บท 5: The Grand Duke Gets a New Brother
Following that devastating yet quick bolt of nature's deadly electricity was a blinding flash of light. I am unaware of what happened within that timeframe, however. All I know is that afterward, the Jinn I have been conversing with became corporeal.
He no longer looked like fading smoke. And the pressure around him doubled.
See, I was right. He was even more powerful like this. Not a bad gamble.
"Ah, how invigorating. It has been eons since I last felt this light. Being imprisoned in that minuscule lamp was suffocating." The Jinn exclaimed with an ecstatic expression on his face.
"So, you truly were imprisoned." I reiterated in revelation.
"Thankfully, my assumption is true." The Jinn floated to my side as I spoke, his eyes bore into my face for a long time. It was unnerving, to say the least.
"I've decided." He mumbled after staring into me and steeping me in discomfort for a good while.
Decided what? That stalker-like expression is anything but reassuring.
"May I ask what it is you have decided?" I inquired, an ominous premonition slowly creeping in.
"As a celebration of my newfound freedom, I shall take you, who have given it to me, as my sworn brother."
He announced proudly and without further ado pointing his index finger into my forehead. I was frozen in place.
Wait! Don't I get a say in this?
Take your nefarious finger back!
I felt even more indignant when it finally registered to me the kind of pledge the stupid Jinn made.
Why did you make a vow of the soul? Damn it! Are you shitting me right now?
My internal protests were useless. I could not even make a peep for it was all finished before I could even make heads or tails of the situation.
I felt the surge of an incomprehensible force within my spirit. My internal aura field was useless against a force that goes straight to the soul. It was as if something has been written into my very being.
After the brief discomfiting occurrence, I felt an inexplicable connection to something. That something being the Jinn in front of me that grew annoying the more I looked at him.
"Hmm. You don't look happy." The Jinn stated. A puzzled expression on his irritating mug. I wanted to blurt out expletives the moment he asked that.
But my mother's smiling face crossed my mind and the urge immediately vanished. I could only sigh helplessly.
You see, there are different kinds of pledges and contracts in this world. Yet there are three that are not to be treated lightly.
An oath to mana, a vow of the soul, and a blood covenant.
The oath to mana is the ultimate promise a magician could make. No magician would ever break an oath to mana unless they want to stop being magicians.
A blood covenant is mostly utilized by aura wielders. Breaking this pledge would make it impossible for the concerned party to ever achieve enlightenment again. Something crucial in the advancement of aura wielders.
And lastly, the vow of the soul. Souls are the core of any living creature be they strong or weak. Using it in a promise is branding it in the very being of the persons involved. It will remain for as long as the soul exists.
It is understandable if I couldn't muster any joy at what had happened.
Yes, it is an advantage for me. But it is also something I did not need. It felt a little undeserving and hasty.
"That's not it at all. I am just a little concerned. Are you sure it is alright for you to hastily make a vow of the soul at the spur-of-the-moment?" I kindly explained to the carefree Jinn.
A booming laugh was the reply to my kindhearted intention.
"Instead of rejoicing at having a powerful ally on your side, you are concerned about something that was thrust onto you without your outright approval? You are one of a kind Skandar Aleksandr Konstantin." He said in a hearty tone.
So, he was aware that I wasn't given a say in the matter. Is he proud of that? Now, I have the impulse to punch him in the face if it weren't for the fact that he is too powerful for me to do so.
My thoughts must have slipped from a crack in my expression for he patted me on the back in a pacifying manner and graced me with an explanation.
"You do not have to worry so much. It is merely a vow of taking you as my family and bestowing you a Jinn name. It won't do me any harm. Of course, in reciprocation. The sentience of this realm now considers me as your brother. A bearer of the Konstantin name."
I was speechless at this lousy attempt at comfort. It didn't feel that way at all. I'm even more exasperated now.
Dearest mother and father, I beg for your forgiveness with all my heart. I seem to have taken in another son for you two without your knowledge. A son that is thousands of years older than both of you.
I rubbed my throbbing forehead.
Even if I wanted him to take it back, it was no longer possible. The vow of the soul is an unbreakable one.
Hopefully, this Jinn would choose to relish his newfound freedom after this and leave to explore the world.
In truth, it felt a little absurd. He was now my brother yet I am still clueless as to what his name is. I abhor the lack of fairness towards my side in this situation.
"You said you bestowed me a Jinn name. What is it? Now that I think about it, you also never told me your name." I asked to divert the topic into a less stressful territory.
"I am previously known as Abinatha. With the vow in place, I am now Abinatha Konstantin. And I gave you the name Aashadhar, the fulfiller of wishes." He answered with a pleased smile.
Oh? That's unexpected. It seems Jinns' names are from the Ancient Paravel root.
Alright. I'll give it to him. It sounded nice. Like it had a lot of thought put into it. Even though we both know he came up with it in just a matter of seconds. Who am I to judge?
Since I am now resigned to my fate, as a generally positive person, I thought it is also a new experience having a brother, albeit one that is of a different race and technically a transcendent being.
I can let loose a little. And he has no choice but to bear with me for I am his brother.
"Can I call you Abi? Abinatha is a bit mouthful, don't you think?" I asked in a carefree tone.
The Jinn's strange purple eyes lit up in delight at my suggestion.
"Ooh. A nickname. Brothers do give each other a nickname. Sure then, I allow you to call me that. Then I shall call you Ash in return."
I take back what I said. It might have been a stroke of luck that he gave me a good Jinn name.
And just an observation but why does it seem like Abi's abnormally happy about this development?
Am I missing something?
"What are your plans now, Abi? You're already free to do what you want." I temporarily set aside my weird feeling and asked about the most important thing at the moment.
Please say you'll leave. Please say you'll leave. Please say you'll leave.
Important things need to be said thrice.
"Of course, I'll be accompanying you from now on. You're the most interesting person in this entire realm. I believe I'll get to experience fun things if I stay with you." He stated matter-of-factly as he floated around.
Oh, great! Fantastic! Not!
"Do take care of me from now on, bro." Abi's face broke into a delighted smile. His amethyst eyes glinting. It was a bit of a glaring sight.
No! I don't want to take care of you! Please leave!
I felt my blood pressure tap dancing in my veins. My eye twitched in frustration but I can't slap a smiling face. It's a breach of etiquette.
What's going to happen to me now?
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