Swallowing heavily, Gideon placed the document down and massaged his temples in an attempt to alleviate the annoyance he felt bubbling up. The words weren't much, but they spoke of something much more daunting than he had expected to deal with when waking up that morning.
{The hewer's hand knows the cold logic of separation, clearing the path forward, through the debris of what was must be reckoned with. The spirit of the acquirer, however, yearns to grasp, to possess, shaping a destiny from the clay of desire.
A journey is etched between these two impulses: to shed the old, perhaps painfully, and to claim what is believed to be rightfully theirs. But beware, for every stone cleared, a new burden may be acquired, and the very act of taking can leave an enduring mark.
The threads of choice are woven through one's very making, revealing the dual nature of the path ahead—one of release, the other of gain, each tainted by the specter of pride, envy, and wrath.
The true test lies not in the distant horizon, but in the crucible where these forces meet. Will the individual be the one who fells the obstacles that bind, or will they be forever driven by what they possess?
The echoes of ancient divisions resonate in the ground beneath, and the consequence of every taking reverberates, whispering of sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust.
Understand that the way ahead is carved by both sacrifice and ambition. What is chosen to be cast away, and what is chosen to be gathered, will define the nature of the path walked, and the final state of the soul.}
Reading through the cryptic message once more, Gideon crumpled the paper and threw it on the table. His mind a blur of questions, questions with no answers.
"What the ever-loving fuck does this mean?"
Staring into the empty space, Gideon released a deep sigh, a sigh that began deep within his soul and escaped through his mouth.
'Was this some cryptic message from God? It couldn't be. He's been pretty upfront about everything. But who else could it be? I've only been here for a day.'
Standing up, he left the living room for the kitchen. Gideon opened the fridge and pulled out a pre-made meal that was already stocked inside, before putting it into the microwave and taking a seat at the dining table.
'Fuck it, I don't think I can figure it out right now. System, play the message.'
[Playing message.]
"Hey Gideon! How you doin' long time no speak! No, literally, time moves weird where I am so you've actually been gone for much longer than it would appear. Now, I have had a discussion with someone who was... sneaky." God's deep voice spoke, a hint of amusement but seriousness played in his tone.
Gideon sat at the table, his eyes staring forward at the wall, though they were unfocused as his brow creased deeply.
"She's sorry for leaving such an odd message, but it was stated to be a necessity in the future. I'd tell you the reason, but I've been warned that it could cause... problems in the future. Just enjoy your new life and take those words into consideration. Bye for now!"
The voice of God cut out as soon as he said his farewells, bringing Gideon back to reality.
"That made no sense!" He said, pushing his hair out of his face. "You leave me some ominous message from some hidden entity and then tell me not to worry about it too much?"
Pushing back the chair, Gideon stood and retrieved his meal before sitting back down to enjoy it.
Taking his first bite had an instantaneous effect that alleviated his irritated mood slightly, though his mind was distracted enough to not completely enjoy it.
'The hewer and the acquirer, are they people I need to watch out for? The seven sins were mentioned, which logically could be pointing to me, but the final fate of the soul sounds completely ominous.'
The only thing that he could grasp currently through the message was that there was a type of war, or battle, between two opposing and contradicting actions. One was stated to cleave and clear the way with a purpose, whilst the other was to take and gain through their actions.
Shaking his head in annoyance, Gideon placed more attention on his meal and his accomplishments in an attempt to move past the feeling of helplessness.
He had accomplished his main objective earlier in the day; purchasing the store was a true boon for him and meeting another member of the cast made his new life feel all the more real.
The next day Gideon would likely pick up the keys and official documents for his new store, and he needed to find a way to get in contact with Esme in an attempt to gain an interior decorator and interact with a vampire for the first time.
Taking his final bite, Gideon threw the plastic container into the bin before cleaning up the kitchen and moving to his bedroom. Changing into a white singlet and boxers, he crawled into bed and attempted to sleep, though sleep would be a struggle to find that evening.
---
Gideon grunted in annoyance as he opened his eyes to the dark and dreary atmosphere of his bedroom. His eyes flickered to the window beside him; the usual sunlight was absent. In its place were storm clouds covering the sky, an apt comparison to his mental state since the previous night.
Pushing off the bed, he quickly entered the shower and cleaned his body thoroughly. The warm water slowly alleviated the tension in his muscles and brought him a sense of calm.
Changing into a black v-neck, short-sleeved shirt and blue chinos, topped off with a leather jacket and boots, Gideon gave himself a once-over, nodding in approval at his overall appearance.
"At least I look good," he mumbled as he exited the bedroom and his home, before hopping into his car and starting it up.
'Game plan: focus on the present. Deal with the punches as they come. Let's start out the day on a positive note.'
Turning on the ignition, Gideon directed the car slowly down the driveway before turning right and lightly pressing his foot to the pedal, the purr of the engine coming alive.
Driving down the solitary winding road, Gideon turned on the radio and enjoyed the sounds of music he hadn't heard in years, the songs bringing back a nostalgic feeling.
Fifteen minutes later, Gideon parked his car in the same spot he did the previous day. Pulling out an umbrella and opening it, he stepped out of the car and quickly jogged into the real estate agency. Opening the door, he smiled genially at the receptionist.
"Good morning, I'm here to see Mallory to possibly pick up some keys." The receptionist, Sarah, greeted Gideon before telling him to bear with her a moment while she fetched Mallory.
After a few moments, Gideon took a seat in the waiting area as he toyed with his phone, going through the contacts, messages, apps and settings to ensure he hadn't missed anything else the OG left for him as a surprise.
Fortunately, it was just a simple phone that had been juiced up, with nothing else hidden for him to discover.
The faint sounds of steps echoed down the hallway, pulling Gideon from his investigation.
Quickly standing up, he turned towards the direction of the hall as he watched Mallory come and greet him.
"Good morning Gideon, thanks for stopping by. I was going to call you a little later, but you've just made my job easier." Flashing him a welcoming smile, Mallory opened a briefcase and placed it on the reception desk.
"I'm happy to tell you everything went through quicker than usual." Pulling out a set of keys and a folder, she handed them to Gideon. "You'll find the contract, ownership, and all legal documents in here, neatly organized. This is the only set of keys, by the way, so I'd recommend getting a few copies made for peace of mind."
Taking the items in his hand, Gideon quickly double-checked everything was there, nodding to himself in confirmation that it all appeared perfect.
"That's fantastic. I appreciate your help with everything Mallory. Is there anything else we need to do?"
"Nope, that's it. Though you did mention yesterday you were looking to potentially do some renovation and plan to change the interior?" Mallory asked.
Nodding at her question, Gideon answered. "Yeah, though I'm hoping to find someone in town who could do it. I'd rather deal with someone in person."
Thinking for a couple of moments, Mallory walked behind the desk before opening a drawer and pulling out a couple of business cards.
"You've got a couple of options." Handing him the first card, she continued. "This one is a small, family-run renovation company that's about thirty minutes away, between Forks and Port Angeles."
"There's another one much closer, located just down in the reservation. I've seen some of their work before; it's fairly cheap but the quality is good." Handing him the second card, Gideon glanced at it momentarily, before paying extra attention.
'Uley & Lahote: Construction and Renovations. Huh, this must be how the tribe makes additional money to feed themselves. They probably hire and teach one another and built a decent business,' Gideon thought, though his theory was clear guesswork.
"We don't really have any interior designers in Forks," Mallory murmured for a moment. "Oh, we actually might. Esme Cullen did leave me a business card in case I needed someone to help with my open homes."
Hearing Mallory's rambling, Gideon smiled internally as he realized he had a line to latch onto.
"Could I get her details? Honestly, the store would only need a small touch; it would be closer to a consultant job, I guess."
Nodding, Mallory wrote down a number and handed it to Gideon. "I'll let her know that you'll be in contact. She's lovely, so you shouldn't have an issue."
Pocketing the information, Gideon secured the property documents in his hand along with the keys. "Well, I should be off. I'm a little eager to see my new purchase, thanks for everything once again."
Wishing each other well, Gideon departed feeling lighter than before he entered the agency. A small smile played on his lips. His next destination was his new store.
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A/N: I'll never lock chapters behind a paywall, so please donate some powerstones, comment on the chapters and leave a review!
Here's your bonus chapter! <3