, but these can never provide me with exact location but only the symbolic location. It's nearly impossible to find out someone's exact location through Divination. I have taken a crystal ball for scrying but that can sometimes not show anything. So I don't know what I'm missing."

Alice simply explained and Rosalind grew a faint smile on her face.

"Take a pendulum with you, a map of the Northern Continent, bowl of water. That should suffice."

Alice didn't understand why Mrs. Rosalind told her to take these specific things but considering they are her seniors, she thought she might learn a new form of divination today. A bit excited, she took everything and put it in the small bag.

"Anddd you give me that bag." Sylvia said as she snatched the bag from Alice's hand. Alice only looked at Mrs. Sylvia with a confused face again.

"But Mrs. Sylvia, your old age might fail you or give you arm pain. It's a long way to Ravenhurst Quarter. I think I should handle the bag."

Sylvia's head developed an angry comical tick. Rosalind holding back her laughter said

"Oh Alice, you shouldn't talk about a woman's age like that!"

Alice tilted her head in confusion.

"But I was just concerned about her. Mrs. Sylvia tends to get angry when she feels even the slightest pain, I just don't want her to treat our customers with anger."

Rosalind at this point just chuckled whereas Sylvia turned around with the bag in her hand and walked away.

"Come on, there's no time to joke Alice. We have to get there!" Sylvia said. She cannot get angry at Alice, she's just too innocent to get angry at.

"But I wasn't joking..." Another critical hit. Rosalind now not able to control her laughter could be seen laughing as she patted Alice's back.

"Come on Alice, let's go and let Sylvia handle it." Rosalind said.

Sylvia just walked off ahead of the two with Alice and Rosalind catching upto her as they exit the building of "The Mystic Loom".

...

Alice, Rosalind and Sylvia stood in front of a two story building. The building was ornate and detailed, with a steeply pitched roof, decorative trim, and tall, narrow windows. It has a prominent front porch with intricate woodwork and a wrap-around style. Painted in contrasting colors to highlight its architectural details, it exudes charm and elegance from the period. Inside, rooms are large with high ceilings, and a grand staircase connects the two floors, with formal spaces downstairs and bedrooms upstairs. It was a normal house in this district, portraying elegance.

The three could also see a blacksmith shop right beside the house, confirming that this indeed is the house of Mizuhara family.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Sylvia said as she looked at Alice and Rosalind. There was something wrong about the atmosphere.

Alice could feel cold shivers through her spine. Rosalind noticed this and held Alice's hand which was going cold each second.

"Evil spirits surround this place...our time here isn't going to be pleasant, especially for Alice." Rosalind said with a serious expression. Sylvia sighed, this was the part of their job.

"We have no choice. But I wonder how such evil spirits which you talk about came here?" Sylvia proposed the question.

"Guess we have to find out." Rosalind now walked upto the door and knocked two times, Sylvia and Alice right behind her.

The noise of the footsteps became audible as the sound of the door cracking open. As the door opened, a teenage beauty was revealed.

The girl had long, wavy dark hair that flows naturally over her shoulders. She's wearing an oversized, soft-looking sweater in a light, neutral color. Her dark-brown eyes eyeing the visitors, her assets were developed, it almost made her look like an adult woman.

Though Rosalind was taken aback by the girl's beauty she smiled.

"We are here for the divination." She said calmly.

The girl opened the door with no expression, it was clear that her mood was not at its best. She gestured the three to come in as the divination trio walked in, Alice could feel the pressure of some unknown entity. Sylvia, put her hand on Alice's shoulder, calming her down. It was evident that there was something wrong in the house, even the girl who opened the door seemed to be affected by some unnatural cold in this hot summer.

It even rained in this area last week. There's definitely signs of corruption in this place...

The thought crossed Alice's mind as her vision was blurry but she could see some colours around the house. Some shadowy figures too...

The divination trio and the girl entered the living room. It was quite a big space as they were greeted by four figures who fit comfortably in the room. One of those figures seemed like an older version of the girl who greeted them at the door.

Guess the beauty is in the genes... Sylvia eyed the woman probably around her age. Whereas a bearded dark haired man who seemed to have not gotten any sleep just sat on a sofa-chair. It was clear that these two were the parents of this girl.

Alice's eyes widened as she recognised one of the two remaining figures.

"Hannah?!"

A brunette with wavy and silky hair sighed as she saw a girl who was the same age as her. She is wearing a long, flowing cloak with a hood that drapes over her shoulders. The cloak appears to be light-colored. Her brown eyes clearly tired.

"Alice, you shouldn't be here. It's clear that the corruption is affecting you." Hannah said.

"But it's affecting you too..." Alice said in a low voice. She noticed how Hannah was wearing someone's cloak as Hannah was wearing her usual outfit under the cloak.

Rosalind interrupted the moment.

"Alright. We shall not delay this matter, there's clear sign of corruption in this house and I can see three awakened beings among us who clearly are at the larger risk."

Rosalind eyed Hannah, Alice and a male around their age who stood leaning against the wall, not willing to make an eye contact with anyone.

The older male sighed.

"We should introduce ourselves and state our relationship with the one whose location is to be divined. It would take out unnecessary questions and save us some time."

Sylvia agreed with a nod to the male's words.

"I'm Sylvia Dawson, one of the divinators. I am the most experienced in this group and know almost every divination."

The woman in her thirties just warmly smiled at Sylvia, her eyes could be seen worn out. Likely the signs of lack of sleep.

"I'm Rosalind Monroe. I'm one of the lead divinators and also the best for future divinations. Pleasure to be here." Rosalind introduced herself with a little bow. All the eyes then turned to Alice, nervousness took over her but she just took a long breath.

"I'm Alice Ashbourne. An awakened being, known for location divination. I've mastered every magical ritual from the magical book "Empethic Echo". I went through the awakening very early in life, it's a natural not a forced one. I can sense people's emotions, and even evil spirits like any awakened being. It's just I can resonate with them for some time..."

The male's eyes widened.

"A natural awakening..." He said in a low voice. That's something very rare to find in this Holy Period. Awakened beings are the ones who are blessed by the Gods. They have some unnatural power though this effect can also be forced onto one person through magical potions whose recipes date back to the 4th Holy Period, Kai and Hannah being one of these forcely awakened beings.

"That's impressive..." The girl who greeted the divination trio at the door said.

After few seconds of silence, the male who didn't want to interact decided to introduce himself.

The guy has a calm and mysterious aura. He has medium-length, tousled blue hair that complements his pale complexion, and his eyes are a striking golden yellow, giving him a thoughtful expression. He's dressed in a casual but stylish manner, wearing a slightly loose white button-down shirt over a dark blue inner layer. His shirt sleeves are rolled up, and he's leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. He wore a similar cloak to Hannah over his shirt.

"I'm Kaelan Frostwynd. The heir of the Frostwynd family and their oldest offspring. I'm Kai Mizuhara's friend. The one whose location is to be divined. You may ask any questions about him, we both are well acquainted."

Rosalind and Sylvia were impressed.

"The heir of Frostwynd family themselves, it's an honour to be in your presence." Sylvia bowed her head slightly.

"Oh no, don't worry. I hate such formalities." Kaelan said with a soft smile. Sylvia just nodded as she returned to normal.

Hannah coughed to turn the attention to her.

"I'm Hannah Valehart. The only offspring of the Valehart family. An forcefully awakened being. What I can do doesn't really matter, I'm an old acquaintance of the client and was with him the night before he disappeared. You can ask me anything."

The Valehart family is believed to be guardians of sacred valley where the borders between the natural world and the magical are thin. Only Royalty can access this valley.

Rosalind and Sylvia were astonished by the client's reach. They knew Mizuhara family has ties with big families because of their business but having the two heirs of the two most renowned families of the Verdentia Kingdom here makes this seem like some kind of political gathering.

"No need to bother yourselves with formalities. I'm well acquainted with Alice, think of me as her friend." Hannah said with a smile.

Rosalind eyed Alice as she learned the new information. Rosalind and Sylvia didn't know their little sunshine had such rich connections. They would have to ask her about this later.

The attention then turned at the small family, the Mizuhara family.

"My name is Yuki Mizuhara. Kai Mizuhara's sister, feel free to ask me anything." The girl who greeted the divination at the door said in a dim voice but was enough for everyone to hear her. She seemed a bit non-chalant but worried about something at the same time. The woman beside her decided to go next.

"I'm Haruka Mizuhara, Kai's mother. Please make yourselves comfortable here." She said with a warm and welcoming smile but her eyes told everyone that she was forcing it.

The male noticed this and scratched through his hair in frustration. His thin beard made him have a elegant look.

"The name is Renji Mizuhara. The head of the family and father of Kai Mizuhara." The middle-aged man said in a rugged and deep voice.

There was a moment of another silence before it was broken by Sylvia.

"Alright now that we are done, shall we start the preparations necessary for a divination?"

...

In a faraway shore, near the borders of the Verdentia Kingdom which connects it to the Unknown sea, a mysterious figure could be seen standing as his cloak waved because of the wind. A single crimson flame could be seen on the cloak's right sleeve.

The figure held a sword purely made out of raw energy, no solid material at all. He wore the hood of the cloak as he smirked looking at the fog near the sea disappearing.

The waves of the sea were raging, the mist covering the area slowly disappeared revealing a big ancient ship. The sound of the wood on the ship was terrifying. Seeing the ship, the mysterious figure's smirk grew larger and his eyes wider. He never believed it, but now he could see it with his own eyes...

The figure's voice sounded like an echo of many other voices put into one. It was like multiple people are talking with one prominent voice, with his terrifying voice he greeted the ancient ship with its name.

"The Ebone Tide is here..."