"Pandemonium realms…. " Alia muttered.
"Yes." Bagdona said casually, "Why do you think the mages are divided as they are? By their paths and not races?"
"I didn't know that." Alia shook her head.
Bagdona smiled, "I asked myself, what would an elemental Mage want to simply walk into our territory?"
With a snap of his fingers, one of the two men in the room got up with the bottle in their hand and poured Bagdona a drink.
"It must be because of Truston, isn't it?" the half smile played on Bagdona's lips.
Hadrian's heart slowly began picking up pace.
Have I completely misread the situation and jumped into something I do not understand?
"As a rank 3 mage of the force path, it's quite easy for me to sense when someone of your level lies or is surprised by something."
He took a sip of his drink.
"I slipped in Truston's name earlier and your heartbeat spiked and I felt your muscles tense."
"I admit, Haldon did act out of bounds. Outside the pandemonium realms, where we are forced to live next to each other, we should be more…. Civilised."
What is he talking about?
Bagdona leaned back, wooden cup still in hand.
"I suppose there truly is a possibility that you have no idea what's going on."
He put down the now empty cup.
"See, dear, when you enter a pandemonium realm. Someone of your path, elemental, will have enemies of the Force and Space path."
"And that's why, regardless of race; dragon , titan, angel, human and the rest, Mages of the same path stick together."
"Most likely, however, is Gurov's throwing you away to simply tell me he knows Haldon captured Truston."
"I don't know who that is." Alia said, her voice low.
Bagdona wagged his finger at her. "That's fine. I truly don't know what conflict would drive Haldon to imprison Truston, but he's a grown boy, He can do as he pleases."
Alia swallowed. "Well, I'm not involved with any of this. This will be the last you see of me."
Bagdona nodded. "You are just a rank one, I suppose I could simply let you go. But, while I have no use for you, there's other rank ones who would do well with a mystical artifact made out of your essence core."
Eh, what now?
That dagger the space technique Mage had was also a rather strange one. Is that how mystical artifacts are made?
If it was any other vessel, I would have simply let you destroy it, let it die and you would not find any essence core. Not Alia, though.
Actually, If I substituted these two vessels with rat vessels outside, I wonder if there's much you could do to stop me. But I don't have to expose this fact just yet.
Peering into Bagdona's essence, Hadrian called at his fog. He doubted he would succeed, he simply wanted to make an attempt.
The essence did not react to Hadrian's call. The three cores were like miniature planets holding the clouds of essence around themselves.
On Hadrian's head, veins popped up and he felt his muscles strain. Simply trying to call at the rank three's essence felt like he was being crushed under a mountain.
Seeing Bagdona shift and his facial muscles twitch, Hadrian stopped, already sweating.
Substituting the state of the horses to his vessels legs and muscles, Hadrian let out misty steam from his nostrils that filled the room and he made for the window.
A crushing force descended on him and Alia, making them stagger and fall. A snap came from behind them and the mist disappeared.
Bagdona still sat behind his desk while Hadrian and Alia were on their hands and knees.
"You." Bagdona gestured to the space technique Mage, "go grab two others. I don't want too much attention. They can stay here till the sun sets and you can take them out the back."
Hearing this, Hadrian's neck snapped to face the space technique Mage and he called at his essence.
While the resistance was not as bad as that of Bagdona's, it was still difficult. This one had the effect of disorientation of space and distance.
Only wisps rose, barely forming a tendril. Closing the door behind him, the mage was outside of Hadrian's range in a matter of seconds.
I could substitute myself right now, but that takes time, even if it's just a few seconds. If Bagdona crushes me while I'm still not done, I can imagine what that would mean.
Hehe, I could just wait for that space technique Mage to come with the two other fools and do it then.
"I'm surprised." Bagdona said from his seat. "I've just told that you you're about to die and be turned into a mystical artifact, but you don't really seem scared. And the strangest thing, both of you have the same exact heart pace and reaction."
Hadrian saw the genuine puzzled look on Bagdona's face and shrugged. "Up until a few days ago, our lives were worthless."
Hadrian spoke through his main vessel.
"With her, maybe we found something to live for, but those memories are still strong. We aren't really afraid of death."
Bagdona's brow furrowed and his large lips stretched to a smile, "trying to get sympathy out of me?"
"No." Hadrian said.
"Even when I was a kid and in such a state, I never had that world view. But I suppose the world affects everyone in different ways." said Bagdona.
"What would that kid Bagdona say? You are in the business of turning children into mystical artifacts."
"He died long ago." Bagdona shrugged his shoulders, frowning. "And I'm not leaving this office, hehe, my hands are clean."
"So, a coward?"
"I've served my time to rise in the ranks of the mob, now I'll reap what I sow and gladly give orders behind a desk."
After this a long moment of silence passed.
"What exactly happens in the pandemonium realms?" Alia asked, her voice calm.
Bagdona chuckled, "what does it matter to you now?"
"All these books and scrolls." Alia's eyes scanned the office, "I thought you'd respect the pursuit of knowledge."
"You truly are a street urchin. But even then, you sound older than you look."
Yes, my mind has been affected by the fragmented memories of three adults.
Hadrian thought.
"Sure, why not. I'll tell you." Bagdona said.