"You won't find it in the 'Guides' subsection. They haven't bothered to include it in the Exchange Center since it's covered in the latter half of the training program," Grace remarked as she and Michael returned to the 15th Floor, standing outside Michael's room.
"What's your identifier?" Grace inquired.
"MM2Y0GP-DCA1-HQRM," Michael replied promptly, the brain part of his superior physique aiding in his recall despite only seeing it once.
"I'll send you a message shortly with some of the files I saved from the training program. Check on those related to Metamorphosis," Grace informed him.
"Thanks. By the way, in the deal I negotiated upon recruitment, I was granted Tickets for Advanced Courses due to time constraints. Could you assist me in selecting the most essential ones for someone like me?" Michael grinned sheepishly.
"Seriously?!" Grace let out a low whistle. "Those Tickets could save you a considerable amount of Merit Points. Are they transferable? I'm willing to pay a fair price if they are."
"I'm not certain if they're transferable. I only have three. Can't you simply pay for a course?"
"It's not comparable. Tickets are annual rewards. Each year, the Director bestows fewer than ten upon exceptional Agents. A Ticket grants you the privilege to enroll in any course, even if all seats are taken. Even if the course gets canceled or the instructor goes on sabbatical, they'll return just for you, offering private lessons. If yours are intended for Advanced Courses, they're even more invaluable!"
"They sound incredibly valuable," Michael remarked.
"Believe me, I won't deceive you. It might be a challenge working with you, but the payoff is worth it. I'd rather remain Partners than trade it for a Ticket."
"Let's proceed this way… assist me in designing my personalized training program with two Advanced Courses, and if the Tickets are transferable, I'll sell you the third."
"Deal!" Grace exclaimed with delight. "But let's not hash out the details now. I'll forward you my files and consult with Department Manager Tamara about our inaugural mission. With 340 Magick Ions, you're more than qualified for low Rank 0 missions, though I'm hoping our first assignment will be mid Rank 0." With that, she hurried off to her room.
"Hey, how many Magick Ions do you have?" Michael recalled her promise to share.
"We'll talk later!" Grace slammed the door to her room.
…
\\\
Contacts
* GV1TPG21-A1-HQRM: New Message 1: »
It's Grace. Save my identifier and see the attachments.
«
///
Grace's message contained seven attachments. Among them, four were personal notes and three were basic guides, all in PDF format.
'Metamorphosis…' Michael updated her identifier to "Grace Vasquez" and proceeded to download the file. It appeared on his tablet's desktop, where he realized he could organize files into folders.
'So, it works like this…' Michael skimmed through the file's contents. It seemed to be an abridged version; otherwise, there wouldn't be much to discuss about Metamorphosis, or the Bureau's knowledge on the subject might be limited. Nevertheless, what he discovered was both intriguing and vital to his plans moving forward.
'Every soul undergoes Metamorphoses aligned with its natural and cultural growth,' Michael read aloud. 'At the age of seven, a person experiences the First Metamorphosis, assigned the epithet: "Independence". At fourteen, the Second Metamorphosis occurs, dubbed "Youth". Twenty-one marks the Third Metamorphosis, known as "Direction". By twenty-eight, the Fourth Metamorphosis reflects one's "Destination". Thirty-five, the prime of a person, brings the Fifth Metamorphosis, designated "Maturity". At forty-two, the Sixth Metamorphosis signifies a person's self-building and transition to guiding others, denoted by "Wisdom". Lastly, at forty-nine, a year before the Golden Age of this Era, the final Seventh Metamorphosis occurs, with its epithet differing by species. Added note:' Two last words were scribbled, along with the following content, all in the same handwriting. 'Epithet: "Human".'
Michael paused reading and rested the tablet on his chest. "Wow!" His mind was blown. He had to sit up from his reclined position, and aside from the exclamation, he was rendered speechless.
It took him several minutes to process the significance of what he had just read.
'I, Dad, Mom, everyone goes through Metamorphoses, and we don't even feel it? I'm twenty-three, so that puts me at the Third Metamorphosis! I can somehow grasp it…'
He wasn't entirely certain about the Epithets, but he vividly recalled how different things were when he started school at seven, no longer just a child playing all day, but a kid extending beyond the confines of home and preschool. At fourteen, his mindset wasn't that of a child anymore; it was recklessly carefree and bold. Two years ago, at twenty-one…
He grimaced. "I can see it in Clark, Lessa, even Dan… they all found thier Direction. So, what happened to me?" He turned back to the file, seeking an explanation.
'So that's it… Metamorphosis can fail. When a person dissociates from their culture and fails to embrace themselves, they stagnate, unable to achieve a Metamorphosis. In the case of ordinary individuals untouched by Magick, who do not seek it, Metamorphoses exist in both reality and in abstraction. Failures in Metamorphoses can be remedied through Growth,' Michael read, lying back on his bed, his earlier enthusiasm subdued.
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
'In other words, if I hadn't summoned the Deals Maker, if I had stuck to my reserved lifestyle, I'd have been doomed…' A bitter taste lingered in his mouth as he realized how perilously close he had come to a life even more miserable and depressive than he had assumed.
He didn't want to dwell on it. Somehow, he had moved beyond that kind of life or the life of a typical Metamorphosis, as the file seemed poised to differentiate soon.
'Magick is a mysterious force. Various cultures attribute different names and applications to it, sometimes consciously adapting it to fit systems of mysticism crafted by humans, Demons, Divines, and so on. Magick serves as the conduit for transforming immaterial Metamorphoses into material form. When the first Magick Ions coalesce in the heart, a Pool of Magick Ions forms. When this pool reaches full capacity, and the individual is prepared and focused, a material First Level Metamorphosis manifests.'
'Material Metamorphoses do not adhere to age restrictions, yet it has been observed that individuals who have undergone immaterial Metamorphoses tend to experience less taxing material ones. Unlike immaterial Metamorphoses, which can be remedied, material Metamorphoses are nearly irreversible due to the severe injuries that may result from the backlash of failure. Thus, it is advised that individuals do not recklessly hasten their Metamorphoses.'
The reading was abruptly interrupted. "Where did she say it was…" Michael quickly scanned the tablet, "under 'Requests'?"
\\\
* Room's Services: »…
* Voice Operation: OFF.
«
///
He turned it "ON".
\\\
* Room's Services: »…
* Voice Operation: ON – For this function to work, please tap the "Record" button and clearly speak your account's identifier ◉.
«
///
"MM2Y0GP-DCA1-HQRM!"
\\\
* Room's Services: »…
* Voice Operation: ON – Activated.
«
///
"Open the door!" Michael called out, and it swung open with a push.
"Couldn't you have done that as soon as you entered, instead of making me wait?" Grace entered, visibly peeved, and scowled at Michael, who was still reclined.
"Sorry, won't happen again," Michael quipped.
"Hilarious," Grace retorted sarcastically. "Come on, funny guy. The Department Manager has assigned us a low Rank 0 mission for me to chaperone you. Apparently, you're not just broke in Merit Points, but also financially strapped, and the world inside and outside of HQ still runs on money."
"Really? No preliminary exercises to assess my abilities?" Michael asked.
"If you're having second thoughts…"
"No," Michael hastily returned on his words.
"Good. Besides, as I've told you, for the next two years, your primary asset is your Grace Period. Anything else is a bonus and highly unlikely to be of use," Grace remarked.
"Wow, thanks for making me feel like a tool," Michael replied, resigned to being a mere instrument for the Bureau in exchange for whatever it could offer to enhance his chances of Metamorphosis.
"I meant in comparison, but you catch on quickly," Grace said, taking him by the arm and pulling him along. "Trust me, it's better that I'm blunt. Someone who forgets their place only ends up going in circles trying to escape it."
"Forget it. Do I need to wear a suit?" Michael glanced over Grace and couldn't deny the mastery of the Bureau's tailor.
"You do. I'll wait outside. Hurry… you know what, shower first," she reconsidered before closing the door.
Roughly seven minutes later, Michael emerged. He had never felt so comfortable in any type of clothes and was certain he had never looked as good. Though he didn't show it, when he exited his room and Grace didn't praise his appearance, he felt a pang of disappointment.
'Mom would've blown it out of proportion,' he thought to himself. It hadn't even been a day since he left, and a small part of him already missed his parents, despite the tense atmosphere he had left behind.
"Typically, we head out immediately. But this time, we need to stop by the Risk Management Department to grab your device and badge," Grace explained, waving her smartphone. "You kept yours in the room, right?"
Michael said nothing.
"Put it back. Your ID too, if it's in your pocket."
…
On the 41st Floor, at the Risk Management Department, Department Manager Tamara appeared slightly dissatisfied with Michael's stubble as she addressed Grace.
"Isn't it enough that I told him to shower?" Grace shrugged. "If you'd given us a mid Rank 0 mission-"
"Never mind!" Department Manager Tamara shut the female short-haired blonde Agent up, sliding a smartphone atop a leather badge case onto her desk.
"Usually, you'll not be briefed. Mission information is sent directly to the Bureau's issued device, after all related arrangements have been made. The message, in fact, is in. Read it," she instructed.
Michael picked up the smartphone and badge case. He tucked the case into an inner pocket of his suit jacket and found the smartphone responding to his fingerprints, as well as Magick, as it turned on automatically.
The interface resembled his room's tablet. A "1" appeared next to the "MMB's Profile" application.
\\\
Rank: 0.
Department: Risk Management.
Magick Ions: 340.
Missons: »
* Active: 1.
* Subject: URGENT New Mission Assignment. Codename: Operation Mischievous Critters.
Agent Michael Mir,
This message is classified at low Rank 0 level of confidentiality and should not be discussed with anyone without proper clearance. Read its details carefully and confirm your Accept within 60 seconds.
* Mission Brief: On August 27, 2023, at 04:12 hours, the European Branch received a report from Berwick, Northumberland, England. Local law enforcement had been investigating a series of complaints from residents spanning the last month and a half. These complaints revolved around mysterious nocturnal disappearances and subsequent dawn reappearances, characterized by a complete lack of memory regarding the preceding night's events. A preliminary investigation, conducted by EB's Rank 0 Agent, Finlay Mitchell, tentatively attributes the phenomena to Magickal influences. However, the exact source of these events remains unidentified.
* Objective: Investigate the mysterious disappearances occurring in Berwick, Northumberland, England, with the primary goal of identifying the underlying cause. Should it become evident that the source is connected to Magickal or supernatural elements, take measures to contain it. If containment proves impossible, implement a ban from the affected location. As a last resort, consider the necessity of elimination.
* Assets: As always, the services of Yastrebov Pogled, Nakizawasābisu are at your disposal. Additionally, Agent Mitchell will meet and provide assistance to you upon arriving at the location.
* Remuneration: 1,000$.
* Accept\Reject
* Completed: 0.
«
Demonic Contract: Missing Information.
* Grace Period: 03.09.2023-03.09.2025.
Partner: Grace Vasquez.
///
"1k? Oh, well… should be quick and easy, then. Tap on 'Accept'," Grace remarked, doing the same on her smartphone.
Michael followed suit. The 60-second timer stopped at "30" and the "Accept/Reject" options changed to "Accepted".