Noelle looked at the banner saying 'Fortune Telling' in the distance. The building was dressed in murals and looked extremely catchy. She got out of the carriage and walked towards it.
This was the shop of a fortune teller whose fame was slowly on the rise. Walking up the stairs, she thought that no educated person who climb to the second floor. But here she was, doing the stunt in broad daylight.
The old coachman at the side couldn't watch it anymore and closed his eyes. A pain emerged from deep within his heart. He had heard his master, Heliio Lynn's concerns and had a vague idea of the matter.
Noelle stepped into the dimly lit room. Vaguely, a person could be seen sitting behind the only source of light. She clenched her hands together before taking another step.
"Please, sit her."
A mysterious voice was heard. Beside the crystal ball two hands popped up and showed the direction. Noelle thought it was ghastly but she was glad on receiving the instructions. After sitting, her vision was fixed on the crystal ball. In anticipation she waited for what might happen next.
Her eyes followed the fortune teller getting up and moving closer. Despite the figure moving, no noise was made. It was if the person was floating towards her. She tired to see the person's legs but they were hiding behind the sofa.
The face of the fortune teller was covered with hair reaching below his eyes. This made Noelle wary and she gripped her fist. But the fortune teller only kept something on the small table in front of her.
Noelle watched the fortune teller moving moving away. Only when the fortune teller was seated did she look down. To her surprise, it was a piece of paper and pen.
"Write your question and hold out the paper for me," the mysterious voice from behind the table sounded again.
Noelle picked up the pen with trembling hands. What just happened was unbelievable. She doubted fortune telling was real but now was feverishly wishing it to work. Moreover, this fortune teller was also know to tell rituals that would solve problems.
'When will I become a Level 2 Sentinel.'
After quickly penning down the question, Noelle held it out of the fortune teller to see. Despite her quick actions, the words were well spaced and neatly written. She waited with her legs glued to each other.
Slowly the light on the crystal ball brightened. It alternated between different colors lighting up Noelle's face. Anticipation mixed with hope in her eyes shined with green.
"You have brought the problem onto yourself. Reaching the second sequence of Level 2 is only a temporary solution. I know and you are also aware of it."
The fortune teller waited for Noelle to digest the words. Complete silence surrounded the room. But before she could write anything, he spoke again.
"It will solve naturally if you accompany this person to the Lightdeir in East Koyoko?"
What was the fortune teller saying now? Is it a ritual that I will have to perform? It needs the sacrifice of a particular person? Lots of thoughts popped up in Noelle's head. At the end, she simply chose to nod her head.
The fortune teller gave her instructions, a time and a date. She excitedly listened, even penned some of the details and happily left the shop. The thing that had been bugging her would not be solved.
Noelle was rejoicing in her carriage when the thought about Lightdeir crossed her mind. But why that place? She pondered about it for long but there didn't seem to have any connection with her problem.
…
Trace looked around? The address seems to be right, he thought. Today, his master gave him an errand to travel to Lightdeir and meet someone. It took a walk of about 2 hours to get here.
The street constantly saw carriages moving about. The side walks were full with shops and the place was bustling with people. This was the busiest place Trace had seen in his life. He felt an invisible pressure surrounding him.
Trace was looking down at his feet when someone walked up to him. It was a girl with long legs, white and red upper, pink bangs and two long ponytails at the side. Trace looked at the girl waiting for her to say something but when she only stared at him, he spoke.
"I am Trace, are you Noelle?"
The girl nodded and both of them almost instantly started walking in the same direction. Noelle kept trying to take a peek at Trace's hands. For an instant she had seen blood red, now she was trying to determine the number of rings.
When Trace saw her acting weirdly, he put forward his hand. A person walked from the space between the two of them. So he put down his hand and moved a bit closer to Noelle and put forward his hand again.
The girl looked back and forth between Trace's face and the rings. Two blood rings on the hand of a young boy! This is what she wanted and here was this person living the dream. He could only have been summoned by the great fortune teller, she thought.
But some doubts still lingered. Gladly, she knew exactly where to go next. Taking a detour won't hurt, she thought and walked a step forward from Trace. Everything Trace would catch up, she would take a big step forward.
Trace only looked at Noelle's feet. The short skirt and small shoes made her legs look long. He couldn't tell if she was intentional leaving him behind so he tired to catch up every time. But soon gave up and quietly followed.
When Trace looked up, the surroundings felt unfamiliar. The invisible pressure surrounded again. Looking back, he could only see a sea of people. At this point he didn't know where to go anymore. Thus, he searched for the figure of Noelle and follower her more attentively.
Noelle stopped in front of a shop, after confirming Trace was still behind she walked inside. The shop was filled with colorful big boxes, table, dartboard on the wall and other gaming sets. Children of all ages could be seen, even some adults were present. Shop was a one big hall extending to the distance.
Trace followed Noelle into deeper part of the shop. In the direction only teenagers and adults could be seen. At the end, a few boys were standing around a machine that had its head extending more than six feet above the ground. There was various numbers written on the long cubical neck.
From zero at the bottom to hundred at the top. It seemed like a measuring machine of some sort. The boys around were discussing something. An adult walked up to the machine and put his hand on the spot around flashy lights.
Slowly, a light lit up from the bottom of the machine and extended above the number 60. But stopped below 70. The boys excitedly praised the man who was wearing a uniform. He seemed to be an employee showing the boys that the machine was not fake. The man then sat on a chair placed at the side of the machine.
Trace saw Noelle point towards that machine. After giving her a look, he walked in the direction and she followed. The boy were now ready to leave, this was not something they could play with. Suddenly, a loud voice of a girl attracted the attention of Trace and Noelle.
"Look! Noelle is here with his girlfriend."