The world did not collapse when I woke up this morning. I came into work with no issues. Indeed I am moved desks today and I was allow a leaflet about basic knowledge about mages. It were the hope to not make me react so drastically to someone throwing fire during class.
I am given a private office and a mentor schedule for one to one learning. Some students were on the nose about being mages and spoke the mother tongue more then English. Others were shy and acted as a non-student would. There was one whom was a assessors in disguise.
Happily I am met with his royalty in his pretending act. I play off no different. Although I give my known greeting and bowed to both him and the ink mass protecting him. The reaction of minor recoil then soft return nod was my reply. It was all I needed. They left safely from me without any problems. I do nothing to alert anyone of the fact. It is their choose.
At lunch with given the changes of trusting me. I sat among many confused normal people that were still making sense of the magic knowledge. I listened to how they trying to apply science, it was when I smiled. I knew this answer well.
I would smirk or frown to some their assumptions. I would waver my hand about the all of it, still giving a blank grin.
This odd reaction set off everybody to ask me many questions.
I stood up for a drink but sigh in sitting back down, pleaded eyes looking at me for my opinions. I sit back down, stealing someone else's drink from near me. A unopened orange juice. Opened with on hand and a back wave as they are silenced.
"From what I gathered, it is all within laws of science not recognised or tested. We have the theories and done so for centuries. We know how fire burns, water freezes and have many theories of plant life or earth core movement. Even magnetic field study." I rolled with the common knowledge we all can agree to. They nod with agreeing, "Clearly what fact separates us from these people is the way they live and the environment they adapted with. They used the same knowledge. They just use it differently. We made generators and electronic devices. They use abnormal vibration in air current patterns or other natural environmental factors." They blink a while with thinking long on my point.
There is some argument but it is smoothed out with counter theories. They all had digested the idea of magic well. I continued eating. Conversation rolls punch with each thought of disproving.
"Can't we use magic?" Someone among them asked.
"I guess we might but at a cost." I hummed, "Whatever what allows people to cast magic clearly is something that takes energy from within themselves. I seen how tired most are after such elaborate casting. Not everyone but the vast majority clearly suffer a cost to using elements in such strange ways. It is very interesting but its out of my field study. I am not into thermodynamics or physics." I posed a casual shrug, "So in answering if could ever preform any sort of mythical feat like this lot. I say... meh." almost tossing the idea away with the slide of my hand, "Given the amount of time they cared to make a information booklet on it. It sounds possible. It some variables of potential that we have no scientific knowledge."
"Wow, you're very observant." A colleague noted, it being a mage agent.
Likely here to keep tab of some of us. The manners they have about making notes about individuals must mean I am not out of being assessed then. No one here along the table of normals label is.
I am the frist to finish eating. I lingered a while listening to everything. Yet I checked my smart watch and had to consider my other engagements.
I didn't want to be late for his sake. I got up slowly and took my tray. I simply narrowly miss the Omen follower and his god again. I give my visible worry and simple apology for nearly hurting them. Struggling off the encounter as nothing much.
"Excuse me. I was actually looking for someone..." The follower stops me with a shoulder pat. I frowned with being touched, I always did when it came to friendly gesture. He tilted at odd angles with inspecting me back. I tilt unsure of him although my eye betray me as I flick glances with the bird. I would only pull a more confused expression with a second glance.
"You sure this guy knows anything?" the follower asking and then with a straighten look at me, "I am meant to be looking for a stranger among the shadows." I sighed with being glad this was what he was saying. Its a creepers passcode - allowing to talk of dreamlands seriously.
"Then I hope you know what your really asking for." I reply, "Its unwisely to flutter nonsense around the awaken."
"Oh, I wasn't expecting such a abnormal response." The bird is very real and very visible.
"I am not sure what your trying achieve. I wouldn't want to break the status quo of things. Its not my choose to. Yet your a god follower of omen and the visitor. You're not listed among the set paths. As god follower seem to have this freedom of information request, according to the rules." I step away a little, "I will have to talk to you both some other time. I have a status quo to follow." Away I leave and with sorting the tray.
This bird man accepts that my words carry a warning and mattered more then assuming I was playing down my acting shock over the appearing talking bird.
I made my promise and I am keeping it. To be where I should at a time the title requested of me. I make it early with being sure of everything important was at grab.
"Loyal, as I thought. I told you that I would be close." The tear of time and space was like peeled wallpaper. Mid air with a mask pulled from the abyss of ink. The creaked fragement smile dully as it were waiting for a response.
"Trust." I give my bow and stay stood, "Do you need the host around?" I ask the mask nods.
"We might as well. The other feather birds too." I nod in understanding and open the office door. I step with letting only those needed to be in. I body blocked a mage trying to come in.
"Business with a god follower isn't for the faint of heart. You want to stay out here." I warned the agent. They appear visible and glared, "I can't allow you in for your own safety. The god follower has protected us... but you aren't." That is taken seriously with a nod. They stay outside. I close the door and place a marker on it to prevent unwelcomed guests.
"So how come we trust this guy?" The kid asking the Mask fella. The bird god hissing at the tear of space and the follower backed away in horror of the inky mass.
"I don't know if I need to explain it all." the mask thinks about it.
"You say as you want. I have no fuss." I sit at my space at my desk. I pose a hand offer seats with everyone else, "Ignoring the shadow of the room. I am interested in what the Omens wanted. How bold it is to ask for a stranger among shadows... I don't think you realized what you asked."
"We did need to speak to a damned representative about the obvious question."
"Which is?" I could help be heard this to many times and have to many different answers from it, "There is way to many answers to that."
"Oh... your either a another timeline or a mock." The young prince guesses and I disagree. I don't explain it. I wouldn't need to if the host has access to full title power. Although it will seem his lacks it.
"You have met before. This is why your unreactive to the problem." The god picking up as it needs, "But this doesn't make sense of what this child was guessing."
"My. My. What a confusing time it is for you." I sigh and look to the child, "To tell you the truth. We are the same age. I belong among the same pattern of time space as you inky acquaintance in common. I was someone whom worked with them before. Things have changed. I accepted that you hold the this responsibility for a reason. I am your ally. You may use any sort of help you need from me. I am at your mercy... if you understood the rules between hosts."
"A helpful soul. You have became more handy now as this moment. You're place in this company matters to our interests."
"So you wish me higher up the ladder? It can be arranged. I am sure the trade off of services is exchange at ease to you." The mask narrows, "A check up of my other selves, really. I had a few moments of disconnection recently. I just want to know but not really be helped out." It nods in understanding as the child is tilted confused. They were thinking a long time. Lost a long while. I pose back with the follower and the god, "What part of this titled being did you wish to know about? As it a messy topic and leaves discomfort in you somewhere. I can do what little I can to smooth your understanding."
"Title... so this being is like me?" The bird asked.
"In someway of talking the mechanics and technical aspect, they are. But they are no god of any faith or belief. Just a universals way of things. There is often always a reason behind those actions but its not for what you assume. This inky blob is a protector. Just a horrific and weird one. He is method of madness makes only sense to itself. The world to grey to label. Yet things change, perceptions change. It will be a long time until anyone of us really gets it."
There is a sort of aware glance over me from the child, it seemed he was done doing things. I can sense the changes.
"I have made things smoother. Its your turn." the masked side slips out of the layers of torn space. The complete clay mask rests in the masters hand. I nod in agreeing.
"So what was your request of me? I have sold my soul to you, you did as I asked. I will return the favour as you wish." The young man takes out a letter. I didn't have to even open it, just at the touch of the rough page corners and the ink used... I knew exactly was I am trusted with. I allow the flow of energy and knowledge take hold. I give my nod in understanding exactly.
"I can't believe you just accepted without batting an eye. I could ask you anything."
"And? Do you know what it takes and what amount of misery it must have been to get here? I mean... rewatching history on loop is exhausting." I sighed in just thinking about it, "In any case. It was what I promised. I want to keep my promises." I study the young mind, "You're so limited by you world view. I can see why it choose you." I could almost hear the crying soul myself... I recognize pain hiding better then anyone. He is somehow a more pained soul then me. I give a long blink and tilt back with the follower.
"I feel like there a lot of wrong here." He plays about nervously with some feathers. He was uncomfortable with the event here.
"There always has been. I haven't been honest since entering the Mage company. I am actually mage and that I choose to live without the exhaustion of casting magic. I am in the strange position of admitting that I am not actually a fully grown adult yet. Any of my id has my fake age to it. I am either a noble or a typical commoner among mages."
"Fine... I accept that. You are being honest with saying that. You are not human?" The bird asked.
"I am a lot of things. I am also a normal breathing human. No denial of hiding my other forms." I pose the letter I been handed to my skin, the enchantments of it attached on as a tattoo. I felt a tear fell from my eye as the sudden pain. It was a short lasting pain with low lingered after affect.
"So I don't have to attend class anymore?" The young prince asked himself. I sigh at the blissful idea, I don't think this child's soul belongs to this time thread. It had dawned on me with given my marks of influence.
"Follower of omens, it be wise to avoid you travel to the dream lands. There has been quite a revolution between factions of dream worlds. But if you seeking a title or a named myth, I see about locating them. A mid way contact point that suits yourself and them." I formally focus to the god follower. He frowns a lot but sees there was a no point digging in business around here.
"The request from one god to another. I was asked to investigate the goings on of shadows of the damned." The crow huffs in feather fluff. Stomps about along the followers shoulders with pacing.
"I would assume that you contact with the oath hunters has been severed in recent god time events. That of the shuffle of tomes has stirred many confused momentarily." the little eyes narrow. Meanwhile the child was shuffling about in his seat. He was muttering things to the title. I waited long for any sort of answer, "The damned have been same as always. They are as they do. Fate didn't change anything for them as a large group. The internal system of how they work depends on the realms they are in at the time. So... which realm of shadows are you concerned for?"
"Why would you know?" I pose with waiting for a better answer then another question, "If you must know, its the affairs of the royal mages I care for at the moment. There are some among whom are damned... that I wish to warn or prevent making mistakes." I nod in understanding.
"I have several in mind of whom you mean. I have no position among the servants to be a message bringer. I have other methods but those methods would be counter productive of your goals. I think you will just have to seek a higher servant of service. I mean some among the living. There are a few whom are trusted and hidden from sight. I am sure you will find them more useful of you know where to look. Your always off to a great start with being here among the MAC."
The follower tilts a while in thinking.
"Your wearing an illusion." He inspected every part of me, down to how I am seated and the way I lay out my desk for shorter arm reach. The linger is about my eyes the most, reading about them.
"I have to. I am protective of more then just myself." I sense a lot my soul speaking this line, "High stakes are never comfortable." He coos to himself in noting, a odd sound from a strange man. He takes out a small notebook from a pocket and made notes. The crow god peering over shoulder with cooing notes.
"He going to forget a lot when walking out the room." The child voice echos of a elder within. I nod in agreeing with him.
"But his notes to seek living servants will prevent him coming back to pester us so quickly." I voice and that everyone leaving the room. I stayed in the room yet to out the door again to allow folks to walk in.
"Sir, how did you know I was coming?" The child acts as he should have with being normal.
"Call it sixth sense." I joke, not closing the door and just going to my seat, "You were struggling with your work earlier today. I often note that those whom struggle come find me after lunch." the hidden agent spying on it all notes indifference, "How can I help you?"
Learning to write and read normal English passes no strange things. However I let things slip as I would cast wind magic to have things brought to my hands. Spare paper from the corner cabinets flutters as he would rewrite anything when his not looking.