Florent considered himself lucky.
After all, he had surpassed the vast majority of men.
He had become an extraordinary being, endowed with the potential to surpass human limits.
Yes, a solid and rare capital, the foundation of an extraordinary destiny.
But 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 arguably the weakest, not because of his chain, but because of his representatives.
The "divination" 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 awe and fear.
But that wasn't the real source of his concern. The real reason lay in his name: Florent Abraham.
At best, he'd become an astrologer. And then? Grow old, be overwhelmed by the cries of Bethel, or end up allying himself with a god, whether dark or light.
Fortunately, that morning, the Trier Daily granted him an unexpected respite:
"Congratulations to the High Regent, Son of 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 The 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 of Bethel's "Full Moon."
The call would be triggered. Bethel Abraham, glorious ancestor and nightmare of the Abrahams, whose cries brought both pain and safety to his lineage. Rossel spoke at length with Bethel, from July 5, 1183, to November 18 of the 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 were born the Chronicles of the Beyond, probably written by an archivist or a traveler, unable to cross the threshold of semi-divinity.
When Forth reached the rank of Mystic Mage, he nearly lost control at the call of Mister Door. Fortunately, luck was on his side, and Klein watched over him, protecting him from whispers that could have broken him.
For a born Abraham, achieving semi-divine status was even more difficult. Forth, on the other hand, was merely an apprentice caught up in 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 when playing a role, this rhythm 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 becomes uncontrollable, death becomes inevitable.
Florent therefore had no choice.
For fifteen years he had to climb the ladder to the level of demigod.
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 "Mystical Servant."
This was his only chance to become an Archangel.
Back to reality: you don't become a giant in one meal.
Florent Abraham was a bachelor, a landowner, an orphan, and without siblings. Modest, from the emerging bourgeoisie, he had the wherewithal to make the gods of poverty weep.
He owned 2% of the Trier Commercial Bank, generating £3,000 a year, an apartment in the upmarket district of Trier, £20,000 in savings with £800 interest and £1,342 in cash.
Enough to make him belong to the upper class without being truly rich.
Since the "Apprentice" was the first step on 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 in Trier, a sanctuary for the knowledge-hungry, would be his refuge.
Florent needed to acquire practical knowledge, thus preparing for his future sequences.
The apprentice's course consists of sequences 9 to 0:
The 9 is Apprentice and the 0 is Door
From apprentice to traveler is the deadly 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 the Ascent of Forth, the "Tower Master", "Astrologer" and "Archivist" sequences required roleplaying to digest the potions.
Florent believed he needed to prepare himself by learning the magic, divination, geography, and travel writing necessary for his future role.
The assimilation of the Apprentice's potions involved a practical application of knowledge. The internal logic of the potions, as followed by Klein, was consistent: respect for fate and mastery of destiny, concealment of one's strengths to better progress.
Florent believed that the concepts of guide, key and freedom were essential.
Closest to the door, 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.
So the mystical world knew: knowledge is power.
(End of chapter)