The Deity's words left Cole somewhat perplexed.
'What does this kid have to do with anything?' he thought. 'Unless... is he?'
The Deity nodded. "Indeed, he is the key we need."
'Key?'
The Deity stepped closer to the boy as he sat within the box. She stretched a deceptively kind smile across her face and asked, "Where is your father, young one?"
Cole's eyes widened in disbelief. 'Don't tell me...'
The boy replied in a slightly embarrassed, unsure voice, "I don't know. I'm kind of lost."
Deep within her, a mad grin was forcing its way through, but she remained composed. She patted the boy's head and spoke in a calming yet provoking voice. "I thought so."
Cole observed silently with the utmost focus; his chest tingled unpleasantly, and he felt as though ants were crawling on his skin. The more he watched, the more a cold, bitter taste developed at the back of his tongue.
The Deity leaned closer to the boy's ear. "Arifura, dates agani zaches..."
The boy's previously grieving expression lit up with a bright glare and a relieved grin.
Cole narrowed his eyes and tilted his head; ugly lines formed at the corners of his mouth.
The Deity offered her hand to the boy. "Come with us; we'll take you to your father. We just happen to be good acquaintances of his," she spoke sweetly.
The boy showed no signs of doubt; he leaped out of the box like a toad, exhibiting joyful body movements.
She chuckled. "What's your name, little one?"
The boy gave her a brief, appraising stare before blurting out, "Ohami Stormhart."
"Nice to meet you, Ohami."
Ohami's eyes darted around and landed on Cole. He pointed towards him and whispered to her, "Who's that scary man silently watching us? It's creepy."
The Deity leaned closer to the boy's ear and ushered in a low voice, "A living tool."
Ohami was captivated by her vague yet enticing words. He jumped on the spot in excitement. "So when are we going to meet my dad?"
"Just a little bit from now." She tilted her head politely. "Please follow us and be patient."
"Okay."
Cole remained stiff, watching like a statue without a change in expression or a single utterance. Such tactics weren't new or special to him, yet for some odd reason, sweat flooded his pores and drenched his face.
It was highly likely she noticed; thus, she didn't give Cole any instructions or orders. His toughest task was standing still without interfering. In those few moments, Cole was eager to lash out at her; instead, he clenched his fists and pressed his feet against the ground until the earth cracked.
Ohami stretched out his hand and the Deity grabbed it. She then gave Cole a strange yet familiar look. "Let's go," she ordered.
Cole let out a dry, hollow scoff and proceeded with heavy steps. All three of them rummaged through the rugged streets.
Out of all of them, only the Deity seemed to have an idea of what she was doing. The other two simply followed as though they were well-trained dogs. She stopped at a cliff-like edge at the end of the market road.
Beneath it were concrete stairs leading to a narrow, deep, tunnel-like entrance. The Deity left Ohami in Cole's hands and instructed them to stay put while she went in.
Neither Ohami nor Cole protested.
She took calibrated steps downwards; gradually, her body sank into the distance and merged with the tunnel's darkness until she was no longer visible.
GRRRR!
Ohami's stomach growled like a starved beast. He gripped his abdomen, trying to calm the loud grumbling, but met with futility.
"Let's go have a bite." Cole broke the silence barrier he had switched on.
'He can talk!' Ohami froze in shock.
Cole dragged his feet as they went back into the market area. The crummy, stifling air was far more intense in this region of Katharis. The fragrance of strong perfume mixed with the odour of decaying matter to create an unusual smell.
It bothered Cole the deeper they went into the market's depths; Ohami, however, seemed to be used to it. Cole felt his warm hand enclose Ohami's bruised palm; each touch made his heart loop in constant anguish. A part of him genuinely wanted Ohami to return home.
Cole stopped by a store that caught his interest; the aroma of spices and other sweet ingredients outweighed whatever was latent in the air. He and Ohami exchanged intrigued glares and nodded; increasing his grip, Cole led Ohami inside.
Surprisingly, the place was practically vacant. Despite the pleasant aroma, it failed to attract customers like the previous shops. The décor was somewhat grey; wooden chairs and tables were arranged in four rows and six columns, while accessories and decorations livened up the roof and walls.
Cole was more smitten by the collection of dream catchers stylishly hung on the fourth wall. Aside from both of them, no one else was apparent in the room. Ohami released Cole's grip on his hand and jumped onto a seat with an excited expression.
With raised brows, Cole followed and sat at the same table as Ohami. The seats were comfortable, and the arrangement of glowing flowers above their heads was quite elegant. As Cole relaxed his back and sighed, the sound of a fire being sparked alive drew his attention.
Cole adjusted his gaze to his left; an opening with dangling threads of small, dazzling mirrors was livened by amber light. Cole squinted his eyes and leaned forward to get a better glimpse; he saw a silhouette holding two knives, a malicious smile growing larger on its face.
Cole gaped, turned towards Ohami, and furrowed his brow. Ohami gave Cole a frightened look, his teeth chattering where he sat as his hands quivered. Cole stood from his seat, locked in on the approaching shadow.
He readied a stance and tensed his clenched fist, gazing patiently until a figure he could attack emerged.
"May I take your or..."
Cole sprang forward, firing a powerful blow that bullied the air as it approached the target. Before the hit could land...
BANG!
Cole's attack was blocked midway by a frying pan, just a few inches from the person's face. Cole was wide-eyed, revealing a stunned expression as he remained off-balance.
The frying pan and Cole's arm shifted to the side, exposing the face of the enemy. A dashing man with dark sacks beneath his eyes, a deathly pale face, and jet-black, slicked hair with six strands as bangs, stared back with lifeless eyes. His build was the same as Cole's, and his apron was stained by food splatters; in his left hand were a butcher's knife and a kitchen knife.
"...der?" The man paused and skimmed through Cole's appearance. "Do I know you from somewhere?" His tuckered, deep voice sank like weights in Cole's ears.
Cole reverted to his normal state of mind and stepped back; immediately, he assessed the man standing before him. Indeed, the faint, poorly hidden smell of blood was similar to Cole's, but at the same time, he exuded no hostility.
He spoke again. "So... may I take your order?"
Cole smirked and checked Ohami from the distance. "Sure, give us your best meal."
"Okay." His face shone with an empty delight.
Cole couldn't help but notice how similiar they were, in terms of personality, from as much as he could tell. The weary, 'tired of the past' features and the 'trying to live peacefully' behaviour were too similar. It made an unpleasant chill run down Cole's body.
While the chef cooked inside, Cole returned to his seat, crossed his arms, and conversed using serious glares with Ohami for a bit.
"Who is your father?" Cole forced himself to ask.
Ohami curved his lips and narrowed his eyes at the question. From his face, he was struggling between answering Cole's question and keeping it to himself.
"Hasn't your colleague told you about him?" He averted the question.
'I see what you did there, kid.'
Cole shrugged. "Just a vague, brief summary."
"Your order is ready." The chef interrupted.
In his hands were two plates; the first had a nice savoury pie, dressed with some sauce and a few greens at the side. The second was steak in a salad pool served in a bowl.
As he served, Ohami swiped the pie and dug in, leaving Cole with the steak. Cole bowed and dug in as well.
Both Cole and Ohami paused from their eating, gave each other struck gazes, then redirected them at the chef.
In unison, they both commented, "This is average at best."
The chef stumbled back.
"The pie has almost no taste, the filling is bland, and the sauce has an overpowering taste. Basically, the bad sauce is what saved the whole dish."
"My salad tastes bland and the meat is undercooked."
The chef sat down, lowered his head, and went into a gloomy state. "I'm still perfecting my methods."
Meanwhile...
The Deity stood in the midst of a large, glowing coral field beneath a bath of crimson rays. Above her was a large eye monitoring her with an intent, mad gaze.
The different colours played on her body, twisting her appearance into something between threatening and melancholic. Her face, however, resembled someone who had struck pure gold for the first time.
She tensed her lips. "Oh dear Potter, acknowledge my presence and show yourself."
A mocking wind blew across her figure, toying further with her appearance. Her words were met with no response.
She turned her head and tilted her body, staring at the eye observing above. She laughed maniacally and returned to her posture.
"Living here must be difficult. Centuries alone..."
"..."
She continued, "Your last creation and only strength..." She unfolded her palms, releasing a white smoke which held a presence within. "...is in my very grasp. Choose to ignore me today and be ignored for the coming centuries."
SCREEEEEEEEECH!
A forceful, raging wind, accompanied by a pained cry, tore apart the forest of corals and the soil they rooted in. Dust littered her clothes, but she kept a gleaming smile drawn confidently on her face.
Behind her, a black form mended together as the dust cloud dissipated, its appearance becoming more recognizable as the brownish matter reduced.
Unperturbed, she shifted her glare to the side.
The figure became more human-like as the matter simmered down.
"Where is he?"