Chapter 5: The 7 Seals of Midgard
Inches away from Gan was a boy roughly the same age as him. He wore somewhat the same clothing which would mean he was an acolyte too.
"Hello!" The boy in front of him said. Gan fell down and hit his back hard. The boy reached out for him and helped him stand up. "Faquir. Faquir Re 'suqhawe XV."
"Umm..hi. Would you by any chance know where I am?" Gan asked. Faquir didn't reply. "Umm…right. It's Ganbatein….la Croix."
"Hmph." Faquir said as he walked away. "An acolyte as well…hmmm."
"Umm….Faquir." Gan said as he tried to catch up with him. "WHERE ARE WE?" Gan bellowed. Faquir stopped walking and faced him.
"We're beneath the clock tower at Al de Baran."
"What? That's impossible! I was just at home and then—" He remembered it clearly. The assassins raided his house. They must've been the ones who kidnapped him!
"He—llo?" A priest said as he hit Gan softly on the head. Still, Gan fell down once more.
"W-Who are you?" Gan pointed at the priest. "F-Faquir, do you know this guy?"
"Yes. This is Nuandhaich. He was sent by the sanctuary to watch over me in this….endeavor." Faquir explained as he glimpsed at Nuandhaich. "This is Ganbat—"
"Gan."
"…."
"Call me Gan." He said as he stood up and wiped the dust off his clothes. He also fixed his long, silver hair. "Where's my belt?"
Gan looked around for his belt. It was nowhere to be found.
"That look is okay with you…..damn, you don't NEED to follow the dress code 100 properly you know"
"Yeahh but…" Gan looked at himself and saw an acolyte with an unbuttoned cloak showing off his chest.
"Ughhh…it's fine! Priests do it too! Look at Nuandhaich!" Faquir told him as he pointed at Nuandhaich.
"W-What? It's our dress code!"
"Whatever." He then started walking once more. "We should go now."
Faquir showed them the way towards a seemingly endless stairwell where they seemed to turn around for hours. Gan felt dizzy after the first few minutes of turning and turning and almost barfed. Fortunately, they had reached the end of the stairwell.
"Are…there anymore….stairWELLS to climb?" Gan exhaustedly said while panting after every word.
"No. Follow me." Faquir went over to a large, beautifully decorated door. Inside they could hear chanting in an unknown language. "Bota 'pararaiyo nantehashihke Baakhenal re 'suqhawe."
"Chanting." Gan whispered.
"This..this is…." Nuandhaich worriedly said. "Yes. The baalists are beyond this door, and they are seeking to collect the first seal."
"What? Seal?" Faquir and Gan both questioned. "How many seals are there?"
"You know the legend, don't you?" Faquir interrogated. "Then tell us."
"Fine." Nuandhaich said as he opened his book which Faquir didn't even know was there. "Baal, the false god was overthrown thousands of years ago. What he wants is to regain, or re 'suqhawe in Baal's language which also literally means 'reborn"
"We don't need a language lesson. Get on with it." Faquir bellowed.
"Fine. Fine. In order to regain his immortal powers, he must cross over to this world using the 7 seals of Midgard, hidden across time and space.
The first seal, which I believe is beyond these doors.
The second, created in Ancient Morocc over three millennia ago.
The third, in ancient Geffenia, which was the reason it was destroyed.
The rest I do not know anymore. He will also need a powerful medium…..preferably a high priest."
"So he could use you to cross over?" Gan inquired.
"Yes. If he wants to, he can even use the pope herself!"
"Mother Liselle?"
"Yes." Nuandhaich hid his book once more within his robes. "Baal in the olden times, as the legend says, was a cruel god. He was secretly building a new world for his worshippers, built with the blood and flesh of his worshipper's enemies."
"Well, I think we know enough about the legend. Shall we?" Faquir stood up and put both hands on the door, about to open them.
"We shall." Gan replied, and opened the door along with Faquir.
