CHAPTER 44: LIGHTSEEKERS

Badum! Badum! Badum! Badum!

Asher’s heart was slightly audible through the silence that followed. The revelation that the orange stage potions were stolen by someone was rather surprising, so surprising that both Asher and Anna were silent for a few minutes after.

"Why would someone steal the potions?" Anna asked.

"I don’t know if that’s a joke or a question." Asher began. "The potions are vital for an ascender’s advancement, the one who stole it must need it to help certain ascenders advance."

Anna quieted down and turned her attention to Wilson. "What do we do now?"

"We’re locking up shop today." Wilson replied.

"Why?" Asher asked, his face was a mixture of excitement and anticipation.

"We’re going to the Lightseekers."

The two of them walked through the city with new clothes that Wilson had procured for them from a nearby clothing store.

Asher putting on a black coat with a white longsleeved shirt as well as black pants. He also wore black shoes and a black hat. Anna put on a blue dress that seemed like that of royalty.

Asher wondered where Wilson got the money to buy such clothes as it was mostly worn by what would seem to be the high-class citizens in this city. He had seen the middle-class frequent the bar and the kind of clothes they put on.

They got to an alley, Wilson beckoned to them to follow him down the alley. He then stopped in front of a building, Asher looked up and read the sign on the wooden board. It read ’Heathorn Security Company’.

I thought we were going to see the Lightseekers. Asher thought, Wilson opened the door and walked in with the both of them following closely behind him.

"Hello Danielle." Wilson said as he reached the counter. A brown haired and green-eyed girl with a fairly average face stood in front of them, the moment she saw Wilson’s face she smiled.

"Where have you been captain?" She said with a smile revealing her complete set of teeth. She then shifted her head a little and looked behind Wilson.

She shifted her gaze from one person to the other, her eyes studied both Asher and Anna.

"Who’re they captain?"

"Oh! They’re people who would like to work here. They’ve recently taken the potions for the Shattered Mask as well as the Star pathway." Wilson explained, beckoning for the both of them to come forward.

Anna stepped forward first and gave a courtesy. "I’m Anna a black stage Starved Oracle of the Star pathway."

"Asher Blackwood, a Seer of the Shattered Mask pathway." Asher introduced.

"A Seer and a Starved Oracle huh?" She turned around and brought out two papers and handed it out to them. "Fill out these forms."

"Fill them out, the pay is seven gold coins per week, you’ll get an upfront payment of ten gold coins. You’ll go upstairs and get your revolvers and demon killing bullets from Aidan." Wilson explained.

They both filled out their forms and submitted them to Danielle. She inspected them and nodded, she opened the drawers and put both forms back inside them. She took out twenty gold coins and handed ten each to the both of them.

"Aidan’s at the second door on your right." Danielle explained.

"Thanks." They chorused and walked up the stairs.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

They got to their destination and knocked on the door. "Come in.

Asher turned the knob and opened the door and saw a man in a robe, his hair was gray and he was spectacles for his eyes which indicated poor eyesight.

"What do the both of you need?" Aidan asked without raising his head from his book.

"Um, Wilson sent us here to come collect our demon killing bullets and revolvers." Asher replied.

"Oh! So the captain sent you?" He asked raising his head a little from the book he was reading.

"Yeah." Asher replied.

Aidan closed his book and dropped it on the table. He pointed at Asher and smiled. "You’re going down the path of the Shattered Mask, are you smart enough for that?"

"Sorry?" Asher was perplexed at his words.

"The pathway you’re ascending through is one where you don’t gain any physical boosts, you are currently a Seer all you can do is see a minor future and danger intuition as well as trace people through their threads of fate." Old Aidan explained.

"There’s basically no physical boosts till the orange stage which is The Jester."

Asher stared at him shocked, he then closed his eyes composing himself and then asked. "What pathway are you on?"

"Archivist Key." Aidan replied, he then turned his attention to Anna and pointed at her. "Star pathway. An interesting choice but I have nothing to say about it."

Aidan walked to a desk and opened the drawers, he pulled out two revolvers and took two packs of bullets and dropped them in front of Asher and Anna.

"You guys know how to handle one of these?" Aidan asked.

"Um..." Asher couldn’t answer as he picked up the gun, he didn’t know what to do with it. All the previous worlds he had lived in used swords and shields as opposed to these weapons.

"Where does the captain get these guys from? Alright, there’s another floor upstairs and there’s a shooting range there. We have a civilian worker training ascenders like you to use guns. I’ll give you these ones, he brought out twelve normal bullets and gave them to the both of them.

"Take your revolvers and test them out as well."

Anna picked up her revolver from the table and followed Asher.

"Very interesting kids." Aidan smiled and picked up his book once again.

Asher and Anna walked up the stairs, the top floor only had one door that covered up a really large room. Asher opened the door and he walked in with Anna following behind him.

They saw the targets set up fifty metres away.

"Hi there." Someone said from within the room, he walked out from behind one of the targets and bowed before both of them. "State your business here."

"Well, Old Aidan asked us to come here. He said there’s someone who could teach us to use one of these." He raised his gun up to show what he was talking about.

"Oh! So you’re the new ascenders? My name is Benjamin" He asked. "Captain Wilson told me all about you guys. I haven’t had the courage to become one myself, from what I’ve heard it’s horrifying."

Asher smiled, seeing someone who didn’t want to go into the supernatural because of fear was rare.

Infact most of the time, they actually do go down the path of the supernatural because of fear itself. He thought to himself.

"Alright, let’s begin."

He took Asher’s revolver from him and showed them how to load up the bullets, he put three in Asher’s and then removed it. He gave it to Asher to put it in himself and told Anna to do the same.

"Nice, nice. You guys are getting it." He praised them as they were able to load it with bullets.

He took Asher’s revolver again and explained what the term ’safety’ meant, he then showed them different shooting styles and postures as well as how to fire.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

All six of their bullets were fired in unison at the targets in front of them. Benjamin brought their targets closer to them so they would be able to check their progress.

Asher’s target had a hole in it’s face, it’s shoulder, two in it’s chest and two in it’s stomach. Anna’s target on the other hand had three holes in it’s face and three in it’s chest.

Asher’s eyes widened with shock as he saw that Anna was better than him at this. She was a better marksman than he was.

"Good, good. With enough practice, headshots would be a given." Benjamin said to them. "Well, you guys have grasped the basics so there’s nothing more that I need to teach you."

"Thank you." Asher and Anna said in unison.

They walked out the room and made their way back to Old Aidan who was seated as if waiting for them.

"Take the bullets and go." Aidan said to them. "And please don’t die."

Asher thought it strange and then picked up both packs of bullets and threw one towards Anna who caught it with ease.

They walked back to the front where Anna sat down.

"Um, where can we get holsters for our guns?" Asher asked Danielle.

She opened one of the drawers in front of her and gave him two holsters, he threw one to Anna and took one for himself.

"And another question, where’s the captain’s office?" Asher asked again.

"Follow me." She said and took him through a door behind her. They went through a thin corridor where you would have to go in or come out one at a time if you’re going at opposite directions.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Come in." Wilson said from within. Danielle opened the door and they saw Wilson with his legs crossed and placed on his desk, a pipe in his mouth with smoke coming from it.

He stared at both of them with calm eyes. "He wanted to see you sir." Danielle told him.

He waved his hand which indicated for her to leave and she bowed before she left.

"What’s the problem Asher?" Wilson asked.

"Old Aidan asked me if I’m smart enough for the Shattered Mask pathway. I want to know what that means."