The purpose of a soul is to ask. The purpose of a God is to know.

Then what is the purpose of a being who has attained both?

...

-W

At a dimly lit kiosk. By the side of the road William, a man with rugged black hair in his late twenties sat scanning the products of a customer.

"That will be $4,95" William said to the young man in front of him.

The man handed William what he owed and took his bag of chips as he left the store.

"And don’t forget your smile makes our day.” William says with a grown.

"God I hate that slogan." William groans after the customer leaves.

"Only 30 minutes left of today then I can finally sleep." William says as he sits down on the chair behind the cash register.

Going through his pockets William took out a small tin can labeled "Cherry Gum". Opening it, he feels a sense of disappointment.

"Of course I’m out of ciggs." William sighed. 

Shutting the small tin box again William put it back into his pocket. Looking around he spots some packs of his favorite brand still in stock. Looking back to the security camera placed near the register, William stretched out his hand towards the camera.

"Celare" he mumbled, waving his hand, and a faint yellow glow surrounded the camera for a moment before it disappears.

William then turned around to take two of the remaining four cigarette packs and stuff them into his pocket.

"anulēt" he uttered, snapping his fingers with a faint yellow glow surrounding the camera before disappearing again.

After waiting 30 minutes for any more customers, William decided to close up shop and clocked out and left for home.

The moonlight shined down on the empty streets, and the cold winds danced around William as he walked back to his apartment. There was something strangely beautiful with the emptiness of the streets he walked. When he neared his apartment complex however, something felt off. It wasn’t the claustrophobic look of the apartments lying mere inches apart from each other. Nor the smells of molding trash being left behind every crevices of the complex. No something made him feel unsure. Like if something was silently observing him and judging him by every step he took.  

The feeling only grew as he got closer to the door to his apartment. Now he knew something was off. Standing face to face with his apartment door he noticed how the protective barrier he had set up over his apartment was slightly different. Like if someone had undone it and tried to recreate it. Along with this, the small specs of dirt by the door and the small differences in dust on his door handle supported that someone was in his apartment or at least that someone had been there.

Slowly opening the door, he walks in preparing for anything.

It was quiet. An uncomfortable darkness covers the room as it is void of light. Not a thing was moved or touched. Everything seemed fine, but still something wasn’t right.

William continued to walk further into his apartment, which started to feel less and less like his home. His dirty shoes left muddy trails behind after every step. As he rounded the corner that led into the main room of his apartment, he picked up a smell.

Lavender? William thought.

Suddenly he noticed it. A faint light coming from the middle of the room.  

A man wearing a marine blue suit and top hat sat at William’s dinner table. Only having a small candle lit which the light he noticed earlier came from.  The man looked old yet young at the same time, he was dressed from head to toe in jewelry and fancy clothes. His face looked smooth like that of a stone nicely formed by the waves of the ocean, and his hair where that of an old man, white and gray. His hazel eyes burned through the darkness of the apartment right into William’s soul.

How did I not see him? Was it a spell? Is he a sage? William thought.

Before William could even open his mouth, he felt two hands pressing down on his shoulders as he was pressed down onto a chair.

There are more?! William thought as he started to think of scenarios to get out of this situation.

”It’s a pleasure to meet you, William Schneider.” The finely dressed lavender smelling man said.

”Who are you? And why are you in my house!?” William asked.

”I am Daniel Foster.” The lavender-smelling man proudly proclaimed.

”You mister Schneider. If that really is your name. You have fallen into my interest.” Daniel said.

”Oh, how flattering. Look if you are here to rob me, you’re not gonna find shit. Now get out and I won’t call the police.” William said, sounding rather annoyed.

”You don’t have to pretend you don’t know of us, William. We know you are a sage. Besides, if you now do call the police, I could easily point out the mountain of stolen valuables from across the globe you are hiding in that safe.”  Daniel said smugly, pointing towards a big rug lying next to them.

William paused for a second, realizing that this man wasn't kidding, and it would be much harder if he tried to lie his way out.

”Fine. What do you want?” William asked.

One of the more muscular men behind William then handed Daniel a folder before returning into the shadows.

”William, no last name known, age 28, gender Male, Orphan. Master’s degree in history and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and language. Top student in all classes and even held some himself. Seen attending and sometimes graduating from schools all across the globe. Was granted his first degree at the age of 16 with scores higher than any other college graduate. Known for working small jobs for about 2 months before quitting and finding another one in another country. Seen competing in underground sage fights, most used being amplified martial art as well as weapons craft. Specifically… Origami? Really? Seen betting money or sometimes stolen goods in illegal betting rings and a lot more unlawful activities for a respected graduate. Shown a great talent for using and understanding Yade, have even been described as a title bearer. A converter. Self-proclaimed genius. However, he has never been registered in any records by the ISC of being as good as he is. Nor been scouted by any sort of authority. And I could go on, but I think it's clear that you aren’t just a regular guy" Daniel said.

Daniel looked at William intensely before speaking.

”Now, what is such a man like you doing out here in the slums working a minimum wage nine to five?”

William doesn’t answer. Seeming more cautious of the man sitting in front of him. He repeated his name in his head, as he was certain that he had heard it before.

Daniel Foster. Daniel Foster. Where have I heard of that before? William thought.

Then it hit him.

Shit… He is THAT Daniel Foster. William realized. 

As William had realized who the man sitting in front of him was, Daniel grinned. Like if he knew what William was thinking.

Daniel Foster. That was the name of the International Sage Comity, ISC, youngest officer. Gaining the rank of commanding officer at age 19 and just a year later he was promoted to general. He was known as the organization's golden boy. A self-proclaimed genius, like William.

"Would you believe me if I said life is hard?" William asked.

"Not from someone like you." Daniel snapped back.

"Now I would say that you are hiding from something. From what I have no clue yet but it can’t be good for you." Daniel remarked.

William's eyes started to shift around the room uncomfortably.

"Oh no. I am not your enemy William. In fact, I have a proposition for you." Daniel said.

William looked at him confused.

"A proposition?" William asked.

"I have recently inherited a school for sages new and old and with it the position as principal. I want you as one of my teachers." Daniel told William.

William laughed at this. It must have been a joke. But Daniel wasn’t laughing. He was serious.

"Hold on. You just spit out a portion of my criminal history and now you want me to work as a teacher? I'm pretty sure that breaks at least one school law." William told him.

"I don’t care about what you have done. I just know that you are talented, and it could be useful." Daniel said.

"Now if you accept, I will cover the parts of your history that are known, It will hide you from whatever you are running from, since it’s a place off the map and you will be able to earn money without much work." Daniel told me.

Not much work? I’ve heard that before. But it's intriguing and beneficial. William thought.

"How much?" William asked.

"I’m sorry?"

"How much would I earn? I hear that the teacher business isn’t the most profitable." William asked.

"Oh, rest assured I will not let a single one of my teachers go unpaid. $15000 a month is the minimum pay. With increases depending on your performance." Daniel explained.

Hearing this William's eyes lit up.

15k a month? This is too good to be true. William thought.

Trying to keep himself composed and professional, William cleared his throat and asked.

"What would I be teaching?"

"Well... what you are good at. You would be teaching how Yade and its principles work, Spell theory, origami, history, language and if we get a converter, they will be studying under you as well. You know the usual." Daniel said.

William took up a cigarette and lit it with the candle between the two. He thought about the situation and what he was offered as he smoked.

"You know what. Fuck it. I'm in." William said, reaching his hand out as if wanting to shake Daniels.

"It will be a pleasure working with you William." Daniel said as he shook Williams' hand.

"Let's get going shall we." Daniel said, blowing out the candle covering the room in an inescapable darkness.