The Seeker | Volume 2

After collecting my thoughts, I began to ponder what exactly happened. Raymond brought up a particular individual, referring to them as a "him."

Raymond is over 2,000 years old, and he already told me of his ambitions of needing the formula tablet and advancing to Order 0. I currently believe that Raymond is an Order 2, so first he'd need to advance to a Lord of Angels; or most likely called an Angel of Affiliation. 

Since Angels of Affiliation's titles and authority correspond to their pathway, Raymond would be the Angel of Depravity. What if it's Crodio he seeks to resurrect with his plan? What if he attempts to fuse with him again to become a Great Ancient One? 

But why did I see Kaden's spiritual form inside my Divine Protection? Didn't The Umbridge rip its characteristics from it temporarily before Kaden gave me one? Perhaps it resets whenever he leaves, or it's a historical projection.

"It's your memory, Apocalypse." The Umbridge said, descending from the afterlife, extending their bony right hand at me.

"After he brought up "him," your mind instantly recalled everything related to him, except it's something you need to piece together yourself."

"So you're saying my memory worked on its own, and my historical projection abilities went into overdrive to a certain extent?" I asked.

They nodded. "Indeed. This power you're developing is strange and fascinating. With the corrupted Almighty One inside your body, it will be more difficult to resist madness and control these erratic outbursts.

"So it could have been "him?" Raymond seeks to awaken "him" inside of me? He wants to kill me to awaken "him", but that amount of power would overwhelm us both." I said, looking out the window at the panoramic view of the red and black stair stained cosmos. The Umbridge sighed, before waving his hand.

Suddenly, the sigil on my forehead began to glow a bright red, and illusory red tendrils seeped from my body. The tendrils extended in all directions, flowing out like life-like pieces of cloth. Suddenly, they all gravitated towards the throne in front of the window, wrapping around it like a parasite.

The sigil of the apocalypse soon branded on the throne, reflecting off the high back part of it. The Umbridge motioned for me to sit down inside of it. I cautiously approached the throne before sitting down on it, and I instantly felt a large and overwhelming wave of power begin to hit my body. 

The tips of my horns began to glow a dim red, and illusory, black, blurry wings formed on my back, seemingly made of pure shadow.

"This will help with the mental effects, these accommodations of the Apocalypse properties are used to amplify your mental resistance." The Umbridge said as he watched. Suddenly, the throne room began to change and grow, the walls moved apart and the stone floor underneath me began to grow in size. 

The glass reflecting the cosmos also expanded, showing more of the scene. The ceiling overhead also went upwards. The entire throne room was changing before my eyes, growing in size. The pillars multiplied, and the throne also seemed to grow in size, fitting the size of my body.

Now, the entire throne room was like a palace, one with multiple rooms and galleries, all laced with the apocalypse properties to prevent anyone from breaking in.

"Raymond knows where you are if you even think about him; nonetheless, everything about you. Are you sure this will be able to hold him off?" I asked, standing up from my throne, feeling a little woozy. The black wings on my head had now shrank into my body, leaving two streaks of illusory black material on my back. 

Before I could get an answer I looked back at them, only to realize that they had disappeared. 

The next day when the sun was low in the sky, and the chilly fall breeze rushed through the air; ruffling the flowers and the overhead metal street signs, I, who was now awake, stood on the balcony of the apartment, overlooking the Sefirot sea as the distant fog moved and brushed gently.

The silence was as still as our bodies and the only notable sound was the sound of our breathing. A small headache was beginning to form in my head, most likely due to the increase in my divine protection. In the distance, we could both see a hulking figure slowly leave the fog; it was a ship, one that usually accommodated passengers, although the overall details and markings were reminiscent of the second transcendence war almost 300 years ago. 

"Could that be a tourist ship or a supply shipment?" Shinso asked, leaning forward over the balcony and catching a closer glimpse of the ship that was rolling in. I saw the white-bearded captain of the ship move and maneuver the ship into Frannitz Harbor, before coming to a complete stop.

Due to it being early in the morning, there were few people to accommodate them with their luggage, so they had to haul them out themselves. The people who stepped onto Frannitz Harbor were Chinese, a minority I haven't seen since I arrived here a little over 3 weeks ago. 

Ling Kitonow sighed as he pulled his luggage off the ship, it landed on the wooden dock with a loud, dangerous clang. Hàorán, who was rubbing his tired eyes, picked up his own luggage and hoisted it over his shoulder; which consisted mostly of books and study materials. 

"Are you sure we have enough to purchase a place to temporarily stay?" Mrs. Kitonow asked as she gazed upon the majesty of the Seraphis Kingdom, which was a lot more vibrant and colorful than the Katshin Empire. Her husband nodded.

"I'm sure we have enough, I packed my month's salary in my suitcase. Hopefully, I can bargain with the vendors enough to get a worthy price deduction." He said with a yawn, picking up his luggage again and placing it onto the carriage which had now arrived, brought by a coachman who looked a little over 30 years old.

Me and Shinso watched in curiosity as the carriage drove away with the Kitonow family inside of it. Nearby, another person had stepped off the ship, holding his left hand over his mouth as if he might throw up. A man of lanky build and short, straight red hair. 

Mr. Palsy had felt disoriented from the ship ride, having countless battles with the roaring waves and having to eat caught fish for most of his meals made him nauseated. He sat down against the harbor station's outside wall, closing his eyes as he didn't even bother to get his luggage, which was sitting a few meters away on the deck. 

"Seasick?" Mrs. Usagiyama asked teasingly as she approached the pale man, who's eyes were sunken and sore. Her muscular build contrasted deeply with his, making her always give some sort of dominant aura.

Mr. Palsy nodded. "Very, I'm sure if I'll be able to get a carriage ride to an apartment complex in this state, it's like my limbs are stuck in place." 

Upon hearing that, Mrs. Usagiyama laughed, her crimson eyes flickering with amusement, a grin on her face. "Well, don't expect me to help." she chuckled as she headed back to her ship, closing the door from which they all headed out of. 

Admiral Kaelin, who was standing atop the deck and watching the leaves brush against the morning air suddenly looked down at Mr. Palsy, whose face was now slightly green from his nausea. He chuckled as he headed down and left the ship, before approaching him and laughing. 

"It seems like someone can't handle the waves. Don't worry though, it's perfectly normal. I'll call a carriage to our location right away."

Due to the previous industrial revolution that occurred over 100 years ago, the Seraphis Kingdom was able to develop its own telephone service. Beside the telephone inside the dock station was a sheet printed with all the phone numbers of corresponding services. 

After a few minutes the white bearded admiral left the station and shook his head in amusement, looking back at Mr. Palsy with a sigh. "I've called a carriage station and they seem to be out of order this morning. The carriages don't open until 11:00 AM, I'm sorry pal."

He then walked back into the ship. From the balcony, I watched with sympathy at the young man's state, seeing him crutched against the dock station looking like a wreck. I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit at his condition, but I figured I'd help him.

"Where are you going?" Shinso asked as he watched me depart down the stairs of the apartment complex. I didn't say anything in response as I left the apartment building and began to walk to the dock, which was only about 2 blocks away.

The cold morning air bit against my body more now, due to the fact that I was away from the heated interior of the apartment, but I paid it little mind as I continued to walk. Upon approaching the dock and walking up to the red haired man, he looked up at me and gave me a small, strained smile. 

"You don't look too good, sir." I said as I knelt down and looked at him. The man looked back at me, his brown eyes flickering with suspicion and a little bit of kindness.

"Are you here to help or something?" he asked, leaning forward a little in an attempt to stand. I watched him struggle and nodded.

"I am." I replied.

The man smiled a little more at my response, before gaining enough strength to lean against the dock station with his body, his knees wobbling a little in an attempt to support himself.

"Well, thank you kid." Palsy groaned as he stood up, gripping his forehead due to the lingering fatigue. I watched him and nodded.

"Now, how about I take you back to my apartment? Since you don't have any carriage to take, I'll let you have residence in my apartment." I smiled as I began to walk back to the apartment.