Tela Osupa exhaled deeply, then straightened his back slightly, as if that had only been the introduction.
"Now," he said with a glint in his rotating pupils, "let's talk about how power is used."
He began to sketch again, this time layering the Divine diagram with new symbols—levels drawn like staircases.
"There were four original bearers of Divine Essence. From them came the Divine Families and the contracts you humans formed. But Divine Essence alone isn't enough to wield Divine Energy."
He looked up at me.
"To access power… a human must align with their Divine Essence."
I nodded slowly. This part I had heard before—but only the surface.
"There are three stages of alignment," he continued. "Base Alignment, Mid Alignment, and Full Alignment."
As he spoke, he drew a circle, dividing it into increasing arcs like phases of a moon.
"Base Alignment," he tapped the first segment, "is when a person can draw roughly 25% of Divine Energy into their Okan."
"You know the Okan, yes? The spiritual heart. The vessel of one's being."
I nodded again.Of course.It was where Master Abiodun had entered during my purification ritual.
Tela's gaze sharpened.
"Pay close attention now," he said.
"When someone aligns—no matter the stage—the Okan becomes capable of drawing Divine Energy from the Divine Realm."
"The Divine Essence inside you acts as a conduit, a channel. And the strength of your alignment determines how much energy you can gather."
He pointed back to the diagram.
"Once gathered, that Divine Energy is preserved. Either in the Okan, or in a Divine Craft—until it's used."
I let the thought settle. It made sense.
The Okan was the vessel. The Divine Essence was the channel. The Divine Energy was the resource. And the Realm was the source.
Tela watched me closely, waiting to make sure I had followed everything before continuing.
"Now understand this," he said, tapping the diagrams again, "the amount of Divine Essence you possess... directly affects how much Divine Energy you can draw. Both at base alignment and at full alignment."
I blinked at him.
"Wait. Are you saying if someone's Divine Essence is smaller—and another's is larger—the one with the larger essence can draw more energy... even at the same alignment level?"
Tela gave a slow, deliberate nod.
"Exactly."
It clicked.So that's what separated a Master from a Hand. Not just contracts or experience—but the volume of Divine Essence they possessed. Even if both were aligned at the base level, a Master could draw and store far more energy.
Tela smiled faintly.
"You're a smart King."
His compliment caught me off guard—but it helped me piece together the hierarchy for the first time.
So the real difference between Lesser Hands, Upper Hands, and Majors wasn't always visible power—it was what they could hold and release. I wondered aloud:
"Then that means... in the Divine ranking system, the Hands might have the same Divine Essence quantity, but their positions depend more on how far they've aligned?"
Tela nodded again.
"Correct. I don't claim to be an expert on the Divine rankings, but from what I've observed, alignment level is likely a major factor—alongside your contract history. After all, numbers can be racked up. But energy capacity?"He tapped the side of his head."That reveals mastery."
I let that sink in.It finally made sense why some fought with bursts of brilliance—while others simply overwhelmed with presence.
Then Tela leaned forward, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Now... everything I've said about Divine Essence? The same applies to Fallen Essence in humans."
My chest tightened.
"But," he added, "the effects are different."
He reached for his cane and drew another layered symbol beside the others.
"Divine Essence cleanses," he said. "It enhances your humanity. Improves your body. Sharpens your mind. When Divine Energy is stored in your Okan, it strengthens you… but keeps your form intact. It compliments you."
"Fallen Essence, however… corrupts. When Fallen Energy enters your Okan, it still enhances you—but at a cost. It transforms you. Slowly, or violently. Your form begins to reflect your Essence. That is its nature."
A cold realization washed over me.
That's why I change when I drink palm wine.The spikes. The eyes. The skin.It wasn't just energy.
It was corruption.
I glanced at Tela, suddenly desperate for clarity.
"Then why does palm wine… turn me into a Fallen?"
Tela's face broke into a wry smile.
"Ah," he said, "palm wine… the drink that ruined everything."
He leaned back, resting his cane across his lap.
"It has a long, messy history. It was palm wine that caused the Creator Himself to blunder. Intoxicated during creation, He miswove the energies meant to be Divine… and from that, we were made."
He chuckled, as if at a cruel joke only the old could still laugh at.
"When the Creator saw what He had done, He cursed the drink—and every Fallen ever since has been affected. If we drink it, we lose ourselves. No control. No restraint. Just chaos."
I looked down at my hands.
"So when I drink it… the same thing happens? Because it triggers my Fallen Essence?"
"Yes," Tela said. "Your Human Essence loses control. The Fallen within you surges forward—unbound."
"So… does that mean if you drank it, you'd go mad too?"
"Of course," he said, matter-of-factly. "Every Fallen would."
Now that I understood the truth, there was still one question clawing at me:
How could I control this Fallen Essence?
And even if I managed to channel it—would it still corrupt me?
Tela nodded, reading the weight behind my question.
"As long as you align with the energy yourself—without the influence of palm wine—you'll remain in control," he said. "But…"His voice dropped."Your appearance will still change."
That stopped me.
"Change… how?"
He raised a brow, as if the answer was obvious.
"Just as it did when you drank palm wine. The spikes. The marks. The eyes. That is the effect of Fallen energy shaping your form. Whether you take it willingly or not, the body responds the same way."
I sighed deeply.
So even if I controlled it… I'd still look like a fallen.
I could never use it in public. Not unless I wanted the world to brand me a beast. I'd have to hide it, just like I had been doing. Use it only in shadows, or when no one was watching.
It felt like a dead end. All this knowledge… and I was right back where I started.
And then the pain hit.
A sharp pulse exploded through my thigh, cutting through my thoughts. I winced and looked down.
The wound had worsened—swollen, reddish-black around the edges. A faint tremble spread down to my toes. My vision blurred for a moment. I blinked hard, trying to stay conscious.
Tela Osupa noticed.
He stood, his tone shifting ever so slightly.
"As your aide," he said gently, "I know your deepest desire."
I looked at him, uncertain.
"More than power… more than justice… You long for a family again," he said. "To regain what you lost. If not the same one, then something close. Something you can protect. A home. A name. A place where you belong. Comrades. Brothers. Sisters. A responsibility."
His voice softened with something like reverence.
"And I would not be your aide if I could not help you achieve that."
A small flicker of hope stirred in me. I sat up straighter.
Was there actually a way?
He reached beneath his layered robe and unclasped something from around his neck—a necklace, long and silver, with a small pendant that shimmered in the dark. When he handed it to me, I noticed the pendant was shaped like a tiny cup, smooth and cool to the touch.
"Open it," he said.
I did. Inside, nestled neatly, were a dozen tiny glowing spheres—soft white, like moonlit embers.
"These are your key," Tela said.
I looked up at him, eyes wide.
"I said Fallen energy corrupts. And that Divine energy cleanses. I've combined both—with some valuable resources and skill—to make these."He tapped the side of the pendant."Each one is a balancer. When taken immediately after you draw Fallen energy, it suppresses the physical transformation—the spikes, the eyes, the marks—but keeps the power."
My breath caught.
"So I can use Fallen energy… without becoming monstrous?"
"Exactly. But be warned—this only works short-term. You must not store Fallen energy in your Okan. It will override the pill's effect if it sits too long. Think of these as temporary locks. Use them in battle, making sure you use all the energy stored."
I nodded, taking it in.
So I could never hoard Fallen energy like the Divines did with theirs. But if I drew it during battle—and took a pill right after—it would hold. Long enough to fight. Long enough to help.
I slipped the necklace over my head. It sat warm against my chest.
"A gift," Tela said. "For you, my King."
I couldn't hide the way my chest rose with pride. It wasn't a perfect solution—but it was something. A path. An opportunity to be useful.
"So…" I asked, finally."How do I align with my Fallen Essence?"
For the first time, Tela's expression shifted.
He hesitated.
"That," he said slowly, "will be your greatest challenge yet."
"Why?" I asked, already bracing myself.
"Because I cannot help you with it. Alignment is… deeply personal. A door only you can walk through."
I stiffened. But he raised a hand.
"I can't force the door open for you—but I can show you where to knock."
That was all I needed.
It didn't matter how hard the journey was. I had a family to serve for, people I wanted to protect and villages that could benefit from such power. I was done hiding from myself.
"Then show me," I said."I'm ready."