20 Basics of mysticism II

Alex's curiosity peaked as he inquired. "… What do you mean?"

"Because the method to break the boundary is by undergoing mutation. At a certain point in history which most historians speculate to be between the second and third eras, the Human Wheel was the most dominant force in the world of mysticism.

"Due to declining numbers, however, the dominance of The Human Wheel dwindled until it is at a level where they are the rarest type of Mystics to find. Even rarer than those from the Devil Wheel which is saying quite a lot."

"It is?"

"Indeed."

"… I see." Alex pursed his lips.

Though he understood Arthur to be a chatty man that switched moods on a whim, he noticed something different this time.

It almost seemed like he was… worried.

But why?... The answer that came to mind had to do with the mysterious woman that returned with them.

This further caused Alex to be wary.

If such a lady was dangerous enough to cause his benefactor to feel such fear, what was he to do?

Taking a drag from his pipe, Arthur continued. "There have been attempts at bringing back the golden age of awakening and the best was during the reign of the Thebes Magic Kingdom in the North more than a thousand years ago. Unfortunately, an accident led to the entire kingdom being wiped out…or should I say they were completely erased."

"Erased?" Alex's brow perked up at the strange wording used.

"Mn, historians are divided on what happened since there were no signs of violence. Everyone vanished and hasn't returned since then."

Goosebumps quickly broke out on Alex's skin at the mental image he created in his mind.

"...The work of a Mystic?"

"No idea. There are no records of any Mystic capable of erasing the citizens of a kingdom without damaging anything else."

"It's quite terrifying."

"Indeed, it is." Arthur nodded while taking another drag. "However before their disappearance, the scholars of Thebes created an artifact capable of increasing the chances of a person breaking the boundary into the Human Wheel."

Pausing to catch his breath, he pointed at the yellow gem on the table. "That is the artifact."

Alex glanced at the gem and though eye-catching, it didn't look like something capable of such a miraculous effect.

Of course, he couldn't be sure.

After all, what did he know about mysticism?

Up until a few days ago, he was a man that didn't believe in anything supernatural.

Taking his thoughts in stride, Alex asked. "Did it work?"

"In a way." Arthur shrugged, not willing to say more.

"I see."

"So which Wheel would you like to join?"

"Well…" Alex pursed his lips. "The Devil and Abyss Wheels are out of it since I'd rather not be devoured or go crazy."

"That leaves Divine, Human, and Monster."

"Take Divine out since I don't plan on joining the Church of Angelica."

"So… Human or Monster?"

Silence reigned for a few minutes as Alex pondered on the options.

"Is it possible to change Wheels once I've started down one?"

Taking a drag from his pipe, Arthur sighed. "Indeed it is. But it's beyond dangerous and the chances of dying are high. Of course, if you manage to survive the process, you'd become what is known as an Anomaly in mysticism."

"So…"

"Don't even think about it." Arthur turned aggressive in an instant causing Alex to frown as he met his gaze.

"Hah, sorry about that." Arthur sighed while massaging his temples. "Today has been a rough day."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Learning about it now might cause you distress. Let's wait till you break the boundary before talking."

Knowing how powerless he was to do anything, Alex could only take a step back.

However, he could feel a storm brewing, and common sense let him know that his plans had to be sped up.

Taking a drag, Arthur remarked. "About becoming an Anomaly, it gives one a variety of abilities to use but there's a reason only desperate Mystics attempt such a thing."

"Why?"

"The five Wheels I told you about are known by another name… The Immortal Wheels." Arthur replied. "Which means entering them guarantees one a means to reach godhood.

"Merging with other Wheels pollutes that path, making it impossible to progress further, and even more than that, an Anomaly can only attempt the process of merging three times. Any more attempts would lead to death."

"That dangerous?" Alex muttered.

"Indeed."

"If there are Immortal Wheels, do I take it there are Mortal Wheels?"

Arthur chuckled. "You are quick to catch on. There are 5 Mortal Wheels in addition to the Wheels I mentioned but there's no need to learn about them… in the first place, the method to join them is either unconventional, impossible, or would just downright require you to die."

Taking a moment to digest the large amount of information he received, Alex took one last look at the yellow gem on the table before cracking a knowing smile.

"I'm guessing you want me to pick the Human Wheel."

Arthur coughed awkwardly but didn't proffer a response as he took yet another drag from his pipe.

'So not him but that mysterious lady?' Alex deduced as he reevaluated the situation.

He initially labeled the mysterious lady a threat but considering she had a hand in the Catalyst in front of him, Alex wondered if she was better suited for a neutral position.

She neither had good or bad feelings for him but depending on his subsequent actions, that could change.

"Well…" Arthur suddenly said, jolting Alex from his train of thought. "The Human Wheel is most suited for you, after all, just like the Monster Wheel suggests, you'd end up stripped of your humanity if you take that path."

"So the Catalyst is to increase my chances of breaking the boundary into the Human Wheel?"

"As I said, quick to catch on," Arthur revealed a wry smile before asking. "So, what do you say?"

"What if I can't break the boundary?"

"... Normally, such things take time but time isn't something we have a lot of at the moment so we'll wait a week. If we don't get a response, we can consider allowing you to break the boundary into the Monster Wheel."

Alex shook his head. "Make it 3 days."

Arthur turned wide-eyed at the bold statement. "3?"

"Mn. It's better than wasting time unnecessarily." Alex replied.

Though it sounded like he was being overconfident, it was more like he didn't fancy taking too long to begin his quest.

What he feared most was staying too long in this world, causing him to forget the reason he started on the mission in the first place.

No matter what, he had to remember.

'3 years… let's try and finish within that time frame.'

Meeting Alex's unwavering gaze, Arthur had no choice but to respect his decision.

"3 days it is."

Nodding imperceptibly, Alex gestured at the Catalyst. "How do I use it?"

"Oh, that?" Arthur took another drag before replying with all seriousness. "Eat it."

"..."