Chapter 26: The First Communion

“What is this sudden—!”

“You must grow accustomed to this sensation. Without it, you cannot wield your power.”

“What does this have to do with Guiding? I don’t understand.”

“Guiding, as I’ve told you, is about communion. It requires not only a mental connection but a physical one as well. Especially when the situation is as urgent as yours—!”

Yanis bit his lip, seemingly about to add something more. Emil found the warmth covering his hand both unfamiliar and disconcerting.

Perhaps it was the unsettling sensation of having his inner thoughts exposed that intensified his fear. Yanis squeezed Emil’s hand firmly, reassuring him, before calmly resuming his explanation.

“First and foremost, it’s crucial that you relax your mind. Do not worry, Emil; even if you falter while using your power, I will be here to assist you. What we are building now is trust.”

“I already… I trust you.”

A beat of silence followed.

Emil’s reply was tinged with anxiety, his entire focus drawn to Yanis’s hand. Yanis narrowed his eyes, studying Emil for a moment before slowly responding.

“I know you trust me, and rest assured, Emil, I trust you as well. However, what we are forging now is the trust between an Esper and a Guide.”

“As an Esper and a Guide…”

“After all, you sought my help not as Lauren’s lover, but because you needed me as a Guide, did you not?”

It was true.

Theirs was a truly small village, with only two known Espers and Guides: his mother, Lauren, and his longtime friend, Jack. Neither of them possessed much specialized knowledge on the subject.

When it came to finding someone who could help him suppress his suddenly manifested power, only Yanis came to mind. Yanis had offered to help him get rid of this power that had appeared overnight, which meant Emil had to rely on him completely.

Sensing Emil’s gradual return to a state of calm, Yanis slowly whispered to him.

“Release your power and entrust everything to me. Close your eyes and wait. Then, you will find me.”

The man used the word ‘find.’ The term felt incredibly foreign, causing Emil to tilt his head in confusion before closing his eyes.

A profound silence enveloped the room. Not even the faintest sound of breathing could be heard.

‘What am I supposed to find in this stillness?’ he wondered. Though he had followed the instruction to close his eyes, only questions arose.

“Emil.”

In that instant, Yanis’s voice reached him, as if he had read Emil’s thoughts. Startled, Emil’s eyes flickered open for a brief moment before snapping shut again.

Although he hadn’t fully seen, Yanis appeared to have his eyes closed as well.

“You must focus.”

Emil remained silent.

‘Focus…’ Emil poured his entire concentration into the warmth of their joined hands. Release his power, fully rely on the man, wait, and focus. Emil slowly regulated his breathing, replaying each of Yanis’s words in his mind.

At a certain point, he felt his body begin to float in the air. Nothing registered except for the warmth emanating from their joined hands.

Every single strand of his hair, even his neatly arranged eyelashes, seemed to lose their weight, soaring high into the sky. And in that very moment,

“…!”

“Did you find it?”

Emil opened his eyes and gazed at the man. Unlike before, Yanis was now looking directly at Emil.

He was smiling, as if he already knew the experience Emil had just undergone. Something seized Emil, who was suspended in mid-air.

Though he couldn’t quite articulate it, something pulled him back down to earth from his elevated position. Emil’s gaze dropped from the man’s face to their clasped hands.

Yanis held his hand extremely firmly. Their fingers were intertwined so tightly that Emil couldn’t have pulled away without exerting considerable force.

‘Was it this hand that just pulled me back?’ Emil wondered, alternating his gaze between Yanis’s large hand and his face.

“We have just experienced our first communion.”

Emil remained silent.

“Continue to relax. You will feel your power stabilizing just by doing so.”

His body felt tense all over due to the profound experience he had just undergone. At Yanis’s words, Emil loosened his grip.

Only the man’s hand held him steady.

Emil couldn’t grasp the true nature of the power, yet, remarkably, while holding the man’s hand, he felt as though he was firmly seated on the ground. There was no other way to describe it.

He knew he wasn’t truly flying through the air. Still, with his eyes closed, Emil felt himself soaring. Nothing seemed to anchor him to the ground; only the man’s hand held him captive.

At first, he believed an invisible, potent force had gripped his entire body. However, as soon as he registered their clasped hands, he felt himself being drawn through that very connection.

Simultaneously, it was as if something uneven was being gently pressed down and smoothed out, like bumpy stakes being flattened. Of course, it wasn’t a perfect transformation.

As if resisting, those ‘stakes’ would gradually protrude again. Each time they were pressed down deeply, they would bulge back up, almost defiantly. Yet, the extent of their protrusion was distinctly different from the initial state.

“Ah…”

Emil let out a low sigh, almost unconsciously. Yanis tightened his grip on Emil’s hand even further.

Even that sensation felt good. It wasn’t because he liked Yanis. Rather, it was the pleasant feeling of his mind clearing and his heart finding comfort.

After a long moment, Yanis carefully released Emil’s hand. Even without a word from Yanis, Emil slowly opened his eyes.

Emil’s blue eyes were glistening with moisture.

“Are you alright?”

Emil simply nodded in response.

“How was it? If you found it distressing, I can introduce you to another Guide—”

“It was wonderful.”

Emil interrupted Yanis, adding with a rushed urgency. At that very moment, a tear escaped one of his eyes, tracing a path down his cheek.

“Beyond words. It felt as if I were walking on air.”

He searched for the right words, yet no suitable description came to mind. Even after saying he was “happy,” Emil pondered for a long time, trying to find a more fitting term.

This astonishing experience defied articulation. Yanis watched Emil, who was still tilting his head in thought, and offered a gentle smile.

“Sometimes, when an Esper and Guide are completely incompatible, problems can arise. If you felt any discomfort, I can arrange for you to seek help from another Guide I know.”

“No, it’s fine. There isn’t much time to seek help elsewhere, and I wasn’t uncomfortable at all. Quite the opposite, I feel refreshed. You’re truly a perfect match for me—”

Emil, flustered by Yanis’s considerate offer, rambled on, his face flushing crimson. He suddenly became confused about what his own words were truly expressing.

Was it his impression of spending time alone with Yanis, or was it his feelings about communing with him as a Guide? Emil curled his hand into a fist, the same hand Yanis had held moments before.

A faint trace of Yanis’s warmth seemed to linger there.

“I’m relieved I could be of assistance to you. If you strive to remember that sensation in your daily life, your power won’t manifest uncontrollably.”

“…Thank you.”

“Not at all, Emil. I am glad to be able to help you.”

Yanis offered a modest smile to Emil, who was expressing his gratitude. A pang shot through Emil’s chest at Yanis’s demeanor, recognizing the careful distance he maintained.

Clenching his hand even tighter, Emil forced a smile.

****

Emil’s days unfolded in a monotonous rhythm. On the first night, he was constantly on edge, knowing he had to sleep in the same bed as Yanis.

He feared that if he fell into a deep sleep, he might once again freeze the entire house. Yet, nothing of the sort occurred.

“Nothing happened the previous night you slept at my house either.”

Emil merely remained silent at Yanis’s words. He already knew this, as the man had told him before.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of bewilderment. ‘Why?’ he mused. ‘Was it because he was influenced by the man? Even before his Esper abilities had fully manifested?’

Whatever the reason, it was perhaps a blessing. If he were to harm Yanis’s health due to his power, the guilt would surely overwhelm him.

Emil and Yanis headed to the mountainside together early in the morning. It was a rugged terrain not far from a stream, yet, unusually, a flat expanse stretched out there.

Emil knew the place well, as it was where he and Jack often played as children. It wasn’t far from Lauren’s house either.

This was the spot the man had chosen. They planned to hold the wedding here, inviting only Yanis, Lauren, and a select few with whom they maintained a close relationship. With the weather having significantly warmed, it seemed like a suitable time for the ceremony.

“We intend to decorate this area. Though it’s less about decoration and more about tidying up. It’s a bit of a distance, but this seemed like the best option.”

“It doesn’t matter. The path is familiar, and I know this place well myself.”

Emil replied calmly to Yanis, who seemed rather apologetic. Their primary tasks involved leveling the uneven ground and pulling out weeds that dotted the area.

They also had to fill in deep depressions with soil and remove scattered rocks. While not overly cumbersome, it wasn’t particularly easy either.

The two worked in silence. Memories of his childhood resurfaced. When his father was alive, Emil used to help him a little with farm work.

In reality, it was more akin to his father playing with young Emil, but it remained one of Emil’s happiest memories. The area where his parents had settled was so close to the mountains and the land so uneven that farming was difficult.

Moreover, the villagers didn’t welcome outsiders, especially Espers who couldn’t control their powers; they were more eager to avoid them than to offer help. His father—

As he repeated the simple tasks, his father’s face, long forgotten, came to mind. His father had been a good man, kind to Emil and deeply in love with his mother.

Emil recalled that his parents had had him at a young age. He didn’t know why they had been forced to flee their old town and ended up in Kaley, but his father’s efforts to adapt and live in a strange village where he knew no one were vividly clear.

Emil silently leveled the ground, then raised his head to look beside him. ‘Where was my father’s grave?’ he wondered.

He had a faint memory of visiting it whenever he missed his father, but even that was uncertain. Having left the village for school, his memories had faded.

He wondered if his mother knew, but hesitated, considering it might be rude to ask her right before her wedding. Yet, Emil also wanted to tell his father that he had become a priest.

His father had always worried about Emil. Since his mother was frail, Emil had no siblings, but his father’s presence had kept him from feeling lonely.

“Emil.”

Yanis’s voice broke through his reverie.

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