The place was wrecked. The ground has craters here and there. Collapsed houses and buildings. There was snow everywhere. Frozen dead bodies were scattered all around the area.
"How do we clean this place?" Farik asked me.
"Do we need to?" I said while sitting on the ground.
"Let the people here clean this up. We are not the one who cause this. The person who cause this is already dead. My job is just to stop him." I said while drinking some warm water.
"So you are not doing it?"
"If someone commission me then yes. But charity? No. My agency is not a charity organization. We are odd jobbers agency."
"Okay then. I am staying here to clean up the corpses. What are you going to do?"
"I'm going home back to my bedroom. I need to prepare the rest of the payment for Evelyn. She asked for half a stack of coldwoods and shaved ice machine. I want warm bath and some sleep."
"Want me to teleport you back?"
"Yes please. I really don't want to walk there."
Farik snap his fingers and darkness engulf me. When I realize, I was already back in my bedroom at the agency.
"Using two Artifact at once really took a toll on me."
I took out my communicator. I messaged Alex to prepare warm bath water for me when I woke up from my sleep later.
*Yawn* I slumped on the warm and fluffy bed. I was instantly blacked out.
I was in a white space. Everywhere I looked around there was only white. Where am I? Is this a dream? Am I inside a dream right now?
"Yes this is a dream and inside your mind space."
I looked behind from where the voice came from and I saw a shadow figure of me.
"What are you? Who are you? Wait this voice."
"I am the voice in your head asking to take my hand"
"It is you. Who and what are you?"
"Me? I'm your inner demon."
"Inner demon? But I'm just an ordinary guy. A normal person."
"Are you sure about that? Are you really sure that you're a normal human? Someone who can minutely control his Vestia. There is no ordinary human can do that not even any Alchemist or Artifact users."
"But I'm not Alchemist or Artifact users. I'm not chosen by any Artifact or talented enough to become Alchemist. What do you mean by that? Any person who has Vestia can increase their control by practicing everyday."
"No Faust. You don't understand. Your proficiency is 100%. You can control your Vestia like you're breathing."
"Then what that has to do with me having an inner demon?"
"I can't tell you yet. I pull you here because I'm gonna tell you one thing. Faust you're the sign. The sign that the peace will be broken. When the time comes and it will surely come, you have to make a choice. Your choice will decide the fate of.....the-.... and..."
"What? What are you saying?"
The shadow figure slowly disappeared. My vision became blurry and it darkened.
- - - - - - - - -
When I opened my eyes, I saw a familiar ceiling. I was laying on my bed in my room. I just have a weird dream. A dream about meeting my inner demon. I don't know if it is just a dream or not. But it feels surreal.
I have to do more research about this. Records of demon sighting and contacts. I need to read more on those. I got up of my bed.
"Alex. Are you there?"
"Yes sir. The bath are being prepared."
"Alright, I will wait. While I'm waiting can you bring me the records of demon sighting and contacts with them."
"Yes sir"
I sat on my chair. I pour a glass of water. My throat felt really parched. I gulped down the whole glass.
"Haaa. That feels refreshing. How many hours did I slept" I looked at my watch.
"8 hours? That is quite long. My body is aching all over."
*Knock knock*
"Come in"
Alex came into the room with a stack of books, files and documents. He put it on the table in front of me.
"Here are the things you asked for sir."
"Can you do me one more favor?"
"Anything sir."
"How many coldwood we have in our inventory right now?"
"Not much. Last I check, there were only 10 pieces."
"Can you asked some of the big kids to procure more?"
"How much more?"
"Hmmm. 30 more. Is it doable?"
"I'll try what I can. I'll assemble a team."
"Thank you. And when you done send 25 coldwoods and the extra shaved ice machine we have to Evelyn. These are her payment for helping me completing a job."
"It will be done"
Alex walked out of the room.
*Sigh* I'm tired. Looking at the stack of books and files on the table made my head spins. But I need to know. I want to know what did it mean when it said that I am the sign. I want to know what it mean by sign. A sign of a new era? A new age? A new something? A new creature? I'm curious. What actually am I?