Chapter 4 - 'Master?'
Hal watched the fog solidify into a Large book with blood red covers, a Title was written in gold letters on it, before he could read what it said, his body was riddled with pain, the pain completely wreaked havoc on his system and forced him unto the floor of the carriage. Melinda was worried, and decided checked on him, but before she could, his body became still, she checked and discovered he was still breathing, in fact, his aura was growing stronger. This new purchase was far from ordinary.
Meanwhile, in his mind space, Hal was gasping for air, the lingering effects of the pain could not be scoffed at. He moved closer to the book and could now read it's title :-PRIMORDIAL COSMIC GRIMOIRE
"What an overbearing name" Hal stretched his hand to touch it, but a mouth opened underneath the title
"BOO!" It bellowed, Hal jumped back, startled, but the book was already laughing hysterically
"Oh you should have seen your face" it cackled "priceless"
...Hal was speechless 'since when do books play pranks' he thought
"Don't be scared, I was only messing with you" The book sobered a little but was still grinning
"I wasn't scared" Hal shook his head
"You weren't? That's good. It would have been embarrassing if my new host was a scaredy cat" the book seemed satisfied
"New host?" Hal asked confused, he after all still believed the fog had caused his death by summoning that lightening strike, which begs the question, if Hal was it's host why would it try to kill him?.
"Yes, New host. You are not the first host I've had, and it is unfortunate that my previous hosts let the abilities and knowledge they are privy to through the grimoire go to their head and end up making wrong decisions. Some of them even brag about an heaven defying artifact that makes them invincible. After my third host, I was kept in a lamp and fables of a magic genie lamp were spread to attract the interest of humans to seek me out.
"Their motive for seeking me out is not important as long as they can find me and rub the lamp to release me, then I'll merge with the host and together we'll ascend to the cosmic realm" the grimoire explained
"But things didn't go according to plan" Hal said as he recalled the words of the monk 'There are many forces at work in your life' or something like that.
"No shit Sherlock" the grimoire was indignant "You have the worst luck i ever saw. The instant I merged with you, you were struck by lightening and killed!, and even then your soul won't let me go, I had no choice but to trigger a transmigration which brought you to the cosmic realm but also put me in deep sleep"
"What exactly can you do?" Hal asked
"I have all the information you would ever need across both the cosmic and nether realms, including the mortal realm as well. I also contain information about all professions so long as you have an aptitude to learn them. There are also skills, functions and abilities you will come to know of later, right now your cultivation is what matters..."
A sharp pain on his cheek forced hal to regain consciousness and interrupt what grimoire was saying. He sat bolt upright, his cheek stinging, the culprit was none other than Melinda who slapped him to force him awake, he turned to face her but his eyes were no longer blue but a deep black colour, even his scelera was black and from his pores a light gray fog erupted and instantly attacked Melinda, who unleashed her cultivation base to keep it at bay but when she sniffed it's scent, she was reminded of her favorite flower and let her guard down, The fog seeped into her body linking her mind, being and life purpose to Hal's, his mission and ambition would be her's as well.
Hal's eyes returned to a deep blue and his scelera, white, the pheromones were then reined in
'What just happened?" He asked grimoire
'I believe you just activated your bloodline. When I woke up I fixed your meridians, that's what caused the pain you felt, after which you absorbed cosmic energy in a rush and quickly reached Energy sensing realm 3rd stage, the presence of cosmic energy in your body must have activated the dormant bloodline kept hidden in your soul.'
Hal wanted to ask what he meant exactly but he was interrupted when Melinda bowed to him...
"Master"
...and called him that.