Professor Atkinson’s personal portal in the Grant Academy lit up, Dolores and Professor Atkinson walked out of it with serious expressions on their faces. Jianmen followed them back to the academy through his usual means - a portal with orange and golden energy edges.

 

“Alright, I’ll go to my place and read the books I borrowed.” Jianmen smiled and said to Professor Atkinson and Dolores: “Take some time to think it over. And let me know how I can help.”

 

“Mr. Yu.” before Jianmen walked away, Dolores stopped him: “I - I have a question, the information you gave us, that couldn’t be cheap. If you don’t mind me asking, did you strike some kind of deal with him?”

 

“Oh yeah. ” Jianmen nodded: “The knot I showed off earlier? I traded it with him for some critical information regarding Godfall, especially about his own fall.” 

 

“Is it… is it worth it?” 

 

“Well, if you’re asking whether I feel ripped off, my answer is absolutely, that knot took me a lot of time, and I had to buy a lot of the material again.” Jianmen laughed out loud: “But, if I were to make that decision again, I absolutely would. That kind of information, little and vague as it was, was the best I’ve got since … ever.”

 

“Okay. ” Dolores let out a long exhale: “Thank you.”

 

“Alright, I don’t wanna say too much, because this is your decision. I’m off to my place now. You know how to find me.” Jianmen stepped onto a piece of round marble and waved Dolores and Professor Atkinson goodbye: “Mica, take me to the visiting scholar living quarters.”

“What do you say, Professor?” Dolores walked to Professor Atkinson’s side and asked.

 

“I - I think I’ll sit on it. ” Professor Atkinson looked over the black crystal scythe and the orb: “Do you think we’ll even be able to find the suitable descendant? If we don’t find them we’ll practically have to face the fury and even the curse of a god.”

 

“The contract only asked for the return of all our knowledge. The cost to us might not be that high.” Dolores said.

 

“Yes, but this is still a god we are talking about.” Professor Atkinson sighed and shook his head: “The force and execution of the contract basically hinges on and only on his will - if he breaks his promise, or deliberately misinterprets the terms, we’re screwed.”

 

“... yes you are right. We should sleep on it.” Dolores thought for a short while and agreed.

 

“Let’s take a break today. This is ... just way too much.” Professor Atkinson patted on Dolores’s shoulder: “Don’t get me wrong, I am beyond thrilled. I’m just … concerned.”

 

“Me too, Professor. ” Dolores answered with a tired smile: “Me too.”

 

------------------------------------------------------

 

San Francisco, the day was a little cloudy and windy. The several agents of the division were offloading some wooden stakes from trucks. And with some pretty accurate hand drawn maps in their hands, they were also nailing these wooden stakes into the ground, to the depth marked on these stakes.

 

“Agent Hall, looks like it may take longer than expected to put all of these stakes in place.” an agent walked to the side of Agent Hall: “Looks like the whole area is becoming more and more unstable the more stakes we put in.”

 

“That means we’re doing the right thing.” Agent Hall nodded: “What about the reinforcements we requested? When will they be here?”

 

“Mr. Byrm told me he would be here soon.” the agent answered: “But he didn’t give me any specific time. And Agent Jill told me she’s gonna be here any minute. She’s stuck in traffic.”

 

“Agent Jill? Who’s that? ” Agent Hall asked: “And who has Jill as their last name?”

 

“It’s me. I’m the 137th field agent of the Division. And I am technically an exorcist.” the voice of a young woman came from behind Agent Hall: “And I don’t wanna disclose my last name to those I do not report to. So I just used my first name.”

 

“My apologies, Agent Jill. I didn’t know you’re here already.” Agent Hall immediately turned around and apologized: “Thank you for coming to help.”

 

Agent Jill was a short and slightly nerdy looking young woman wearing a pair of glasses, who had some kind of a no-nonsense attitude: “No need to apologize, Agent Hall, I’d have the same question myself.”

 

“Thank you for coming, Agent Jill. How are you going to help us? Mr. Yu told us he needs time before he can come here and help us speed things along.”

 

“I am an exorcist. So I am able to help you deal with any paranormal shenanigans that might occur.” Agent Jill said with a bland and serious tone: “I read the brief on this task on my way here, may I know what is causing the trouble?”

 

“A couple of sites for the stakes. ” the agent behind Agent Hall answered: “We’ve been trying to nail the stakes into the ground in several places, but something keeps coming up from the ground and stifling our progress.”

 

“Okay. Lead the way for me Agent Connor.” Agent Jill nodded. 

 

Agent Hall and Agent Jill followed Agent Connor to a dried up and cracked up fountain, where three agents wearing protective suits and with special made charms around their necks were trying to put three wooden stakes into the ground, and two other agents were standing on the side with some kind of special flamethrowers in their hands.

 

“What’s the situation here? Even the Wyvern Breath didn’t help?” Agent Hall asked, and as he paid attention to the sound of energy flows nearby, he could hear faint moans and cries coming from under the ground.

 

“There are things under the earth that keep pushing back the stakes. And everytime we’re almost in, things come out of the ground and try to attack us.” one of the agents holding a flamethrower answered: “Wyvern Breath can temporarily drive those things away and burn some of those things down, but it’s like playing whack-a-mole.”

 

“It appears that they’re burrowed underground.” Agent Hall knelt down and listened for a short while: “We need to either drive them away from this place, or lure them out and burn them all.”

 

“Lure and destroy, it’s my forte.” Agent Jill nodded and laid her backpack on the ground.