Chapter 26

“So, why Advanced combat training?” Nate asked as the car trekked into the green hills of the upper-class sector of the city.

“I’ve read your file. You were just a normal high school kid before all this happened, right?” When Nate nodded, Citlali continued. “Therefore, you need to learn proper combat. As you are, there are several students at the Advanced training class that can wipe the floor with you. If you want to come with me to the NetherRealm, you need to learn how to defend yourself. You will continue your other classes - even magic. Though combat spells might not be beneficial to you, there are some utility spells that will come in handy…”

Nate and Citlali continued their conversation until the car arrived at the Prescott estate. When the car stopped in front of the large mansion, Nate didn’t get out right away. He still had a dozen more questions to ask Citlali, but he settled on one. “Why’d you choose me?”

Citlali paused for a moment as he contemplated how to answer.

“The mage council has failed to see you for who you really are.” Citlali began.

“And you think you know who I am?”

Instead of answering his question, Citlali asked Nate another question. “Tell me, when you landed in Black Watch Asylum and discovered your abilities, why didn’t you just leave?”

“I couldn’t leave… not after spending three days in the wilderness and hiding like a coward while I was hunted down by other humans.”

“So, you stayed and risked your life just for revenge?”

“You can say that.” Nate replied.

Citlali raised an eyebrow. “Then what about Mendell? He didn’t experiment on you, did he? Yet, you felt inclined to seek him out and end his life. Why?”

Nate didn’t want to delve into this again. Citlali saw the frustration on his face, and laid a hand on Nate’s shoulder. “I’ll tell you why. You identified with the prisoners and you became their protector in a way. You could’ve run away but you stayed behind and fought for them, even going as far as to spread the videos of all the horrible things that went on in that Asylum. You did your best, but when you discovered what Mendell was doing, you felt like you let those prisoners down.

And that is why I want you to be my apprentice. Because I believe once you see what lies in the NetherRealm, you’ll realize that you should be humanity’s protector. In you, I see a promising Inquisitor. So, stick with me and learn all that I have to teach, and you’ll be an Inquisitor before the year is out. You’ll find yourself in a position of power. No more council meetings where useless diplomats judge your every move. You can be free. How’s that sound?”

Nate smiled and nodded at the man. “Sounds good. I’m in.”

“Good, now you wait in here while I go speak with your family. I know you've only recently met them, and might not consider them your family, but they share your blood and your grandfather is the Grandmaster. Therefore, I have to discuss things with them before taking you on.”

Citlali left the car, leaving Nate alone to contemplate things. He was now the apprentice of an Inquisitor. Although, Citlali said they weren’t going to leave the Academy right away. First, he had to attend the Advanced combat class on top of his normal schedule. Citlali would also teach him how to weave mental energy when he was not on his Inquisitor duties. Overall, Nate was looking at a full schedule.

It’s for the best. He thought to himself. I’m sick of being used. I need to learn everything I can so that I can start making better decisions.

Nate realized he could begin his quest for knowledge at once. He closed his eyes and laid back on the seat cushion. Focusing on his senses, he began to pour out mental energy until his conscious was floating beside him like a ghost.

Using this ethereal form, Nate entered the house. He had to be careful when in this form. Although nobody could see him, they would feel something if he were to touch or walk through them. It was the same instinctual feeling one had when somebody was watching them.

When Nate entered the living room, he paused. Citlali was seated across from the Grandmaster and his wife. Nate didn’t think of her as his grandmother. He knew she didn’t like him because of who his mother was. And Nate wasn’t going to ingratiate himself to someone who didn’t want to be near him.

Nate slowly made his way towards them until he was close enough to hear their conversation. He wasn’t worried about Citlali. Even though the man could use mental energy, he would first have to cast the spell allowing him to trade mana for mental ability.

“I don’t like it.” The grandmaster’s wife said with a disapproving frown.

“What’s there not to like?” The grandmaster turned to his wife. “The boy will become an Inquisitor and raise our prestige! Don’t let your bitter resentment for his mother cloud your decisions, Edna.”

“Do you forget what drove her to Talos?!” Edna hissed. “She achieved Flow, she actually absorbed energy from the NetherRealm. She was lost to us from the minute you let her deviate from the path!”

“It was a different time then.” The Grandmaster shook his head. He wanted to tell her the truth but he could not. He'd sworn an oath just like every other mage who'd achieved Flow.

“Well,” Citlali interjected. “If it’s any consolation, I doubt Nate will achieve Flow.”

“What do you mean?” Edna asked.

“Well Flow is achieved when a mage becomes fully immersed in magic. Its only then they realize the truth; that all magical energy flows in from the NetherRealm. Mages on our plane only access the dregs of that energy. Only skilled magicians can pierce the vale and access energy directly from the NetherRealm.” Citlali explained.

“What’re you doing?!” The Grandmaster said to Citlali while gesturing to Edna. “You swore a blood oath to keep these secrets!”

The Grandmaster used to be an Inquisitor himself so he knew all these things. Inquisitors were not supposed to give out such information to the public. But Citlali was explaining what Flow was, clearly for Edna’s benefit.

“Times have changed." Citlali grinned. "Inquisitors now days are only requird to swear an oath of protection, but the oath of silence is optional.”

“I don’t understand,” Edna butted in. “We were taught Flow was deviating from the path, but you’re saying its harmless. Not only that, you claim skilled mages use Flow which means the mage council, the inquisitors, even my husband uses flow? If my daughter achieved flow, then why was she labeled a traitor? And why would she join Talos?”

Grandmaster Oakley looked conflicted. He was bound by an oath of silence forbidding him from sharing the secrets of the Flow. But this was Edna’s first time referring to Natalia as ‘my daughter’.

When Oakley didn’t answer, Citlali decided to answer Edna’s question for him. “Flow was banned in the eighteen-hundreds because there was a generation of mage youth that was unable to achieve Flow, so they contracted with angels and demons to achieve it. This goes directly against the laws created by Archmagi Evans.

The angels and demons were gaining a foothold in our human realm because of these contracts, and we had to do something to stamp out the trend, hence the mass executions and the persecution of Flow. We had to forbid mages, even the ones skilled enough to achieve Flow on their own, from accessing that energy. So, there was a ban on Flow. Anyone who was convicted of making contracts with any race from NetherRealm or tired to deviate from the path was executed.

It was around this time that Talos was founded. Talos, in the old tongue, means the ‘ultimate form of freedom’. Talos, the organization, believes we humans are being imprisoned by the Qiyamah and all the rules it contains. They seek to liberate us from it. They want to reconnect the two worlds into one.”

Edna paled at that. “That’s preposterous! Why would anyone want that?”

“Those who haven’t achieved Flow wouldn’t understand.” Citlali said. “The energy from the NetherRealm stirs a deep sense of longing within us. It fills every void within our hearts and makes us feel complete. Take the feeling you experience after absorbing world energy, and magnify it hundred folds.”

Edna gasped. Nate’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He’s absorbed world energy through the diagram before, and it always left him wanting more. It was the most intense, addictive, pleasurable feeling one could ever experience. It always left him feeling blissful.

“In some ways,” Citlali continued. “Talos is not completely wrong. They believe humans are being denied their true selves because they’re separated from the NetherRealm. They seek to reunify the two worlds into one by destroying Qiyamah. But it is our job as Inquisitors to ensuring the safety of Qiyamah.”

“Why?” Edna was confused. “If what you say is true, why ensure its safety?”

“That’s enough.” Grandmaster Oakley was growing uncomfortable with where this conversation was heading. “Make no mistake, Edna. Talos is a terrorist organization, they’ve killed dozens in their misguided pursuit to destroy Qiyamah. They’re not liberators.”

Citlali answered Edna’s question, ignoring Oakley’s caveat. “Archmagi Evans has hinted it was to keep us safe from other races. But after his death, rumors began circulating saying he gathered all the humans, even the tainted leeches and mutts, and created a separate world where humans could thrive without the subjugation of the other races. Others suggest it was done in order to hide an ancient Godly spirit that Archmagi Evans stole from the rest of the world. There are hundreds of theories as to why, but the truth is we do not know.”

Edna glanced at her husband then looked at Citlali who was patient and determined to answer all of Edna's questions. Oakley just shook his head in defeat. He supposed he should be grateful. Now, Edna could finally let go of some of that resentment once she learns the whole truth.

Nate knew some of the details behind Flow and how the mages of Albacore city referred to it as ‘deviating from the path’. But he never got the chance to finish his mother’s journal so there were missing pieces, and hearing what Citlali just said helped fill in some of those missing pieces.

Nate's birth mother, Natalia, mentioned a battle between her teacher, who was the Grandmaster at the time, and the Inquisitors. Her father, who was just Inquisitor Oakley, lead the charge against the Grandmaster who was accused of undermining the efforts of the Inquisitors and their duty to perserve Qiyamah.

The battle between the Inquisitors and the Grandmaster raged on for hours, and when the dust settled, several Inquisitors were dead and the Grandmaster was gravely injured, barely escaping with his life. The remaining Inquisitors promoted Oakley to Grandmaster and claimed the previous Grandmaster had betrayed them all.

Ever since then, Grandmaster Oakley became more controlling towards Natalia. He even tried marrying her off to Kiru Sangsanoy and forbade her from the Flow, fearing she might join up with the escaped Grandmaster who had yet to be found. He didn't trust her, and feared she was slipping away from his influence. So, she decided to run away and study magic in the NetherRealm. Now, she was a member of Talos and is hell bent on destroying Qiyamah.

But that doesn't explain the stance the mage council has towards the angels today. If Flow was banned to prevent angels and demons from gaining a foot hold, then why does the Mage council stand idly by while Mendell and his ilk collaborate with angels? Nate wondered to himself.

“You don’t think Nate is capable of achieving Flow?” Oakley said, hoping to change the direction of this conversation.

“Nate’s magical aptitude is negligible. He’ll never be able to understand the complexities behind the law of the elements and achieve Flow.” Citlali said frankly. “But I believe he can become an inquisitor using his spiritual and mental abilities. He can probably take down a three-star beast with his current abilities but once he learns how to weave properly and how to manage his usage of spirit energy, then I believe he’d make a great Inquisitor.”