Grand Ascension-Chapter 80: The Proposal

When Orel left, Yime took a seat next to Makun while Jorg remained standing.

"Last time we met on Monday, you said you had a proposal for me, what did you mean by that?" Makun asked.

He had always wondered what it was she needed from him, she had helped him more than she should have. But nothing came for free in this world. Makun knew that best.

And the proposal she mentioned at the Pier Night Market was surely the price to pay for what he had received.

He had wanted to head to the night Market on Wednesday to meet her after his initiation, however, he was knocked out and could not keep his promise.

Never would he have thought she was going to be seated here next to him today.

He could not miss this chance to ask about it. He had asked, and waited for her response.

"Yes, that." Yime answered her dark eyes fixed on him.

At the beginning, she had not thought much, following the instructions, she went to the night market on Friday night at the plaza that linked to every other plaza of the vicinity. She sat there and waited for someone to come.

She did not know who. When Makun came, she had been surprised, was he the one? She doubted, but she still gave him the book, he had seen it first.

Then when they met at the pier night market, she asked if he could read the book and he said yes, he had gained many things. That showed he was the one.

After the resonant recall, she was even more sure he was the one she had to bring back. Those chains, the history behind them, the clue it was... She knew what her chief was looking for and that might just be what helped them.

After confirming Makun could be of help to her chief’s goal, she became extra nice.

She answered more questions than what she had to, she brewed a potion for him and even invited him to meet her again after his initiation.

To her surprise, she received a call from Jorg who after seeing the book and her pendant knew she was involved. She had asked for his help to help Makun understand the mechanics of Ashe and how to manipulate it.

Never would she have expected for Makun to jump from grade one to grade two after a simple spar with Jorg. Nor would she have expected him to move from Tier one to Tier two in less than a week.

This boosted Makun’s value in her mind. Let alone the fact he moved so quick, he defeated an Adept warrior while he was an initiate.

Even though Zack was not in his best condition, that was still an exploit impossible to achieve.

That had boosted his esteem even more.

"I want you in my team, Join my organization and work under me." she said, looking at him for his reaction.

Makun blinked. For a moment he said nothing. Then the confusion set in.

What organisation? He still had no idea where they were, nor who Jorg really was.

He had just woken up in a dungeon, received a pill then heard follow me! hit me!. Jorg had said nothing about who he was.

Makun was still unaware of the Suppression Bureau, the VEB, the MIO or any organization of the sort.

"Join you where? Here?" he asked, trying to clear his doubts.

"No. I work for the MIO, we are located in Houston and work across three states. You can say we investigate Mystic Crimes." She said casually, not caring about Makun’s eyes that were widening.

"MIO? Houston? Mystic crimes?" He could piece up some of the information, but if he said he knew what she meant by this, he was lying.

The book "Goal of a Mystic" had mentioned suppression but had never mentioned Mystic forces that acted like the FBI or CIA of the mystic world.

And Yime, she had never said anything about that when they spoke last time. Why was she acting like he was aware of what was happening?

"The boy is confused." Jorg who had said nothing till now suddenly intervened.

Makun caught the look Jorg gave Yime. It seemed to say: what are you doing?

Jorg looked at Yime who looked back at him.

"Jorg you were a member of MIO once, explain to him what it is." Yime said then stayed silent.

Seated on the bed confused, Makun looked at Jorg, hoping Jorg could clear his doubts.

Sigh! Jorg could only shake his head.

"To understand MIO, I should first talk to you of the Suppression Bureau." He started. "The Suppression Bureau is the umbrella organization overseeing all mystic regulation and enforcement across America....Well, not just America." He paused. "It was built on a single principle: mystics existed, and they had to be controlled before they endangered the mundane world."

Makun nodded, he did not know it was called the Suppression Bureau, but the book had mentioned this before. Not in detail as it did not have actual information, but the concept of suppression was mentioned. He looked at Jorg, prompting him to continue.

"Twelve seats form the Council at its head, each representing a branch of mystic oversight, and beneath them operates specialized agencies with different philosophies and methods." Jorg carried on with his explanation.

"Some believe in protection through understanding; others believe in suppression through force. The Bureau balances both, ensuring that mystics operate within the boundaries of law and that threats from the Deep, rogue practitioners, and reality-warping phenomena were contained before they could spread."

A clear image was forming in Makun’s mind. Suppression was both good and bad, Yime had mentioned before how practitioners committed terrible deeds just for enlightenment and the ability to move from one Tier to another.

That meant, suppression was to stop these people from committing crimes, as well as to keep humans as slaves to their everyday lives, completely unaware of what was going on.

"Do the different branches work well together?" Makun asked going straight to the point.

Whenever there was duality, there was war, and the Suppression Bureau would not be the exception to that rule. He knew it, but had to be sure.

Jorg nodded, he was not surprised by Makun’s sharp mind anymore. "Of course there is, be it politics, bureaucracy, or physical the bureau is always at war."

Makun knew it, but he also knew an organisation such as the Suppression Bureau needed funding, which meant they had backing.

The real war is happening between the backers. He concluded. But that was trouble for later, right now all he wanted to know about was the MIO.

"What is the MIO then?" Makun asked.