The next morning sees Travis standing in front of a crisscross of rotting bamboo shoots that would most likely fall apart if a bit of force is exerted on it, with a decrepit signboard that reads Bahghül’s Shol of mal, other letters having disappeared to Lucifer knows where.
I don’t know what father saw in this place. But I can’t return without the Maestro’s approval. Only Lucifer knows how hard this is for me. Travis’ thought is a reflection of the outcome of the conversation with his father a day prior.
He is tempted to push the gate open, but he immediately rejects such a suggestion- he’d only be inviting trouble for himself by doing so. Due to the fact that Klade opened the gate yesterday, he was unable to realize that the gate could not be opened without magic. Had Klade not stopped him from pushing the gate and explaining the Maestro’s tactic to him, he would have been seriously injured by some of the guards set up for protection by the ghoul.
“Why can’t you use your magic to open it?” Travis is tired of waiting. As a prince, he is used to others waiting for him, since he was born- it has never been the other way around. Hence, he feels slightly irked at having to wait for the Maestro to grant them entry. He starts to recite the history of demons in his head to pass time.
After three hours, they hear a whisper. The voice is wiry and hoarse from old age, and Travis feels like he is covered in a cold sweat (even though demons never sweat) when he hears it. “The guard may come in and receive some succor from the harsh sun.”
“Hell no! How does he alone get to be invited in? Am I invisible? Did you make me invisible?” Travis turns to face his guard. “I don’t know. Besides, aren’t you of a much higher rank than I am? How would I be able to make you invisible without your knowledge?” “Then how come he mentioned only you? He’s not partially blind, is he?”
“Show some more respect for the Maestro, lad. Isn’t that what your father tau…” “Don’t tell me what my father taught me, guard. And do not ever call me a lad.” Klade flinches at his tone. For one who is as pampered as the scion of a Sin, he never expected him to be able to tap into the power of an ancestor- to exercise command over other demons. However, the younger demon’s next actions prove that it is only a fluke- his emotions must have gotten the better of him again.
Before Travis can finish his statement, an intense wave of dizziness assaults him, and he nearly collapses. “My prince!” Klade rushes to steady him, fearing the worst. He pushes the guard away and tries to get his bearings, unaided. “I’m fine.” “Are you…” “I said I’m fine!” a strong wave from him throws the unsuspecting guard a few meters away.
Several minutes after returning to his original position, he still cannot come to terms with what happened earlier. That was not just a gust of wind. If its source is from Travis, he cannot imagine how powerful the young demon truly is. “If he is this powerful, even when he is still a long way from awakening, I cannot imagine how powerful he will be by then. Perhaps, only his father, the other Sins, and Lucifer himself would be able to hold their own against him,” Klade muses.
“Now that you are both done with your little chit-chat, will the guard step in, please?”
Neither of the demons is stupid enough to mistake his words for anything but an order, despite the pleading tone. They both know that the ’please’ at the end of the sentence is only a mere formality. Nothing more. Still, Klade does not take a step towards the gate.
After mustering a bit of courage, Klade moves closer to the gate and raises his voice, since he is not powerful enough to repeat what the Maestro did earlier. Voice transference is a technique that allows a supernatural to transfer his or her voice across a distance, without it losing form, tone, or intensity. Although its uses are minuscule when compared to other techniques of its caliber, it is anything but a simple trick. With its high energy expenditure, it would be unwise for anyone without commensurate spiritual force or energy to attempt it.
Thus, instead of unnecessary waste of energy just to please the ghoul, Klade settles for amplifying his voice. By using magic to amplify his voice, he hopes the Maestro can hear him from wherever he is.
“I would love to come in, Maestro, but permit me to humbly decline. I cannot leave my charge behind, for any reason whatsoever.”
Nothing is heard for a long time, and the poor guard fears that the Maestro assumes he is disrespectful, owing to his refusal to enter. It is not strange for him to think like that, because refusal, no matter how nicely it is worded, brooks the ire of all highly ranked supernatural beings, irrespective of species, age, or sphere of influence.
“For any reason whatsoever, you say?” the voice has a lilt to it.
“Yes, sire.”
“Not even for your soulmate?”
If Klade were to receive a drachma[ The currency used by demons.] for every time he was surprised since he received his ancestor’s blessing, he would be a tycoon by now. This, however, tops the list. A lot of people (excluding Travis obviously) know of the ghoul’s prowess in the realm of the mortals, as he was rumored to have attended the academic institutions and studied all available courses during the era before the Great Purge when demons still roamed the mortal lands freely. Even more, people know of his rare gift of clairvoyance. But only a select few have access to the latter.
This places Klade in a dilemma. What will he choose?