The aroma of pan-seared steak and rosemary filled the kitchen of Elias's rented townhouse, a sharp contrast to the damp, coal-dusted air of Backlund outside. Elias moved with a rhythmic grace, whistling a low, airy melody that seemed to weave through the steam.
He flipped the steak with a flick of his wrist, his gaze drifting to the window. It had been less than a week since he had consumed the potion.
'One week', he thought, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. 'And I've already stepped into a pit of vipers.'
Most would be panicked. Macht was a man of status, and his first step into a grander circle that would inevitably prove useful in the long run.
Vessal on the other hand was a tricky rok; to be caught between them over a twelve-hundred-pound "investment" was a recipe for a shallow grave in the Tussock River for a newly advanced sequence 9 such as himself.
But Elias felt a strange, cold hum of excitement. To others like Macht, Vessal may have seemed like a genuine person and a good business man, but For Elias he may as well have been dancing on the stage with bright lights and a curtain ready to draw.
"I have to admit, it was truly a well-staged performance, I doubt I could have noticed without the Rightful's Analysis power," He murmured quietly as he prepared the dishes.
"But I'm still surprised, he should be at least at sequence 8 with a good level of digestion" he thought of the new paradox brought by the convenience of his own powers, but he then looked at his left hand, at the faint symbol slowly revealing itself at command "I'm sure this is caused by the unique symbolism of the pathway, but I didn't think it would manifest this early in the sequence"
"I guess it's because of my connection with the Sefirah" with a final thought he dismissed the mark and turned his attention to his meal.
He plated his lunch, eating with the methodical silence and unhurried movment. After cleaning up, he donned his black overcoat and top hat, checking his reflection. He looked every bit the young, successful investor.
"I surely miss my days of lazing around, but I need push forward in the early days," he murmured, stepping out into the fog.
...
Within the protected walls of a prestegious mansion in the less polluted atmosphere of Empress Borough, sat Audrey Hall with her elegant, sun-drenched smile, and smelling of expensive tea. Glint sat opposite her, looking uncharacteristically focused, while two women Elias hadn't met formally; Fors Wall and Xio Derecha; sat somewhat stiffly on the periphery.
"Mr, Nova! You're just in time," Audrey greeted him with a smile that was perfectly poised, yet held a glimmer of genuine curiosity. "We were just discussing the recent shifts in the grain market."
"A dry topic for such a lovely afternoon, Miss Audrey, and please call me Elias if it suits you" Elias replied, bowing slightly before taking his seat.
"Speaking of topics," Glint interrupted, leaning forward with bright eyes. "Elias, that book you gave me... the one regarding 'Ancient Lineages and Their Echoes.' It is absolutely fascinating. I'm only halfway through, and I find myself staying up far too late retracing the maps. Where did you find such a rarity?"
"It is merely an old relic that had been gathering dust for a long time," Elias said smoothly. "I'm glad it serves as a distraction from the duller parts of city life."
"Distraction? It's a revelation!" Glint laughed, though he quickly regained his composure as Audrey cleared her throat.
Audrey raised from her seat gracefully "Allow me to introduce you, Mr Elias this lady here is Fors Wall, you may have heard of her, she is a bestselling novelist with really interesting views in literature as well as the world of beyonders; and this is her good friend Xio Derecha, an exellant informer and a reliablle beyonder, oh they both are beyonders." she said the last part with an exited smile resembling that of a child."
"Pleased to meet the both of you"
"Like wise Mr. Nova" Fors said shortly, and Xio followed with a similar nod.
The conversation drifted into lighter social spheres, Audrey spoke excitedly of the new movement of reformation targeting the Amending Worker's Conditions, and the planned Civil Servant Unified Examination.
As the tea service was being cleared, Elias caught Xio's eye. He waited for a moment when Glint was animatedly explaining a passage from the book to Audrey.
"Miss Xio," Elias said quietly, his voice barely carrying over the clink of porcelain. "Miss Audrey mentioned your exceptional expertise as an informent earlier."
This new conversation peeked the interest of the others, Xio noded slowly.
"I need to gather some information on someone"
Xio straightened her posture, her hand instinctively lowered the cup of tea to the table. "That depends on the person, Mr. Nova."
"A business man in the mines domain" Elias leaned in slightly. "A gentleman named Vessal. Heis company runs a mining operation currently, he was recently searching for investers, backed by Mr Maury Macht. I'd like you to see if you can find anything useful on him."
Audrey no longer able to hide her curiousity asked "I heard of mr Macht, but whose the person you wanted investigated mr Elias, is there something wrong with him"
Elias turned his head slightly to look at her with a smile "There's something wrong with everyone, miss Audrey, you just need to know where to look"
Xio glanced at Fors, who had tuned back in, then back to Elias. Her professional mask was impenetrable. "That kind of work requires a specific fee, and a guarantee of discretion."
"The fee is no issue," Elias replied, a cold glint in his eyes. "And as for discretion..." He raised his head once more to lock eyes with all of them "I believe what we have here is meant to be long standing circle, and trusting each other with such things is a good start for something great.
Audrey watched them with excitement in her eyes, her smile remaining perfectly in place, though her mind wandered around in bizarre scenarios.
Elias leaned back, taking a slow sip of his tea.
After leaving the mansion, Elias stepped out into the biting evening air of Backlund, the gas lamps beginning to flicker to life through the persistent yellow fog. He walked with no apparent destination, a leisurely stroll that masked a predatory focus. He finally stopped before a shop window glowing with the warm, polished amber of mahogany and brass; a specialist in horology and fine stationery.
The bell chimed with a crisp, metallic ring as he entered.
"Good evening, sir. How may I assist you?" the shopkeeper asked, straightening his spectacles.
Elias scanned the velvet-lined displays. "I require two things. A timepiece that keeps more than just hours, and an ink holding piece that feels like an extension of the heart."
"Eh..?"
"…."
"I beg your pardon" the shopkeeper finally regained his composer from the strange demand
Elias chuckled slightly "I want to buy a pocket watch and a pen, if you may"
"Oh, certainly sir, please feel free to look around, we have a fine collection of what you're asking.."
After a brief exchange and the clink of gold sovereigns, Elias left the shop. Tucked into his inner pockets were two new acquisitions; a silver pocket watch, and a fancy golden ink pen tipped with an iridium nib.
The walk home was silent. Upon entering his townhouse, the mundane world seemed to settle around him like a heavy shroud. He didn't even bother to light the lamps. He took the morning's newspaper from the mahogany side table and, with a flair of dramatic exhaustion, collapsed onto the sofa. He draped the newsprint over his face, shielding his eyes from the dim moonlight, and tucked his left hand deep beneath his overcoat, clutching his chest.
Within seconds, his breathing slowed. His consciousness detached.
High above the Astral world, within the silent, eternal expanse of the Celestial Spire, the air shimmered. Elias's form coalesced atop the ancient stone floor, his posture shifting from the limp exhaustion of the physical world to the sharp, commanding presence of a conceptual entity.
He didn't waste a moment.
Extending his hand toward the swirling astral dust that clung to the edges of the Sefirah, Elias silently commanded. The dust responded, spinning into a violent, silent vortex that tore a jagged hole in the fabric of the world; an illusory door connecting the high structure to his living room below.
He reached through the shimmering veil. His fingers, now translucent and humming with energy, brushed against the physical reality of his home.
With a rhythmic pull, he retracted his hand.
Gripped in his phantom fingers were the silver watch and the golden pen. As they crossed the threshold of the door and entered the Sefirah, the mundane items began to undergo a violent transformation. A vortex of grey dust devoured them. The silver of the watch began to pulse with a cold, rhythmic light, and the gold of the pen bled a dark, ink-like shadow that clange to the particles.
After the transformation, the vortex desipated to reveal that nothing changed, only that now they had clear levels of spirituality.
"Now," Elias murmured, his voice echoing against the distant pillars of the Spire. "Let's see where fate takes us"