The Gambit of the Faceless God — Epic Fantasy

[Later that evening]

The group, excluding Caelum, gathered in the main living room, each dressed in comfortable clothing; Lunar, Declan and Vaelen sporting loose white blouses whilst Geneve draped in a rugged, dark brown shirt that matched well with her dark brown pants. They all sat scattered around on chairs and couches, their eyes set on Vash, the only one standing in the middle, sporting a positive demeanour.

“Alright! That was quite the first day, heh?” he began. “How are you guys feeling?”

“It was alright,” Declan yawned. “Definitely easier than I expected.”

“I’ll have to agree with him on that,” Geneve chimed in, her arms crossed. “It felt very ‘natural’, especially the bare bones of our training, summoning the Grimoires.”

“Yes, you may have asked yourself how you could have possibly been able to summon your Grimoire without prior knowledge or form of cultivation,” Vash said, slowly walking in circles. “The answer is quite simple.”

“Not everyone in this world is born with Sequencer characteristics. Those who are born without make use of Divination Tools, which are practically Hex-infused weapons that allow for one to reach the same potential as a Sequencer. However, there lies one important difference…”

“…While non-Sequencers do require a hefty amount of practice and knowledge on how to use their Divination Tools, Sequencers have the luxury of being ‘naturally gifted’ when it comes to adapting to their Grimoires. In other words—

—any Sequencer may have been able to summon their Grimoires at birth. However, the Initiation Ritual is thankfully something that prevents things like this from happening.”

“Then, do non-Sequencers have to go through their own ‘Inquisition’ to master their Divination Tools?” Declan asked with a curious tone.

“It is not as straightforward as you lot arriving here for training,” Vash responded, looking at Declan over his shoulder before walking in circles again.

“Divination Tools are everywhere, despite the government attempting to intervene with the accessibility of them, by establishing a requirement of a ‘DT Certificate’. They are classified as ‘vacant relics’ that range from seven, the least problematic, or, better said, dangerous, to zero, which… speaks for itself.”

“Much like regular potion cards, Divination Tools can be crafted, bought, and discovered. Again, even though the DT Certificate poses no real issue, as anyone could just hide their Tools at their discretion, the fact that Divination Tools are explorable doesn’t necessarily mean they are ‘easy’ to be found, or used.”

“Why?” Declan asked, as Lunar and Vaelen visibly became more interested; With Lunar, seated on a single chair, listening along with head resting on his left hand, and Vaelen, sitting next to Geneve, crossing his arms in contemplation.

“It’s simple,” Vash began once more. “These Tools generally cost a lot of money. If your regular Frank wishes to get a hold of, let’s say a grade-five relic, he can already expect to face prices in the thousands from any merchant. However, Frank is able to engage in Quests in exchange for potions, or other relics in order to craft his desired Divination Tool—

—But, then again, there are consequences tied to him failing a Quest, the prices he has to pay in order to complete his Quest and the severity of the Quest. You can initiate an easy Quest, but that will take you a significantly longer amount of time as opposed to more difficult ones.”

“So, essentially…” Lunar spoke. “People who have lots of wealth are able to buy whatever they’d like?”

“Not exactly,” Vash said. “Let’s get bold and assume the improbable possibility of a grade-three relic being for sale. We’re getting really bold here, since only relics from grades seven to five are commonly sold, with four being a great rarity. Because of this, most, if not all people will go and look for the relics on their own. This also explains why non-Sequencers tend to die in casualties a lot more than Sequencers.”

“Yeah, I can understand that,” Declan responded, nodding. “You mentioned the ‘DT Certificate’, but is there no governmental intervention concerning high-level relics? What if some crazy lunatic gets a hold of a super dangerous relic? Given its power, chances are they would be able to make their deranged fantasies come true, no?”

“Exactly, which is why assemblies such as the Zephyrs exist. Have you lot not been taught about their significance at school?”

“We have,” Declan sighed. “But they’re honestly not that interesting to me. They’re basically the ‘police force’, or better said military and defence arm of Deneve, whilst the Monlay Assembly is just an excuse for nerds to associate themselves with a nice-sounding title, and the Luria Assembly… I don’t even know what they’re doing exactly, honestly.”

“Maybe Vaelen would like to enlighten us, no?” Lunar smiled, yet Vaelen did not reciprocate an answer, prompting Declan to step up, walk towards him, and give him a firm pat on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Vaelen. Caelum’s gonna be fine.”

With their attention gravitating towards Vaelen, Vash was the first person to have noticed Caelum sluggishly descending the staircase towards the living room.

“Ha! Speak of the Devil!”

They all turned their heads towards Vash and then towards the trajectory of his gaze. As soon as they were met with Caelum’s figure, also dressed in a loose white blouse, their eyes widened in surprise, as Declan immediately leapt over the couch and stormed towards Caelum.

“Goodness gracious, man. We really thought you wouldn’t be waking up anymore!”

“Okay, that’s a stretch,” Geneve added, walking towards them with crossed arms. “How are you feeling, Caelum?”

Caelum held his head slightly lowered, his mind wandering off for a moment. He remembered Lunar reciting a passage from the Golden Book, which visibly caused his face to turn crestfallen; Yet, somehow, none of the others noticed, or rather assumed he still needed to wake up properly. He shrugged his thoughts off, and asked them with a tired tone,

“…What happened?”

“You collapsed again, my friend,” Declan chuckled. “You tried summoning your Grimoires, but it seemed like it didn’t work. Would you like something to eat? Have a water?”

“It’s fine, I just feel a little drowsy.”

Vash then began walking towards them with a closed smile.

“I’ve heard about the situation, howe-”

“Wait, Vash,” Declan intervened. “What’s going to happen with him?”

“Let me finish, Declan,” he said carefully. “Caelum, you don’t have to worry about anything. Summoning a Grimoire for the first time can also potentially bring side effects to one’s body. It may be reasonable for Caelum to develop a lighter complexion because of this.”

His words threw everyone, except Declan, off in some way. They never heard something like “side effects” potentially bringing harm to one’s body for summoning their Grimoire for the first time. The three of them threw quick glances at each other before Declan took the word once more.

“You think so?”

“I know so,” Vash responded. “I’ve experienced it first hand. Look at this.”

He pulled up his right sleeve and held his arm in the air, exposing a strange, black stain that looked similar to a cut mark, as if he took black paint and slid it across his forearm.

“Thankfully, this is not a battle-inflicted wound,” he continued. “This has been with me for decades, back when I also started out at this temple. It looks as if a part of your body just decides to remove all of its melanins. No, even worse, as if Nichts, the God of Darkness Himself, took His sword and slashed my arm with it. Freaky, isn’t it?”

Caelum remained silent, which prompted Declan to mutter his name in a worrying tone before he mustered up the courage and responded to Vash.

“Thank you… for understanding.”

“Of course! But, as your Master…” Vash began, putting his sleeve back into place. “I am required to ask you if you’re okay with being blood tested. The Gaian Administrative Office already suggested this procedure. It’s nothing serious, just a small extraction and you’re good to go.”

“Wait,” Vaelen said, breaking the comfortable atmosphere. “We’ll talk about this first.”

“…That’s fine. You have forty-eight hours. Additionally, since you’ve missed the first day of training, I’ll come by and pick you up at six in the morning, so you can catch up with the rest before we continue with the second day. So be sure to at least try and get some sleep tonight.”

“I understand, thank you…”

“Very well,” he smiled. “I should get going now, got some other things to take care of before I’ll be considered done. Keep the young fella in good hands, alright?”

“Of course! We got it!” Declan exclaimed as Vash opened the door with his final words.

“Great. See you all tomorrow!”

Several moments after Vash’s departure, Geneve broke the silence, turning back to the group.

“Did you guys buy what he said regarding Caelum’s condition? I surely didn’t.”

“Neither,” Declan responded. “But, he’s a good guy. I wouldn’t blame him for being so dubious.”

Lunar then took a firm step in front of Caelum, staring at his defeated figure as he spoke with a serious tone.

“Caelum, would you like to try it once more?”

“What?” Declan interjected, holding Lunar’s right shoulder in protest. “Lunar, you need to stop being so pushy sometimes, man. He just woke up from an unwanted series of events. Let him recollect his thoughts before he tries!”

“I agree with Declan, Lunar,” Vaelen said, frowning his eyebrows. “You’re being too much right now.”

Caelum then raised his hand, speaking with a comprehending tone.

“It’s fine.”

Declan and Vaelen were visibly surprised by Caelum’s answer, while Lunar and Geneve remained as placid as they were before. Declan even tried to convince him to understandably wait and hold off for some time before trying it again, yet Caelum insisted.

“For some reason, I don’t feel like collapsing anymore. Let me do it again.”

“Caelum, are you sure?” Vaelen asked.

“Yes, I am sure.”

“Let’s take a step backwards,” Lunar suggested. “He probably needs some space to effectively concentrate.”

The three of them made their distance as Caelum began focusing on his own mind and soul once more. Several minutes of pure introspection passed by, until he could feel a single stream of aura encapsulating the right side of his soul. It felt as if the two auras were divided between two different parts, with the aura on the left side of his soul entirely barren, but the right side full of energy.

He then directed it to flow out of his right hand, and as soon as his aura brushed against the tip of his fingers…

…A Grimoire appeared, and he did not collapse.

It was the beautifully-polished silver bow with Gothic engravings etched on its facade. It floated gently next to him, and he grasped it gracefully, surprising everyone around him as they beheld his Grimoire.

Everyone’s befuddlement was palpable. Silence slipped into the atmosphere, marinating everyone inside of it for several moments before Geneve broke it.

“It’s… only one Grimoire…”

“…R- right,” Caelum stammered. “Yes, it is…”

Vaelen squinted his eyes slightly, staring at the silver bow in Caelum’s hands as Lunar added,

“I see. It seems that Vash may have been right, after all.”

“I’m still a little doubtful,” Geneve said. “But, this may be an extremely improbable case of experiencing side effects from summoning your Grimoire. This is definitely something that has been studied before, so I think that blood test will bring us some more answers.”

“Do you agree, Vaelen?” Lunar asked, jolting him awake. He hesitantly replied,

“…Yes.”

His words prompted Declan to feel incensed. He grasped his left shoulder and shook it with an impressive force, making Vaelen’s entire upper body swing along in the motion. “Your brother’s doing all fine now, and he really doesn’t possess a second Grimoire! What’s with the low gaze?”

Vaelen slowly raised his head and momentarily exchanged glances with his brother in a poignant moment before shaking his head, responding,

“No… you’re right. I’m glad, Caelum.”

As he sported a faux closed smile, Caelum concurred with closed lips. Declan, his entire left arm now wrapped around Vaelen’s shoulders, turned his head to the right, where Lunar stood.

“Sooo, what do we do next, Lunar?”

“…We’ll simply wait. Geneve has a point, Vaelen. Caelum should undergo a blood test, just to make sure there isn’t anything serious going on. However, my mind is a little stuck at the words of the Ritual Master.”

“Ah, right!” Declan exclaimed, abruptly relieving Vaelen from his embrace. “Caelum, have you recollected your memories about the Ritual?”

“Ehm… …not really, no,” he murmured, scratching his scalp. Geneve, her head lowered and eyes squinted, talked in a manner as if she was talking to herself.

“For what reason would the RM be lying about something like this…”

“He may have been hallucinating, or the sort,” Declan responded. “Maybe it really was just this single Grimoire you summoned, and the other one may have just been an illusory object. Those chambers seemed magical enough to convince me that abstract and unnatural things have a possibility of happening.”

“From my understanding,” Lunar said, wrapping his left arm over his abdomen, fingers of his right hand contemplatively supporting his chin. “Caelum shouldn’t have known how to properly master the summoning of his Grimoire, since he missed the first day of training. If this wasn’t the case and he already knew his ways, he could have easily manipulated the flow of his soul pressure, and manage to summon just one Grimoire—

—That is also where the difference lies in mastery and intuition. People with little to no knowledge may be able to freely summon their Grimoires, but those who are able to manipulate their soul pressure, which is acquired by training, are able to do so in more advanced ways, like summoning their Grimoires rather instantly than requiring several moments of introspection.”

“Regardless, let’s set this clear,” Geneve said firmly. “Next time you meet with Vash, you’ll tell him that you’re okay with being blood tested. Alright?”

“…Sure.”

“Starting to feel hungry now, Caelum?” Declan asked with a smile.

“A little, yes.”

“Then come with me! Kasey made sure to save your share of today’s dinner.”

Vaelen then stepped past the group towards the adjacent staircase, a shadow fallen over his eyes as he spoke with a solemn tone,

“I think I’m going to get some sleep. See you all later.”

“Sure! Sleep well!” Declan waved, as Caelum, alongside Lunar and Geneve, wordlessly watched his departing figure. It appeared that Caelum was the only one who felt worryful, but Vaelen disengaging from socialization was nothing new to him. There were moments when Declan would visit their abodes to spend some friendly time with them; Vaelen would often, if not, always find some sort of excuse to flee the social grasp.

Despite his exceptionally handsome appearance and chances to gain a large entourage, Vaelen was as introverted as a house cat. While this was something Caelum understood, Lunar and Geneve, in particular, thought otherwise. They considered the latter, perhaps he was still conflicted about Caelum’s circumstances while being a very religious person.

***

[One month ago: The Church of Urdall]

It was during a Sunday when Vaelen, by himself, attended a Mass alongside fellow church members. He was dressed in an all-black ulster coat that blended seamlessly with his long and curly black hair—

—After the Mass reached its crescendo, he found himself standing in front of a member of Urdall’s Creed on a wooden platform. An elderly man draped in an ancient, layered dark purple robe, with a holy mitre where a dark purple, swirling symbol was engraved in the middle; the symbol of Urdall.

He was holding Vaelens right hand with both hands, his eyes filled with appreciation and awe, as he spoke in a tone audible enough from the cluster of voices from the people in the background.

“You pristine young child… May the God of Creation bestow His blessings onto you, Vaelen.”

“Thank you, teacher…” Vaelen said, smiling.

“…I tell you this many times, young man. Your orthodox nature truly makes you one of a kind. A bright future awaits you; A future that many will see, both good and bad people. I can only hope that your illumination will shine bright enough to bring your younger brother back on his rightful path…”

Vaelen gulped nervously before responding, his eyes aimlessly lowered.

“…I hope so too.”

***

Back in the present, an hour had gone by since the occasion. Inside the sunset-lit room, Vaelen hung his head whilst sitting on the edge of his bed, his laps supporting his arms. It was obvious that something was lingering in his mind. This was a side of him that his brother only rarely saw, mainly because he consciously averted the possibility of Caelum seeing him in such a seemingly wrecked state.

Moments passed, until eventually, a few knocks on the adjacent door reverberated throughout the chamber. Right before Vaelen could voice out his question, the one standing behind the other side of the door had already spoken out loud.

“It’s me, Lunar. Mind if I step inside?”

“…I don’t mind.”

Lunar gently swung the door open, and stepped inside, his arms crossed behind his back, gaze held forward on the large window in front of Vaelen.

“I can understand if you weren’t able to shut off after an eventful day. But, it seems like you extricated yourself from difficult situations.”

“What is it, Lunar?” he said with an unwelcoming tone, remaining in his crestfallen position.

“…What did you think about Caelum?”

“…”

“I don’t see your face, but I can already tell that you’re on two minds,” Lunar said, a closed smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “You’ve always been the religious type of guy, no? Always making sure you stay on the right track, following the teachings of your uppers, staying consistent with your daily prayers…”

“And you’re not?”

“Well… I know that we’ve found ourselves within the Gaian Temple, the first acolyte of Urdall’s Church, but I can assure you that I am one of many who attend the Inquisition without the intention of becoming a part of the Creed, or the Church.”

“Yeah, right,” Vaelen sighed. “I can’t really imagine you being that religious, no.”

“Call it intrigue, if you will,” Lunar chuckled. “Anyway, we’re getting a little off track here. Once more, all of us always saw you as the ‘righteous’, ‘greater than earth’ type of person. I never really noticed any flaws in your demeanour as well as your appearance—

—I mean, it goes without saying that you must have a good number of maidens wanting to invite you to their abodes. And yet, you’re still here, living alongside your family. The Jinton Family’s name is a remarkable one. Mingle that with your potential, and after you finish your Inquisition, you’re bound to be met with success.”

Vaelen could not utter a single word. It seemed as if his words caused him to feel even more defeated than he already was. Yet, Lunar mercilessly continued.

“Yet, you’re still here. I can not see your face, Vaelen, but I do discern your heart and mind.”

He then turned back to the door, his arms still crossed behind his back.

“There are times when we need to depend on our minds, but our hearts will always be the right answer at the right times. That is what keeps us balanced, and prevents us from being torn apart.”

After sounding his words, he slowly pulled the door open, and looked at Vaelen’s back over his shoulder for the last time.

“Have a good night, Vaelen.”

After closing the door behind him, he made his way to the back garden of the abode. It was a magnificently beautiful place; a medium-high cliff-side grass field with a large wooden bench in the middle. He stood on the stone platform leading inside and smiled the moment Geneve, who sat on the bench, her gaze fixated on the mountainous view, spoke to him.

“And? How did it go?”

“His mouth was shut yet did he tell me more than a thousand words,” Lunar responded, sighing as he stepped towards her. “He knows what he wants, there’s no doubt in that.”

“You’re such a hunter, Lunar. You won’t even let the poor young man relieve his mind for the night,” Geneve chuckled.

“I only hunt things that intrigue me. And this, Geneve, is the most interesting occasion I’ve ever had the honour to witness.”

And with a firm final step, both he and Geneve silently beheld the beautiful view, as the wind gently flew past their figures. After taking a deep breath through his nose, Lunar slowly raised his head, and said with a proud, but calm tone,

“...And I mean that wholeheartedly..”