Child of Heaven [Part 2]

A set of planet-shaped leather couches facing each other separated by an oval table was at the rear in a modest office, with a light brown floor, a global ceiling, and a round desk positioned before countless tiled windows.

Artwork on the walls consists of large, detailed portraits of historical figures, with intricate details of dragons soaring on the frames. 

The gentle scent of sandalwood and ginger wafts from incenses, filling the cool air.

Standing about 1’9 meters tall, Hael Melpomene, dressed in a dark green suit, leans his bulky body against the desk. His pale white hair was neatly slick back and his fair skin seemingly radiates beneath the moonlight filtering through the cracked windows.

His vertical ice blue eyes scan over words morphed into financial statements and staffing pay rolls, analyzing numbers, data, and people.

A knock interrupts Hael’s concentration.

“Great lord, a guest from Lightless is here.”

‘From Lightless?’ Hael thick brows raise slightly, sensing an unfamiliar dreamy aura colliding behind a harmonious prickling one. “Come in.”

The door opens and in walks a tall man in a butler suit. His unsymmetrical features are surrounded by tresses of purple hair, its wavy length reaching past his muscular chest.

Hael straightens up, his fading thoughts surfacing outward as he mumbles thoughtfully, “People in power are only strong because of those they rule over. If a king had no people, he would have no influence.”

Vienna, trailing behind Yaretzi Valeria, Wise Star of Winter Clan, overhears this, and chimes in perfectly, “Those who commends laws must understand true righteousness or they’ll fail their people.”

Hael face lit with recognition, staring intensely into lime green eyes. “You know of Illmesty?”

“Yes, of course I do, the author who recreated the literature world,” Vienna remarks, a hint of glee crossing her emotionless expression. “She is notable as God of Prophecy nowadays, but as a human, and basically a founder of our entire world, She wrote all lost stories and forged Her own through history.”

Hael smiles gently. “What’s your name, child?”

“Vienna.”

“Oh.” Faint surprise fills the Pillar of Winter Clan gaze. “It’s nice to officially meet you, Child of Heaven.”

“Likewise.” Vienna pauses a few feet before him, pulling down her hood and letting loose unruly glossy hair tumble out. “You heard of me?”

“No one on earth doesn’t know of you, dear.” Hael accepts the extending folder from Vienna and fiddles with it casually. ‘What could this be? A complaint? It’s from those fools, so it’s something along that. Why didn’t they just email me?’

“It’s about your daughter.”

Hael almost flinches. “Pardon?”

“I didn’t read it if that’s what you’re thinking.” Vienna conceals her mild amusement behind a blank look that reminded Hael all too well of his youngest daughter. “I’m a blasphemy seer.”

“Blasphemy seer?” Hael rose a singular brow. ‘Does she want me to believe she divined the future in an unholy way? How peculiar.’ Looking down, he flips open the folder hurriedly.

****

As the office door shuts, Vienna stella energy rushes to her fingertips, jittering her system with power. 

A thick heaviness descends the space around her, a buzzing noise dizzyingly echoing in her ears before falling dead quiet.

When one uses divine energy purely around themselves, it would go unnoticed because of the presence of their aura—no matter how strong or weak it is. Vienna intentionally didn’t conceal her aura to show a lack of control. If she suddenly used divine energy, Hael Melpomene would have noticed, so Vienna was prepared.

Her movements fluid and speedily, yet normal in her senses as she craved out a chunk of the Winter Clan symbol—a circle formed out of dancing snowflakes—from the office door with a thin small knife.

A few hours later, Vienna boards Aspen and pays for a sole cabin, bitterly noting the loss of money.

Before she does the divination, she ponders thoroughly with hesitation.

Vienna never really feared for her life, but she felt like it wasn’t her time to die for some reason. She had something to do. A goal or duty to complete.

However, upon remembering the heavy chilling aura of the Snow God that compressed her heart, she shivers with a coldness, as if death itself glazed her with a barring warning.

Vienna suddenly feels anxious of him finding out about her actions and deeming it to be that of an enemy. 

Becoming enemies with Winter Clan would be a hassle. ‘Screw hassle! It would be a burdensome problem. I would have to go into fucking hiding.’

After a minute of pointless thinking, she reaches into her inner robe pockets and pulls out a dark cloth, which is a piece of clothing she stole from Morrigan's deceased body.

Divination is a simple course, yet also a complex notion.

A minor or mere object unrelated to the actual craved knowledge can be used to glimpse the truth. Fate judges one essence to be countless threads connected by order.

For instance, the piece of wood from Winter Clan establishes a trajectory toward the intentions of the clan’s future simply because of its relations to Winter Clan, while the cloth from Morrigan will merge the divination to her current case.

Placing the piece of smooth wood on the cloth, Vienna delicately clasp them in her hands and closes her eyes. 

“Holy be unholy, light be bright, dark do not shine.” Her voice is low, with a hint of eternal quality.

In the beginning of learning astrology magic, you must speak the words of stars to do a significant divination, along with holding objects related. Vienna didn’t need to do either anymore, yet she couldn’t stop the habit.

Besides, she wanted it to be perfect.

A frantically tingle zaps Vienna veins, causing her limbs to tremble and breath to sharpen.

Pressure shadows the atmosphere with electric vibrations. A rhythmic thud beats in all her five senses before fading into a weightless sensation.

In Vienna's mind's eye, she saw a blurry image with a clear glass like edge. In the center of the vision is smudges of colors she couldn’t make out. Only the clear edge gave her a clue, which showcased a stadium full of people.

As the divination ends, Vienna notices a familiar dark shade tainting the entire platform, recognizing it has blood.

Her breathing returns to a normal pace and pulse slows down from its rapid beats. The heightened weightless feeling vaporizes as she disposes of the items, burning them to dust.

Vienna pinches the bridge of her nose, internally cursing her luck.

“All this effort and such little gain,” she chides. ‘Someone with a moon divine mark must have placed a strong concealment on the entire clan. Their power level is higher than me at the moment, but not enough to completely block divination of my level out. A Cherubim, perhaps? Why not an Ophanim?’

“Whatever.” Leaning coolly back into the plush seat, Vienna sighs softly, the melancholic sound filling the still cabin. “I obtained at least some benefit, as I can now confirm my suspicions are correct and the next death is sooner than anyone might think.“

The phone nested in her inner pocket dings. She pulls it out languidly. Glancing at the illuminated screen, Vienna eyes dance with laughter.

****

To be honest, Kaltain was very surprised by the fuss her fight with those bastards caused. She was called to the office the next day and before she met with the council, she received a call from home.

An appraisal of her actions was delivered to her father. She wasn’t going to be suspended, but a bad mark on your record wasn’t good if you wanted to be an Ophanim.

It weakened your stand to be a legend. The uprising path withering under the weight of unknown wrongs.

None of the boy freshmen died—though it’s not like death is usual. The reason she gained a bad mark is because fighting outside a challenged duel was dishonorable.

Someone from a holy clan is supposed to be the most honorable and sacred being on earth. 

On top of that, they fought in the heavenly realm and those boys are a part of Winter Clan, residing in the lesser clans branches.

Hael Melpomene was disappointed with Kaltain, and although her mother was there to lessen the scolding; from her tone and words, Kaltain knew she felt the same.

Disappointing her parents truly broke Kaltain’s heart. It’s inexplicable and unexplainable how painful it is, akin to a restless knife gutting her from the inside and gradually skinning her of emotions until she feels numb.

However, even in that nothingness, she feels it all.

The ache wouldn’t stop throbbing in her bruised chest.

The back of her eyes prick with heat, yet it was like a shutdown occurred in her soul.

Kaltain was used to this type of agony breakdown and simply waited impatiently for it to end with an apathetic demeanor.

Where she feels nothing, she feels it more passionately in something else.

The square hallway of the office possess dark purple walls and glass boards housing achievements of legendary Ophanim.

Kaltain sat on a long bench pressed against the wall nearest to the end of the hall, where a white oak door, with a marble silver frame engraved with the bold word council hung in the center.

After a while of blankly staring at it, the door opens; out walks a lovely girl with an alluring exterior and emotionless face.

Kaltain spiritual senses pick up a tremendous force beneath Vienna’s dreamy aura. Her fingers sting with the waving pressure.

Ever since absorbing divine energies, Kaltain started to feel auras more profoundly. 

Instead of walking past Kaltain, Vienna slowly stops before her. “Their opinions are not your life, only their minds.”

“Huh?” Kaltain blinks, her eyes narrowing in confusion.

“Do you think you’re a good person?” Vienna asks with a serious gaze.

Kaltain looks bewildered by the question, yet nonetheless responds. “I think I’m a good person trying to be good.”

“Why?”

“Why what? Why am I trying to be good?”

Vienna nods curtly.

“Because that’s what life’s all about, right? If I am not good, I’m bad. I have no reason to be.”

Kaltain figures herself to be nearly neutral about most things, though she knows she’s definitely passionate about the clan, family, entertainment, and food. 

Her family found her strange for spending more time bonding with fictional characters and ignoring the people around her. They stated it was a bad habit and to tone it down, while Kaltain said full of bitterness that life without fiction was horror outside virtuality.

However, Kaltain did as they requested—ordered—yet nothing else brought her joy and pleasure. Eventually, her parents said she could do whatever so long as she smiles.

“I see.” Vienna closes her eyes, her lips curving into a secretive smirk. Turning, she unconcernedly leaves the office, appearing more mysteries than before.

Kaltain tracks the detached girl's movements with a befuddled expression. 

“What a weirdo,” she mumbles, feeling the stringing stop.