Kanito recovered totally after two hours of medical attention. Aerian's face lit up with a mischievous grin, "My place is just a short walk from here."
Kanito's eyes flickered with hesitation before he returned a tentative smile, "Let's go then."
'I hope I am making the right decision.'
Kanito got off from his bed and Aerian left the room and led the way. Both of them walked past the reception and exited the hospital and stepped outside. Warm, orange sunlight and gentle breeze enveloped them.
With a slow turn, Kanito's vision rose to meet the Colossuem's towering presence, the colossal proportions of the majestic monument stretched towards the sky.
'It looks very similar to the Roman Colossuem, except that it's sides are intact. I haven't seen the original Colossuem in person but I don't think that one is this tall. But oh boy, this one looks like a skyscraper !'
He saw that the Colossuem and the hospital stood as distinct landmarks but were seperated by a serene avenue. The Colossuem dwarfed calm green trees which made this road a relatively cooler place and an ideal place to take a walk and breathe.
"The Colossuem is massive, you really can't judge it's height from it's interiors." Kanito assumed a wondered face, with the aim of initiating a conversation.
"I know, ancient architecture was far more advanced than the modern one. This Colosseum was originally built by Emperor Ramitz Einzon as a tribute to the soldiers who perished in the Tetro Holy War. Later in 1200 Helm, Emperor Ezahir II destroyed the Colossuem. It was rebuilt under the rein of Ezahir IV." Aerian walked with his hands tucked inside the pockets of his long black tunic.
Aerian stopped in his path suddenly and gazed back at the towering monument, he said in a slow voice, "I find it striking that a venue like this Colossuem, where brutal battles take place is adjacent to a tranquil avenue, what a discordant pair !"
Both of them ambled to a distance, Aerian then said in a twisted, unsettling voice, "Do you know about the rumour surrounding the Colossuem?"
"What?" Kanito asked softly.
"It is said that the ghost of Emperor Ramitz Einzon haunts the Colossuem till this day. The reason why the tenth floor of the Colossuem stays untouched is because people are afraid of facing his malicious, vengeful spirit." Aerian replied in a cold tone.
Kanito led out a laugh, "Those are just stories used to scare children."
Aerian smiled slowly and his gaze softened, "I hope they are stories too. Anyways, we reached the end of the road."
Kanito gazed out at the main street. This place was no less busy than any mordern metropolitan city, teeming with activity. It looked richer and way more elegant than Bakerheim. There were tall buildings on either sides of the road. People wore dark coloured robes and seemed more sophisticated.
'It's crazy how everyone here looks like a noble. It's a pretty posh neighbourhood apparently.'
"How long will it take to reach your house?" Kanito inquired politely.
"A minute." Aerian answered.
Exactly after a minute, Aerian stopped infront of a large building, it was his house. "Come in."
Both of them entered the building, it was dark inside and was less fancy than it appeared from the outside. There was a staircase leading to the second floor and a room adjoining the staircase.
Kanito saw a middle-aged gentleman sitting far away at a desk infront of a window. This was Aerian's father, Cornheil Hoffman, the biggest shareholder of the guild Golden Souls.
"Dad, I brought a friend home." Aerian smiled from the corners of his lips and he went forward towards his father, he turned and signaled Kanito to come along with him.
'He doesn't even know me and I am his friend? It would've been so amazing if I met such people back when I was in Earth.'
Kanito hesitated and slowly moved towards them, he reluctantly flashed a smile and looked at Aerian's father, "H.. Hello sir," he stammered.
Aerian's father let go of the documents arranged discreetly on his desk and looked at Kanito through his steel-rimmed spectacles, he had black fluffy hair and green eyes, he was wearing a black leather robe, "Good evening, young man, my name is Cornheil Hoffman."
Aerian pulled a chair from in front of the desk and sat down motioning for Kanito to join him.
"Have a seat," said Aerian. Kanito sat on a chair beside him with his eyes darting between the father and son as he waited to see how the encounter would unfold.
Cornheil with a displeased look stared at his son, "Huh, you weren't able to defeat Maxim after all."
Aerian responded in a tone of defiance, "Only if I used your connections."
Cornheil face-palmed himself and with a sigh, he said, "This is not what I taught you, Aerian. You're embarrassing me infront of your friend."
When the topic showed slight emphasis on Aerian's "friend", Kanito became alarmed and randomly looked at their faces.
"Anyways, you have something to say?" Cornheil again gazed down at his desk and rummaged through the documents and picked a manuscript.
"Well my friend over here, his name is Kanito Aramishi. He is a non-mythologer and he is interested in mythology and I am thinking of getting him baptized so that he can start off."
Cornheil stayed silent for a moment as he read that manuscript in his hand. After a while, he nodded and signatured his name on the top of the paper, "That's great, take him to a Baptism Lake then."
Aerian crossed his arms and leaned back at his chair, partly closing his eyes, he said calmly, "But that is the problem, I don't know which lake will be the best suited for him. Since, getting baptized in a lake that doesn't match his lock patterns may leave harmful consequences."
Cornheil then seemed interested in it and paid more attention to this situation, "Well, that's right. Different people have different types of Zeroth Locks. Taking Baptism in a compatible lake is crucial, or else the Blaze Waters of the incompatible lake may harm the body and soul instead of breaking the Zeroth Lock. Kanito, are you from this country? If so, then you can get baptized in any lake you want."
Kanito struggled to keep a track of everything Cornheil said in his raspy voice, he only understood that choosing a lake for this thing which they refer to as "Baptism" is an important step.
'Did Aerian say that it will have harmful consequences? What is the extent of that harm? Whatever it may be, life is the limit, even if I die in the process, it won't matter much because I don't want to live a life of a refugee, a life of cowardice. Should I reveal that I am from a country named Ashfelt? From a city called Bakerheim? Even if this is a foreign country, I don't think they will hate me for just being a foreigner'
"By the way, Kanito, where are you from? I never got the opportunity to ask you." Aerian asked, shifting his eyes towards him.
Cornheil also looked at Kanito with curiosity as his son asked the question.
"Ehh... I am from Ashfelt, have you heard about that country?"
Cornheil's expression transformed rapidly, his curiosity giving away to astonishment and his confidence yielding to reverence. The room fell silent, with Aerian's eyes also fixed on Kanito with surprise.
"Are you being satire?" Cornheil asked.
"It's okay if you hate us, but I am not like the other people of my country." Kanito replied inorder to avoid any potential hostility that may transpire.
Cornheil got up from his chair and he moved back a few steps and he unexpectedly bowed down as low as he can, "It is an honour to have someone from the Human-Beast World step onto our world. O, inhabitant of our origin world, what can I do to please you?"
'What does he mean by "our world" and "origin world"? Is this place a totally different world?'
Kanito was left shell-shocked by Cornheil's actions, "Oh sir, you're much older than me, please don't bow." Kanito said as he felt slightly ashamed.
Cornheil raised his head and showed a joyful smile, "Please, you have no need to show us humility. As expected from the people of the Human-Beast World. They all are well-behaved, sophisticated and noble."
Aerian looked at Kanito with perplexity, "Ashfelt... that is an archipelago between the Northern and the Southern continent right?"
"Yes." Kanito remembered that people often referred to Ashfelt as an archipelago country.
"Okay, can we come back to the topic of his Baptism?" Aerian rolled his eyes in jealousy when he saw his father react in such manner.
"Ah, yes, certainly." Cornheil sat back on his revolving chair as his euphoria slowly cooled.
"Since, he is from the Human-Beast World, I think Baptism in St. Promius' Lake would be a good idea, don't you think? That lake is in the name of that all-accepting Akhmis." Aerian turned his chair by slight degrees towards Kanito and said with a casual face.
Cornheil looked disappointed in his son again, he face-palmed himself, "Aerian, how many times do I have to tell you? Do not take the Lord's name in vain. Say Dazzling God of Sun, Akhmis."
"Yeah whatever." Aerian smirked playfully and turned his chair back to it's position.
"Aerian, he is disrespectful but right. Lord Akhmis holds the Gospel of Sun and just like the Sun which provides light to all of it's planets, he loves every creation equally, no matter where you are from, a Baptism in his lake is normally considered safe." Cornheil said.
Kanito became familiar with these terms after hearing them for quite a long time, he mustered up some courage and said, "So if I have to break my Zeroth Lock, a Baptism in St. Promius' Lake will be a safe choice right?"
"Yes, that's right, and since you are from Human-Beast World, the chances of it being a safe Baptism increases."
Kanito was about to ask "How so?" but he controlled himself as he thought he has to act natural.
"So.. shall I arrange for a Light Baptist?" Cornheil asked.
"You will? That would be great then." Aerian's placid expressions lit up from his father's words.
Kanito not knowing what else he should say, abruptly remarked, "Thank You."
Cornheil got off from his desk and went towards the door, he left the house inorder to arrange for a Light Baptist.
"You know that I know nothing about mythology right? What will happen if I undergo this Baptism?" Kanito eagerly inquired.
"Baptism is basically done as a prerequisite to practicing mythology. Immersing your body in a Baptism Lake will break the Zeroth Lock from your Core. After that, you will be able to attract an Enchanted Candle of any Domain from the Candle World. That candle will be accompanied by a Specter who will give you tasks. Upon the completion of each task, the respective spiritual lock of a certain Tier will break which will grant you extraordinary powers available in that Domain."
Kanito grasped the concepts to an extent and asked, "So what Domain do you practice, what Tier are you on?"
Aerian crossed his arms again and flashed a proud smile, "Archangel of Trident." he said in a loud tone.
As he said that, a white dazzling light emerged from Aerian's pocket, that light took the shape of a short man wearing a brown armour and a black horned-helmet, a black cloak waved behind him.
"Why are you out again?" Aerian looked at the figure and said irritably with a displeased face.
The levitating man held his waist and sighed, "You are lying again, you Acolyte-tier buffoon !"
A similar scene crossed Kanito's mind. He saw this same supernatural phenomena take place back in that hospital, "Aerian, who is this... entity?"
Aerian's gaze lingered on the being for a moment before he turned to Kanito, "He is the Specter of Trident Domain and my perpetual fact checker, Ryun."
"I swear Aerian, I have guided thousands of Trident mythologers in my lifetime, but never seen someone as reckless as you. Bring it on, I'll be more than pleased to fact-check you." Ryun's voice became more natural as he spoke. The ethereal essence it held back in the hospital was absent.
"Also, call me when you get ready to ascend to a Monk. I hope you remember the task."
Aerian raised an eyebrow and gave a skeptical glance to Ryun, "Yeah, I remember : 'Forge Apex Reaper', as if I could ever forget the absurdity of the task," he drawled and leaned forward in his chair, steepling his fingers, "But I am having dreams about that sword, Ryun. Dreams where I am standing at the edge of a cliff, the wind whipping my hair into a frezy as I aim the Apex Reaper towards the Sea Dragon. It's a siren's call – a challenge I can't resist."
Kanito attentively heard the conversation between Aerian and Ryun. As he saw Cornheil standing at the door with a carriage beside him, he interrupted, "Aerian.. Mr. Hoffman is calling us."
Ryun again turned into a silvery light and went inside Aerian's pocket. Aerian put his hand inside his pocket and pulled out the tapering, slender, white candle.
"You're so annoying." Aerian said with a wry smile as he polished the candle with his cuffs.
"Looks like dad arranged for your Baptism, let's go." Aerian scurried towards the door and signaled Kanito with a swing of his hand.
'Hhh.. too much to know and comprehend and I hate to memorize.'
Kanito trailed behind Aerian as they stepped outside the house.