Chapter 14: In the Spiritual Sea

Kairo had been locked inside his mind after the trials. Or more accurately, inside his Spiritual Sea that used his Holy Mother Cross's power to form the connection between his physical and soul dimensions.

A soul version of Kairo stood on a still blue sea that stretched for miles with no end in sight and no other landscape or markings.

Above him was a clear blue sky where the horizon was a clean dividing line.

"Is this the Spiritual Sea the Demon Prince had mentioned?" He glanced around with awe, feeling a sensation of peace and calm.

Grayish sparks caught his eye and drew his attention to gathering storm clouds forming a giant dense smoke screen.

When he tried to touch the screen he felt electricity attack his hand, and was reminded of his time being pulled into the vortex. Instinctively, he recoiled and backed away from the wall. It was clearly some kind of block.

"This is probably the Wizard Restriction." He sighed and turned around to face the still, clear and calm space; walking back into it.

Particles of silver light flowed around him, invigorating his soul and senses. He saw a white light forming from a distance. It swelled and swiftly grew larger until his being was engulfed in it.

Kairo's eyes opened. The physical world swam into his view. He blinked to draw in clarity and realized his surroundings of white stone walls, a plain wood chair to one side near his head, a vase on a small desk against the wall of the other side, beneath a gold-gilded oval mirror.

Rays of daylight streamed over his head, from the high window, to highlight sections of his blanket around his feet and stomach. The dust stream laze added a mellow and peaceful atmosphere. He was in a room for healing.

He heard a buzz and whoosh near the foot of his bed: eased into a sitting position and saw Jan entering the room from an opening with a bundle in his hands. The opening closed behind the man when he stepped further toward him.

"How are you feeling?"

Kairo sat further upright when he felt more in control of his movements and senses. "Thank you. I feel well enough."

Jan nodded. "Excellent. You had Lady Bluesteed pacing your bedside for three days."

"Three days?" Kairo frowned, thinking that he had been in some kind of coma for that long. His thoughts moved to Genie and Lady Bluesteed's faces.

"I hope I didn't cause too many problems. Sorry if I did. And Genie, is he okay?" He was recalling the apology moment with Countess Leela. Somehow, he suspected that wouldn't be the last they saw of her. No doubt she would come after them for revenge.

Jan smiled. "He was also by your side the whole time, concerned enemies would want to kill you."

"Kill me?" Kairo swallowed a nervous knot at the thought that another person had it in for him enough to give him a game-end.

"You did cause a lot of nobles to lose fortunes with their stupid betting."

Kairo scratched his head with worry. "So now I'm on a Most Wanted list."

Jan laughed. "The perks of popularity. You know, famous and infamous are two sides of the same coin."

He patted the man's shoulder. "Get up and change. Our Demon Prince has summoned you."

Kairo nodded and shuffled out of bed. Ten minutes later, he was wearing his mage headband, flowing white and silver trimmed mage cloak over a simple white t-shirt: a nice contrast for his Holy Mother Cross. Layered leather belts, with pouches and sheaths, held up his well-worn jeans, and matched the color of his boots that he had worn through the trials. It seemed the boots' magic extended to self-repair. He looked at his t-shirt that felt sleek and cool to touch.

"This shirt…"

"Coated with protection and self-repair magic to a certain degree." Jan factually advised during their brisk walk down typical long corridors. "It'll protect you against normal attacks and low elemental damage like accidentally tipping hot soup on your chest."

Kairo nodded. "But for magic attacks like flame balls..."

"You'll be burnt to a crisp. That's why wearing the cloak is necessary, as it can absorb sixty percent of the damage. The rest, well, skill and dumb-luck for that."

"Right."

The men continued their walk, which opened into a small bush and climbing vines. Every leaf was a bright mix of pastel colors except for green. They passed through this area to enter into a different type of corridor, which sent Kairo's heart racing with glee.

Every brick and plaster wall was painted with a colorful fresco showing various devil-like creatures and monsters in flight or fight scenes. He saw some representing fawns, wolves with red eyes, and horsekind similar to Lady Bluesteed: walked past images of monsters with sword-like teeth and scaly bodies.

He shivered and gulped at the sight of Shriekers circling around prey and taking bloody bites into victims. He shook his head and decided it was best to not keep looking.

Eventually, they arrived before a red wood door laced in meteorite blue and silver. The royal seal was embossed on the door's center.

Jan performed a spell to make the seal glow. The crunching and grinding of cog wheels was heard when the door swung open.

Kairo gulped when he saw Genie standing next to his brother - Demon Prince Lyon.

"Congratulations, wizard," Lyon said, which sounded more like a warning. The man's austere tones made Kairo's hands tremble.

Kairo curled them into fists to steady them. He wasn't exactly a fist-out-of-water anymore.

Jan tapped his arm with a hint to give the man a bow the way he was doing it. He performed the right arm to head and heart bow, then glanced for Kairo to do the same.

"Oh." Kairo clumsily did his bow and kept his head low like Jan.

"An alien can be taught." Lyon gave them a gesture to be at ease.

Lyon stepped up to Kairo and circled the man's tensed body, like a hunter assessing his prey. The demon prince was intimidating.

"I won't bore myself with details." Lyon coolly returned to his previous position. "As my House Wizard, you'll be required to do tasks for me, and only me. Your first task is to confirm the loyalty of my palace staff. Genie and Court Visor Jan will fill you in with the details, and be your supervisors. They speak on my authority."

He clapped his hands. Genie snapped into action and gave his brother a regal bow. "As you wish, brother. I'll ensure Kairo-wizard completes what must be done. For the glory of our continent."

Genie gave Kairo a look to follow him out of the room. Kairo copied Jan's courtesy of stepping back two-steps, performing the head-to-heart bow, before turning to leave. He followed the men out of Lyon's room.

The three of them made a brisk walk down the fresco corridor in silence. It was only when they entered the colorful garden that they eased their tensions with sighs of relief.

"So I guess I'm an official wizard now?"

Genie flashed the man his usual jovial grin. "Across the entire continent. But, as you heard my brother, you ultimately only answer to him. Any task you're required to complete is explicitly from him."

Kairo tensed: his hands trembled with the thought of seeing the demon prince regularly. No matter how many times he saw the man, he was always reminded of their first meeting.

"Don't worry. You're not required to see him all the time. In fact, you probably won't see him for a long time except when public addresses are being made. Jan and I are his mouthpiece to you."

Kairo felt at ease by the thought.

Genie thought the man's reaction to his brother was cute. He wasn't sure why, but this excited him. He swung his arm over Kairo as he led him on a stroll out of the gardens. "Anyway, you're the most hot-topic personality out there right now. Being seen as our Demon Prince's dogsbody will give you some protection. If anything, people can't see you being an outsider."

"Hot-topic?"

"Of course! Since the trials, the gossip of you has been spreading like wildfire." Genie laughed. "Already thinking of the moon-cash opportunities."

"Genie." Jan gave the demon-specter a stern look.

Kairo's expression was obviously full of worry.

Genie laughed. "I'm only joking."

"Joking with crescent gold signs rolling in your eyes." Jan soberly noted.

"Look at my eyes, do you see any dreams of cash in them?"

Kairo swallowed hard when he stared closely into Genie's green eyes, which sparkled as gems in the daylight. It was the most beautiful pair he had ever seen.

"They're like shiny rocks." He blurted and blushed.

Genie blinked bemused. He burst out laughing then pulled Kairo closer to his side. "Let's go somewhere fun to celebrate."

Jan sighed, feeling foreboding on what Genie's idea of fun would be. "Youth these days, stirring up all kinds of unnecessary trouble."

"Who said I'm about to stir up trouble?" Genie winked.

The old court visor slapped a palm to his forehead and let out a groan. "Fine. Just remember to check your surroundings. Now, if you excuse me. I'll leave our house wizard in your care."

"I'll take you to a manne."

"What's a manne?"

Genie stared upward as he thought of the appropriate Earth term. "In your language, tavern would be the closest meaning."

Kairo's eyes widened with interest. Although he was the legal age to drink, he had never visited a pub or tavern before. The most exciting adult thing he did was get his driver's license. So, he was curious to see what one was like.

"Ok. You're my supervisor."

Genie laughed heartily. "Yes I am. You can call me boss from now on."

Kairo screwed up his face. "Um, Boss sounds like..."

"Cool right? Me a boss!"

Kairo eased his expression and shook his head. If it made Genie happy, what did it matter? "Fine, Boss. Where is this tavern, um, manne?"

Genie stepped back from Kairo, grabbed his hand and clicked his fingers in a rhythm to stir up a large magic hexagon array before them. He dragged Kairo with him into the array to teleport them to the manne.