The shopkeeper (3)

Deep was taken aback. How could he read a language he never learned before? He put his question aside and focused on the first character chain.

Path: Dragon of Order

Thou art the Dragon of Order. The master of laws. The Great Enforcer and Supreme Liberator.

An innate understanding of the words made its way into his brain. It was more than words, it was a feeling, an indescribable feeling, A calling. He understood and at the same time, he didn't. Further exploration seemed necessary in the future.

He focused on the next character chain.

Innate spells: Observer of Law; Breaker of Law

Laws can't hide in front of your piercing gaze. Your eyes can see the tapestry of realities and your hands can unravel them.

Deep somewhat understood this one, he would still need to cast those spells for further comprehension and proficiency.

The last one wasn't as cryptic as the others. Velis had told him about it. Thinking about his bloodline, the image of a majestic creature appeared in his mind. A huge avian with who knew how many wings? It had the body of an eagle with golden feathers and the head of a dragon, full of inviolable majesty. It was a creature of utmost beauty. Its size was so huge that Deep couldn't wrap his head around it.

With a beat of its many wings, the void shattered and turned into a flowing golden light, and disappeared from sight. The speed of the creature was truly incomprehensible.

Deep left his meditative state from the shock. Opening his eyes the world seemed to have shifted upon its axe. He could vaguely see phantom chains of all colors weaving and crossing, sometimes forming nodes before unfolding. It was beautiful.

This was most likely the power of his innate spell - Observer of Law.

Those chains should be the manifestation of laws or at least the chains were the form his spell translated laws into. As he was marveling upon the spectacle before his eyes, Velis spoke, "So? Did you access the name of your path?"

The bubble of wonder Deep was in snapped and he shift his attention away from the colorful chains toward his boss. Deep became mute when his eyes fell on Velis. In his eyes, the red-haired man looked like a gaping black hole, now laws could approach his being. It was as if they were afraid. Deep narrowed his eyes at that.

"It says that I am the Dragon of Order." Deep answered.

"Hm. I see, so that's your path. You don't need to tell me or anyone else for that matter, your innate spell/spells. Those things are personal. If others analyze their workings they might grasp your weakness." Velis advised solemnly.

"I understand." Deep nodded, he could see how detrimental it would be to his continued well-being. Especially, if people really knew the ramifications that those spells brought. If they had the significance Deep believed they had, no one, not even the closest people to him should know about them.

"Now, let's discuss how you are going to repay me." Velis was all business.

He didn't need to elaborate, Deep understood. Velis lost a precious belonging because of him, he needed to propose an equivalent object or service to make up for it. That's how the shop owner, Velis, did things. He was unbelievably sharp about favors and repayment. Deep understood that from staying by his side all those years.

Deep shrugged, "How?"

"In addition to your job as my shopkeeper, you'll also start to run errands for me. You see certain clients can't reach me. It'll be up to you to help facilitate transactions with such clients." Velis explained.

Deep had another interpretation of those so-called clients in light of the recent events. No wonder he believed they were weirdoes. He couldn't have imagined how bizarre they truly were.

"It'll be dangerous right?" Deep guessed.

"Yes, far more dangerous than what you have been doing until now. You entered the world of mystical beings and creatures, nothing is the same anymore. You will always be in danger from now on simply because you see more than ordinary people. Since that's the case why not repay what you owe me?

At least you will be affiliated with me and much safer. Believe it or not, I am considered a big shot in this world."

"I get it, I'll do it." Deep agreed after thinking about it. The close brush with death tonight was really an eye-opener, being associated with Velis would be safer going forward in this new reality. In addition, he didn't believe he had a choice.

Although Velis seemed cool, what Deep had seen with Observer of Law made him wary. Now that he knew boogie men existed in the dark, he wouldn't go and antagonize his only ally.

Finally, he couldn't say no to Velis, he was the one who brought him out of the cold streets and made him into a proper individual.

"Very well," He clapped his hand and stood up, "Right now, you've awakened, more astonishingly you've directly awakened as a Mystic at the Perfected Mortal level. By doing so you leaped past the initial, intermediary, and advanced Mortal levels. Something I suspect can be attributed to your bloodline." Velis circled on the wooden floor while thinking. Occasionally, he would cast an assessing glance at Deep.

"Hun. You are already strong enough for that errand." Velis nodded to himself.

Deep ignored him and continued his observation of the laws. The intricate tapestry was hypnotic, one could lose themselves in their observation.

"Are you listening?" Velis interrupted.

"Yes, yes I am." Deep turned back his attention toward him

"Although you are strong enough to start errands, you don't know how to manipulate mystic energy. Something that will be detrimental when you fight other mystics or creatures. I think a training session is in order. In two days we will go visit a friend of mine, he owes me a favor, he should be able to teach you."

"Mystic energy? What is that?" Deep asked.

"It's the energy you've been using since you learned of your innate spells. The reason why mystics were called mystics is that after awakening they produce a special type of energy. This energy has the power to emulate phenomena, natural or not, real or not. One ability to produce said energy determines one level of power."

Deep quickly got it, he only had to think of it as the equivalent of mana in video games.

"Your advantage is your heritage as a mystical creature descendent. Mystical creatures can absorb the mystical energies of a defeated foe while mystics can only rely on meditative refinement and extraordinary resources to progress. Naturally, you inherited this trait from your parent. This means that you will grow faster than a normal mystic."

Deep expression was complicated, he didn't know anything about them.

"Anyways, too much info isn't good all at once, remember in two days we travel. Since you are ok, I need to leave, got things to do, people to murder, the usual." Having said that Velis didn't wait for a response, his figure simply vanished from where he stood.