"R-right."
Tom's voice faltered in response. "I'm Tom. I became an ascendant recently, and I was testing the divine channel to try and discover which Superior owns my key."
Before he could stumble over his own words, Tom improvised an excuse and lied about his actual situation and objective with the ritual.
"Shit, if I had known the other details about the ritual, I wouldn't even have done it…
"You are very reckless, Tom."
The ethereal voice confronted him before continuing.
"If you are searching for your Superior, do you at least know to which Mitu he or she belongs?"
Since it was a Superior speaking, They did not use the "proper respect" when referring to a deity.
Mitu? I don't even know what that is.
"No." he answered.
The flame over the semicircle on the altar's surface began to flicker as Tom felt his face grow damp with sweat.
"Tom, you are a very, very weak ascendant. But I like the kind of energy emanating from your key. So let us make a deal…"
Hearing the Superior's words, Tom felt he could give out at any moment. Keeping the divine channel open consumed an enormous amount of power. He did not even need to use hods vision to know that at this moment he had already spent far too many hods, and that the connection could be severed at any second once his internal hods were exhausted.
Steadying himself on his knees again, Tom maintained his posture before the divine voice.
"Fine. What's the deal?"
"I will mark you. And when you climb a few more steps of ascension, perform another divine channel and summon me."
As soon as the Superior finished speaking, the flames upon the altar changed from their ghostly glow into a vivid royal blue before tracing a path through the air itself and reaching Tom's body.
"Ugh!"
Aaaaagh!
Tom failed to hold back and let out a groan of pain as he felt his skin burning beneath his clothes over the left side of his chest.
He was still swallowing hard to endure the discomfort of the heat when the flames retreated once more and returned to hover above the bronze altar.
Pressing a hand over the painful spot on his chest, Tom ignored the pain long enough to ask:
"Uh, Superior Lord, how should I contact you in the future?"
His vision was already wavering when the Superior answered.
"Through my critic. And do not recklessly share it with anyone beyond the one beside you. You… little ascendant, may refer to me as Nahtori"
One final time, the flames intensified, forming an enormous blaze. Soon it descended onto the altar's surface and created a second semicircle following the first one that contained the general criticism. Together they now formed a complete circle.
The flame then produced a long, ethereal sound as its glow steadily faded until it was completely extinguished.
With the divine channel closed, Tom's body weight overcame the last of his strength, throwing him flat onto the ground.
His muscles protested against every attempt to rise again.
"Nahtori… I don't know this divine entity."
Still wearing a peaceful and welcoming expression, the middle-aged man dressed in green robes with golden details lowered one knee to the ground and extended a hand toward the boy lying there.
"Thank you."
Taking the priest's hand, Tom managed to sit up with some difficulty.
"Father, if you don't know this Superior, is that a good sign or a bad sign?"
"Would you rather hear what I think or what I 'should' say?"
Abel also sat down on the floor beside Tom.
He's basically asking whether I want his professional opinion or his personal opinion?
"You can tell me both."
Tom did not bother with formalities.
"Before that, may I see the mark She left on you?"
After the request, the ascendant pulled aside his jacket and lifted his shirt.
Resting roughly over the region of his heart was a pale mark, almost like exposed flesh contrasting against Tom's dark skin. The outlined shape formed a flame.
"What I 'should' say is that you came into contact with a demon or an evil being, and that you should seek to rid yourself of this mark as soon as possible."
A sensation almost like an electric shock ran through the ascendant's nerves. That was terrifying to hear.
"Now, what I truly think. Well, I believe you came into contact with some lesser-known divinity, because at the very least the name She identified Herself with is not part of the studies of the orthodox divinities. What we can guarantee is that this entity exercises dominion over powers involving fire."
Normally Abel already spoke in an extremely polished manner, but now while discussing divinities, he almost sounded like a dictionary trying to speak with the utmost respect.
"The religious instruction teaches that any activity involving the divine that is unrelated to the orthodox divinities should be considered evil in order to prevent accidents. But personally, I can affirm that religious instruction is far too absolute regarding such matters and not one hundred percent accurate. Do you feel anything strange or different?"
Tom observed his own physical condition for a few seconds before answering.
I feel tired, sweaty, sore all over, nervous, scared, maybe anxious… did I already mention tired?
"I think I just need some water and some sleep."
Abel was the first to stand before walking toward the altar.
He looked at the surface before going to one corner of the cramped room and writing something on a small piece of paper.
"Here, keep this. You may need it in the future."
Tom received the paper in his hands with a set of letters written on it.
"NSHRVL"
The criticic of the Superior he had just communicated with, the same one who demanded that Tom contact Her again in the future.
After thanking the priest, Tom finally left with Abel's assistance, and the two returned to the cathedral's main hall.
"Be careful around other ascendents, and if anything happens, do not hesitate to seek me out. May the Blind One protect you with His kindness and justice! Always walk the path of balance!"
"Okay, thank you sir. Excuse me."
Tom did not fully understand what was going through that religious representative's mind for him to help and treat him that way, but even so, he was grateful to have that support while heading into the unknown.
After saying goodbye and leaving the cathedral, before stepping back beneath the rain he flexed the middle and index fingers of his right hand twice, and everything in his field of vision twisted into blurs of light until normality returned.
And he was back at the main entrance of the Moonlight squad headquarters.
Ignoring everything else he was feeling, Tom headed straight to his room.
Ahhh, I still need to return that book.
In a way, he was losing money by continuing to keep the book about hods with him. So he decided he would return it later that same day, but first he was going to get some rest.