"You want to kill the sun?" Vincent chuckled as he took the drink from Lumian. His brow flew up slightly, while he rubbed his chin. After a moment, he finally said, "Yeah... we all got dreams."
He paused, and then added with another chuckle, "I even wanted to f**k the moon."
Lumian looked at him with a somewhat disappointed expression as he sat down on a chair near one of the shelves. "Well I wouldn't say I exactly want to kill the sun," he said calmly, "I'd say I just want to put an end to the terrible situation we've found ourselves in."
Vincent took a seat across from him. The chairs were the kind you'd find in bar, with a small table in between. For a while, he didn't say anything, he just stared at the bottle of wine in his hand. Raising it up slightly, he finally asked. "Do you think, this wine can still be edible?"
"Bro, Vincent.. are you actually going to drink that." Lumain raised a brow.
"What do you expect? It's free after all." Vincent shrugged.
He stood up, grabbing two glass cups from one of the shelves, and sat back down.
Pop!
He opened the bottle, and poured the contents into the glasses. The color which it had, was an odd milky color, surely that couldn't be edible.
Lumian just smiled as he stood, and muttered, "Suit yourself,I don't wanna die today."
Vincent chuckled as he brought the glass close to his lips, "What a p***y."
----
Morning soon came, and the crimson sun had returned.
Thud!
A thud sounded as Lumian entered the headquarters of the church. This time he wore a long black coat and had his usual slicked back hair and glasses. He walked forward and waved at Lury, who was still busy attending to the other members.
Lumian, having made his way to his office, sat down on the chair. For a while he was a little bored. The only thing he could do,was to lean his chair back slightly and fiddle around with his pen. Soon enough, the calm almost felt like it was eating him alive.
He sighed and wondered,
"What the hell happened to Vincent? He's the one who normally saves me from this boredom."
Standing up, he opened the door, only to see a hat wearing man about to enter.
Ah, Mr Richard! Have you seen Vincent?
"I haven't seen him today." Richard replied with a chuckle.
Or has he died? Maybe the wine was really poisonous.
"Your friend has been in the toilet since morning." Richard said chuckling harder.
Lumian just scratched his head awkwardly, and said with a sly smile. "Oh, Mr Richard is that so? He must be having... some kind of allergies."
"Well, he needs to get himself checked unless he wants to become our new janitor, hahaha, because that place is a mess right now."
You really didn't have to say that.
Richard opened the door to his office, but then paused and said with a smile. "Oh! I almost forgot. Proof, I'm getting older. Captain wants to see you." He patted Lumian's shoulder and let out a small grunt. "Actually he told me that two hours ago."
He leaned in, and whispered near Lumian's ear. "Could you maybe... say you were busy."
Lumain chuckled. "Alright, Richard."
With that being said, he entered his office and flashed another friendly smile. "See you later, Lumian." And then quietly closed the door.
As Lumian turned to leave, he couldn't quite shake the uneasiness in his mind, after all Hargreaves rarely called anyone to his office.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
His footsteps echoed softly against the floor, as he made his way to a door that read "Hargreaves office."
He braced himself, taking three quick breaths before knocking.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Who's there?" Said the deep voice from behind the door.
Lumian quickly composed himself, as he said in a calm tone. "Captain! Mr Richard said you were looking for me."
"I called for you two hours ago." Hargreaves simply replied.
Lumian didn't even flinch, instead he used the power he'd since birth—which is lying to his parents.
"Captain, I was busy helping Mrs Alice with paperwork, concerning the transfer of new recruits to their main faculties!"
Hargreaves let out a small laugh. "That little sister of mine is really a handful. Alright, you can come in.
Lumain opened the door,and saw Hargreaves by the window, his hands folded at the back, giving him a composed look.
The office, looked like your everyday office, with a table and a chair in between.
"Captain! I'm here."
Hargreaves turned to him with a smiling face and said. "Why so tense? I simply want to advice you about your choice on being a sorcerer."
Lumian rubbed his chin. "Yes captain, I still stand on my decision."
"Then your ready to die, I see." He said with a low chuckle—like he had just said the most normal thing on Earth.
The delivery echoed in Lumian's mind, sending blow after blow. It momentarily left him at a loss for words.
Hargreaves shook his head and smiled, when he saw Lumian silent.
"It's mostly us—"Sorceres," who walk the path between sanity and well... insanity." He paused for a while, and then continued." It's seems you thought we are some kind of flashy people, who go around flaunting thier powers."
"Nothing ever comes without a price." Lumian interrupted. "Just as how deites or gods render blessings, so as to be worshipped... I don't see this as anything different."
Although, Lumian hadn't expected this in "Mystictism." He still knew, when he joined the church two years ago, that It would have it's own consequences—so it's practically inevitable.
"Ah, very matured, I love that!" Hargreaves said with a surprised tone.
He moved towards his desk and said, "let me explain—we sorcerers are divided into "Orders" and are ranked through 9 phases- from phase 9 up to 1."
"I thought phase 1 would be the lowest!" Lumian asked, as he tried to clear his doubts.
"Then maybe you should be the one teaching me." Hargreaves chuckled, folding his arms.
"Sorry, captain." Lumain said with an awkward smile.
"...Anyway. " Hargreaves continued, "the low level phases—from phase 9 to 7—are what we call "Sorcerers," they can't still compare to the higher phases—from phase 6 and above. From phase 6, they are no longer called sorcerers but "Angels" and entering phase 4, they can embody thier order. But that doesn't mean that the phase 9s to phase 7s are weak. The phase 9s and above still hold powers beyond human comprehension. They surpass all human limits, and can outmatch any gun or missile.
Looking at Lumain, he smiled and added. "By next week, when you take your potion, remember what I said, and don't make a stupid decision."
Lumian gave a self deprecating smile and muttered. "Well.. I'm not still sure which to pick."
"They are many." Hargreaves said counting on his fingers. "Mystery pryer, Truthseeker, Seer, Diviner, Gardner, and many more."
Lumian had already abandoned 'Mystery pryer' and 'Gardner,' leaving the remaining three options available.
"Captain, what's your order?"
Hargreaves rubbed his chin and said, "I'm a phase 7, Night Crosser."
"What does it offer?" Lumian asked.
"At phase 7, I can enter dreams, create clones, read people minds and even disappear. But the order, has a major downside."
"What's it captain?"
"The downside, Is that you enter a very dangerous place called the 'laby,' where other night crossers wander, and where curses are mostly born."
Lumian had now dismissed that option too. He sighed as he rubbed his temples. "God, picking an order is so stressful."
Hargreaves chuckled as he patted his shoulder. "Picking an order is a really serious business, why don't you go home and think it through, remember, follow your heart."
He sat down back on his chair, and lit a cigarette.
"Thank you, for the advice, captain! If that's all, may i leave.
Hargreaves waved his hand in acceptance. "Sure, go ahead."
Before Lumian could get to the door, Hargreaves rubbed his beard again.
"Not this again."
"Go to Mrs Rosanne's office." He finally said, after a whole minute. "Tell her, you're getting an improved salary of ten pounds a week."
"Captain, isn't that too much?" Lumian said, trying to decline politely.
"Nonsense, you've been with us for two years. I think it's quite deserving.
Lumian bowed politely. "Thank you very much, captain!"
He left, closing the door quietly, and quickly made his way to Mrs Rosanne's office.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
He knocked on the door, but no one answered. He tried using the handle, but the door was locked.
Just then, he raised his head, and was immediately met with a girl with black hair and violent eyes.
"Ah, Rosanne, how are you?"