Bro, I'm not an Undead!

The depths of night finally shrouded the massive city whose clamour didn't cease. At night, in the snow covered streets, the only change to occur was the bright lights that would create an epic spectacle in every street and corner, highlighting the images of moving people going about their business.r

The second sun in the sky was nowhere to be seen as with the coming of the night, its owner would give it much needed release, leaving the City underneath without light nor aerial surveillance.r

Yet, none dared to aimlessly start major commotions within the city as many factions...many powerful factions were on the lookout.r

The caped Knights would be patrolling the streets, their presence garnering both order, a few nods of respect as well as the skittering of common thieves into dark, hidden spaces like rats.r

The same was especially true for those who lived around the base of the massive tower that maintained its beauty even in the night.r

Even regular people could feel the billowing waves of mana arching around it, as well as see the distinguished people going in and out of it.r

No one caused trouble anywhere near this tower as the rapid response to any form of offense here was something that was impossible to escape.r

Apart from this, the lean towers strategically placed around the city were also active, lights being seen at the tops to show that the people nesting here were very much alive and well.r

And as one would have it, it was in one of these towers that a rather serious meeting was taking place...or rather, it was about to.r

A young lady with curly red hair, adorned in a cloak to cover her appearance and status entered the inviting door before her with her head lowered.r

As soon as her full figure passed through, the entrance behind her was closed as the individual who let her in gestured silently for her to sit on a bench slapped against the wall.r

The young lady did so as she then looked ahead of her where the figure she was here to see took a seat on a small stool that seemed to want match the small room.r

Cracks were common on the walls, with the sounds of vermin chittering echoing behind them, cretins of different types and portions rushing about.r

This wasn't the same for all the other rooms in these lean towers but only this one fit for the meeting taking place at this moment.r

"I see you are relentless in your need to know the Direction designated to your Family. To think you would wait for me for a whole month..." the individual who sat on the stool, facing the young lady said, "...Is it desperation?"r

"Desperation, depravity, desire... I don't care what you call it. If I wanted judgement I would visited the Temple and publicly disdained the teachings of the Deities. All I need are answers," the young woman said with a hard expression.r

"<Cough>. I see," a hard cough escaped the mouth of the figure who sat before the woman – an old man with what one would call strings of white hair falling from his head to massage his wrinkled forehead, his eyes shockingly still vibrant with a brown hue that told of naught a lapse in his sight at all.r

"Yet, Lady Stylla... do you know that there is a price for peering too deeply into the secrets of what lies beyond our eyes? Some prefer the mystery and surprise that comes with not knowing....Truthfully it causes one to try harder and chase after a dream with vigour. Do you not yearn for that feeling?"r

The lady, who was Stylla, adjusted her sitting position, shuffling her legs under the cloak.r

"You would say this to me when you know that I'm doing all this for my father? What adventure can I go about looking for when someone with the ability to evade even your eyes set their sights on my family, starting with my father? No one can cure it. No one even knows where to start..." Stylla said with a bitter expression.r

The old man scratched his cheek with a sigh.r

That was indeed an odd situation.r

Gosh it felt like his wise words were misplaced.r

No! More like ill-timed!r

Even his advanced Divinity caught nothing of this evasive individual who cursed the Head of the Bryne Family.r

It was strange to him. Such a minor character...r

Why waste the effort?r

Why try so hard?r

His thoughts were his own though as he continued to converse.r

"Your words are true. It is perhaps not the exciting kind of mystery..." he said.r

"It is not," Stylla shot with a huff. "I tried turning myself into something I'm not, confused on whether I would really have to lead the Family even with my limited potential in the Family Technique. I thought about... participating in the Premium Age Royale as a representative of the Family but..."r

"That would be unwise. You and your brother were not blessed with enough talent for it. Your father may very well be the last one capable of exhibiting a great resonance with the Twin Contrast Technique," the old man said. "A shame. As a fourth child in the Family, to have to bear this after three of your own siblings deserted... It must be hard..."r

At the mention of this, Stylla secretly gritted her teeth and took on a serious visage.r

"I came here to ask whether my representative has a chance. Winning... however that is decided by the rules, is not what I'm looking for. As long as his display is enough to get us noticed by House EverSword... that is enough for me. Maybe then... with a large pillar of the nation as support, I could help my father," Stylla said with an unshakeable resolve.r

The old man wore a smile.r

"What of your brother? Have you no faith in him and his choice?"r

"Please answer my question," Stylla said with impatience, her soaring fury indicative of how she felt about her sibling.r

"Very well..." the old man said as he stretched out his hand. "May I?"r

Stylla was already used to this. r

She laid her hand in the old man's and took a deep breath.r

Divination was a special practise where one could look backwards and forwards in the trajectory of the string of events in the world.r

With growth, using items that could aid in gaining a foothold of exactly what one wanted became unnecessary but looking to a future result was always challenging.r

Still, the old man before Stylla was a master at his craft.r

He had been in Genhuis City for more than five decades as one of the Grand Diviners protecting the city, never once considered to be replaced.r

How Stylla was even talking to an esteemed figure like this was not because of her own connections, but her ill father's and even with that, she had had to wait for a month before getting a second audience with the man.r

The old man held Stylla's hand gently, his focus immediately taking him far, whisking him into the trajectory of Direction ahead where he felt the calls of many paths.r

Yet, as a veteran, the only man quickly reeled himself in, not succumbing to immense curiosity but to the task at hand.r

His eyes closed as he twitched, soft trails of condensed mana leaking from him, wrapping around him and Stylla in a magnificent fashion.r

It was beautiful to behold and mesmerising to see all these lights and...r

...r

The old man suddenly sucked in a deep breath and started to cough vehemently!r

...!r

Stylla was alerted as she hurriedly tried to ask what was wrong but...r

The old man gripped her hand firmly, applying a tremendous amount of pressure.r

"I... I see...I see....!" the old man stammered as his eyes shot open, their colour now being foggy grey!r

Stylla hurriedly concentrated all her mana into her hand which was nearly crushed by the old man's sudden exertion of force on her!r

He was seeing something!r

What was it?r

"What do you see?!" Stylla asked in a panic. "Is there a chance?!"r

The old man's face turned dark.r

"No... not that! Not such triviality!" the old man bellowed. "You.. Oh.. I see you and that man...oh Quintess! I see a... a... magisterial creature behind you...! A...a King... is about to descend! I...I do not understand... but... it is a King... one... with no renown of this world! I see it! Through this man you have invited... a... a King will descend!"r