Florent considered himself lucky.
After all, he had surpassed the vast majority of men.
He had become an extraordinary being, carrying the potential to surpass human limits.
Yes, a solid and rare capital, the foundation of an extraordinary destiny.
Yet Florent also considered himself cursed.
He had chosen the path of the "Apprentice," commonly known as "The Path of the Three Prudents." Of these three paths, the "Apprentice" was undoubtedly the weakest, not because of its chain, but because of its representatives.
"Divinatory" Path included Klein, Zaratul, Antigone, and the demonic she-wolf Freglea; the "Error" Path included Amon and Pallez Zoroast; and the "Apprentice" Path included only Mr. Door, Bethel Abraham : a man whose very presence inspired respect and fear.
But that was not the real source of his concern. The real reason lay in his name: Florent Abraham .
At best, he would become an astrologer. And then? Grow old, be overwhelmed by Bethel's cries, or end up allying himself with a god, whether dark or light..
Fortunately, that morning, the Trier Daily granted him an unexpected reprieve:
"Congratulations to the high regent, Son of the Steam, Mr. Rossel Gustav, on the eleventh anniversary of his reign over the Republic of Intis."
This news made Florent's heart race. The date was printed at the top of the newspaper: July 5, 1183.
An avid reader of the novel Lord of Mysteries , Florent knew that this moment held special significance for all members of the Abraham family on the Path of Learning. It was the day Bethel's "Full Moon"
call would be activated. Bethel Abraham, glorious ancestor and nightmare of the Abrahams, whose cries brought both pain and safety to his line. Rossel engaged in a long conversation with Bethel, from July 5, 1183, to November 18 of that same year, before his fall in 1198.
But even these long conversations would never last fifteen years. During this time, Bethel continued to call to him, albeit with reduced intensity, allowing the Abrahams to progress. Thus was born Chronicles of the Beyond, likely written by an archivist or traveler, unable to cross the threshold of semi-divinity.
When Forth reached the rank of Mystic Mage, he nearly lost control in the face of Mister Door's calls. Fortunately, luck was on his side, and Klein watched over it, protecting him from whispers that could have broken him.
For a born Abraham, reaching semi-divine status was even more difficult. Forth, on the other hand, was merely an Apprentice overtaken by fate.
Florent knew one thing: to become a demigod, an angel, or perhaps even more, he had to progress on this path in fifteen years.
Even while playing a role, this pace was extraordinary.
He couldn't stop for a second; he had to experiment, assimilate potions, and learn tirelessly.
Surviving and reaching the rank of Astrologer was already honorable.
But humans age.
When the body fails and the mind spirals out of control, death becomes inevitable.
So Florent had no choice.
For fifteen years, he had to climb the ladder to the demigod level.
Otherwise, his life would be a constant state of fear.
Staying true to himself and not losing control in the face of Bethel's whispers would be a challenge at every step. Yet Florent had to search, test, experiment, and find methods along the way.
The Abraham family had enough resources for Florent to become an angel without constraint. To reach Sequence 1, he even considered the dangerous potion of Zaratul's "Mystic Servant."
It was his only chance to become an Archangel.
Back to reality: you don't become a giant in a single meal.
Florent Abraham was a bachelor, a property owner, an orphan, with no siblings. Modest, from the emerging bourgeoisie, he had enough to make the gods of poverty weep.
He owned 2% of the Trier Commercial Bank, generating 3,000 pounds a year, an apartment in Trier's upscale neighborhood, 20,000 pounds in savings with 800 pounds of interest, and 1,342 pounds in cash.
Enough to make him belong to the upper class without being truly rich.
Since the "Apprentice" was the initial sequence of a magical path, the acquisition of knowledge, especially mystical knowledge, was imperative. Western mages or Eastern mystics possessed knowledge inaccessible to mortals: knowledge is power. Florent had to study.
Fortunately, as a member of a family of fallen angels , his father had bequeathed him sufficient mystical knowledge. For the rest, the National Library of Trier, a sanctuary for those eager for knowledge, would be his refuge.
Florent needed to acquire practical knowledge, thus preparing for his future sequences.
The Apprentice Path consists of sequences 9 to 0:
9 - Apprentice
8 - Master of Tricks
7 - Astrologer
6 - Archivist
5 - Traveler
4 - Wizard's Secrets
3 - Vagabond
2 - Planeswalker
1 - Starkey
0 - Gate
. From Apprentice to Traveler is the mortal stage.
From Wizard's Secrets to Wanderer is the semi-divine stage.
From Planeswalker to Starkey is the divine (angel) stage.
The final sequence, Gate, represents full divinity (true god).
During Forth's ascent, the "Master of Tricks," "Astrologer," and "Archivist" sequences required roleplaying to digest the potions.
Florent believed he had to prepare by learning the magic, divination, geography, and travelogues necessary for his future role.
Assimilating the Apprentice's potions involved practical application of the knowledge. The internal logic of the potions, as followed by Klein, was consistent: respect for fate and mastery of destiny, hiding one's strength to better grow.
Florent believed that the concepts of guide, key, and freedom were essential.
Closest to the Gate, Bethel Abraham, the ancestor who caused the family's downfall, bore the title
"Great Gate of a Thousand Doors, Guide to the Celestial Infinite, Key to all the Mystical Worlds."
His divine name indicated the method and authority of the path he followed.
Thus, the mystical world knew: knowledge is power.
(End of chapter)