Chapter 13 - The Underground Bazaar part 2

Jodye felt like he was on the most advanced roller coaster of all time, as Ke Si zoomed through the darkness with him in tow. Suddenly, Ke Si came to an abrupt stop 15 minutes later. Merely, this half a 15 minutes felt like an eternity to Jodye. Ke Si walked out of Lord Osiris' shadow with Jodye at his sleeve. Jodye Trill reflexively cast out his spiritual sense to probe the surrounding area. Jodye was shocked to discover that his spiritual sense's range had doubled at some point! He could see a maximum of twenty meters around himself.

'So this is the might of the Spirit Source.'

Jodye Trill was currently in what first appeared to be a cave but now seemed like it was more of an underground city. There were hundreds, maybe thousands upon thousands of people bustling about and various stalls rendering services. There were multiple caves with magnificent doorways and decorations made of magic gemstones.

In Jodye's immediate vicinity he was surrounded by ten adults and two children. The adults were the two older men that Jodye didn't recognize but looked like totally normal men in their late forties. They were both looking at Jodye with bright eyes that seemed pleasantly surprised, and had been doing so since the moment he released his perception. There were also the elders of the Five Element Wolf Pack, Lord Osiris, Lady Isis, and Ke Si.

The two youths were a tall, beautiful child and a short, excessively plain dressed and dull-looking child. The tall child had dark skin with flowing inky black hair, about the same height as Jodye Trill, wearing all black tights and dark leather armor, like a ninja.

'What a good looking kid!' thought Jodye secretly.

The tall and beautiful child had deep eyes that looked like a bottomless abyss, and long wavy hair running down his back in a ponytail. The ninja boy looked just as shocked to see Jodye as Jodye himself felt at being here.

However, the dull-looking child was just there. He lacked presence and seemed to almost blend in with the surroundings. He had a dumb look on his face as he stared at nothing with his mouth slightly agape. His left eye was not looking in the same direction as his right. His presence was so lacking that Jodye kept forgetting he was there until he noticed him again, and this was truly strange.

However, if Jodye Trill was forced, to be honest, this kid was a tragedy.

The contrast between these two was a bit much, no?

The crowd was initially shocked to see Ke Si appear out of nowhere with Jodye in tow, however, it turned into bewilderment as the temperature around them rapidly plummeted. Even a few people in the surroundings had their attention drawn over when they felt that chilling cold.

Lady Isis allowed her aura to blow Ke Si out of the way as she appeared directly in front of Jodye Trill's face like a ghost, cupping his face in her hands. As her voice was shaking in pure rage and trepidation. "Little Joe, are you okay? Who did this to you? Tell me this instant! No, no, does it hurt babe? What happened to your eye, are you okay?"

Jodye Trill felt his heart warm up as he watched his mother turn frantic over him. He found himself a little amused as he watched this adorable woman, who was unable to decide whether to be fierce or soft at this moment. Jodye could only imagine how would he suffer once she learns that he had done this to himself. Regardless, his mother's reaction was lovable to him. 'Having a mother is truly nice, ah...'

"I'm fine ma," said Jodye Trill, with a little difficulty, as his face was still in his mother's palm.

"You're fine? Then, is this eye patch for fun? Do you enjoy scaring your mother this much? You are clearly not fine, so speak the truth to me now! Tell me what has happened!" commanded Lady Isis as she removed the eye patch from her son and released a small yelp when she saw his swollen, listless, right eye, which seemed devoid of light.

Jodye had only seen his mother like this once or twice, and he knew that now was definitely not the time to test her. With no other choice, he obediently told her that same lie he had spoon-fed Ke Si. Everyone's face revealed shock as Ke Si filled in the holes in Jodye Trill's story without being asked.

"Nirvana flame," said one of the old men in the back. Jodye felt that this man looked excessively familiar, though he didn't recall having met him. He couldn't help but take note that even though this old man looked like the most regular grandpa, with no energy fluctuation, when this man spoke his voice sounded like it was right next to your ear.

All the adults in the group turned very respectful when this man spoke. Except for Jodye's mother, who was still kneeling in front of him holding his hands and her own together, as if in prayer, while she muttered a spell under her breath in the ancient language that the runic masters study. Unlike the incantations of most Sage's, Jodye could even understand his mother's spell slightly! He grew excited as he finally figured out why she was called the Frozen Night Master.

His mother Isis Trilleck was a Radiant Master! A runic master who specializes in the healing power of the fate laws, also known as Holy Light Force. That explained the noble "Master" in her title. As for the "Frozen Night," he had seen examples of where this part of her name could've come from.

A ball of light slowly manifested in front of Lady Isis, before floating into Jodye's eye. He felt a current of warm and cool energy sooth his tensed and swollen eye nerves, giving him a fantastic sensation that couldn't be efficiently or very appropriately described. After blinking his now watery eye a few times, he found that his vision had recovered entirely! In fact, it had significantly improved.

"Wow! Mother, can you teach me how to do that? You still haven't taught me how to deep freeze people like you did to uhmph..." Lady Isis swiftly covered the calamity that her son almost inadvertently brought upon her from his overly talkative muzzle.

"Less of that, my little heartbeat. Mother will naturally teach you all she has learned, okay?" This was probably the first time lady Isis had completely promised to teach Jodye magic, making the little boys sapphire eyes light up like starlight. She sighed in her heart, as this was the price of preventing him from mentioning that matter with Ke Si in front of this old wolf. Jodye simply nodded his head at his mother's words, and she released his mouth.

"Mother, where are we? Is Ke Si a taxi?" asked Jodye Trill innocently, and Ke Si almost fell over.

"We are…I'm sorry, is he a what now?" Isis Trilleck simply didn't know how to deal with this son of hers sometimes. He was far too informed, to the extent that she barely knew what he was even talking about at times. Merely, how could she imagine the depths of Jodye's inside jokes? "Taxi... You mean like you always call Synergy? Does this mean a pet or a ride? Joseph, it's rude to call your friends a taxi. He's far more useful than being a mere ferry. Although he is admittedly very good at that as well."

"Haha, a ferry, that's a good word too, Ma. Ke Si is a ferry!" smiled Jodye brightly, melting Isis' cold heart in an instant. Ke Si's forehead was completely full of black lines as he faded into a shadow. Two hands suddenly appeared from Joseph's shadow and begin to tickle him torturously, "Bwahahaha, no, no stop! I'm the young lord, whahaha, you can't, hahaha, no stop…Ke Si, you foul beast, hahaha!"

It was at this time Lord Osiris cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention, as he motioned towards the elder to his left and spoke directly to his son "Joseph, this should be your first time meeting him right? Come say hello to your grandfather, Abercorn Trilleck."

To the crowd's shock, after hearing "grandfather," Jodye Trill, who had his eyes clothes while enduring Ke Si's devious attack, remained oblivious to the subtle motioning of his father and immediately looked towards the elder who had recognized the nirvana flames. This was the man he initially found to be familiar somehow. As soon as he heard the word "grandfather," Jodye immediately realized why he looked so familiar. Upon closer observation, the faces of this man and himself were about 60% similar, his father's face is even closer in resemblance at 85%.

This man was at least seven feet tall, had broad shoulders, and a majestic bearing as he met the gaze of the young boy. He smiled at Jodye with the appearance of a robustly healthy 50-year-old man. He had jet black wavy, braided dreadlocks in a ponytail halfway down his back. He wore stylish black clothes that left the torso bare, and a necklace near identical to the one Jodye was currently wearing. There was also an overbearingly vicious looking wolf head medallion on the shoulder of his clothes.

Jodye Trill took three significant steps forward and bowed deeply, "Joseph greets grandfather!"

Silence.

Everyone on the scene seemed to be dumbfounded at the turn of events, expressions of mild apprehension on some of their faces, and amusement on the faces of the dull child and Jodye's mother. His father was rendered completely speechless. This son of his was simply an enigma. The elder Jodye spoke to had a brilliant smile on his face as he laughed loudly with a heroic fervor, his laugh sounding entirely similar to Osiris Trilleck.

"Good, good. Good child!" The elder said three good's in a row as he nodded his head continually. The elder next to him who looked slightly younger, but less imposing, had blazing red hair and was of a striking resemblance to elder Mercer. This elder rubbed his nose embarrassedly and coughed a few times to draw Jodye Trill's attention.

"No bother at all, sweet grandchild, no bother. I am Abercorn Trilleck. I have long heard of my outstanding grandchild. The rumors indeed do you no justice," said Abercorn Trilleck, displaying his best respected elder demeanor.

"Eh?" Jodye Trill was baffled. If this red-haired old coot was his grandfather, then he was Tutankhamen. Jodye would never believe he was related to this man by blood, he didn't even smell familiar. Besides, if that was the case, then who on earth was the other guy who had such a pleasant scent? His ancestor? Jodye refused to believe he was more related to Abercorn Trilleck than the man in front of him. His disbelief was more than apparent on his face, as he looked at Abercorn Trilleck as if watching a fool tell a corny joke.

Of course, it was at this moment Jodye remembered that his father was adopted.

This caused Abercorn to cough dryly, as the elders of the Five Element Wolf Pack all begin to frown. This kid just had to choose now to show up, sullying the ideal meeting that he had all planned out. How was Abercorn Trilleck to present a majestic image for this grandson of his now?

"Young master, please be more respectful to the Grand Elder," said Elder Fontaine, feeling sorry for his uncle. Abercorn Trilleck was his father's twin brother, and like half a father to himself.

"Indeed, little Joe, mind your manners," said Charlotte Slaughter, worried that Jodye would face the scorn of Grand Elder Abercorn if he didn't straighten up.

Jodye Trill instinctively looked towards his mother, hoping she would voluntarily explain. This caused lady Isis to smile wryly and look away towards Ke Si, who then frowned looked towards Lord Osiris, who at this point was already having a severe headache. Why did this third child of his always have to stir the pot as soon as he arrived? In fact, why had he even came in the first place? They were nearly at the border to the central ward! No one expected to see this child here.

"Do not try to confuse the child. He is far too wise," the elder wearing the brave fang necklace used his voice to ease the tense atmosphere, "I can be considered your ancestor, little Joseph. You may call me Grandpa Geb."

The adults present all looked at Grandpa Geb in shock. Lady Isis frowned a little.

"Grandpa Geb!" Jodye Trill immediately acknowledged, and bowed again, showing true respect from the bottom on his heart.

Even though he was still new to this world, there was one thing he could be sure about. This ordinary-yet-extraordinary-seeming Grandpa Geb gave him the most terrifying feeling he had felt since coming to this world. This man was strong! Truly Strong. To the point that Jodye could sense that Sylvester and Xavier, who would typically roam his host space freely to maintain a psychic link with him, had immediately retreated into the grimoire when Jodye first laid eyes on this man!

'My ancestor huh? This man is unfathomable. Who is he really...?'

Grandpa Geb erupted in laughter once more when he saw Jodye Trill's heartfelt actions and skeptical eyes. He had just fallen in love with this young pup, "Excellent, excellent! My heaven favored descendant, I have a gift for you. Come."

Grandpa Geb turned and vanished abruptly, Jodye disappearing with him. This left the House Trilleck crowd absolutely speechless.

"Grandpa Geb? He really let him call him...grandpa Geb!" Abercorn Trilleck was in awe as he sighed deeply, "It seems this young sky wolf pup is destined to soar in a sky much higher than our small dynasty's."

"It would be great if that were true," Lady Isis' voice was like frost and carried a charm that could slow down your heart, as she sashayed her perfect body past the crowd in the direction of a particular cave surface. "However, let us not forget, that he is MY son. It will not be so simple as you think."

"My Lord?" At this time, Abercorn Trilleck actually looked towards House Lord Osiris Trilleck for direction.

"Let us head back to the hotel then," Lord Osiris had a distant look in his eyes, and no one knew what he was thinking as the group departed, following behind the lady Isis.

Meanwhile, Jodye Trill was witnessing a magical sight. He had been standing in the middle of some kind of underground bazaar one moment when suddenly he was in a grand chamber of the most magnificent palace, that had an outrageously abundant amount of the primary heaven and earth energies. This place had all sorts of different magic tools, and inscription formations performing various functions, making this place look like a tower of magic. Today had so many twists and turns, but Jodye was definitely excited.

"Welcome, Joseph Goldwolf. These are my temporary quarters. It's a bit low budget, but what can you expect in the lower wards, after all." Grandpa Geb looked genuinely bored with the environment as he shattered Jodye Trill's previous concept of fortune and wealth. What was rich? This guy was rich! Jodye was a bit surprised by how his grandfather addressed him as Goldwolf, but the old man apparently had no intent to dwell on the topic.

"Summon your artifact."

Jodye Trill hesitated for half a second before sending a thought.

'Cosmo.'

A purple light shined at Jodye's glabella, and a massive ancient-looking tome, covered in black and violet law runes in the shape of hieroglyphics materialized in front of Jodye. In the center of the front cover, there was a purple-gold flood dragon swallowing its own tail. This was the heavenly grimoire, the Cosmos Revolving Grimoire!

"Oh?" Grandpa Geb rubbed his beard in interest when he saw the draconic ouroboros.

"Trippy."

On top of Jodye's head appeared a spectacular looking crown. The front of the crown was a winged uraeus, and attached to the crown was a royal blue cloth with golden stripes fluttering without wind, until it magically tied itself it to a sort of ponytail down Jodye Trill's back. This was the nemes headdress, Pharaoh's Law! Jodye Trill's entire aura changed as he merged with Pharaoh's Law, his vigorous little body unconsciously releasing dragon might, and the pupils of his sapphire eyes became vertical.

"Hey now," Grandpa Geb's eye's brightened immediately.

From behind Grandpa Geb's head, an ape with flawless silver fur appeared out of nowhere, hanging on his shoulder.

"Your holiness..." said the ape, bowing while transmitting his voice with true essence, "Dragon soul... Isn't this little boy a bit too fierce?"

"Be still, Fu Si. This boy is our future." Grandpa Geb answered him in a whisper as if he forgot to not speak aloud in his excitement. The ape Fu Si rolled his eyes at this old guy. Grandpa Geb spoke with zest, "Complete fusion? Now that's impressive. Hmm, is this is a so-called 'grimoire'? A pity, I sense the aura of a sky wolf from it. Had you fused with the wolf instead, wouldn't I take you as my direct disciple without a second thought? Alas.