Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

After the waiter left their secluded table with the order, Lumian picked up his tri-colored liqueur—a vibrant mix of red, white, and blue—and clinked glasses with Franca before taking a sip.

Glancing around to ensure no one could overhear, he quietly recounted the detailed fate fragments of Moran Avigny. As Franca listened, her expression gradually morphed, a frown creasing her lovely brow.

"That white, thin fog you described… it remindsof something," she said. "Does it have a mercurial, ever-shifting nature?"

Lumian considered briefly before nodding. "Yes, it does."

Franca let out a soft sigh. "It must be the sphenomenon then. You know how I told you about Jenna and I getting tailed by that entrustee of the vanished Deep Valley Cloister gatekeeper at the mysticism gathering? The one we ended up fighting?

"Well, when I channeled the guy's spirit and asked about his organizational ties, his physical form and spirit abruptly detonated. My mirror cracked from the blast, but right before shattering, it filled with that sthin, mercurial white mist."

Franca paused, collecting her thoughts.

"According to the intel I passed along, 007 ran into a similar fog during their investigation of Deep Valley Town. Albert Goncourt, the Carbonari's leader, was spotted there too.

"As you're aware, the Carbonari played a role in stoking the riots during the Hostel plan. Their other leader, operating under the alias General Philip, spearheaded that particular scheme."

Lumian swiftly connected the dots Franca was laying out.

"So you suspect the Carbonari is in league with multiple evil god cults, this peculiar white fog being tied to one of them—and that Moran Avigny is also entangled with this group. Meaning our supposedly chance encounter with him in the West Lognes Forest was anything but."

"Precisely." Franca took another sip of her liqueur. "And what's the ultimate endgfor these Mirror People? Surely not mere replacement of their originals."

The mirror version of Gardner Martin had failed to succeed the real one, understandably using the Hostel plan to deal with his counterpart. But Moran Avigny, also a Mirror Person, had quietly replaced the original for decades, even fathering an illegitimate daughter and living a cushy life. Why collaborate with cults?

Smiling, Lumian replied, "The goals of Mirror People as a whole versus as individuals are bound to differ. Investigating should reveal the former. Back in Fourth Epoch Trier, Mirror Gardner Martin mentioned their loyalty and service to someone who holds all the answers. Learning that person's identity should tell us the Mirror People's endgame."

Franca concurred succinctly, "We can plan our next moves around this strange fog. Deal with Moran Avigny to get more info on the Mirror People, which is already a lead. And capturing him or channeling his spirit could present other opportunities."

Franca smiled. "Looks like 007 will be busy again."

Their discussion of Moran Avigny complete, Lumian picked up sroasted pre-meal bread, chewing as he recounted his encounter with Courtesan Perle and the coffee ground divination he'd witnessed.

"She's unlikely to be a Demoness," Franca concluded, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Based on Lumian's description and reaction to Perle's appearance, she could tell the courtesan wasn't a Demoness.

Unless deliberately feigning ugliness, a Demoness's charms were impossible to conceal. Even gay men couldn't resist sneaking a few extra glances.

"Definitely not…" Lumian suddenly paused, remembering something.

Shifting to casual conversation, he asked, "Does coffee ground divination actually hold mystical significance? Can it truly provide revelation?"

Franca finished her bread, took another sip of the colorful liqueur, and smiled. "Of course mysticism is involved."

Noting Lumian's lack of divination knowledge compared to his skill in reading fate, Franca explained with a smug grin.

"You don't need to put divination on sholy, unattainable pedestal.

"Our Astral Projections constantly interact with the spirit world, obtaining information and receiving revelations. These get reflected in reality through various forms.

"It's true for both Beyonders and ordinary people. But those unskilled in divination struggle to proactively obtain revelations or effectively interpret them.

"For example, if a Beyonder chokes on a fishbone while eating, they'll quickly realize it's a warning from their spirit, containing a revelation needing interpretation. But if regular folks have the sexperience, they'll just think they were unlucky or careless. It won't stand out enough to warrant deeper consideration or deciphering.

"Of course, getting a stuck fishbone doesn't always indicate a spiritual warning. Usually it's just lack of care. Skilled diviners can tell the difference between a true revelation and a random occurrence. The unskilled tend to overthink, scaring themselves while ignoring what's truly concerning."

Given their upcoming fish course, Franca had used a relatable example.

Lumian nodded, gaining a clearer understanding of divination.

He asked thoughtfully, "So without deliberate control over the drinking method, coffee ground patterns can reveal something—but ordinary people's interpretations may be inaccurate?"

"Precisely!" Franca said excitedly. "In the most rational environment, the decades-popular coffee ground divination can cextremely close to reality. Each divination session can refine the standard interpretations until the meaning of every ground formation is definitively established. Then even regular people could interpret with reasonable accuracy.

"Sadly, reality is no bastion of pure rationality. Believers in coffee divination subconsciously work to make even mistaken interpretations ctrue. Non-believers plainly see the interpretations don't match up. These conflicting approaches get all tangled together, preventing the codification of standard, reliable answers. In the end, it's just a game."

As they conversed, the waiter served the various dishes, clearing used plates as part of the set procedure.

Lumian cut a piece and tasted it—tender flesh with an intriguing blend of charred and oily notes, the pepper and salt seasoning just right.

"Delicious," Franca praised. "And warming too."

Lumian also felt a current of warmth spread through him as the Fürth fish reached his stomach.

"Sspecial ingredients indeed," he concluded, teasing Franca. "Just don't eat too fast—wouldn't want you choking on a bone."

Franca laughed. "You think a few bones can choke me?"

Glancing around to confirm the waiter's departure, she asked,

"I've been pondering something the last couple days. I still can't grasp the difference between using rituals and curses to influence a target's future fate versus directly compelling a fate change.

"I get the ritual part—it relies on the target's blood, close relatives, certain items, and mystically significant contact to alter their future fate. But how is that different from a curse?"

Lumian organized his thoughts before explaining.

"In the mysticism knowledge of Fate Appropriators, a curse is a curse of fate. Compared to rituals, curses are simpler, with fewer required conditions. But that significantly limits the ultimate effect. Nothing too outlandish can be achieved.

"Many bestowed of Inevitability like to call this type of curse Magnified Fate.

"It can only target fate tributaries within the next ten seconds, and must align with the current environment and circumstances. Meeting those prerequisites enables the fate curse to succeed. And the targeted fate tributary needs a certain probability of manifesting in the first place, or the success rate plummets.

"Simply put, one first uses or alters the environment to enable certain possibilities, then magnifies those possibilities—

assuming they weren't extremely unlikely to begin with."

Lumian looked at Franca, raising his right palm to gesture as he mischievously provided an example.

"For instance, while you're eating fish, I could use a curse to magnify the chance of you choking on a bone. But I couldn't magnify the chance of your chair suddenly collapsing, impaling you with wood splinters."

The moment he finished speaking, Franca froze, gasping twice as her throat worked. Within seconds, she spat out a bloody fishbone.

"You actually did it?" Franca grumbled. "Luckily my Sequence grants strong throat control. I handled it myself. Uh…" Franca suddenly paused. After a few seconds, she said, "Otherwise we'd be seeking a doctor's aid. How embarrassing would that be!"

Lumian chuckled. "I could've helped pull it out, magnifying the fate tributary of successful extraction."

Franca was briefly speechless.

After eating another bite of Fürth fish, she nodded.

"I understand the differences now.

"Curses, or Magnify, suit combat. They're mainly for interfering with and influencing enemies, not accomplishing anything too exaggerated.

"Rituals are done in advance. With the right items, they can largely steer a target's fate as desired."

"But only in a general direction," Lumian added. "No real precision. I could make someone have a bad day, but not dictate the exact flavor of misfortune."

Franca nodded.

"So compelling fate is like a streamlined ritual for live combat that still packs a punch?"

"Perhaps even stronger and more precise effects," Lumian mused. "Plus, many abilities transformed in unique ways when Fate Appropriator and Reaper fused, bringing with them the relevant mystical knowledge. I can't fully distinguish the inherent from the individualized—I only know the Eye of Calamity and Compelling Fate cfrom Reaper."

They enjoyed the rest of their lunch. As the meal concluded, Lumian pointed to the half-eaten Fürth fish, instructing the waiter, "I'd like this wrapped up to go."

The waiter complied respectfully without question. Franca smiled teasingly. "How frugal of you."

Lumian chuckled. "This is expected of a godfather. Besides, I'm curious what makes this fish so special."