《Numbers x Casket》


 Death and Casket

    A moonless sky in a barren land where silence enveloped the night, not even a single sound could be heard. A man, barely in his twenties, walked with just a stick in hand, using it as a guide for each of his steps.


    His clothes were tattered beyond repair, his cheeks shrunken, and his eyes were squinted as if they would close at any moment in time.


    However, despite his circumstances, he continued wandering the endless land. His breathing became rougher each second that passed; even his strides were getting slower and smaller.


    Then he came to a sudden halt as a faint growl echoed across the horizon. Though blinded by the extreme darkness, he still tried to look around.


    ''A fiend?'' He thought, raising the stick in front.


    The horrifying screech reverberated once more. It gave chills in the young man''s spine, making him gulp in fear.


    His heart raced, pounding on his chest as the sound of footsteps came closer. The young man stood there in silence, while cold sweat started to form on his forehead.


    The next second, something dripped on top of his head¡ªa sticky feeling with a foul stench¡ªthis made him step a little backward. The fear of the unknown struck him hard while his mind began to play tricks on him, imagining his death looming around the corner. Then, he shook his head and cleared his thoughts; he turned around bit by bit, doing his best not to make any noise. And the moment he did, he saw a large silhouette standing behind him. Despite the dark surroundings, he saw its eyes glowing with a crimson hue, staring at him like how a predator looked at its prey.


    ''Should I run?'' he asked himself, thinking about his next course of action.


    Even though he already knew that it would be a useless struggle, he didn''t hesitate. Without wasting another breath, he ran for his life, summoning all the strength he could muster at the moment.


    Then, the monster growled once again and entered into its hunting stance. It charged towards him with its wide open mouth. The young man didn''t dare to look back; he focused on fleeing, hoping that he would be able to outrun the dangerous creature chasing him behind.


    However, as if his fate was already decided, he stumbled rolling on the ground upon tripping on a rock.


    "Damn it!" he cussed, slamming his fist onto the solid soil several times.


    The next second, he felt a cold touch, grabbing his left foot before lifting him in the open air. Then, with a loud bang, he found himself kissing the dirt as the monster slammed him on the ground.


    His left eyelid burst open while blood splattered on his face. He moved his feet, kicking, trying to free himself from the monster''s clutches; however, as if it found his resistance annoying, the creature slammed him once more, back and forth, before tossing him in a large boulder nearby.


    The young man felt excruciating pain, blood gushing out from the back of his head. It painted the boulder with a red tint hue as he slid down on the ground.


    His eyes, partially open, stared in the endless darkness. He tried to lift his feet to stand, but having no spare strength to even move a muscle, he gave up on the idea. If not for the lack of sleep and extreme hunger he was in, maybe he would have sufficient energy to flee.


    "I-Is this it? I don''t want to die yet," he stuttered, his voice escaping like a choke whisper.


    He wanted to scream and beg for mercy, for someone to save him from the imminent danger. However, his current location was not a place for people to wander, so being rescued would be a fleeting dream, a hopeless wish in that desolate land.


    Then, the sound of footsteps came knocking on his ear once again. Without anything left for him to do, he closed his eyes.


    ''I''m dead anyway. Come! Let this abandoned one satisfy your hunger at the least,'' he expressed inside his mind.


    As if the fiend heard his thoughts, it rushed towards him with its mouth wide open, showcasing its razor-sharp teeth.


    However, a few meters before the monster reached him, a series of thunders rolled above the clouds, then a sudden flash of white jolted downwards, disintegrating everything on its path. It struck the ground, creating a deep fissure in between.


    The young man was startled by the thunderstrike, making him open his eyes in amusement. It was only a fracture of a second, the fiend that was charging at him was caught in the incident, turning the entirety of it into nothingness.


    "Are you mocking me?" The man exclaimed, shaking his head before diverting his gaze above.


    He was frustrated and wasn''t thankful at all. Then he summoned his strength for one last time, trying to stand up despite all the pain he had been suffering, and as soon as he did, he walked towards the fissure. He stared into it; it was dark, darker than the darkness around him. Staring at it looked like looking at a bottomless abyss.


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    "At least I won''t end up being eaten alive," he uttered with his lips so dry.


    He was deep in his thoughts when several growls came out from all directions. It was followed by the appearance of hundreds of hungry-looking eyes staring at him, their mouths drooling for his flesh and blood.


    As soon as the young man heard and saw this scene, he sighed; it was the result of the flash of lightning, attracting all the fiends present in the area.


    "To the hell with all of you," he yelled, raising his hand while clenching his fingers except for the middle one.


    With the thought of ending his own life, he closed his eyes and let his body fall onto the fissure. Then, after a few moments, the young man found himself drenched in a pool of his own blood.


    Most of his bones were now broken, his right leg facing in an awkward direction while his left arm was scraped all the way to his elbow. But despite all of this, he felt no pain; his body was already numb from injuries.


    ''Still alive, huh?'' He contemplated.


    He didn''t know how further he fell, but the darkness vanished as crystals glowing with a purple hue lightened up the place. It was not that bright but not that dim either; if not for his current state, he would like to check those glowing pieces of rock.


    He tried moving his eyes, and upon looking at his left side, he noticed an unusual thing several meters away from him.


    "A casket?" he uttered with a dying voice.


    "The heavens are really making fun of me," he added, coughing between each word.


    A wooden white box, large enough for a person to fit, was in a standing position, facing the young man. On its lid was a black cross and a note, written with blood.


    ''If the world''s destruction... would be put in the palm of your hand, how will it end?'' The young man read it through his mind.


    However, he didn''t have the time to process and answer the question when, all of a sudden, he felt shivering chills, making him tremble for seconds. His vision started to blur, and a mouthful of blood came out, rushing from his mouth.


    Afterward, he began convulsing, his muscles contracting, making him twist in pain. Then he started catching his breath, and after exhaling a deep one, his heart stopped beating, taking all the pain away.


    Without anyone on his side, he died with his eyes still open. Then, as if heaven were being sympathetic to his death, the rain fell down, followed by a clicking noise as the casket''s lid opened.


    Coming from the inside of the wooden box, two sets of white-colored chains were hurled to the young man''s corpse, wrapping around his arms and neck before dragging him inside the casket.


    As the rain continued to pour, the deep fissure was soon filled with water, sinking everything underneath and erasing any trace of the unusual phenomenon.


    . . . . .


    Two years later, in a small town near the borders of Graphite City, several individuals were preparing for an expedition, a journey to investigate the remnants of a criminal organization.


    "Is everyone already here?" Asked an old man. The wrinkles on his face gave out how hard his life was, though his voice was still sharp and firm.


    Upon hearing him, people began to line up. They were clad with leather armor; weapons were strapped behind their backs.


    "One, two, three... four, where''s the other one? Lindsay, I thought we had ten people in our group," the old man exclaimed in anger as he faced a woman standing beside him.


    "Ahmn, I notified him about the location and the time; there''s still two minutes left. Let''s wait for a bit, captain," the woman replied with calmness, her voice filled with respect.


    She was dressed in a red battle gown while a long, black staff was resting on one of her palms. All the men''s eyes looked at her with interest. After all, her beauty was enough to captivate everyone''s hearts.


    Her black hair, braided like a waterfall, was a deep contrast from her porcelain skin, while her eyes were dazzling gold like the morning sun.


    The old man looked at her and inhaled a deep breath, his left foot tapping on the pavement in a continuous motion. Then it came to a halt when a man with hair darker than black showed up.


    "I apologize for the wait," he said with a smile.


    There were two swords strapped each on both of his legs; however, it was not those that captured everyone''s attention.


    On his right ear, there was a tiny, little white casket dangling as an earring.


    . . . . .

 Strange Numbers

    The old man looked at the newly arrived individual; his eyes gazed at him from head to toe as if judging every aspect of his figure.


    "You... What string are you?" He opened his mouth while his eyes furrowed.


    His question gathered the attention of the other members; even they were curious about the person''s ability.


    However, the man kept his silence; it was Lindsay who answered the captain''s query.


    "Based on his record, he''s a second-string equator, and his class is...." she said, but her introduction of him came to a halt as her eyes squinted.


    All of them were now focused on her, waiting for her next words.


    ''W-what?'' She contemplated; confusion was present on her face.


    "What is it?" The old man asked upon seeing Lindsay''s baffled expression.


    The woman was dragged out from her own thoughts upon hearing her captain''s voice. She looked at him before diverting his gaze to the young man.


    "He''s an appraiser," Lindsay stated.


    "What?!" the old man exclaimed in disappointment while stifled laughter was heard from the others.


    "An appraiser?" he repeated, mumbling.


    Then he turned around and looked at the young man.


    "We''re not here to play. Why would an appraiser want this dangerous mission? What are your Flairs?" The old man added, fuming in anger.


    But despite his rage, the playful smile on the young man''s face remained. He was about to reply, but Lindsay stepped in all of a sudden, positioning herself in between.


    "There must be a misunderstanding," she insisted.


    While staring straight into the old man''s eyes, she gulped a mouthful of saliva before explaining. She flipped the book in her hand and handed it to the captain, showing him the young man''s record.


    ''Efraim Von Regalia,'' the old man read the name with his eyes.


    ''He''s indeed an appraiser,'' he added in his thoughts, clicking his tongue.


    The next second, Lindsay pointed at the bottom part of the record, the section where the results of previous missions could be seen. As the old man diverted his gaze on that particular segment, his jaw dropped; he even closed and opened his eyes while shaking his head.


    A total of seven ruby rank missions, and all of them were completed by him alone. From gathering rare materials to eliminating fiend camps in the desolate land, the old man read all of it; he felt confused.


    After all, ruby rank missions were so dangerous that no one was in their right mind to take them alone, especially fiend subjugation. However, it was not the case for the young man in front of him.


    "You. Who are you?" the old man asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.


    . . . . .


    Severed limbs scattered across the open ground; grass and trees were painted red while the rusty smell of blood lingered in the air.


    "He really is... something that is beyond my comprehension," the old man stated as he stared at the appraiser standing in the pile of corpses.


    A while ago, they were on their way to the mission''s location when the young man came to a sudden halt.


    "What''s the matter?" Lindsay asked as she surveyed the area, but the young man didn''t reply.


    Instead, he turned around and unsheathed his blades. Then a rain of arrows poured down on the group.


    "An ambush! Take cover! Draw your weapons!" the old man shouted in a hurry.


    They waited for the barrage of attacks to die down before engaging in the fight. However, the moment they moved back, a scene enough to make them gulp transpired before their eyes.


    The appraiser whom they made fun of moments ago destroyed the group of bandits tailing them, dismembering their bodies into several parts in just a fraction of time. Lindsay covered her mouth in shock while the others almost threw up due to the hideous sight.


    After the group recovered, they resumed their journey towards their target destination. No one was uttering a single word; only their light footsteps could be heard inside the forest.


    The people walking in front were glancing a few times at the back, stealing a glimpse of the man with a casket earring. However, the moment they noticed that he was looking back at them, they averted their gazes, afraid that their eyes would meet.


    Upon noticing this, Efraim sighed and lowered his head.


    ''Maybe I overdid it,'' he pondered.


    At first, he only wanted to show off his skills to get the group''s trust, but they now looked at him with fear. Then, a tap on the shoulder pulled him away from the middle of his thoughts. He turned his head sideways to look for the owner of the hand; it was none other than Lindsay.


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    "You did well. Thank you for saving us," she said with a smile.


    Afterward, she walked a little faster and caught up with the other group members. Efraim was startled for a moment, but the edges of his lips started to curl upward as he stared at the woman''s back.


    Changes from his left eye began to occur. Its black pupil shrank in size, and a cyan hexagram pattern appeared on it. These changes made his eye look like a magic circle.


    Then he moved his gaze above everyone''s head, and there it was. Numbers ranging from one to one hundred were written, floating on top of their heads; some were written in black, while two others had a blue color, including the group leader''s.


    However, Efraim''s focus was not on them; it was on the number sixty-nine with a golden hue, floating above the black-haired woman''s head.


    Then he looked above the clouds, and memories from a year ago came flooding right through his mind.


    . . . . .


    Near the borders between the Sunless Cradle and the Oriental Plain. Alongside the river flowing from the mountain ranges, a man woke up from a nightmare.


    The moment he opened his eyes, the brilliance coming from the ball of light hanging up above the sky was the first one to greet him.


    "Am I still alive?" he asked with an unusual question, his voice barely a whisper.


    But the gushing sound of flowing water and the buzzing of little insects were the only replies that he got.


    He tried to move his body and afterwards raised his hand to obstruct the sunlight from his eyes. Then, he stood up and examined the surroundings he was in; however, he felt puzzled as he saw numbers floating everywhere. From the tiny pieces of stones up to the towering trees, even the insects hiding in the leaves, wherever he looked, he could see numbers at the top of them.


    "What''s happening?" he uttered, his brows furrowed in confusion.


    He closed his eyes for a moment and even massaged the temple of his head, but nothing had changed; the moment he opened them, the digits were still there.


    Upon seeing this, he clicked his tongue and went to the riverbank; he washed his face and stared at his reflection in the water.


    It was the same as he remembered; however, there were two peculiar things that didn''t fit his appearance. They were his left eye and the earring dangling from his right ear.


    "What is this?" He said while examining the blue hexagram pattern inside his iris.


    "A magic circle... Is this the source of those numbers? How is this thing possible?" He blurted several questions despite knowing that there was no one to give him an answer.


    He reached the earring on his right ear. It was a tiny white wooden box that had a design of a black cross in front.


    "This looks like... a casket," he uttered and gulped a mouthful of saliva.


    ''It''s similar to that...'' he thought as he remembered the scene from that night.


    He tried to take it off from his ear, but there was no hook, stud, or wire for it to be unlocked. Given this fact, he reverted his focus onto his eyes.


    "So how does this thing really work?" he asked, curious about the ability he now possessed.


    From this point on, the man studied the numbers; countless nights had passed when he at last understood how to deactivate and activate the hexagram on his will.


    Aside from this, he learned what it really meant; it acted as a measuring device to gauge an item''s or an individual''s capabilities. All of the numbers he had seen were ranging from one up to one hundred, with the latter being the highest.


    Meanwhile, the colors kept his mind puzzled. All that he could see inside the forest was digits written in black and blue. Curious about this, he picked up two ants from a nearby colony.


    One of them had a number seventy-eight written in black, while the other one had a blue-colored number forty-seven. Afterward, he pinched and removed both of its antennae and let the two ants fight each other.


    Despite having the same size, the ant with the lesser number overpowered its opponent, giving the man a vague idea.


    "Those who had numbers written in blue are way better than those black ones," he uttered.


    Then a strange question came into his mind.


    ''Are there any colors aside from blue and black?'' he pondered as he let his eyes roam around the forest.


    . . . . .

 Quadra Entrata

    Beyond the curtains of dust and stars, there was a world, void of a deity''s presence.


    According to the legend, different kinds of celestials from different dimensions coveted this very place, but until now, not a single one was accepted as its rightful ruler.


    The reason? They just failed.


    Conquering its vast land was not as easy as they had thought. The beings living in this world could harness powers paralleled to them. They were considered as gods from their respective dimensions, but in that place, they were nothing.


    A world called Quadra Entrata. It was like a battlefield for honing warriors; a day without war was a fleeting dream. Several factions fell one after the other. Even a child that only learned how to crawl was given a knife as their first toy.


    This world was vast enough to have a huge continent that was divided into four regions, and each of them held several factions. However, there were only four races that reigned supreme on this land.


    From the north, there were the beastkin; their territory was called the Endless Labyrinth. It was a huge place that consisted of several forests. Towering giant trees could be seen around the area. The entrance towards it was covered with a thick fog that acted as a protection against invaders.


    Meanwhile, fiends roamed the west; they were beings born and lived their entire lives in the dark. Known as the Sunless Cradle, a land without a speck of daylight, a twenty-four-hour scene of nothing but night sky made it quite an eerie place.


    And there was the home of the spirits, which was located in the southern part of the continent. The Mythical Sanctuary, the land of unusual phenomenons.


    Lastly, the direction of the east, governed by humanity, the Oriental Plain. Inside of it, there were eight factions fighting for power despite having the threat of invasion from the other regions.


    In this world, all the living beings had the potential to absorb, circulate, and use a certain type of energy, which allowed them to harness different kinds of Flairs.


    These so-called Flairs were abilities that differed from one another; some had the skill to manipulate elements while the other awakened something that could enhance their physique or change one of their characteristics and perform miracles; there were even those who had the ability to peek into the future or alter a part of reality.


    In regards to this, anyone could manifest several Flairs depending on their capabilities and the number of strings circling on their hearts.


    If an individual awakened a Flair, a string made of a thin white line would encircle their heart; they could store energy on these strings, and the more strings someone had, the greater the energy they could possess.


    Flairs could be obtained through luck and hard work, and sometimes they could be inherited through bloodline. If somebody trained in a freezing environment every day, the chances of him awakening ice-related Flairs would be high.


    However, not all were given the opportunity to wield Flairs; there were those who died searching for what potential they had, while the others failed to manifest even one in their entire lifetime.


    And in the Oriental Plain, the humanity''s territory, these people who could use Flairs are called Equators.


    . . . . .


    The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows along the abandoned town filled with large debris of buildings. There were even craters several meters below ground and skeletons scattered everywhere. After a long journey, the group arrived at this place, their target destination.


    According to their mission, remnants of a criminal organization of beast traffickers used this ruined town as their spot to sell dangerous beasts from the Endless Labyrinth. They needed to investigate if the information was relevant, and if it was, they must report it back to the guild and request further assistance to take down the organization.


    "It''s about to get dark; we need to set up camp. Lindsay, please prepare the meals," the captain ordered as he looked at his group.


    Then his eyes searched for the appraiser, and the moment he did, he started to speak again.


    "Hey! You! Come with me," he stated.


    "Me?" Efraim pointed at himself while looking at the others and upon seeing Lindsay, smiled at him, he reverted his gaze to the old man.


    As a response, the captain nodded before turning around. With a short sigh, Efraim went to follow him.


    "Is there any problem?" He asked as he caught up to him.


    With just the two of them, the captain faced the young man. He looked at him straight in the eyes before opening his mouth.


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    "I need you to do the scouting with me tonight," he said with determination.


    "Are you sure you want an appraiser to go with you?" Efraim asked, teasing the old man.


    Upon hearing the question, the captain smiled and shook his head for a second.


    "I would rather choose an appraiser who disposed of a group of bandits as if they were nothing than any equator who couldn''t even unsheathe their blades," he replied, and a chuckle escaped from his lips.


    Given this fact, Efraim extended his hand in front of him and said. "Well, I''m at your disposal until this mission ends."


    The old man stared for a second at his hand and looked at his eyes once again before accepting the handshake.


    "It''s a pleasure!" he exclaimed; excitement could be seen written on his face.


    . . . . .


    As the stars came into view and filled the entire sky with their glittering radiance, the two people ventured deeper towards the center of the abandoned town. They moved with stealth, hidden in the darkness of the night.


    With the old man''s lead, they inspected the places that could hold large amounts of beasts. Starting from the town''s coliseum, they searched every nook and cranny to find traces that could lead them closer to the completion of their mission.


    However, despite flipping the whole place, not a single piece of a clue was found. In light of this fact, they moved on to the next location. It was a ruin of a laboratory several meters away from the coliseum. They were about to enter when a loud crashing sound reverberated across the premises.


    The two people took a sudden glance at each other, and without further ado, they pulled out their weapons.


    The captain held a straight sword with a symbol of a sun in the middle of its rainguard while Efraim drew one of his blades while holding the other one''s hilt.


    "We''re not alone," Efraim said, his voice barely a whisper.


    They remained in their positions, doing their best to hide both of their presence while enhancing their senses for the incoming danger.


    Several seconds had passed, and a menacing screech echoed across the horizon. Then, a flying beast with pointed claws attached to its wings circled above the two people.


    "Take cover," the old man ordered, and they soon rushed inside the abandoned laboratory.


    "What was that?" Efraim asked. He had encountered several monsters on his missions, but not a single one matched that creature''s appearance.


    "If I''m not mistaken, that thing is part of the vampire''s family. It feeds on blood like their masters, but the internal organs are their favorites," the captain explained, sharing his knowledge.


    "But why was a fiend native in the Sunless Cradle here?" He added, asking with confusion.


    Upon hearing this, Efraim''s eyes glowed with excitement. He reached for his other blade and walked outside.


    "Hey! What are you doing? Come back here!" The old man exclaimed as he watched the young equator exit the place.


    "I''ll be back, captain. I''m just curious how strong this fiend is," Efraim stated without looking back.


    Upon stepping outside, he looked for the bird-like creature; it was still up there, circling as if searching or waiting for something.


    Efraim''s left eye pupil shrank in size, and a cyan hexagram pattern emerged on it. Then, a number seventy-four written in blue appeared at the top of the creature''s head.


    "That''s doable, I guess," Efraim uttered.


    Without a single hint of hesitation, he swirled the blade in his right hand, then he lowered his waist by bending down his knees. The next second, he propelled himself upward, leaving a shockwave behind.


    A few seconds before contact, the fiend noticed the blade aimed at its throat, causing it to change its course. It rotated into the air to dodge. Then it launched a counterattack through its claws, slicing through the equator''s body.


    However, what it hit was only an illusion, a mirage, and the human was nowhere to be seen. The creature looked around, searching for the enemy, but in the next second, its head all the way to its torso split open as a flash of white jolted downwards.


    Efraim descended onto the open ground; his clothes and blades were painted red while blood splattered on his face.


    As the carcass of the fiend fell down behind, he looked above, his left eye still gleaming with a bright cyan color.


    "It''s still the same," he uttered.


    Curiosity and disappointment could be seen plastered on his face.


    Written in a tapestry of red and black, a value that represented the concept of nothing and the absence of quality was right there floating above the young equator''s head.


    The lowest of the low, a zero.


    . . . . .

 Arena

    Several months earlier, in a human settlement near the borders of Sunless Cradle, it was raining back then; the sound of droplets pouring on the roofs produced a continuous series of plinks.


    Down the street, where people were scarce, a man soaked in the rain halted on his steps. He was wearing a long black suit, and a hood covered his facial features. Two blades were strapped on both of his legs, and a casket earring dangled on his right ear.


    He began to look around the area as if searching for something. There was this peculiar light coming from his left eye.


    ''There''s nothing similar in here,'' he thought upon seeing several digits written in blue and black.


    Then he looked above himself and stared at the number zero floating on his head. Its hue was a mixture of red and black. Its shade had no concrete pattern, more like an abstract.


    However, this odd set of colors left a deep puzzle in the young man''s mind. Since having the ability to see anything or anyone''s growth, he saw no other shades aside from blue and black, but he always believed that there were more colors than these two, and he was not mistaken.


    After discovering it by accident, he learned about the existence of the third color, a tapestry of red and black, but it was not the most shocking part; it was none other than the number he viewed was a complete zero; it was the first time he saw a growth rate lower than one.


    In light of this fact, he trained himself to the extreme; he ran back and forth on the dangerous terrain of the mountains to enhance his vitality, and he accepted several missions, including fiend subjugation, hoping that the number zero would increase.


    However, even after finishing all those tasks alone, it remained the same; nothing had changed.


    So he embarked on a journey to look for clues about his eye even though the only hint that he had was the casket dangling from his ear.


    . . . . .


    "Unbelievable," the captain uttered, leaving his mouth partially open.


    He couldn''t believe the scene that transpired in front of him. In a blink of an eye, Efraim managed to kill the fiend, assassinating it in a small fraction of time possible without giving it any chance to react.


    Along with the admiration that the old man felt, he began questioning his abilities as well. Being in the third string throughout his life, he couldn''t execute what the young man did.


    Aside from this, his class was an appraiser, a title that was not fit for battle; compared to him, who had a swordsman''s classification, what Efraim showed was beyond the norm.


    "The guild should really stop assigning a class based on their Flairs," he stated.


    After contemplating for a few more seconds, he went towards Efraim''s position. He saw him looking above and noticed his left eye glowing in an unusual cyan-colored hexagram.


    ''Is that his Flair? I wonder how that thing works,'' he thought as he approached the young man.


    "You really never failed to amuse me!" he exclaimed upon closing the distance.


    Efraim looked at his captain; his left eye was now back to its normal black color. The next second, he wore his smile and swung both of his blades on his side; the blood dripping from them was removed in an instant, and then he unsheathed his weapons and greeted the captain.


    "You flattered me," he said.


    The next moment, the old man handed him a black handkerchief.


    "Wipe those bloodstains or we''ll attract other beasts," he suggested.


    Efraim didn''t even think twice; he grabbed the piece of cloth from the man''s hand and cleaned the traces of blood from his face.


    Afterward, the two of them went towards the laboratory to continue the scouting, and like in the coliseum, they found nothing.


    "The night is getting deeper," Efraim commented as soon as they walked outside the laboratory.


    "I hope we find something in the next area. Is it the last one for tonight, isn''t it?" He added, asking.


    The old man nodded, confirming the young equator''s query before speaking.


    "The place for honing warriors, the arena. If we still find nothing in that place, we''ll be going back and advancing tomorrow with the whole team," the old man replied.


    "But what if we discover something?" Efraim replied with a curious expression.


    The old man looked at him and smiled.


    "I''ll let you decide; I believe more in an appraiser''s judgment," he said.


    His answer made Efraim''s lips curl upward. Afterward, they moved towards their target location. Upon arriving, shattered walls and broken gates were the ones that greeted the equators. The arena was a large spherical dome with half of its roof damaged and crushed.


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    The two people walked towards the stage; the seats were scattered onto the ground, and several skeletons could be seen still sitting in the audience''s wing.


    "There''s nothing in here as well," the captain conveyed his thoughts.


    However, Efraim didn''t respond to his words; the young equator was busy staring at the opposite end of the arena.


    The next second, the cold wind blew, causing the dust and ashes to rise while the candle lights hanging in the cracked walls lit up one after the other. Then, the silence was broken as loud cheers coming from the audience seats echoed in the hall, though there were no other people present aside from the two equators.


    Efraim put his hands on the hilts of his blades, preparing for what was about to come.


    Meanwhile, the old man stepped closer to Efraim; his shoulder stiffened, and beads of sweat formed on his head. Then he noticed the casket dangling from his companion''s ear, it was glowing with a strange white light.


    "Do you think we should head back?" He asked, ignoring the light coming from the casket.


    Then he let his eyes roamed around.


    "I don''t think we have the luxury to do so," Efraim imparted, and a thunderous roar followed.


    The cheers continued, and the clacking sound of sword against sword reverberated inside the arena. Then, Efraim drew his blade and raised it in front of him. However, something struck him on the side, sending him flying into the debris of the broken walls.


    "Efraim!" The old man shouted and ran towards the appraiser, but he was grabbed in the leg and was soon thrown near the audience seats.


    The never-ending cheers were replaced by laughter, and the ground began to tremble. The old man stood up and pulled out his sword, but the next moment, he found himself suspended in the air, with his feet above and his face almost kissing the ground. He tried to kick and stabbed his sword upward, hoping to injure the enity that was holding him, but instead, he was sent flying once again, though this time, Efraim managed to catch him and prevent him from crashing into the walls.


    "We''re being played," the black-haired man stated.


    Then, he activated his left eye; its pupil shrank, and a cyan-colored hexagram appeared on his iris; however, there was not a single number present in the area, and it only meant one thing.


    "This place is filled with apparitions!" Efraim exclaimed as he dodged and pulled his captain to the other side.


    "What do we do, then?" The old man cried out, asking.


    The next second, a sound of arrows being launched resonated in the dome.


    Without knowing the exact trajectory, the two people just ran away from their positions. They searched for the exit, but the path where they came from moments ago was nowhere to be found.


    With this development, Efraim took a second to glance at the roof, and then he pulled out his blades.


    "Follow me," he gave out a command before leaping up into the air.


    Then, he created a platform of energy in front of him and used it as a foothold; he repeated it several times until the distance was close enough for him to cut the roof.


    Without wasting another second, he swung his blades several times, creating a hole big enough for a person to fit. Afterward, he jumped onto it, and the next second, he looked back and extended his hand to the old man.


    "Here! Grab it!" He yelled.


    And as soon as the captain held his arm, he pulled him outside. Then, the silence and darkness returned as the cheers inside the arena died down along with the candle lights hanging on its walls.


    . . . . .


    The two equators headed back to their camp; everyone was already asleep aside from the night guard and the person sitting next to a tent.


    "Lindsay, you''re still awake," the old man said, his voice laced with concern.


    "I can''t sleep at all knowing you two are still out there, venturing in the ruins," Lindsay replied.


    Then she stood up and smiled.


    "So, did something happen?" She asked, but upon seeing the expression on their faces and the bloodstains from Efraim''s clothes, she already knew that it was not a simple one.


    "We found nothing about beast traffickers, but..." The old man conveyed then he paused for a while and inhaled a deep breath before continuing. "We entered a place filled with apparitions, and we almost died in there."


    . . . . .

 Burn To Oblivion

    The next morning, the team advanced deeper into the abandoned city, looking while searching for clues. The group of ten people decided to divide their members into five to finish the mission as fast as possible.


    All they needed was to find evidence regarding beast trafficking. To make it fair for everyone, they used a stick lottery. Those who would pull the stick that had the same length would be partners during the entirety of the expedition.


    "This is the shortest, I guess," Efraim looked at the piece of wood on his palm.


    His finger was even longer than it. Then, seconds after, Lindsay approached him while holding a stick with the same length as his.


    "Great! We''re partners!" She exclaimed in excitement.


    The other men from the team looked at Efraim with a hint of jealousy; the thought of being accompanied by a beautiful maiden on a mission made their heart skip a beat.


    "Attention, everyone!" the captain called to all of his members, and upon seeing them looking at him, he began to speak.


    "This mission is only about scouting and gathering evidence. If you encounter something or someone dangerous," he paused and looked at everyone''s eyes before continuing. "Please, don''t put your lives on the line; fall back and don''t hesitate to use the signal flares to call for help. Is that clear?"


    Upon seeing that the entire team nodded, he spoke once again.


    "Remember, do not enter the arena, no matter what happens. This place will be our gathering spot. Return before sunset," he added.


    Then, without wasting any more time, he ordered. "Move out!"


    The equators went their separate ways. Some investigated the underground tunnel while the others went to the city''s university. Meanwhile, Efraim walked in a casual manner while Lindsay followed him from behind.


    "Ahmnn, where are we going? Why are we heading back? Don''t tell me..." Lindsay asked, curious about the man''s actions.


    "You can stay here if you want," Efraim replied without halting on his track.


    "No! I''m going with you!" Lindsay insisted.


    The man just glanced behind to see how desperate she was, and upon seeing her wholehearted expression, his lips curled into a smile.


    After walking almost half a kilometer. The pair reached the arena. Lindsay gulped as he looked at the cracked walls and the darkness looming inside.


    Efraim entered without a single bit of hesitation, and Lindsay followed his steps without making any noise. She hugged her staff while looking around. The dark surroundings made her a little bit scared, but the sudden brightness coming from the candle lights that lit up one after the other caused her to move closer to the young man.


    "I told you, you need not come here," Efraim uttered, and then he pulled out his blades.


    Soon after, cheers from the crowd occupied the entire place, and after a few seconds, the clacking sound of clashing swords resonated as well.


    "What''s happening?" Lindsay cried out.


    "Don''t move away from this spot; defend yourself with the strongest shield you could deploy," Efraim ordered, and then he ran around the arena.


    The next second, he searched for the hole that he made last night, and upon seeing it still there, he returned his focus to running.


    "Walls as hard as steel, heed thy call, surrender to my will! Come forth! Petra!" Lindsay did as she was told.


    She cast a summoning spell, and a magic circle materialized beneath her, then a massive golem with four heads facing in all directions rose up from the dirt.


    The next second, it knelt in front of the woman and extended its giant hand. Lindsay stepped onto it, and the golem stood up, then a brown-colored barrier enveloped her and her summon.


    At the same time, Efraim continued running as fast as he could.


    "Please, show some reaction," he uttered.


    He had no idea how to defeat the apparitions, and if things went wrong, he would just escape like he did yesterday night.


    During that time, he noticed a strange light coming from his earring, and it was the first time he saw any reaction from it, and he was now hoping that it would react the same way like before.


    But contrary to his expectations, it showed no signs nor any kind of light. Given this fact, he looked at Lindsay to check her status.


    The next second, he stumbled on something invisible, which caused him to fall on the ground.


    "Efraim!" Lindsay yelled, concern about his safety.


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    She was about to command the golem to move when Efraim''s voice echoed in the dome.


    "Don''t move from there!" He said before standing up.


    ''Damn these things; they can attack me, but I can''t even touch them. That''s not fair,'' he complained inside his thoughts as he continued running around, thinking of his next course of action.


    Then several minutes had passed, and the annoying cheers and laughter from the audience seats died down. It was replaced by an ear-piercing roar, enough for the dome to vibrate.


    "What is this now?" Efraim asked.


    Several seconds later, the tremor didn''t stop, instead, it became louder and closer as if someone big was walking towards him.


    ''This is getting insane,'' Efraim pondered.


    He stopped for a while, but he was sent flying the next second. His body slammed into the wall, causing debris to fall into him.


    "Efraim!" Lindsay shouted.


    Then, Petra, the four-headed golem, moved and came to his rescue. However, the moment it reached Efraim''s location, cracks began to appear on its defensive barrier.


    "I told you, don''t move from the spot. They only attack those who are moving," Efraim explained while wiping the bloodstain from the corner of his lips.


    Then he stood up, but the moment he did, he was hit in the abdomen, which sent him flying several meters away. His body drew an arc in the air before crashing into the audience seats, and then large chunks of debris fell onto him.


    Afterward, the loud cheers from the invisible crowd returned, and the cracks appearing on Petra''s barrier were increasing in number.


    Scared from the series of events that transpired before her eyes, Lindsay raised her staff and invoked another spell.


    "Oh great spirit of fire, let your strength be scired, the way you desire!" She said.


    Then, a magic circle large enough to cover the entire stage of the arena appeared. It had a sun in the middle while embers of flame scattered inside the hexagram. The next second, the lines on it lit up in a red color hue, and burning lava rose inside the area.


    However, the attacks coming from all directions didn''t halt as if the sea of fire never took effect. Upon seeing this, Lindsay raised her staff once again; she was about to invoke another set of spells when an explosion occurred from the audience''s seat.


    As soon as she looked into it, she saw Efraim''s silhouette, and a smile blossomed from her lips, but it only lasted for a second after realizing something was amiss.


    "W-What in the world is that?" She stuttered; her voice escaped like a choked whisper.


    Efraim stood up there, his right eye glowing in an emerald-colored heptagram while a veridiscent vertical line ran through his right forehead all the way to his cheek.


    Meanwhile, the white casket dangling from his right ear turned black in color, and the cross on its surface became a shade of green.


    The next second, Efraim extended his hand, pointing it to the arena and traces of green energy began to gather in front of his palm.


    "Burn to oblivion," Efraim said; his voice was hoarse and filled with enough menace to send shivers to Lindsay''s spine.


    Afterward, everything was set ablaze, green flame ignited in the ruined place. The cheers of laughter disappeared as it became cries of despair.


    Then, the apparitions became visible to Lindsay''s eyes. There were humans, beastmen, and even fiends fighting inside the arena. Upon seeing them closed, she couldn''t help but feel scared; tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. However, the scene only lasted for a second, as several magic circles appeared on all of the apparitions'' limbs. Afterward, the magic circles glowed a veridiscent hue and exploded at the same time.


    Lindsay was astonished and stunned at the event that transpired before her eyes.


    The candle lights died down, but the green flames continued to burn, and Efraim was now looking at her. And as soon as he raised his hand, small magic circles materialized between Lindsay''s limbs. On her neck, both on her wrists, and even on her feet.


    "E-Efraim, n-no. D-Don''t do this! Wake up!" Lindsay stuttered; fear was evident in her eyes, and then tears began to flow on her cheeks.


    "Efraim," she called him for one last time.


    However, the equator didn''t respond; he just stared at her without an ounce of emotion, and the next second, Lindsay''s mind went blank as her world turned upside down. Her head fell next to her severed feet before her body collapsed on the solid ground.


    . . . . .

 Voice Inside The Casket

    A few moments ago, after the last piece of rock fell onto Efraim''s head, his consciousness drifted away from his body, and the second he opened his eyes, he saw a never-ending darkness, a pitch-black abyss without a single speck of light.


    "Where am I?" he uttered; his voice echoed, resonating into the void.


    Without knowing what was happening, he took a step forward, and the moment he did, torches of green flames lit up in front, revealing a pathway with an enormous empty throne on its end.


    Its white color exuded purity while the black crystals embedded on its rail described elegance. Its arms that carved in a dragon''s head signified overwhelming strength and authority.


    Efraim felt puzzled, yet his heart was pounding in excitement. He walked towards it; however, the distance between him and the throne was not getting smaller even by a bit.


    He tried to run, exerting energy on both of his legs, but despite how fast he went, the throne remained distant. Feeling flustered about the situation, Efraim took a second to catch his breath.


    He walked ahead, thinking and searching how to get into that empty throne. During his contemplation, the ground beneath him began to shake, and the pathway started to collapse.


    "No! Wait!" Efraim exclaimed, startled by the sudden turn of events.


    Then, he found himself falling into the void along with the large chunks of rocks, and seconds after, his back touched something solid; the impact made him spout a mouthful of blood. He tried to stand, but the debris kept in falling on top of him, causing him to feel excruciating pain.


    Afterwards, he heard a sweet, tender voice coming from underneath his right ear.


    "The heir to the throne is still not strong enough; the Oblivion Mage takes over."


    Efraim couldn''t fully grasp what the voice said as his eyes started to dim. And as soon as his consciousness faded, the white casket dangling from his ear turned black with a green cross embedded at its center.


    . . . . .


    Several hours had passed; Efraim woke up from a deep slumber; his head rang as soon as he opened his eyes; the light from the sun made him experience a temporary blindness.


    "Where am I?" he asked.


    Then he felt something caress his hair, and as he moved his eyes a little, he saw a pair of golden eyes staring at him.


    "You''re awake," Lindsay whispered, her voice soft and gentle.


    Efraim stared at her for a while before he noticed that the woman''s lap was cushioning his head. As soon as he realized it, he stood up and turned around; his cheeks and ears felt hotter than usual.


    "W-What happened?" he asked without looking back while feigning ignorance.


    Lindsay couldn''t help but smile, seeing how embarrassed his colleague was.


    "You pulled me closer and even put your hand on my waist; don''t you remember?" she answered with a playful grin.


    Upon hearing her statement, Efraim didn''t wait for another second; he turned around again and faced the woman.


    "I deeply apologize for what I did; my mind is still clouded, and I don''t really know what happened," Efraim asked for forgiveness while bowing his head to show his sincerity.


    Lindsay was surprised by his sudden action; she blinked a few times before a soft chuckle escaped from her lips.


    "I''m just kidding," she imparted, still wearing her contagious smile.


    Upon hearing this, Efraim looked at her with a deadpan expression. Their eyes locked for a silent exchange before Lindsay broke down the silence.


    "Come, sit here with me," she said while tapping the ground next to her.


    Accompanied with a deep sigh, Efraim sat down like what the woman wanted. The two of them stayed like that for a while before Efraim opened up a conversation.


    "What happened inside the arena?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.


    He was looking at the large dome in front of him when Lindsay answered his question.


    "To be honest, I don''t know. After you lost consciousness, I tried to fight back, setting the whole place on fire, but it was not effective. Then something struck me at the back of my head, and my mind went blank," she said.


    Then, she looked at Efraim, and the moment their eyes met, she spoke once again.


    "I woke up lying next to you, and we were already outside of the place," she added.


    Efraim nodded after hearing her answer. His memory was a little cloudy; he tried to rack his brain if he would remember something, but not a single thing came to his mind.


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    The next second, he stood up and checked the few scratches on his body before extending his hand to Lindsay.


    "Let''s go," he said.


    "Where?" Lindsay replied while staring at the man''s hand.


    "Don''t worry, I don''t have any more reason to go back to that place," he answered.


    Lindsay smiled at him before grabbing his hand.


    "Thanks," she said as soon as she stood up.


    The sun was still up high into the sky; the two of them still had plenty of time to search for clues in regards to their mission. So, without further ado, they moved deeper towards the abandoned town, but hours had passed, and they found nothing.


    Then, the two people returned to their gathering spot. The sun was still up, though; after a few more minutes, it would begin to sink into the horizon. After several steps, they were the first pair to reach their meeting place.


    Though, it only took a few more minutes for the others to arrive.


    "Did any of you find something?" the old man asked as soon as the last pair set foot on the area.


    However, none of the people uttered a word; most of them were shaking their heads, and some started looking at the others.


    "Lindsay," the old man uttered a name.


    Then, a woman stepped forward as soon as she heard her name being called


    "Yes, Captain," Lindsay responded, still the same as before, her voice always laced with respect.


    "Any results?" The captain asked.


    "We covered a radius of five kilometers, but there was not a single trace of beastmen traffickers," Lindsay replied while taking a glance at Efraim.


    Upon hearing her answer, the old man nodded and stroked his chin.


    "This would be the best; I hope we wouldn''t stumble into something dangerous before covering the whole ruins," he said before dismissing the team.


    The group set up their camps; the men went out to gather some wood while the women prepared the meals. Nothing unusual happened, and the long night passed in a glimpse.


    The following day, the group reached the town''s center; they were halfway done in investigating the whole town.


    Each pair carried out their one and only task: to find clues about beast traffickers. Efraim and Lindsay went a few strides, and they noticed a giant pit on the ground.


    "I think we already found something worth reporting," Lindsay conveyed her thoughts.


    "Should we go in?" Efraim asked while staring into the hole.


    "That''s a bad idea; let''s call the others first," Lindsay replied, shaking her head.


    Then, she raised her staff, and a fireball was shot up into the sky. Several minutes after, their companions arrived along with their captain.


    "This is quite strange," the old man commented while looking at the giant pit.


    The next second, Lindsay launched a fireball inside the hole as the captain ordered. But the pit was so deep that the speck of fire vanished in a matter of seconds.


    Given this fact, the old man looked at his team; there were traces of uncertainty in their eyes. Then, he glanced at the appraiser on his opposite side.


    And as soon as their eyes met, Efraim spoke.


    "Your orders," he said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.


    . . . . .


    A day ago, inside the arena, after all the apparitions were destroyed, the green flames continued to burn. The place became unrecognizable; traces of the battle could be seen everywhere, and in the middle of all of it was a young man, standing, without a single trace of emotion.


    He was staring at the pool of blood in front of him. A woman''s dismembered body was lying in there; its head was next to her severed feet.


    Then, the casket dangling from his ear shone a bright light, and it turned back into its white color with a black cross embedded on its surface. Afterward, the veridiscent heptagram pattern on the man''s eye disappeared, and he fell onto the ground, void of consciousness.


    The next moment, the green flames died down, and the darkness crept back to the arena. The silence continued for several seconds before the limbs scattered on the floor showed signs of movement.


    A little while after, the severed body parts began to reattach to the main body. And as the event continued to unfold, Lindsay opened her eyes; she stood up and looked at the man lying on the ground.


    Her eyes were dazzling, glowing in a golden radiance. She stared at Efraim, and the corners of her lips curled upward, forming a sweet, mischievous smirk.


    . . . . .

 Battle of Attrition

    "No, it''s too dangerous; we don''t know what''s waiting inside for us. Let''s report it first," the old man announced his decision.


    Then, he glanced at Lindsay and asked her to contact the guild. However, there was a signal interruption, and the communication device was not working.


    They kept on trying until almost an hour had already passed.


    "This is really weird," Lindsay commented, frustrated about the thing.


    Accompanied by a deep sigh, Efraim looked inside the pit. His left eye turned into a cyan-colored hexagram, and he stared into the never-ending darkness, but he saw nothing, not even a single digit.


    Given this fact, he turned off his Flair and closed his eyes, expanding his energy to feel if there were any presence inside the pit, but he also felt nothing.


    ''It''s too deep,'' he thought.


    Afterward, the ground started to shake, causing Efraim to almost fall inside the pit. The trembling lasted for several seconds, and the moment it stopped, a magic circle appeared above the sky with the huge pit as its center.


    The group of equators stared at the complex hexagram, their eyes widened in astonishment. Then particles of black energy began to gather on it, and after a while, the lines began to emit a crimson hue.


    "W-What is that?" One of the equators stuttered, asking; fear was evident in his eyes.


    "Based on its outline, it''s a summoning circle," Lindsay conveyed, sharing her knowledge.


    "And I''m afraid that''s spelled bad news for us," she added.


    Upon hearing her remark, the old man held the hilt of his sword. Then he asked. "How much time do we still have before it completes its casting?"


    "Not that long for us to escape, but still enough to prepare for battle," she replied.


    Then she raised her staff, and hundreds of icicles materialized around her. The others drew their respective weapons as well and entered into a fighting stance. The same for the appraiser; he unsheathed both of his blades while looking above.


    Afterward, screeches and roars reverberated in the area, and then a horde of fiends descended from the sky. Orcs, trolls, undead knights, and even ghouls trampled into the open ground, causing some of the equators to lose their minds in fear.


    The fight hadn''t started yet, but they already dropped their weapons and ran with their tails between their legs.


    "Everyone! Engage in battle!" The old man exclaimed, ignoring the deserters.


    Lindsay launched the icicles, piercing several fiends in the process while Efraim danced across the battlefield. In every swing of his blades, limbs fell down and blood splattered on his clothes. Even the old man didn''t hold back. He stormed towards the enemies'' backline, targeting the lich who controlled the undead puppets.


    Upon seeing the advances of the three people, the rest of the group set aside their fear.


    ''We can do this,'' they all thought.


    However, contrary to their expectations, Efraim noticed that something was odd; he couldn''t count how many monsters he had defeated, but the numbers of fiends remained the same.


    In light of this fact, after slashing the neck of the ghoul in front of him, he took a second to glance behind, and he noticed that the corpses were getting disintegrated into tiny fragments. Then these particles were being absorbed by the magic circle.


    ''That''s why I feel like it''s endless,'' he thought.


    Without wasting any more time, he propelled himself upward, searching for those responsible for casting the spell, but he found no one.


    He clicked his tongue and leaped towards the magic circle, its blade aiming at one of its symbols. However, a barrier emerged on it, preventing him from destroying its outline.


    "Efraim!" Lindsay yelled upon seeing the appraiser tumble into the air.


    "The enemies are not decreasing! We need to destroy the magic circle! Do you know how?" He replied before plunging downward and moving towards Lindsay.


    "I can, but it will take time," the mage replied as soon as she saw the appraiser approaching.


    "How long?" Efraim asked while fending off an arrow from a troll.


    "A quarter of an hour, more or less," Lindsay replied after firing another bunch of icicles.


    "Then start! I''ll protect you," the appraiser stated with strong conviction.


    Upon seeing how determined he was, Lindsay nodded in agreement. Then she decided to summon the four-headed golem, giving her another layer of protection.


    Afterward, she stared into the magic circle, decoding each of its symbols to have a proper understanding of its effect while completely ignoring the fight happening around her.


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    This scene continued for a little while until something charged towards Lindsay, coming from above. Cracks appeared on her defensive barrier, but she still stood there, disregarding the winged monster attacking on her side.


    The creature had bat-like wings, a head and body resembling a human, while its lower part was a tail of a snake.


    It pulled back its arm and was about to strike a punch into the barrier, but Efraim appeared behind it, cutting it in half.


    ''These are all minions,'' Efraim thought.


    Then the cyan-colored hexagram came into view as soon as he activated his second Flair; he looked at the horde, and he was not mistaken.


    All of the monsters had numbers written in black color. They were nothing to him, but the waves were endless, turning it into a battle of attrition.


    He glanced in the direction of their captain; he was still doing fine, keeping the lich in check, preventing it from summoning more undead monsters.


    Meanwhile, the other equators were having difficulty in handling their energy. They managed to repel the horde, but their breathing was becoming rough and unstable as time passed by.


    Upon seeing this, Efraim looked at Lindsay; her brows were knitting together, and there was this glittering radiance in her eyes while her mouth was mumbling something.


    Despite their current situation, Efraim couldn''t help but smile while staring at the fixated look on the mage''s face.


    ''She''s almost as dazzling as her,'' he thought; a slight sadness could be seen present in his eyes.


    Afterward, he returned to the battlefield, helping his comrades drive the fiends away while keeping those who wanted to approach Lindsay in check.


    . . . . .


    Somewhere in the abandoned city, in a ruined place filled with burned paintings, a man could be seen sitting in a destroyed throne. In front of him was a giant floating orb, which displayed a spontaneous battle happening above ground. His forefinger was tapping on the chair''s arm while a large beast was sleeping soundly beside his feet.


    "Hmnn, those three are quite capable, especially that person," he said, his crimson eyes staring into the black-haired woman.


    He watched the fight, enjoying every moment of it. The silent cries of humans and the screams of the fiends dying were a beautiful symphony in his ear.


    The next second, he stood up and walked towards the broken window.


    "Hedda, are you in there?" he stated out of nowhere.


    Then, a woman emerged behind his shadow.


    "What are your orders, My Lord?" the individual asked, kneeling while lowering her head in respect.


    "Bring that woman here," the man with the crimson eyes ordered.


    After that, he turned around and looked at his servant.


    "And the rest''s fate is up to you to decide," he added, his voice dull and cold.


    "Consider it done," the woman replied and she vanished in the room as shadow enveloped the entirety of her body.


    . . . . .


    Equipped with just his blades and monstrous agility, Efraim danced in the middle of the fiends. He was already drenched in blood; even his face was filled with the sticky crimson substance.


    His appearance was more like a monster than the fiends he encountered. He glanced behind, checking Lindsay''s safety, and after confirming it, he raised one of his blades to block an orc''s downward slash. Afterward, he concentrated his energy into his arm and pushed the giant monster, causing it to take a few steps backward. Then, Efraim ran towards it, his blade leaving a deep cut on the ground.


    As soon as he closed the gap between them, he moved the blade upward, splitting the orc in half.


    Intestines, brain particles, and blood rained down, but Efraim ignored it and proceeded to massacre the next wave of fiends.


    However, he came to a sudden halt upon noticing a strange shadow moving towards the other equator''s location.


    "Not so fast," he whispered and dashed to chase the silhouette.


    As he got closer, a dagger emerged from the shadow, targeting Efraim''s head. The appraiser raised his blade and deflected the attack, then he increased his speed and outran the shadow.


    However, to his surprise, it split into five, each moving on the other equator''s location.


    Efraim clicked his tongue upon seeing this development. Then he shook his head and shouted.


    "All of you watch out! There''s something hiding on the ground!" he warned the others.


    Afterward, he followed the shadow heading in Lindsay''s direction while ignoring the rest.


    . . . . .

 Lindsay Nightfall

    With rough breathing and sweat dripping from his forehead, the old man destroyed every undead creature that approached him. However, his stamina and age hindered him in this battle.


    Soon enough, he fell on his knees, his sword struck on the ground. Subduing a lich alone was never a part of his dream; all that he wanted to do now was return and drink some good liquor. However, upon seeing the struggle of the other equators and the effort that the appraiser showed to protect their mage, the grip on his sword tightened and his eyes gleamed with a strong conviction.


    "Bring it on!" he exclaimed as he stood up and charged once again.


    . . . . .


    The other equators were busy fending off the attacks from the fiends when they heard the appraiser''s warning. They all looked in his direction and noticed the incoming shadow.


    However, they were a second late to move away from it, and the moment it reached them, a hand made of shadow emerged on it, dragging their bodies underneath the darkness.


    Their screams reverberated across the place; they stabbed the shadow with their sword, trying to flee from its grasp, but their efforts were in vain; they continued to sink until they completely vanished without a single trace.


    Efraim sprinted, still chasing the shadow moving towards Lindsay. As it reached the four-headed golem''s position, the shadow expanded, and Lindsay''s summon began to sink inside.


    Although it used its large arm to push itself out. The shade of darkness became even wider, preventing the golem from escaping.


    The next second, the shadow circled around Lindsay, and several tendrils surfaced on it, wrapping and squeezing the barrier.


    With a large swing, Efraim cut the tendrils as he appeared next to Lindsay. The severed parts fell on the ground, but another one resurfaced afterward.


    "Damn it!" Efraim couldn''t help but curse due to the current situation.


    Without him noticing due to his mind being clouded, a concentrated black energy was fired from the shadow underneath him. He received the attack at point-blank range, leaving a hole in his chest.


    His movements came to a halt as he coughed a mouthful of blood before falling on his knees. His sight started to blur, and he felt his head spinning. Lindsay, who saw the scene in her peripheral vision, stopped on decoding the magic circle.


    "Efraim!" She yelled, and a flash of bright light erupted around her, causing the shadow to fade.


    Then, she crouched down and looked at the blood gushing out from the gap on the appraiser''s body.


    Henceforth, she covered it with her palm, and a small magic circle appeared in between. It had a blue outline inlaid with water droplets and ocean currents.


    Several seconds after, the wound on Efraim''s chest began to mend; even the scratches and cuts on the other parts of his body were healed. Then, a melodious voice was heard in the area.


    "I''m quite envious; how many attributes do you have?" it asked, and a woman emerged from a shadow several distances away from them.


    Her hair had a snow-like color, in contrast with her black collared dress that hugged her waist tightly, showcasing her curves.


    "Are you perhaps a Nightfall?" she asked, her crimson eyes staring at Lindsay with curiosity.


    . . . . .


    In the Oriental Plain, there were eight factions fighting for absolute power and dominion. Each faction was being led by a preeminent family, like the nation near the borders of the Sunless Cradle, the Celestia.


    A piece of land where a magic tower stood high and majestic, its slender steeple piercing the sky like a shard of a splintered moonlight. Being controlled and governed by a family of mages, and they were not just your ordinary mages; they had access to different attributes and could command several spells in a mere second due to their inherited Flair, though this was not what made them one of the Oriental Plain''s supreme rulers.


    Known for their jet-black hair that was darker than the darkness itself and a pair of golden-colored eyes shining like a midnight sun, the versatile mages of Celestia, the Nightfall.


    . . . . .


    Lindsay laid down Efraim and put a defensive barrier on him before standing up. She looked at the woman in front of her and threw away the staff on her hand.


    "And if I am, what would you do?" she asked, her eyes cold and burning with rage at the same time.


    "Well, it doesn''t really matter," the woman replied.


    Then she snapped her hand, and hundreds of shadow orbs appeared next to Lindsay. Without any warning, they exploded, causing a massive outburst in the area.


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    The shockwave annihilated even the fiends present, and an enormous crater appeared as soon as the smoke dissipated. Afterward, the woman''s eyes lit up in astonishment, and a wide, menacing grin appeared on her lips.


    "Indeed! You truly are a Nightfall!" she exclaimed, excitement was present in her eyes.


    Unscathed from the explosion, Lindsay stood still in the air, in the middle of the crater. Behind her was the unconscious appraiser.


    With a calm whisper, she uttered. "Come, Nyx Compendium."


    Dark clouds began to gather, followed by a series of rumbling thunders. Pebbles and dust trembled on the open ground, and then, a flash of black lightning descended as a black, worn-out grimoire appeared next to Lindsay.


    It had a black leather cover with a sun-moon symbol on its front.


    With a slight movement of Lindsay''s hand, the book flipped open, and its pages filled with intricate writings and symbols came into view.


    Then, it stopped in a panel with unrecognizable text and scriptures. Afterward, two black dots drew a magic circle in front of her, forming a triangular outline with a half-moon pattern located inside.


    Upon seeing this scene, the white-haired woman didn''t stand still; she turned into a shadow and moved towards Lindsay.


    However, the grimoire''s pages flipped once more, and several swords of light fell, striking the ground and forming a cage glowing in a white radiance, entrapping the shadow inside and making escape impossible.


    As a response, the shadow expanded, trying to devour the cage of light, but the grimoire flipped its pages once again, and a magic circle materialized underneath the shadow.


    "Primordial Art¡ªCancellation," Lindsay uttered.


    The shadow disintegrated into fragments before forming the woman''s body.


    The white-haired woman felt confused while trying to dive back into the realm of darkness.


    ''My abilities are sealed,'' she thought.


    Then she looked above and saw the black-haired woman pointing at her; a concentrated orb of energy was on the tip of her finger.


    "Farewell," Lindsay stated.


    Then she pushed the orb into the magic circle with the triangular pattern.


    "Primordial Art¡ªAnnihilation," she uttered, and the magic circle lit up, glowing in a dark white hue before launching a black ray towards her enemy''s direction.


    In a split second, the cage of light was pulverized, leaving a giant fissure on the ground. The white-haired woman was nowhere to be seen; even her presence disappeared.


    Afterward, Lindsay diverted her gaze into the large summoning circle above, and the grimoire started to flip its pages once again.


    The next second, five white dots formed a magic circle on top of the summoning circle. It had a black hexagram outline with a sun located on its middle while stars could be seen inlaid on its sectors.


    "Primordial Art¡ªObliteration," Lindsay uttered, beads of sweat present on her forehead.


    Thereafter, a black sun emerged in the middle of the battlefield, sucking everything around it; the fiends, the ruined buildings, and even the ground were pulled apart. Then the summoning circle began to tremble, its symbols flickering before it shattered and sunk into nothingness.


    The spell lasted for almost a minute, leaving the already ruined city even more devastated. Though the traces of battle disappeared, the giant pit still remained underneath.


    Lindsay closed her eyes, and the grimoire vanished in front of her. She held her forehead''s temple, her complexion paler than before, and then, as if she lost her balance, the platform of energy where she was standing collapsed, and hers and Efraim''s bodies began to plummet inside the crater.


    However, before their heads touched the cold, dusted ground, an old man flew under and rescued them from the sudden fall.


    "Captain... Thank you," Lindsay whispered before succumbing to unconsciousness.


    . . . . .


    At the same time, a man sitting in a destroyed throne clenched his fist and shook his head in disappointment.


    "The Nighfall and their lost magic, well, that was unexpected," he stated, smirking.


    Then, the beast lying in front of him stood up as it released a short growl. Its sharp, elongated fangs were revealed, and a few drops of saliva dripped onto the cement ground, causing it to decompose and turn into a vapor.


    Then the man waved his hand while the other one caressed the beast''s neck. Afterward, a white magic circle materialized beneath them, and they vanished along with the traces of their energy, only leaving a disfigured, melted floor.


    . . . . .

 Choosing Weapons

    Up above the sky, the moon revealed itself as it passed through the series of clouds; its white, golden radiance illuminated the entire forest.


    Two people, a combination of a man and a woman sitting beside each other underneath the shade of a giant maple tree, were busy looking at the constellation of stars shining with their glittering brilliance.


    "Are you really alright? Tomorrow is the day." The deafening silence that enveloped the vast area was shattered as the woman opened up a conversation.


    Then, she looked at the man next to her; her vermilion eyes felt somewhat restless.


    Several seconds had already passed, and there were still no words coming from the man''s lips. He just lay down and used his hand as a cushion.


    "To be honest with you, I''m scared..." the man finally answered and paused for a while, then a deep sigh escaped from his mouth before continuing. "I don''t know how they will react, especially him."


    Afterward, he glanced at the woman and stared at her eyes.


    "I hope everything turns out well," he added.


    As a response to his remark, the woman smiled and stood up. Then, she made several steps towards the open field, which caused the man to sit up and follow her through his eyes.


    "Where are you going?" the man asked, curious about his companion''s actions.


    However, the woman kept her silence; she just looked back at him, still wearing her captivating smile. Then, butterflies with vibrant orange wings began to emerge and fly around her.


    Afterward, she raised her hand and let the colorful insect settle on her forefinger.


    "Regardless of the outcome, just remember, like these wonderful creatures, no matter how tiny they are and despite how strong the rain is, once it stops pouring, they will continue to flap their wings and reach new heights," the woman stated as her gaze focused on the butterfly.


    Her words made the man chuckle; he stood up and walked towards the woman. Upon reaching a certain distance, he looked at her eyes and spoke.


    "But what if the rain won''t stop? A single droplet would be enough to damage my wings, turning me into a cripple," he refuted.


    "Then crawl," the woman answered as soon as she heard the argument.


    "Crawl all the way to the top!" she added, exclaiming, one of her eyebrows raised.


    The man blinked his eyes several times, his mouth partially opened upon hearing the reply.


    "That''s absurd," he uttered.


    Then he raised his hand and was about to give the woman a flick on the forehead when the surroundings began to shatter into shards along with her, leaving the man alone at the center of the endless darkness.


    . . . . .


    "Xenen!" Efraim exclaimed as soon as he opened his eyes.


    He stared at the ceiling for a moment, wondering about the scene from his dream, his expression laced with a hint of sadness.


    The next second, he sat up and shook his head, then his hand accidentally touched something warm and soft on her left side, making him take a glance.


    He almost jumped out of the bed after seeing the woman lying next to him; her long black hair was in a little mess, a few strands covering a part of her face, yet it couldn''t hide her dazzling appearance.


    "L-L-Lindsay!" Efraim stuttered, stunned.


    His voice was not that loud but still enough to wake the sleeping maiden. As her eyelashes began to move up, her gold-colored eyes became visible and looked at Efraim.


    "Good morning," she whispered, her tone sluggish yet seductive.


    The appraiser stared at her and gulped a mouthful of saliva. Then he shook his head and stormed outside of the room. He went to wash his face, but the moment he remembered Lindsay in a nightgown, he felt his ears a little bit hotter.


    Thus, he shook his head again to clear out his thoughts and looked at his reflection in the mirror. As soon as he did, he noticed the scar on his chest, and the scene from the battle resurfaced in his mind.


    The excruciating pain that resulted from a sudden beam that pierced his heart was still lingering around his thoughts.


    "How did I manage to survive that thing?" he asked himself.


    Then, a knock on the door pulled him out from his contemplation.


    "Efraim, are you there?" It was none other than their captain''s voice.


    "Yes, give me a second," he answered and walked towards the door.


    As soon as he opened it, he saw the old man standing; his expression had a mixture of anxiety and disappointment.


    "Great, it looks like you''re already healed now," the captain commented after examining his body.


    "What''s the matter?" Efraim asked, ignoring the remark.


    Accompanied by a deep sigh, the old man walked towards the table and sat down before looking at Efraim.


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    "I submitted the contents of our mission to the guild; I even stated the number of casualties, but they still wanted us to explore the giant pit, or else we wouldn''t receive a dime despite our efforts," the captain explained the situation.


    Then he massaged the temple of his forehead and spoke once again.


    "If not for the Young Lady, we''d be corpses by now," he added.


    His words were enough to make Efraim''s brows furrow. He looked at the old man; curiosity was evident in his eyes.


    "Captain, can you please tell me what happened?" he asked.


    The old man giggled; his soft laughter reverberated into the small room, and then a creaking sound of a door being opened followed. Lindsay walked onto it.


    "I still feel tired," she yawned.


    Afterward, a scene enough for Efraim to make his jaw drop transpired before his eyes. The man whom they referred to as captain got down on his knees, kneeling in front of the woman.


    "Good morning, My Lady. Your loyal servant is here to serve you," the old man stated.


    Efraim diverted her gaze to Lindsay, his eyes asking questions, but the only response that he got was a mesmerizing, playful smile.


    . . . . .


    In a small town, near the capital city of Celestia, the streets were quite busy; merchants with their different products and commodities filled the sides of the streets. Most of the passersby were equators, constantly looking at each merchandise, searching for something that suited their style.


    "Weapons! Weapons! Available for sale! We have swords, spears, and even staffs for mages! Come! Check our items!" One of the merchants'' voices echoed across the street.


    "Selling leather armor for warriors! Robes for mages! For only a few pieces of bronze coin!" Another one yelled, trying to attract some customers.


    Efraim took a look at the swords being displayed in one of the stalls. After knowing who Lindsay really was, he decided to take a walk in the middle of the town and check some weapons for himself.


    After all, his swords were damaged and already beyond repair; cracks were formed on their blades while the edges had chips on several parts.


    "May I know your preferences?" the merchant asked, wanting to accommodate him.


    Efraim picked up the black sword in front of him and replied. "I''m looking for single-edged swords."


    Afterward, his right eye changed into a cyan-colored hexagram, and a number ninety-five, written in black, appeared at the top of the sword.


    ''This would do for the meantime, I guess,'' he thought while looking at the other displays.


    Compared to them, the black sword in his hand had the highest grade according to his ability, and the rest was not even close to its rating.


    "Are you an appraiser?" the merchant asked as he looked at his customer''s eye.


    "Sort of," Efraim answered. Then he unsheathed the black sword.


    "How much for this?" he added while inspecting the edges of its black blade along with the intricate phoenix carvings on its rainguard.


    However, upon hearing its price, he gently placed it back.


    ''Fifteen pieces of silver, that''s daylight robbery,'' he thought.


    Afterward, he went to check the other stalls, but nothing caught his attention.


    ''Should I just buy for temporary use?'' he pondered.


    Then, in one section of the street, he noticed an old weapon store. Enthralled by what was inside, he walked in its direction.


    Upon reaching the doorstep, he noticed that the building was run down and not a single customer was inside even though there was an open sign hanging on its door.


    Consumed by curiosity, he sauntered towards the entrance, and upon stepping foot inside, different kinds of weapons enclosed in a glass chamber greeted him. There were scythes, gauntlets, even war axes, and long-range weapons like crossbows. He immediately activated his Flair, and as soon as the cyan hexagram pattern on his right eye appeared, he inspected each weapon.


    "How come no one is here? These are pretty awesome. I wonder how much each of these costs," he uttered.


    The place was not that large but not that small either; dust particles accumulated on the floor, but Efraim didn''t give it any mind; all of his attention was on the swords placed on the shelves.


    All of them had numbers written in blue color.


    The next second, a quavering voice reverberated inside the store.


    "Do you have something particular in mind?" the voice said, and an old man appeared behind the young appraiser.


    "Greetings! I''m the humble owner of this place. Welcome to Legend''s Collections," the old man stated as soon as Efraim turned around to face him.


    A number eighty-six written in gold was floating on top of his head.


    . . . . .

 Seventeenth Shard

    Efraim was startled by his sudden appearance, and the figure he saw at the top of his head made him nervous at the same time, but he didn''t let the old man notice it.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you. I''m looking for single-edge swords. Maybe you have something to recommend," he answered, smiling, ignoring the floating numbers.


    "Single-edged swords? Hmnn. Wait here for a second," the old man replied.


    Then he went to the farthest part of the room, and several seconds later, he returned with a rectangular wooden chest in his hand, and then he gestured for the appraiser to come. He placed the thing on a table and pushed it towards Efraim.


    "Please take a look at this," he conveyed with politeness.


    Intrigued by what was inside, Efraim opened up the chest. However, his expectation betrayed him upon seeing a hilt without a blade.


    The next second, his brows furrowed.


    "No, there is actually one," Efraim uttered, and then he picked up the sword and scrutinized it.


    "It''s made of glass," he added.


    The owner couldn''t help but smile upon seeing the appraiser''s confused expression.


    "Indeed, it is. It''s a nice sword, but no one wants to wield it," the old man stated.


    Efraim swirled it around his hand and even swung it a few times.


    "Why? It looks great, and it''s lighter than steel," he replied.


    Then, the old man laughed for a little while before answering.


    "It''s a perfect sword for display, but I''m afraid it only needs a few impacts, and it will shatter into dust," he said.


    "Though, I''ll give you a huge discount if you take it," he added, his lips curling upward, forming a smile.


    Efraim looked at the sword; its blade was clear and transparent while its white hilt had three diamonds embedded on its grip. Its cross-guard was not that wide, and a crown symbol was engraved on its rain-guard.


    "It''s beautiful," he commented.


    ''And it radiates the same color as him,'' he added inside his thoughts while staring at the number seventeen on top of it.


    "So do you want to take it?" The old man asked upon seeing how interested the man was.


    "I would love to, but I''m afraid that I might not have enough to purchase it," Efraim answered.


    Upon hearing his concern, the old man laughed and replied. "It only costs one gold."


    Efraim sighed after knowing the price; he placed the sword back in the chest.


    "I''m sorry, I don''t have enough resources to buy it," he said; disheartenment could be seen in his eyes.


    The old man took a step closer to the table, and then he looked at the young man.


    "You can pay me with what you have now and settle the balance some other time," he disclosed.


    Afterward, he picked up the wooden chest and turned around.


    "Let me pick a nice scabbard for this; look at the other items while waiting. Who knows, maybe you''ll find something worth significant," he stated while walking to the area where he got the sword.


    Efraim was left there standing, trying to process if the words he heard were really what the old man wanted to convey.


    ''I would be dying in shame if I took another one,'' he thought.


    Though, he still looked around the store like the old man suggested. Then, in one corner, he noticed a cabinet with a black dice; underneath it was a tag labeled sold.


    "Sixfold Arsenal," Efraim read the words above the shelf.


    "A dice as a weapon? It''s my first time seeing one," he added, and then he tried to assess its rating through his eye, but the old man''s voice prevented him from doing so.


    "That''s merely a display, not the actual one," the owner said.


    Then he approached the young equator and continued speaking.


    "From its name itself, this thing here is so unique that it can contain six different kinds of weapons and manifest one at a time through the user''s will," he explained.


    The appraiser felt amazed upon hearing how the black dice worked.


    "I wonder what kind of person could wield this thing in perfection," Efraim couldn''t resist sharing his own thoughts.


    "It would be nice to talk about how great that person is, but my shop values confidentiality," the owner replied.


    The next second, he extended both of his hands and presented the sword to the young appraiser.


    "Here, I hope it suits your liking," the old man added.


    Efraim looked at the owner''s eyes; he still had his own set of questions, but upon seeing him nod at him, he took the weapon from his hands.


    The scabbard had a pure white color, while its chape and locket were made of silver. It had no intricate markings or any kind of symbols on its body, but there was a small chain with a dangling crown attached to its belt.


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    "This is actually nice," Efraim uttered in satisfaction.


    The next second, he unsheathed the sword and swung it several times.


    "I almost forgot, does it have a name?" he asked.


    The old man shook his head as a response; this made Efraim''s eyes light up in excitement.


    "Then, I''ll call it Seventeenth Shard," he uttered before putting it back to its scabbard.


    "That''s quite unique, perfect for its rare composition." The old man gave out his approval.


    Afterward, Efraim strapped it on his left leg and bid his farewell to the owner. But upon reaching the doorstep, he came to a sudden halt; he turned around and looked at the old man.


    "I hope you wouldn''t mind me asking, your weapons here are truly incredible; how come there''s no one checking them out?" he asked.


    The owner chuckled upon hearing the young man''s question, but he still came out with a reply.


    "Only those who walk towards the path of legends can enter my shop and see the true value of my collections," he said.


    Somewhat satisfied by the old man''s answer, Efraim smiled; he turned around and left the place.


    However, after taking several steps outside, he realized that he forgot to give his initial payment. So he went back, but upon opening the door, he felt numb and dumbfounded.


    There was not a single weapon present inside; the ceilings were filled with holes while the floor had several cracks. The cabinets were missing, and the old man was nowhere to be seen.


    Efraim blinked a few times; he made several steps, but the place was really gone.


    "Is that only an illusion?" he asked, confused about the situation.


    Then he answered his own question as he looked at the white scabbard strapped around his leg.


    "No, it''s real," he said.


    . . . . .


    Efraim emptied his thoughts regarding the store''s disappearance. He knew for a fact that even if he stayed up all night, he wouldn''t be able to find a decent answer.


    Thus, he walked towards the center of the town with one purpose in mind: to search for another weapon that suited his style.


    However, like earlier, he found nothing noteworthy to his attention; all of the items at the roadside were plain and mediocre. They did excel in appearance, but they all failed as soon as he inspected them through his left eye.


    Given this fact, Efraim picked the sword with the highest number. A black sword with a white lining on its edges. Though the weapon was dull-looking and plain, it was the only sword that reached the value of ninety eight.


    "Better than nothing," Efraim uttered after he paid for the item.


    Then he put it around his other leg. Without nothing left to do, he decided to return. However, he was just about to make another step when he saw Lindsay coming from the opposite direction.


    As if the world came to a sudden halt, the chitchat disappeared; even the merchants yelling to gather attention stopped for a moment. All their eyes were focused on the black-haired woman walking down the streets.


    Afterward, Lindsay noticed Efraim from a certain distance. Without wasting another breath, she waved at him, making the young man the center of attention.


    Already knowing what was about to happen, Efraim turned around and began to walk away from her. He already made a resolve to ignore Lindsay to avoid further trouble as soon as he noticed the hatred coming from the crowd. However, as if Lindsay failed to read the atmosphere, she rushed towards the young appraiser.


    "Efraim!" she called him out before hugging him from behind.


    "I''m looking for you since earlier," she added while her head was buried on the appraiser''s back.


    Efraim''s eyes widened in surprise while intoxicating fragrance filled the air he breathed.


    "W-What''s the matter?" he asked, trying his best to keep calm despite the silent stares from the people around, piercing like knives on his skin.


    "Are you mad at me? You went out without saying a thing," Lindsay answered; a hint of sadness was present in her voice.


    "No, you''re mistaken. It just happened that I was in need of new weapons, so I took a stroll," Efraim replied.


    Afterward, he held the woman''s hands and escaped from her grasp, then he turned around and bent his legs. He wrapped his arm under her knees while the other was positioned on her back.


    "E-E-Efraim?" Lindsay stuttered, her face flushing a vibrant red color.


    "Forgive me, but I can''t handle the stares," the appraiser whispered upon lifting her up.


    Then, he leaped onto one of the roofs, escaping from the busy streets while carrying the flustered woman in his arms.


    . . . . .

 No Record

    In a room large enough to call a library, each of its walls had shelves filled with nothing but books; there was a middle-aged man lying on the floor. Papers with drawings and scriptures scattered, floating on the air. His eyes were busy staring at the magic circle on the ceiling when a sudden knock on the door called his attention.


    "Come in!" the man stated, and the creaking sound of a door being opened followed.


    Afterward, footsteps reverberated inside the room, but the man continued to stare at the complex pentagram pattern.


    "Grand Lord!" a woman greeted as soon as she came closer.


    She had light brown hair and a pair of transparent glasses, which covered her emerald eyes.


    "What''s the matter, Cecile?" the man asked without any intention to stand up.


    The woman whom he referred to as Cecile pulled out a scroll behind her, opened it up, and read the contents of it.


    "The young lady was seen in near the borders of Graphite City with a man. Based on my investigation, his name is Efraim Von Regalia, an appraiser with two strings," the woman stated, giving emphasis to the individual''s identity.


    "Hmnn, if it''s only about missions, I see no problem with it, but if emotions are involved, I''m afraid I need to set some boundaries for my daughter," the man replied.


    He stood up, and the scattered papers flew towards the direction of a table, and they fell on top of one another, creating a single pile. Then the complex magic circle on the ceiling dissolved and vanished without a single trace.


    "How many days left before Lindsay''s engagement ceremony with the Chronos'' heir?" he added, now looking at Cecile.


    "Exactly two days after today," the woman answered, her gaze lowered.


    "Still plenty enough; prepare my clothes; I''ll be heading out," the man stated.


    "As you wish," Cecile replied, and then she bowed down and moved towards the door.


    And as soon as the woman stepped outside of the room, the man levitated in the air and took a peek in the small window.


    Aside from the sea of clouds and the blue sky, nothing different could be seen.


    "An appraiser, huh?" he uttered, his eyes laced with curiosity.


    . . . . .


    Two days had passed, and Efraim, along with four other individuals, traveled back to the ruined city. Due to the guild''s demand, they were forced to examine the giant pit to mark the completion of their mission. In regards to this, the guild deployed two additional equators to assist them in the expedition.


    With still the guidance of the old man, whom Lindsay referred to as Captain Zed, their journey went smoothly, with no obstruction or any kind of ambush. Before the sun set below the horizon, they reached their destination.


    "Hmnn, it''s really big, bigger than I thought," a man wearing a black mask commented while looking inside the giant pit.


    Based on his clothing and the two daggers at his back, his class was an assassin.


    "I wonder what''s inside; do you have any idea, Enrick?" a woman answered, staring at a giant pit.


    There was a bow at her back, and a quiver was strapped above her right knee.


    "Maybe... some sort of tunnel heading elsewhere or a massive creature is living underneath," Enrick conveyed his thoughts.


    "Hey! Don''t jinx it!" the woman exclaimed upon hearing the assassin''s statement.


    "Seriously, Kendra? You''re too old to believe in something like that," the man chuckled as he replied.


    The next second, he turned around and looked at the three people behind them. His eyes especially stared at the black-haired woman; he couldn''t believe that someone this beautiful actually existed.


    ''During this mission, I''ll make sure that she falls for me,'' Enrick thought as his mind began to suffer from delusions.


    Then, he noticed the appraiser next to Lindsay and, being an equator for a long time, he started to question why a non-combat class was included in a dangerous mission like this.


    "Hey! If I may ask, what is an appraiser doing here? And are those swords for decoration?" Enrick asked, igniting an argument.


    Lindsay was the first to react upon hearing the assassin''s provocation.


    "Who are you to question him?" she stepped forward and asked, her eyebrows furrowing in contempt.


    "He''s way better than you in all aspects, and that''s a fact!" she added, exclaiming.


    Then, a ball of fire conjured on her hand. Upon seeing the rage in Lindsay''s eyes, Efraim moved in between the two equators and held Lindsay''s shoulders.


    "Just let him," he whispered at the woman''s ear.


    Lindsay looked at Efraim, and with a deep sigh, she clenched her fist, and the fireball dissipated into thin air. However, she still diverted her gaze towards the assassin and glared at him before turning around.


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    Upon seeing the rage in the woman''s eyes. Enrick just shook his head.


    ''I''ll make you admire me in no time,'' he thought.


    Then he looked at the appraiser, who was facing his back at him.


    ''And you, let''s see how long you will survive,'' he conveyed inside his mind before distancing himself away from the rest.


    Meanwhile, Efraim took a glance at the assassin; a number seventy-four written in blue was floating in his head.


    "Pathetic," he uttered.


    . . . . .


    Darkness enveloped the entire area in no time; the group of equators decided to conduct the expedition tomorrow morning before sunrise, so they set up their camp next to the giant pit.


    "Please, don''t take him seriously! He''s just concerned about everyone''s safety," Kendra apologized on behalf of her companion during dinner.


    Despite the food being so appetizing and flavorful, Enrick didn''t join them and just lay several meters away from their camp.


    "No worries," Efraim answered while picking a slice of fried meat that soon went to his mouth.


    Kendra''s eyes lit up upon hearing his reply, then she glanced at Lindsay, but the woman was busy eating and didn''t even look at her.


    "Don''t mind her," Efraim stated as he noticed the sudden drop of Kendra''s shoulder.


    The appraiser''s words made the archer smile, even though Lindsay ignored her apology. As they were done eating, the old man and Efraim acted as night guards while the two women went inside the tent.


    "You can go sleep as well, Captain," Efraim stated as he leaped onto a boulder.


    "I''m still looking at the stars," Captain Zed replied, staring above.


    The next second, Efraim crouched down and began to stand using his hands while the old man smiled upon seeing him in that state.


    Both of them uttered not a single word, minding their own respective business. This continued for several minutes until Captain Zed broke the deafening silence.


    "Efraim, would you mind lending me your ears for a second?" he asked.


    His tone felt so serious that the moment the appraiser heard them, he pushed his body upward and landed on his feet.


    Then, he looked straight at the old man, waiting for his next set of words.


    "The young lady''s treatment of you is different from others. She saw something special in you, and I know that you''re already aware of that," Captain Zed opened up while still staring above.


    "As someone who has served the young lady since she was a child, I always prioritized her safety, so I did a background check on you," he added as he diverted his gaze towards the young man.


    "Efraim Von Regalia, a fancy name, but everything about that name is shrouded in mystery. I don''t even know if that''s your real name. No record, no hometown, as in nothing. All that I found was you arrived at Celestia a year ago and registered as an appraiser," the old man stated while staring at his companion.


    Efraim didn''t respond; he just listened to the old man.


    "But I know as well that you have your own reason why, and I believe that you''re a good child." Captain Zed paused for a second and smiled, then he put his right hand on the appraiser''s shoulder before continuing. "And don''t worry, I would not pry on your identity any further. Just remember, if you want to pursue the young lady, prepare yourself to die. Good night!"


    The old man turned around, leaving the appraiser without even waiting for his reaction. As soon as he left, Efraim covered his face with the palm of his hand. Then he looked at the countless stars above and noticed that their positions created a pattern that resembled a butterfly.


    ''Xenen,'' he thought.


    . . . . .


    After a long night, dawn came, and the golden rays coming from the sun were already in view. The group consisting of five people prepared themselves to explore the giant pit.


    The captain looked at everyone, and upon seeing them nod, he gave out the command.


    "Don''t let go of each other no matter what. Let''s move!" he ordered.


    The group jumped towards the pit. All of them were holding onto one another''s hand to avoid getting separated.


    Lindsay threw a floating orb of light underneath so they could see if they were about to land, but the pit was so deep that they continued falling for more than a minute before the ground came into their sight.


    "Gather beneath thee, destroy thy impact, set us free!" Lindsay chanted, and a green magic circle appeared on the ground. Then, a sudden surge of wind came out of it, cushioning their fall.


    . . . . .

 Purple

    Efraim scanned around the area as soon as they landed on the ground. It was dark, but there were glowing crystals scattered around the place.


    ''Purple hue,'' he thought, remembering a part of his memory that he wanted to forget.


    He stepped closer and was about to touch the crystal, but Kendra''s voice echoing in the place prevented him from doing so.


    "Don''t touch anything at the moment; who knows what effects they have?" she conveyed.


    "Just let him; even an idiot knows that during an expedition," Enrick said, adding fuel to the fire.


    Efraim ignored their remark; he crouched down and touched the crystal. Then he activated his right eye, and a number ten written in gold color emerged at the top of it.


    This sudden discovery made Efraim gasp in astonishment.


    "A gold one," he uttered.


    Then he looked at the other ores; all of them had golden figures ranging from one to ten.


    Afterward, Efraim pulled back his hand, clenching it during the process. As energy covered his fist all the way to his arm, he threw out a punch, aiming at the crystal''s surface.


    ''Seems durable enough,'' Efraim thought upon seeing not a single bit of scratch present on the glowing rock.


    "What''s the matter?" Lindsay asked as she moved closer towards the appraiser, curiosity blooming in her eyes.


    With a wide smile on his lips, Efraim answered. "These crystals are usable, I think; it will be a pretty good weapon material. I definitely need to bring one¡ª"


    However, his statement was cut off as he turned around to look at Lindsay; after all, her face was only inches away from him, causing him to freeze and fall onto his butt the next second.


    "Are you alright?" Lindsay asked, her expression laced with worry.


    She extended her hand towards the appraiser and Efraim grabbed it, nodding.


    A smile blossomed from Lindsay''s face while the captain''s words resonated inside Efraim''s mind. He stared at the mage, her eyes dazzling like a morning sun, and her beauty was attractive enough to start a war between nations, yet he couldn''t picture himself having an intimate relationship with her at the moment.


    "Efraim," Lindsay uttered his name, dragging him away in his series of thoughts.


    "Let''s move," she added without waiting for his reply.


    The group marched forward, and they noticed a large passageway several distances away from them. It was wide enough for them to fit even if they all went at the same time.


    Without any information on what was waiting for them inside, they prepared themselves, their hands holding the hilt of their respective weapons.


    They entered the cave with the archer leading in front while the assassin guarded the rear. Aside from their footsteps echoing, not a single unusual sound could be heard.


    Few minutes later, Lindsay deployed another orb of light to be their guide due to the reason that the crystals started to become scarce, and the surroundings turned even darker.


    Then, upon reaching a certain area, Lindsay bumped into the archer''s back.


    "Ouch, why did you halt?" she asked, caressing the tip of her nose.


    However, Kendra didn''t respond, which made Lindsay look ahead. Her eyebrows furrowed as she covered her mouth.


    A pile of bones was blocking their path, almost high enough to reach the ceiling.


    Efraim took the initiative to move closer. He examined the skeletons, trying to decipher what they were. Ribcage larger than a human body and broken skulls several times bigger than an adult person''s head.


    ''Not a single stench. The cracks and the darkened color of the bones signified that they were already old,'' he pondered.


    "I wonder what kind of beast could eat this much," Lindsay stated as she stepped forward, but Efraim just shrugged his shoulders as a reply.


    Captain Zed came closer towards the archer''s side. He looked at her and asked with a serious tone. "Should we keep going?"


    No matter how much he thought, this pile of skeleton spoke nothing but danger. It was definitely a warning for them not to continue ahead. However, the decision this time was not for him to make.


    Kendra contemplated and took several seconds before words managed to slip from her lips.


    "We''ll continue!" she exclaimed with a strong resolve.


    Then, she grabbed an arrow from her quiver and aimed at the stack of bones. As soon as she pulled back the string, a small orb of green energy began to form at the arrow''s tip.


    "Stay away from it," she ordered before releasing the nock.


    The arrow was launched, causing a destructive windblast that knocked away the pile of bones, opening a path ahead.


    "Let''s move," Kendra said.


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    The group traversed the tunnel and after a several while, they heard a soothing sound coming from a water droplets. It started as faint but as they continued their steps, it began to become clearer and more distinct.


    Then after a few more strides, they saw light coming from the end of the tunnel. Without wasting any more time, they sprinted towards it, and a scenery they never expected appeared right before their eyes.


    A calm lake with stalactites hanging like icicles above, and on one of its tips, a droplet kept on falling, causing a ripple that destroyed the lake''s serene tranquility.


    "What is this place? It''s beautiful," Lindsay stated, her eyes gleaming with curiosity and adoration.


    Meanwhile, being enticed by its beauty, Kendra moved towards the edge of the lake where water was almost touching the toe cap of her boots.


    She sat down and looked at her reflection on the water, then she touched it, and her eyes widened in surprise upon sensing how warm it was.


    She turned around and gestured for the others to come.


    "It feels good," she said.


    Upon hearing her, the rest of the group moved towards her; however, Efraim''s voice echoed in the place all of a sudden.


    "Get away from there!" he yelled and sprinted in the woman''s direction.


    His left eye gleamed in a cyan-colored hexagram. He pulled out his black sword, but he was a second late.


    Blood splattered like a fountain on the lake surface as Kendra''s body snapped into two; its lower half fell on the water while the upper part disappeared as a creature emerged underneath and chomped the woman''s body.


    Efraim clicked his tongue and was forced to leap backward to dodge when a long, enormous tail swept towards his location.


    Lindsay and the rest remained frozen at their positions, especially Enrick. The archer''s sudden death made his mind blank.


    "Kendra," he uttered, her name escaped like a choked whisper.


    The stunned look on his face turned into a sudden rage, veins bulging on the temple of his head.


    "Kendra!" he called out her name one more time.


    His hands pulled the pair of daggers on his back and he dashed towards the beast that killed his companion.


    "No! Don''t come near it!" Efraim shouted.


    However, Enrick ignored his warning. He continued his charge, leaving only a silhouette as his movements became faster. The next second, the beast swung its long tail towards the assassin, but Enrick dodged it with ease. He tumbled upward and threw his dagger at the monster''s left eye, but it didn''t connect as a curtain of water blocked the blade''s trajectory.


    Enrick''s eyes squinted upon seeing that his attack failed; he created a platform of energy and stepped on it before hurling himself towards the monster.


    However, he stopped midair all of a sudden, his eyes widened as he moved his gaze downward. A scale-like trident was piercing his chest. He felt his eyebrows became heavier, and his vision started to dim.


    Before his eyes closed, he saw the monster''s head moving towards him, a mouth prisoned with hundreds of razor-sharp teeth.


    A second before Enrick''s imminent death, a flash of white zipped towards his direction.


    . . . . .


    A little while ago, while Enrick was busy charging at the monster, Efraim glanced at Lindsay.


    "Can you use teleportation magic?" he asked, yelling.


    "Only a short distance; do you have a plan?" Lindsay answered without averting his eyes from the beast.


    "That will do!" Efraim replied.


    Afterward, he sheathed the black sword and pulled the Seventeenth Shard from its scabbard.


    "Fou¡ªNo! Cast it in three seconds!" Efraim yelled.


    Without waiting for Lindsay''s reply, he bent his knees and propelled himself towards the monster''s direction.


    With the glass blade in his right hand, he cut the tail that pierced the assassin''s body. Then, he grabbed him towards the middle of the lake.


    The next moment, before they fell into the water, a magic circle appeared beneath them, and as soon as the symbols and its outline radiated a white hue, they vanished and reappeared next to Lindsay.


    Efraim laid the assassin down and Lindsay started to treat his wounds. Meanwhile, Captain Zed and Efraim prepared themselves to face the beast''s wrath.


    A snout and scales similar to a dragon, a blue serpentine body with two short claws, and hundreds of spikes protruding on its back.


    "That''s an aquatic lindworm," Captain Zed stated.


    "And not a simple one," Efraim added, his left eye glowing with a cyan hexagram pattern.


    A number eighty-nine was floating above the monster''s head, and its color was a shade he was not familiar with.


    ''Purple,'' he thought.


    . . . . .

 Monarchs Relic

    Two humans dancing with a giant beast near the lakeshore. Their blades hummed and created a splash as they cut the water bullets coming after them.


    "Damn it!" Efraim cursed, his eyebrows furrowing in frustration.


    The monster''s tail hit him in the abdomen and sent him tumbling on the ground.


    "Are you alright?" Captain Zed yelled as soon as he leaped backward.


    Efraim stood up and wiped the blood on the corner of his lips.


    "I can''t even come near its head," he said while staring at the lindworm.


    "If I can give you an opening, can you kill it?" The old man replied with a question as he caught his breath.


    Efraim glanced at Lindsay for a second, and upon seeing her still tending to Enrick''s wounds, he diverted his gaze back to the monster.


    "I don''t know if I can take it down in one go, but it''s better to try than die doing nothing," he answered.


    "Great! Wait for my signal!" Captain Zed nodded.


    Then he raised his weapon and charged towards the lindworm. While battling it for a little while, he already knew its pattern. It used water bullets as its primary source of attack while the water curtain and its enormous tail acted as its defense mechanism.


    With a single sword slash, he sent a wave of energy, aiming at the lindworm''s neck, and like what he expected, the monster didn''t evade; it just summoned a thick curtain of water to block the incoming projectile.


    Upon seeing this, the old man sprinted and proceeded towards the creature''s tail. Blood flowed on its scales as he struck it with his sword. Then, he wrapped his hands around it and yelled.


    "Now! Kill it!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.


    With both of his hands holding the blades in a reverse grip, Efraim lunged forward, leaving a gust of wind behind. He sliced the monster''s neck, but the scales on that part were so dense that his black blade shattered into fragments.


    "What the!" Efraim exclaimed.


    Afterward, the monster leaned back, repositioning itself to counterattack. It opened its mouth and snapped at the appraiser, but Efraim managed to dodge at the last second.


    He tumbled above and let his body reach the stalactites. With the help of gravity, he pushed himself, plunging downwards, the glass blade pointing at one of the creature''s eyes.


    However, despite his efforts, his attack still failed; the lindworm slightly moved its head sideways, causing him to strike nothing but water.


    The next second, the monster swung its giant tail, sending the two people flying away. Their bodies slammed into the cave walls before falling on the ground.


    Efraim coughed a mouthful of blood while he felt his back numb due to pain. As soon as he opened his eyes, a water blast moving towards their direction came into his sight.


    "Shit!" he uttered.


    He raised his arm in front of his face and gritted his teeth, bracing himself for the impact, but the blast didn''t come as a four-headed golem emerged in front of them and deployed a multi-layer barrier to block the attack.


    Efraim glanced at Lindsay and saw her smiling at her.


    ''How I wish I could still smile at this situation,'' he thought.


    Then, he stood up and grabbed the unconscious old man. He went towards Lindsay and laid down Captain Zed next to the assassin.


    "Any plans?" Lindsay asked, still smiling.


    Efraim checked the glass blade and pointed it at the monster before replying.


    "Take it down and use its scales to forge a sword," he answered.


    A soft laugh escaped from Lindsay''s lips upon hearing the appraiser''s response.


    "Sounds good to me," she replied, still giggling.


    Afterward, she raised her hand, and a magic circle appeared above the lindworm.


    "Hundreds of sparks, illuminate thy dark, incinerate!" Lindsay chanted, and lightning bolts plummeted at the monster. It let out a loud shriek as it got electrified. Being drenched in lake water amplified the spell several times.


    "Even lightning can''t breach its scales. What would you do now?" Lindsay asked, her eyes staring at the creature.


    "Should I end it with lost magic?" she added, but Efraim disagreed.


    He shook his head and stepped forward.


    "Just assist me from this distance," he imparted with a strong resolve.


    Upon hearing this, Lindsay couldn''t help but smile. After all, using lost magic drained all of her energy, and each attempt at casting a spell shortened the mage''s lifespan.


    ''Does he know about it?'' she thought.


    But contrary to her expectations, Efraim had no idea about it; he just wanted to kill the lindworm with his own hands.


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    Without hesitation, Efraim sprinted, but this time, he didn''t charge straight at the monster; instead, he circled around it. Focusing some of his energy on the soles of his feet to stand at the top of the water.


    Several afterimages were created as he reached his top speed. However, the creature didn''t bother itself to follow him with its sight; it just stood there, waiting for what was to come.


    The next second, Efraim began his assault; he attacked the lindworm at every angle possible, leaving surface-level cuts on its scales.


    ''Too shallow,'' the appraiser thought, contemplating his next move.


    The monster''s claws stomped on the water and torrents began to appear around it.


    "Watch out!" Lindsay shouted, alerting her friend.


    Efraim was forced to retreat; he leaped back while catching his breath.


    "I''m too weak!" he murmured to himself.


    Then he glanced at his chest; there were two strings circling around his heart. One of them had a bluish color while the other had a dull gray hue.


    ''If not for this constraint, that thing would be slices of fine meat by now,'' he said inside his mind.


    After that, he closed his eyes for a second and exhaled a deep breath. Then, he sheathed his sword and folded the sleeves of his clothes all the way up to his elbow.


    Once again, he ran towards the monster''s direction while evading the water projectiles coming straight to his body. Upon reaching several meters away from the monster, he clenched his right fist and coated it with energy.


    Then, he saw its tail coming at him, but he ignored it as he saw the magic circle glowing underneath. Soon, the water turned into ice, and the tail was caught inside; though it couldn''t tie it down, it was enough for the monster to miss its timing.


    Efraim leaped above; the monster was looking at him with its mouth wide open. Then, he glanced at Lindsay and nodded.


    Several seconds before he entered the lindworm''s mouth, a magic circle appeared underneath him, and as soon as it glowed, he vanished, causing the monster to bite nothing but air.


    Then, the same magic circle materialized above the creature where Efraim reappeared in an instant.


    "If it cannot be cut, pulverize it into dust," he blurted out.


    With all his might, he slammed his fist at the top of the monster''s head. It caused a loud bang, enough to put the lindworm down.


    The whole place trembled while ice crystals scattered as the frozen lake shattered the moment the creature''s body fell downward.


    Efraim landed at the top of the lindworm, his hand shaking and bleeding due to the attack. He looked at the part where his punch landed; the scales on it were now broken, and blood was seeping on its cracks.


    However, despite this damage, the lindworm still tried to stand; it wiggled its body, shaking the equator above its head. Efraim clenched his fist once more, ignoring the pain from the torn tendons.


    Several consecutive blasts reverberated in the cave. Efraim stood up, catching his breath during the process. His right fist was soaked in blood while the lindworm''s head was burst open.


    It lay flat on the lake, not showing any sign of movement.


    "Efraim! You did it!" Lindsay yelled from a distance, a wide smile painted on her face.


    The appraiser looked at her; if not for the teleportation spell she cast at the very last second, he would be dead by now.


    "Than¡ª" Efraim was about to express his gratitude when the water splashed behind him all of a sudden, and something dragged him underneath the water.


    His clothes were tattered, and a large bite mark could be seen on his chest. Blood spilled onto the water, coming from the missing right arm all the way to his shoulder.


    Then, a serpentine-like creature circled around him.


    ''So, there''s two of them,'' Efraim thought as he sunk deeper.


    With the lack of oxygen underneath the lake, the appraiser gasped for air; he wanted to paddle above, but he was too tired to move his legs.


    ''Dying for a second time, what a pathetic fool,'' he pitied himself.


    He then reached the ground in no time, and the back of his head bumped into a rock covered with a thick layer of soil.


    Afterward, that small stone emitted light, and the mud around it melted, revealing an orb glowing in a black hue. Then it shattered into tiny particles and was soon sucked by the casket.


    ''A monarch''s relic was absorbed. A portion of the Ironclad Brawler''s abilities has been granted access,'' a voice rang next to him.


    . . . . .

 New Arm

    In a time long past, there was once a warrior whose body was harder than any steel. Blades couldn''t pierce his skin, and even spells enough to obliterate a whole town weren''t enough to injure him.


    Like an impregnable fortress, he drove the fiends away from his land. In every punch he threw, mountains shattered, terrain changed, and a simple stomp of his produced a crater hundreds of meters deep below ground.


    His legend continued, and he was hailed as a true ruler; however, a certain day came, and he disappeared. Some said that he was already dead, while others believed that he ascended and became a deity, but no one really knew where he went; not a single trace of him could be found.


    Thus, his place suffered constant invasion, his castle walls collapsed, and people died expecting that he would appear and save them from misery, but these were all a fleeting dream, a hopeless wish that was never meant to happen.


    Soon, his kingdom fell, and his story became a forgotten legacy, buried underneath the debris of history.


    . . . . .


    With her mouth partially opened, Lindsay stared at the ripple of water, her mind processing what she had witnessed. Then tears began to form at the corner of her eyes, but she did her best to prevent them from falling.


    "E-Efraim," she stammered, her voice trembling, still in shock.


    This state of her continued for several seconds until she slapped her face with both hands. She concealed her emotions at the moment.


    Afterward, a worn-out grimoire appeared right before her. Its pages flipped, and a magic circle took shape in the middle of the lake.


    "Primor¡ª" she was in the middle of chanting when a sudden torrent of water emerged, interrupting her casting.


    The tears she did her best not to fall dripped on her cheeks as she saw a familiar silhoutte emerged from the downpour.


    "You''re alive!" she exclaimed.


    However, her excitement turned into despair upon noticing that one of his arms was missing. She stared at the young appraiser. His head was looking above while his clothes were tattered beyond recognition.


    "Efraim," she called her out, but she received no response, not even a glance.


    He remained suspended in the air for several seconds until a giant mouth with razor-sharp teeth came out of the water, aiming for him.


    As soon as it snapped its jaws, Efraim bent his knees. He leaped upward with the help of the invisible platform of energy; his body drew an arc before tumbling in the open air.


    The next second, a black shadow materialized in the location of his lost limb. It started as vague until it took shape, resembling an arm. Without holding back, Efraim clenched his newly formed fist and slammed it on the giant monster''s snout.


    A massive shockwave, enough to make the whole place tremble for several seconds, was created. Stalactites fell as the tremor continued; even Lindsay dropped on her knees as she lost her balance.


    The strength of Efraim''s attack sent the lindworm back to the depths of the lake. Its scales were pulverized while its head was bent all the way to its chest. It showed no movement, not even a flick; its large eyes were still open yet lost their radiance.


    Efraim stared at the ripple for a little while, then he averted his gaze and looked at Lindsay, the edges of his lips formed an upward curl.


    As soon as their eyes met, with traces of tears still present on her cheeks, Lindsay whispered, smiling. "You did it."


    Then, Efraim''s body began to sway and fell from above, but he vanished as a magic circle caught him before touching the lake water.


    Afterward, the same magic circle materialized above Lindsay, and Efraim fell on her arms.


    She looked at his unconscious face and examined its every feature: his pointed nose, his bow-shaped lips, and even the thick lashes of his eyes.


    Then, she caressed his hair and noticed a scar, inches away from his left eyebrow¡ªa small cross mark cut.


    "I didn''t know he had something like this," she uttered.


    After all, his front hair obstructed it, preventing everyone from seeing the blemish.


    The next second, Lindsay diverted her gaze to the appraiser''s right arm. From the portion of his chest all the way to the end of his fingers, all of it was black, similar to a shadow. Eaten by curiosity, she touched his arm, and her eyes widened in amazement.


    There was no warmth; it had coldness similar to ice while its muscles were tough and firm as a metal.


    "It''s like it''s made of steel," Lindsay commented.


    Then, she gave it a soft flick, expecting for a metallic sound but it produced none.


    "You''re getting stronger each day; I wonder how many secrets you still have," she stated, reverting back her gaze to his face.


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    "First, those chantless spells that even I have no knowledge of..." She paused and stroked the back of her finger on his cheek.


    "And now, this overwhelming strength," she continued.


    . . . . .


    Almost an hour had already passed when the old man and the assassin regained their consciousness. Lindsay filled them in about what happened.


    Captain Zed couldn''t help but nod in astonishment.


    "To think that there was still one of this creature underneath," he uttered while staring at the lindworm''s carcass.


    "And that young man killed them both," he added.


    His respect towards the appraiser went through the stalactites.


    Upon hearing this, Lindsay''s soft laughter hummed in the atmosphere. She looked at the old man and pointed her finger at the monster''s scales.


    "Lend me a hand in bringing some of those for him," she stated.


    Without any complaint, the captain nodded, and he leaped towards the creature. He started to peel its scales, but even after using all of his strength, he failed to get one.


    "Seriously! How did he punch it to death? It''s too tough!" He exclaimed, wiping the sweat on his forehead.


    Given this fact, Lindsay crossed her arms and raised one of her hands to the level of her chin.


    As her forefinger grazed and rested on her lips, she asked. "Is it possible to bring it back whole?"


    Captain Zed blinked several times and shook his head in a gentle manner.


    "That''s impossible, young lady," he answered, rejecting the idea.


    "Then please continue on your task," Lindsay replied, teasing the old man.


    Accompanied by a deep sigh, the captain resumed plucking the scales.


    Meanwhile, Enrick was in front of a pile of land with a large purple crystal and a quiver on top; he was sitting right there while hugging his knees. He was still in shock; his eyes were filled with sorrow.


    Several minutes ago, he wrapped Kendra''s remains in a black cloth and buried her next to the cave walls.


    She was his childhood friend; witnessing her die a miserable death was a torment he would never forget.


    Then, memories of them together came flashing inside his mind.


    ''Enrick!''


    ''Hey, Enrick!


    ''You silly.''


    ''Enrick! Come back here!''


    Her voice reverberated inside his thoughts. The realization of not hearing those melodies again left a deep wound on his heart.


    "Kendra," he uttered in silence, and tears began to fall from his eyes.


    . . . . .


    Later on, Captain Zed managed to pull out four pieces of Lindworm''s scales.


    "Young lady, are these enough?" He asked while catching his breath; there was a short interval between his words.


    Lindsay looked at the old man and smiled.


    "Yes, thank you, Captain," she expressed her gratitude.


    Then she moved her gaze towards the appraiser who was still sleeping beside her.


    "Should we get going now? Though our hero is still asleep," she asked the old man without even looking at him.


    Captain Zed jumped down from the lindworm''s body and walked towards his master''s direction. He placed the scales next to the appraiser before strapping them one after the other on his back.


    While knotting the slits of the strap, he looked at Lindsay and spoke with a curious tone.


    "Do you have any plans? At any point in time, the Grand Lord will summon you back," he asked.


    However, Lindsay didn''t reply; she just stared at the appraiser the whole time. Upon seeing this, the old man didn''t delve any further.


    As soon as he completed strapping the scales, he picked up the unconscious appraiser and placed him on his right shoulder.


    They moved towards the tunnel while Enrick looked back for one last time before following them behind.


    Despite the damages from the battle, the serene atmosphere of the lake remained as soon as the equators left the cave.


    On their way up to the surface, Lindsay summoned several wind outbursts to send them above ground.


    "Young Lady, you really need to learn long-distance teleportation magic!" the old man yelled while his body drifted on the air.


    It took them almost a quarter of an hour to reach where they came from. It was already dusk, and the crescent moon was already present in the sky.


    "Finally out!" Captain Zed exclaimed as he placed the appraiser on the ground.


    He spun his shoulder and cracked some bones on his neck by moving it sideways. Then, he noticed Lindsay, staring above; he looked to where her gaze was, and he froze on the spot before trembling in fear.


    High in the air, a silhouette of a person could be seen, his clothes fluttering in every breeze of the wind.


    "Father," Lindsay whispered, void of any emotion.


    . . . . .

 Strange Markings

    Dead bodies scattered on the concrete pavement, debris of castle walls fell one after the other. The sound of explosions could be heard while screams and cries of people reverberated in the open place.


    Efraim was startled by the scene right before him. As soon as he opened his eyes, he found himself in the middle of this; it felt like a war or might be an invasion.


    Fiends hovered up in the air while warriors died one after the other.


    "Move! Faster!" a man covered with blood yelled.


    Several people, mostly children, were following him behind.


    He secured their path and killed every fiend that blocked their route. With just a single large sword, he sliced and cut the enemy in half.


    Efraim ran towards them; despite not knowing where he was and what the heck was going on, he chose to give them a hand. He pulled out his blade and struck the monster on his way.


    However, his eyes widened in surprise as his sword passed through the creature.


    "What? Did I turn into a ghost or something?" he exclaimed.


    Bewildered by this, he tried one more time; he extended his hand to touch the creature, but his hand just went through its body.


    "No way," he whispered, shaking his head.


    Given this fact, he went towards the group of people.


    "Hey! Do you guys hear me?" he shouted at the side of them, calling their attention.


    But they continued on their steps as if not hearing a thing. They didn''t look at him, even a glance.


    Dumbfounded and curious at the same time, Efraim went up in the air to have a grasp of what was really happening.


    But the moment he did, he covered his mouth, and he felt his body shivering from the view. It was not just a simple invasion; it was a one-sided massacre.


    Thousands of human heads were suspended in the air. They were placed at the top of the stick struck on the ground while their bodies and flesh were being ravaged by a horde of monsters.


    "Vile creatures," Efraim uttered, his voice laced with rage.


    The next second, he noticed a fiend quite different from the others. It had a body almost similar to a human; it had slit crimson eyes and fangs protruding from its mouth.


    "Is that a vampire?" he asked himself.


    Then, he tried to activate his flair and the cyan hexagram pattern emerged from his left eye, but there were no numbers, not even a single figure.


    While contemplating and staring at the entity at the same time, he saw it smile as if it could see him. This made him gulp and place his hand on the hilt of his blade, but a blinding light came, causing him to shut his eyes.


    Afterward, he felt the surroundings turn dark and upon opening his eyes, the scenery changed.


    He now found himself in a dense forest where the only light came from the moon above.


    The wind blew, and withered leaves drifted onto the air while trees whispered a soothing melody.


    Efraim made a step, his eyes wandering around, but aside from the bushes and beast creatures lurking in the shadow, he found nothing unusual.


    Though, his hand was still on the grip of his blade, prepared to unsheathe it any time. He continued to stroll despite not knowing his destination; there was no clear path ahead, nor even a trail on the grass.


    A few moments later, he saw something glittering under the moonlight. Attracted by its brilliance, he walked towards its direction.


    After a few strides, he reached his destination, and he couldn''t help but sigh upon seeing the clear, tranquil lake.


    "Not this thing again," he uttered, staring at the body of water.


    He decided to move closer, and the beasts drinking on its shore scurried away.


    ''Did they see me?'' he pondered.


    Thus, he grabbed a tree branch, but his hand just passed through it like before.


    "No, I''m not the reason why they left," he concluded.


    And his intuition was correct, as right after he spoke about it, a man with a large frame walked beside him, and black tattoos resembling a massive turtle were carved on his skin.


    He went straight into the lake and continued to advance until half of his body was submerged into the water. Afterward, he looked above; his face was blank; not a single trace of emotion could be found. He stayed in that position for several minutes until something materialized a meter away from him.


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    "That is..." Efraim uttered as soon as he saw the white casket floating above the lake.


    Then he reached for the thing dangling on his ear and realized that the object was still there. He stared at the scene before him; curiosity was present in his eyes.


    The next second, the casket''s lid opened, and a white chain was hurled towards the man. Despite not having any pointed edge, it pierced his chest with ease, shattering his heart.


    Blood splattered on the crystal-colored lake as the chains were retracted back to the casket, but despite the grave injury, the man remained standing still. While the casket started to disintegrate into tiny fragments before vanishing without a single trace.


    Efraim felt his head in a daze; his mind was spinning in circles, and questions after questions surged inside his thoughts.


    He stepped closer towards the man; the dull expression on his face stayed the same, but upon seeing him up close, he noticed that there was sadness looming in his eyes.


    "He''s dead," Efraim uttered.


    Several seconds later, the man''s body lost its balance and sunk into the lake, sending ripples to its calm surface.


    . . . . .


    The sunlight coming from the window woke Efraim from his slumber. He opened his eyes bit by bit, and the same ceiling from before was the first one to greet him.


    ''A dream again,'' he thought and massaged the temple of his head.


    Afterward, he rose up and sat on the side of the bed. Then, he noticed his right arm; it was still black but not that dark as before; the natural color of his skin was slowly returning.


    Then, upon inspecting it further, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. There were some sections that remained in a complete shade of black.


    "Wait, these patterns," Efraim uttered.


    His eyes squinted, trying to recall the man from his dreams.


    Bold black lines with intricate design, creating a massive turtle shell on the back of his right hand. It had a long, enormous tail with a serpent''s head on its tip, circling around the forearm all the way to his elbow.


    Then a series of triangular shapes forming a silhouette of a sun spiraled next to his shoulder.


    ''It''s exactly like what I see on him,'' he thought.


    However, no matter how long he contemplated, he couldn''t think of other possible reasons aside from the white casket.


    But a wide smile flashed on his face upon remembering the scene before he lost consciousness. Taking down a powerful monster with a single punch gave him an immeasurable excitement.


    Thus, he went outside and stood with his right arm on the ground while the other was behind his back.


    "This is amazing; it feels great," he declared with delight.


    Then, he clenched all of his fingers aside from the one next to his thumb. Afterward, he bent his elbow and pushed himself upward. Despite repeating it several times, his arm showed no sign of fatigue at all.


    ''I think I can do this all day long,'' he thought, smiling.


    Afterward, a sudden thought crossed his mind, he looked at his left hand and placed it on the ground. Then, he switched his balance on it and placed his right arm on his back, but contrary to his expectations, his left hand felt numb after just a minute, and when he tried to stand with only a finger on it, his body collapsed on the ground.


    As he tidied and straightened himself up, he saw a familiar silhouette walking in his direction. It was none other than the old man.


    On his hands were several bags filled with fruits and vegetables.


    "Captain," he greeted him with a delightful expression.


    The old man returned his greeting with a smile.


    "I see, you''re already awake now," Captain Zed stated and tossed a green lemon apple to the appraiser.


    Efraim caught it with his left hand and wiped one of its portions on his pants before taking a bite.


    "It''s sweet," he expressed.


    Captain Zed chuckled upon hearing his remark, then he stepped closer to the young man and tapped his right shoulder before making a deep sigh.


    Efraim was startled by his sudden action; he tilted his head as if asking. ''What was that for?''


    But the next second, he realized that something was amiss.


    Those pair of sunset looking eyes which always stared at him with excitement were nowhere to be seen.


    He looked straight into the old man and asked. "Where''s Lindsay?"


    . . . . .

 Black Ring

    A day ago, back to the ruined city. Lindsay stared at the man standing underneath the clouds. Jet-black hair and a pair of golden eyes similar to hers.


    "What brings you here?" she asked, unfazed.


    However, the man didn''t answer right away, first, he descended in front of her. Captain Zed and Enrick kneeled while lowering down their gaze. They were so afraid just to make eye contact with the most powerful person in Celestia, known as the Synchrocaster¡ªRiel Nightfall.


    "I just want to see my daughter; is that reason valid enough?" the man replied with a question.


    He stepped forward, and the corners of his lips curled into a smile.


    "If it''s about the engagement, I''m not going home," Lindsay answered; her words were like sharp knives hovering towards her father.


    Upon hearing her declaration, Riel nodded, then his gaze directed to the sleeping young man next to Captain Zed.


    "Is it because of that appraiser?" he asked, and the smile on his face disappeared.


    Upon hearing her father''s words, Lindsay stared at him with a cold glare. Then, she raised her hand, and a worn-out grimoire appeared in front of her.


    "Please leave!" she exclaimed.


    Riel felt surprised to the point that his jaw dropped as he witnessed his daughter''s reaction.


    "No hesitation, huh? So it is really because of him," he stated, his voice calm yet filled with intimidating pressure.


    Then, with the appraiser as the center point, several layers of magic circle took shape above.


    "I won''t hesitate either," he declared.


    Lindsay swallowed with difficulty as she stared at her father. She played different scenes inside her head to determine the outcome if they really went into a fight, but it always resulted in her loss or her companions'' death at most.


    Even if Efraim woke up midway, she couldn''t picture them winning against the Grand Lord of the Magic Tower. Therefore, she clenched her fist, and the grimoire in front of her disappeared.


    The corners of Riel''s lips curled into a smile, and the magic circles above shattered into fragments.


    "Wise choice," he uttered.


    Then he placed his hand on her daughter''s head and gave her a pat. Meanwhile, Lindsay lowered her gaze, then she bit her lower lip and inhaled a deep one.


    "May I ask for a second?" she whispered; her voice had a trace of sadness.


    "Of course, my dear, go ahead," the Grand Lord gave his permission.


    Lindsay turned back as soon as she heard the approval; she bent her knees and sat next to Efraim. Captain Zed took a glance at her, but he was too afraid to utter a word.


    The young mage stared at the unconscious appraiser; a smile bloomed from her lips, but it was not enough to hide the grief present from her eyes.


    "How I wish I could stay with you," she whispered.


    Afterward, she pulled something out from her finger and looked at the old man.


    "Captain Zed," she uttered.


    Upon hearing his name being called, the old man turned his gaze towards Lindsay. His heart ached after seeing the agony in her eyes.


    ''How could you still smile despite being in pain, Young Lady?'' he questioned inside his thoughts.


    He did not have enough courage to blurt it out in front of the Grand Lord.


    "Can you please give this to him?" Lindsay asked before extending her hand.


    Captain Zed looked at the ring on her palm. It had a shining black hue with her initials engraved, written in white color, on its shanks. The old man hesitated for a second, but upon seeing her nod, he took it on the spot, no questions asked.


    Lindsay forced herself to wear another smile. Then she stood up and walked towards her father.


    As soon as she came closer, a magic circle with intricate symbols appeared underneath them. Then it illuminated a white glow.


    Lindsay turned around and took a second to glance at the appraiser for one last time before disappearing from her position.


    The two people were left there still on their knees with Enrick trying to process what he had witnessed while the old man stared up above the clouds.


    Though it was vague due to the sudden brilliance from the spell, he definitely saw teardrops fall from the young lady''s eyes.


    . . . . .


    Efraim stared at the ring on his little finger while lying under the shade of a tree.


    "Lindsay," he whispered a name, and her image flashed right through his mind.


    Ever since the captain told him about Lindsay''s engagement, he always found himself sulking and not in the mood to interact with others; he even declined several missions given by the guild.


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    As if the art of laziness corrupted his body, he spent most of his days sleeping somewhere peaceful and silent.


    Efraim looked once again at the ring, but this time, he did it with his left eye glowing in a cyan-colored hexagram.


    A number eighty-nine written in black appeared above his little finger, signifying that the ring was just a normal ornament with no hidden mechanics. However, even though it did not pass the criteria of being an artifact, the initials engraved on it made it special at some point.


    A letter L and N, for anyone, would just be some random letters, but for the people of Celestia, especially those living at the capital city, it symbolized one thing¡ªpower.


    Efraim put down his hand on his side and shifted his thoughts. He looked above him; the previous zero on his head had now increased into one, still at the bottom of the list of the lowest marks, though much better than nothing.


    This gave Efraim a hint on how to increase his own figures.


    ''Monarchs'' relics, huh? Now, I wonder who they are and where I can find those relics,'' he pondered as he diverted his gaze towards the clouds.


    Based on his deduction, the lake from his dream and the lake they investigated were the same place. While that man with the strange markings was the Ironclad Brawler that the casket referred to.


    He didn''t know if his line of thinking was correct; he had already tried to ask the casket for seeking confirmation, but the voice that he heard from that time never responded.


    "I really don''t have any idea where to start..." He paused and let out a sigh before continuing. "And why is it me?"


    Frustrated without having concrete answers to his questions, he stood up and decided to take a stroll into the town.


    Upon arriving, the laughter of the children playing down the street and the screams of merchants selling their products were the things that greeted him.


    He continued on his strides until he reached the town''s center. Then, he noticed that there was a gathering of people in front of the town''s announcement board.


    This piqued his curiosity, causing him to squeeze his way through the crowd.


    As soon as he got himself in front, his eyes squinted upon seeing a poster with Lindsay''s face and another man''s.


    ''You are all invited to Celestia''s Wedding Festival. The Magic Tower would host a three-day celebration to congratulate the newly engaged couple of the Nightfall and Chronos.'' Efraim read the first two sentences through his eyes, and he felt a lump stuck in his throat.


    Thus he turned around and was about to leave, but he heard something that caught his attention.


    "There will be events with different prizes!" someone exclaimed in excitement.


    "I don''t care about those weapons and relics! I''m eyeing the gold," another man stated.


    Upon hearing the word relic, Efraim spun around and looked at the board one more time.


    ''The first two days will be filled with different kinds of events with a lot of prizes ranging from gold, weapons, and relics, while on the third day, the marriage of the couple will commence and will be the closing end of the festivity. The festival will start in a week''s time.'' He read the remaining portion of the news.


    Afterward, he pushed his way out of the crowd and sauntered without a proper destination in mind. He just let himself be dragged by his own feet. Then, he found himself standing in front of a tavern.


    Efraim pushed the door open, producing a long creaking sound. This garnered the attention of all the people inside.


    The chitchats disappeared, and the laughter stopped for a moment. All the eyes stared at the newcomer, observing him from the tip of his hair all the way to the sole of his boots.


    And after a while, some returned back to their business and chugged the ale in their mugs, while others glanced at the tattoo on his arm and whispered to the person next to them.


    But the appraiser ignored them all; he went straight to the bar counter and sat on one of the empty chairs.


    "One honeyberry ale, please," he stated, pushing a piece of bronze coin towards the server.


    The old man took his money and went inside to brew his drink. While waiting, Efraim looked at his side, and he felt surprised upon seeing a familiar face.


    "Enrick?" he said.


    The assassin glanced at him after gulping a mug of liquor. His face was red and his eyes were squinted, indicating how drunk he was.


    "Oh, the appraisher," Enrick muttered with hiccups between his words.


    "Are you here to dull the pain? Your lover is about to get married after all," he added.


    . . . . .

 For The Insight

    Efraim was stunned upon hearing him. His words felt like daggers piercing his chest, and yet he still wore a smile and replied. "We''re not a thing, though."


    Then, the sound of a mug being slammed on the bar counter made him dazed.


    "Cut the crap!" Enrick raised his voice and looked straight at the appraiser''s eyes.


    "I saw how she cared for you, and those smiles of hers! Are you blind or what?" he added; irritation was painted on his face.


    Efraim didn''t reply; he couldn''t find the words to say. All of the things the assassin said were right. He knew the answers, yet he kept on avoiding the question.


    "You have the strength, but sadly you lack the courage to fight," Enrick stated, shaking his head as he stood up.


    He stepped towards the exit but halted for a second after passing the appraiser''s seat.


    "I hope you won''t regret your choice," he said and left while leaning his hand on the wall to keep him from falling.


    Efraim was left at the bar counter; the assassin''s words kept ringing inside his head.


    During his contemplation, his order arrived. The server came back with a large mug and placed it in front of him. Its sweet and intoxicating aroma wafted on his nose; however, he just stared at it; its golden-like color reminded him of something.


    "The drink''s taste would change if you keep it waiting any further," the old man commented upon seeing the appraiser deep in thought.


    Efraim let out a smile while shaking his head.


    "I really don''t know what to do at this point," he said without averting his gaze from the drink.


    The server poured water in a small cup and took a sip. Then he moved closer to the young appraiser.


    "If your head can''t give you an answer..." He paused and pointed at the appraiser''s chest before continuing. "Then why not follow this?"


    Efraim looked at the frail old hand in front of him.


    "Follow my heart?" he repeated.


    The server retracted his hand and nodded at the young equator''s response.


    "Sometimes, the best decision doesn''t require a lot of thought; all you need is to trust your own guts," the old man stated, advising the young lad.


    Then a shout coming from the back part of the tavern reverberated in the place. "Hey old man! Another bottle of liquor here!"


    "Coming!" the server yelled back.


    He looked at the appraiser and smiled before leaving. Efraim stared at the mug of ale while contemplating what he heard. The old man''s parting words left a deep impression on him.


    With a long sigh, Efraim held the mug''s handle and raised it before chugging it all in one fell swoop. He was about to stand up and leave when a man reeking of alcohol put his arm around his shoulders.


    "The sword in your leg looks nice; would you mind lending it to me for a day?" the man said, his tone filled with nothing but pure arrogance.


    Efraim glanced at him; his muscle mass was twice his size, and there was a claymore strapped behind his back.


    "Sure, why not?" he replied, smiling, his voice dripped with sarcasm.


    Then, he put the man''s arm away from his body and stood up. He faced him and looked straight into his eyes before speaking once again.


    "But for one condition," he demanded.


    Curious about what he meant, the man tilted his head and asked. "What is it?"


    Efraim brushed the man''s shoulder with his hand and arranged the collar of his coat before smiling. The man was several inches taller than him, so his gaze was looking upward.


    "Let your neck be its scabbard," he said with a smirk.


    A series of laughter echoed in the tables in front as they heard the appraiser''s mockery.


    Meanwhile, the man''s nerve snapped; anger rose up to his head, making his face turn red. The next second, he clenched his fist and grabbed Efraim''s clothes with his other hand. He tried to lift him up, but his weight was beyond his expectation.


    He couldn''t make him budge; his body looked like it was stuck on the floor. Fueled by the annoying curl from the young man''s lips plus the effects of alcohol, he pulled back his arm and struck his fist straight at his face.


    However, the next second, he began to feel pain from his hand that crawled all the way to his arm. His punch was blocked as Efraim grabbed his wrist inches away from his face.


    He exerted some strength and bent the arm upward, causing intense suffering that soon painted on the man''s face.


    "Ahhh! It hurts! Let go of me!" The man cried in despair while trying to pull back his limb from the appraiser''s clutches.


    It was loud enough to garner all the people''s attention, but no one dared to intervene. They just watched in silence, curious how it would end.


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    The man gritted his teeth, and with his free hand, he reached the grip of the claymore on his back. As soon as it was unlatched from its strap, he swung it in a horizontal slash, aiming at the appraiser''s neck.


    As a response, Efraim squinted his eyes, and he ducked in to dodge before letting go of the man''s wrist. Then, with his right arm, he threw a punch towards the attacker''s abdomen.


    ''Just a little bit, enough to make him unconscious,'' Efraim thought, trying to control his strength.


    However, despite holding back, a large explosion occurred as the man''s body slammed into the tavern''s wall. He was sent flying outside of the place along with the debris that cushioned his fall.


    A deafening silence enveloped the room; some felt scared while others felt amused, but one thing was sure: they were all curious about the young man''s identity.


    Meanwhile, the culprit behind the outrageous scene stood there with his mouth partially open.


    ''I think I need to control my strength better,'' he thought.


    Then he searched for the tavern''s server.


    "Hey!" he called him out.


    As soon as the old man looked at him, Efraim tossed something towards his direction. The old man caught it with both of his palms, and his eyes widened in surprise upon seeing its shimmering radiance.


    "A silver coin," he uttered before raising his head to stare at the young man.


    "For the damages," Efraim stated.


    Then he turned around and was about to leave, but the old man''s reply made him halt his steps.


    "But this is too much," he said.


    Efraim looked back with a smile plastered on his face.


    "The excess is for the insight. Thank you," he conveyed.


    Afterward, he walked towards the door, leaving everyone in awe.


    . . . . .


    The clouds gathered, drifting across the horizon while streaks of light coming from the sun passed through its gaps, shining above a small carriage being pulled by a twin-headed horse.


    It was currently passing in a peaceful scenery, a wide prairie where horned rabbits could be seen jumping all over the place.


    Despite the weather being hot, a man was lying on the carriage''s roof, his black hair glided in every breeze while his eyes were closed and his arms were positioned under his head.


    This man was none other than the appraiser; three days had already passed since the incident at the tavern, and he was now set on a journey towards Celestia''s capital, the place where magic reigned supreme, the home of the Magic of Tower¡ªthe Arcane City.


    Efraim remained in that position until the carriage came to a halt. He opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings.


    Aside from the path ahead with no obstruction or anything to cause their sudden stop, there were tall and thick bushes, enough to cover a human''s height on both of their sides.


    "Uhmnn, why did we stop?" a woman''s voice rang, coming from the inside of the carriage.


    Based on her tone alone, she felt troubled and anxious. It was soon followed by another voice, but this time, it came from a man.


    "Hey, are you listening?" it said; its tone was quite enraged.


    However, the coachman kept his silence. He didn''t reply at all; instead, he went down from the carriage, and people armed with different kinds of weapons came out of the thick bushes.


    Based on the neckcloth that covered half of their face and the entirety of their neck, they were a group of bandits who exploited the news about the festival that would happen in a few days, blocking the people in the middle of nowhere and threatening them to hand over some coins so they could pass. There were even groups that robbed belongings and sold their captives to slave traders.


    Based on how they looked at the carriage with lustful eyes, this crowd was more likely to belong to the latter.


    "Damn slave traders," Efraim uttered.


    Accompanied with a deep sigh, he stood up on the roof; his right eye turned into a cyan-colored hexagram, and numbers ranging from fifty to seventy-five appeared on the group. All of them were written in a vibrant blue color.


    ''Quite skillful for mere bandits,'' Efraim thought.


    Then, he pulled his swords from their respective scabbards and held them in a reverse grip.


    On his left hand was a blade made of glass, while on the right was a sword with a black blade; the end of its handle resembled a lindworm''s head, while a serpentine-like tail design coiled on its rainguard all the way to its shoulder.


    . . . . .

 Arcane City

    The appraiser jumped off the carriage, no words coming out from him; his gaze was sharp, and the presence he emitted made the bandits halt their advance.


    "I''m not in the mood to spill some blood right now; can you please go back and let us pass in silence?" Efraim asked, his voice loud and clear.


    However, contrary to his expectations, a man holding a war axe ignored his statement and dashed towards him without a single hint of hesitation.


    Upon coming closer, he swung his weapon, aiming for the appraiser''s neck, but the next second, his view of the world turned upside down as his head was cut off from his body.


    It fell and rolled on the ground while splashing some droplets of blood. It happened in a single blink that no one was able to react. The group of bandits found their hands trembling in fear as they witnessed their companion die in less than a second.


    Some dropped their weapons while the others stepped backward.


    "T-The l-leader is dead," one of them stuttered as he diverted his gaze to the headless corpse lying in a pool of its own blood.


    Afterward, the bandits glanced at the black-haired man, and when they saw him make a step forward, they scurried away with their tails tucked between their legs.


    Upon seeing this absurd scene, Efraim sheathed his blades and looked at the coachman several meters away from him.


    Beads of sweat emerged from the man''s forehead, then he knelt on his knees and lowered his head to the point that it touched the ground.


    "P-Please, f-forgive me. I just did it to ear¡ª," he pleaded, but his sentence was cut off as a voice reverberated in the open air.


    "Forgiveness is not something that is so easy to give; you put everyone''s lives here in danger, and now you''re apologizing as if you don''t have a choice," a woman wearing a mage robe chimed in.


    She went out of the carriage and walked towards the coachman. Afterward, several individuals followed her strides. Based on their clothing, all of them were mages going to the capital.


    The coachman received one hell of a beating from them; they kicked him several times until he lost consciousness. Then, they used his own clothes and tied his limbs to a nearby tree.


    With his mouth partially opened, Efraim let out a deep sigh; he couldn''t believe that the mages could be that aggressive.


    ''Maybe I should have just let them fight the bandits earlier,'' he thought.


    Afterward, he saw the woman who first confronted the coachman. She was walking towards him with a smile on her face. Upon closing the gap between them, she came to a halt and extended her right hand.


    "Thank you for earlier; I''m Celine Boltz," she uttered, introducing herself with a warm smile.


    The appraiser stared at her arm for a second before grabbing it.


    "Efraim," he replied with just his name, plain and simple.


    The woman tucked the disheveled hair behind her ear and focused her crimson eyes on the appraiser.


    "Are you going to attend the festival as well? Would you like to be my escort?" she asked, her voice laced with hope.


    The event earlier made him admire the man. The idea of standing against a group of bandits alone to protect people he didn''t even know struck her hard. Just by the courage he displayed, he already earned her respect.


    ''And his swordsmanship is a plus; I couldn''t even see him move his sword,'' she contemplated.


    However, she woke up from daydreaming while her eyes widened in surprise after seeing the man shake his head, rejecting her proposal.


    "I''m heading that way, but I have other motives, so if you wouldn''t mind, please excuse me," Efraim stated in a respectful manner.


    He leaped at the top of the carriage, leaving the woman with a baffled expression. Then he lay on its roof and closed his eyes, ignoring the commotion happening below, and a few moments later, the mages returned back to the carriage after venting their anger at the coachman.


    However, it seemed like no one inside knew how to command the twin-headed horse, as no matter how the mages asked for it to move, it didn''t respond and just remained standing in its position.


    Upon realizing this, Efraim opened his eyes and sighed. The next second, he leaped off the carriage and picked up the coachman''s whip.


    All of the people''s eyes were looking at him, but the appraiser ignored their stares; he went to the coachman''s seat and grabbed the rope connected to the horse.


    With the use of the whip, Efraim gave the beast a light pat on its behind, making it move forward. Then a series of applause echoed inside the carriage.


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    . . . . .


    The sun was still hanging above the sky when a carriage being pulled by a twin-headed horse passed beside a cliff.


    Its coachman, Efraim, was a little bit confused about their destination; after all, he saw nothing aside from a steep terrain, and he couldn''t see anything resembling a magic tower, even a shadow of its wall. He tried to ask earlier, but all the mages inside the carriage assured him that they were on the right path.


    Given this fact, he continued on the job without saying a single thing, and after passing a few more kilometers, they reached a deep valley with several rock formations underneath.


    "Are you guys sure that we are really in the right place?" Efraim asked without looking back.


    "Yes, we have now arrived at Celestia''s capital, the Arcane City," Celine assured the young equator.


    Upon hearing this, Efraim squinted his eyes and even activated his Flair; however, the scenery before him didn''t change, nor did a magic tower appear.


    He was about to ask again when a middle-aged man appeared at the carriage''s side. Efraim looked at him while his left hand reached for the hilt of his blade.


    The man smiled and raised his arm into the air.


    "I mean no harm; I''m just here to guide the guests," he stated, smiling.


    White long clothing with its hem fluttering, deep blue eyes like the ocean currents, and yellow-colored hair. Efraim stared at him for a while before letting his guard down.


    Upon seeing the change in his expression, the man nodded and introduced himself. "Greetings everyone, my name is Zeyn. I presume you are all here because of the festival. Am I correct?"


    "Yes, indeed," some of the people inside the carriage answered, while others chose to remain silent.


    "Then please, can you all close your eyes for a moment?" the man stated.


    Puzzled by what he heard, Efraim furrowed his brows and tilted his head, questioning the instruction.


    However, the man just gave him a nod accompanied by a smile.


    Though he still had doubt, Efraim closed his eyes, and the other people inside the carriage did the same. Then, after several seconds, they heard the man''s voice.


    "Now, you can all open your eyes," he said with excitement, and everyone''s jaw dropped in amazement.


    Even Efraim couldn''t help but blink a few times to discern if the scenery in front of him was real.


    The deep ravine vanished as it was replaced by an enclosed city with towering walls. Intricate texts and scriptures were engraved on its pillars, while a giant orb was placed on each of its tops. Added with colorful magic circles drawn up in the sky, it made the city feel like a place out of a fantasy dream.


    Aside from this, there were several layers of transparent, crystallized barriers protecting it from outside threats and invasion, and at the center of it all, a majestic tower stood high and mighty.


    The skyscraper was shrouded in a mysterious veil while the magical texts carved on its walls radiated an ethereal glow. Its slender spire was out of sight as its structure pierced the clouds above.


    "Let me welcome you all to the capital of Celestia, the Arcane City!" the man stated, his voice filled with pride.


    ''So Lindsay is up there,'' Efraim thought.


    Without wasting any more time, the group of mages, along with the appraiser, went towards the entrance. As they passed the first layer of protective barrier, a massive crowd came into their view.


    Most of them were mages standing while patiently waiting their turn to enter the city''s gate.


    "It would take me ages before I could walk inside," Efraim uttered in disbelief upon seeing the long line of people.


    He clicked his tongue and started to walk towards the end of the queue when a hand, tender and soft, held his arm. From the presence alone, he already knew who it was, and he was right; as soon as he glanced behind, he saw the pair of crimson eyes staring at him.


    "Come with me," Celine stated with a determined look.


    Efraim was about to answer, but the woman couldn''t wait; she tried to pull Efraim. However, her eyes widened in surprise upon seeing him didn''t budge at all from his position.


    ''Is he this strong?'' she pondered, curiosity written on her face.


    Then, she confronted the man; she let go of his arm and spoke. "It would take you forever waiting in that line. Come! This way!"


    "I can sneak inside, though," Efraim replied, dull and expressionless.


    Celine furrowed her brows while staring at the young man.


    "Are you dumb?" she asked, furious.


    . . . . .

 Doing Fine

    "If you want to have a price on your head, then please go ahead and try!" Celine snarled.


    She couldn''t believe the man''s reasoning; after all, she knew how impossible it was to pass through the city without getting caught.


    The magic circles, along with those orbs floating above, were not just decorations. They acted as security surveillance to prevent infiltration and monitor the crimes. Evading their trajectory was like passing a thread with the size of a thumb through the eye of a needle. In other words, it was hopeless to do so.


    "You know what, just follow me!" Celine insisted.


    The two of them gave each other a stare-down, and a moment after, the woman''s left brow raised while Efraim opened his mouth and spoke.


    "What''s the catch?" he asked, his tone laced with doubt.


    However, Celine shook her head and smiled.


    "There''s no such thing; I''m just returning the favor of saving us earlier," she answered.


    Then, she didn''t wait for the man''s reply; instead, she turned around and walked towards the gate, ignoring the queue of people.


    With both of his hands inside his pockets, Efraim followed behind. Glares coming from the crowd greeted them as they passed through the long line.


    "Hey! What are you doing? The end of the queue is at the back," someone yelled in anger.


    "Guards! Don''t let them pass!" another person shouted, and murmurs followed.


    But Celine and Efraim didn''t show any reaction, not even a glance. They went straight at the gate, and everyone was taken aback, including the appraiser.


    The guards stationed at the entrance bowed their heads in respect upon seeing Celine. They asked no questions and continued with their tasks.


    However, the guards blocked the appraiser''s path, causing him to halt his steps.


    "I would like to apologize, but there''s a queue; please patiently wait for your turn," the guard said.


    Efraim tilted his head and glanced at the crimson-eyed woman. As soon as Celine felt his stare, she turned around and spoke.


    "He''s with me," she announced, her voice filled with authority.


    "My apologies," the guard stepped sideward and even showed Efraim the way upon hearing the woman''s declaration.


    "Thank you," the appraiser nodded and walked towards Celine.


    This particular scene got several attentions from the crowd. Some left the long line and complained to the guards about the special treatment, while others chose to keep their silence. However, the two people paid no attention to them and just continued on their strides.


    As they gained some distance away from the gate, Efraim''s eyes stared at Celine with a curious gaze.


    "Who are you?" he asked.


    Upon hearing the question, the woman turned around without halting on her steps; she walked backward while looking straight at the young appraiser.


    "I''ve already told you, haven''t I? Celine Boltz is the name," she answered, the smile on her face teasing the equator.


    "I know, but I''m not familiar with Celestia''s hierarchy or much about those noble families," Efraim replied.


    Then he averted his gaze and looked around.


    "But it''s fine; I don''t like prying into other people''s lives," he added, his expression somewhat serious.


    Yet despite this, the woman''s soft laughter struck his ears, making him look back at her.


    "What? Why are you laughing?" he asked, his eyes squinted.


    However, Celine didn''t reply; she just shook her head and turned around.


    "I want to surprise you; maybe if you stay until the festival, you''ll find out who I really am," she stated.


    "I don''t plan to stay here that long, though," Efraim replied, which made the woman stop and turn around again.


    Both of them halted their steps in the middle of the road, and they slowly began to garner attention, especially because of Celine.


    Her crimson eyes, along with those grayish-colored strands, stood out among the crowd.


    "Why? Are you not going to watch the wedding? That''s the highlight of this festival! That would be a pretty grand event. The sacred ritual between the Nightfall''s first daughter and the Chronos'' heir would probably be the whole talk of Celestia!" Celine exclaimed, sharing her delusions.


    Then she raised her hand and clenched all of her fingers except for the one next to the thumb.


    "And here''s the other thing!" She paused and turned around, looking at the magic tower at the center of the city.


    "This wedding will be the path to the greater development of magic. With the Nightfall''s lost magic along with the Chronos'' advanced magic, Celestia would flourish and maybe even become the strongest faction in Oriental Plains," Celine added, her voice humming with excitement.


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    However, the curl on the edges of her lips vanished upon glancing back only to see a group of people staring at her in awe.


    "E-Efraim?" Celine stuttered as she tried to look for the appraiser, but even his silhouette was nowhere to be found.


    . . . . .


    The Arcane City of Celestia, the sanctuary of all mages. A place where magic was considered the most important thing. Everything here was discussed and regulated based on the principles of magic.


    Efraim stared at the giant tower located at the center of the capital. Based on what he knew, that very place acted as the supreme body that governed the entirety of Celestia.


    "This place is really wonderful compared to that..." Efraim uttered as he scanned the area.


    The streets were buzzing with people, mostly mages wandering around, children playing with magic circles, and performers dancing to the beat of loud music. The festival was not yet starting, but the city was already filled with joy and laughter.


    The appraiser couldn''t help but smile as he continued to watch the activities of the crowd. Then, a certain question came knocking in his thoughts, and her gaze diverted to the giant skyscraper.


    ''I wonder what she''s doing right now. Is she doing fine up there?'' he contemplated, and the curl on the edges of his lips disappeared.


    . . . . .


    Lindsay stared outside the window of her room, her gaze bored and straight without any glimmer of joy. Her mind was in a constant whirlpool of thoughts when a gentle knock on the door echoed inside.


    "My Lady, may I come in?" said a voice, asking for permission.


    Without averting her eyes from the crowd of people in the busy streets, Lindsay gave her consent. "Come in, it''s open."


    Then a woman entered the premises; on her hands were two beautiful dresses. Both had the same white color, but the intricate designs and their textures were completely different.


    "My Lady, the heir of the Chronos sent these things for the ball for tomorrow night. Would you like to try them?" the attendant asked, smiling, her voice overwhelmed with courtesy.


    "Just throw them out; I won''t wear any of those," Lindsay answered.


    Her reply caught the woman off guard, causing her to blink a few times in disbelief.


    "But, My Lady, these are¡ª" She was in the middle of speaking when Lindsay looked behind and stared at her.


    She uttered not a single word, but her gaze was sharp like a dagger hurled at the attendant.


    "As you desire, My Lady," the woman stated.


    Then she bowed before turning around. As soon as the attendant left the room, Lindsay closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath.


    Afterward, she walked towards the bed and threw herself in.


    "Like a princess trapped in a cage," she whispered, sadness looming in her voice.


    She was busy staring at the ceiling when another knock came on the door.


    ''Seriously? They keep on pestering,'' Lindsay thought.


    Despite not leaving the Magic Tower, she felt tired the whole day and just wanted to avoid those extra conversations, so she decided not to answer and acted like she was asleep.


    "My Lady, it''s me," the person behind the door stated, and the moment Lindsay heard the voice, she stood up in a hurry and went towards the entrance.


    "Captain!" she exclaimed with delight upon seeing the old man.


    His leather armor was now nowhere to be seen; instead, he was dressed in formal wear like that of a butler.


    "How are you, My Lady? Are you doing fine? I just returned now," the old man greeted her while bowing his head.


    Like a child, Lindsay puffed out her cheeks after hearing the old man''s question.


    "I''m dying here, Captain; can you please take me out?" she complained, then asked for a favor.


    The old man couldn''t help but chuckle due to her actions. However, he soon shook his head, opposing the young mage''s idea.


    "Forgive me, My Lady, but it''s the Grand Lord''s order to prevent you from going outside until the wedding ceremony is over," Captain Zed replied.


    Lindsay turned around and grumbled while heading towards her bed. "He''s really something. How can he do it to her one and only daughter?"


    The old man followed her and walked in the direction of the window. Lindsay plunged herself into the soft fabric and covered her eyes with a throw pillow.


    "How is he? Is he doing fine?" she asked out of nowhere.


    Captain Zed heard her question loud and clear, but he didn''t answer right away. He put his right hand inside his pocket and pulled something out.


    From the length of its cord, it looked like a necklace. But the next second, he clenched his fist and shoved it back in.


    "I think he is," he replied.


    There was a hint of guilt present in his eyes.


    . . . . .

 Eight Pillars

    Up above the clouds, in the second-to-the-highest floor of the magic tower, there was a chamber with a round table placed at its center. It had eight seats with different kinds of crests engraved on top of the backrest.


    Not a single sound could be heard inside the room until a clacking noise of a door being opened broke the deafening silence.


    Four individuals entered, the soles of their shoes tapping, echoing in the closed area. Then, as they reached the round table, they sat on their respective seats. Each of them exuded an overwhelming presence beyond that of a normal person.


    These people represented the council, known as the Tower''s Eight Pillars. All of them were archmages and had the ability to command eighth-circle magic and beyond.


    "Where are the four others?" a man wearing a top hat asked; in his hand was a large cigar, fidgeting between his fingertips.


    "Don''t wait for them; let''s proceed with the discussion," an old man answered as he placed his arm on top of the table.


    Then, he diverted his gaze to the woman sitting at his right.


    "How''s the preparation for the festival?" he asked.


    "There''s no need to worry about those not so trivial things," the woman replied.


    Her eyes glowing in a white radiance, she then snapped her fingers, and a transparent orb appeared floating in the middle of the round table.


    All the people present inside looked at the images that the orb was showing, and their complexions started to turn pale.


    With a deep, long sigh, the woman spoke with a heavy tone. "Thousands of fiends are assembling near the borders. We don''t know yet the real purpose of this activity, but just in case, we must prepare for the worst."


    "Should we ask for reinforcements? What did the Grand Lord say about this matter?" Another old man asked while caressing his long white beard.


    However, the woman shook her head as soon as she heard the questions.


    "The Grand Lord declined the idea of asking for help from the other factions," she answered.


    This caused the old man to slam his fist on the table.


    "We must choose lives over pride!" He exclaimed; anger was present in his eyes.


    Then, he covered his face with his bare hand and inhaled a deep breath.


    "Even if we gather all the equators in Celestia, we still won''t be able to fend off a horde of such quantity," he added.


    Afterward, the man who was holding a cigar on the tip of his fingers earlier placed it in between his mouth. With a small ember on top of his forefinger, he lit up the smoke.


    "I think we need to seek the Grand Lord''s approval to suspend the festivity," he stated.


    "I''ve already done that, but the Grand Lord rejected the idea and insisted on proceeding with the wedding ceremony," the woman replied.


    Then, silence enveloped the room; no one dared to speak nor make a sound. All the people were thinking, racking their brains for the best course of action, when the door was pushed open and a young woman with crimson eyes sauntered inside.


    "I''m still not late, am I?" the newly arrived individual asked with a gentle smile.


    . . . . .


    The night passed in a snap, and the appraiser woke up due to the sound of music coming from the streets. After preparing himself for a new day, he went down from the inn he rented during his stay in the capital.


    The ground floor of the place was a tavern, so he sat at a small table, and one of the servers approached him.


    "May I know your orders, Sir?" she asked, smiling.


    "Something good but not that heavy in the morning," Efraim stated.


    Then he handed a few pieces of bronze coin to the woman. Upon receiving his order, the server went back to the kitchen, and Efraim was left in there eavesdropping on the others'' conversation.


    Near his table, there was a group of equators, two men and a woman sitting while having their breakfast.


    "Are you sure we can go to the ball tonight?" the woman holding utensils in both hands asked.


    The tone of her voice couldn''t hide the excitement within her.


    "Yes! We already got the party invitation, so we must get back before sunset to prepare for the event," the man on the woman''s right side replied after drinking a glass of water.


    "We almost stayed up all night, begging in front of the magic tower to give those," added a man before taking a large cut of meat.


    Their conversation continued, but Efraim lost his interest as they talked about something he had not a single bit of interest in.


    He looked around, trying to gather more information about the magic tower, his fingers creating an unusual rhythm as they tapped on the wooden table.


    Then, after almost a quarter of an hour, his meal arrived, a plate with two slices of sandwiches and a cup of tea.


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    "Enjoy your meal; please don''t hesitate to call me when you have anything to ask," the server stated with politeness.


    "Thank you! Then answer this question of mine: is there any particular event tonight in the magic tower?" Efraim inquired as he took a sip of tea.


    The woman was confused about the sudden question but still answered the man''s query.


    "If I''m not mistaken, there will be a ball tonight, exclusive only for mages; I believe its purpose is to introduce the newly engaged in the mage''s community," she stated, smiling.


    "Is there really no possibility for a normal person to join?" Efraim replied after placing the cup on the table.


    The woman thought for a second, but she shook her head and smiled.


    "I think there is not, even the attendants present at the event would be mages. By the way, do you have any other concerns?" she said.


    "Thank you, that is all." Efraim gave her a nod, and the server left him to dine in peace.


    ''It''s pretty good,'' he thought as soon as he took a bite of the sandwich.


    The appraiser took several minutes to finish his meal. Afterward he went out and proceeded towards the town center. It was bustling despite being so early in the morning, but Efraim ignored them all.


    His eyes were searching for something as he moved his gaze left and right, looking at the establishments lining the sides of the street.


    "David''s Parlor, Jake''s Banana Que, Dine and Dash Restaurant..." Efraim uttered, reading each store''s signage.


    After a while, his line of sight at last caught the place he was seeking out.


    "Bingo," he said.


    Right away, he walked towards the building; it was not that small but not that large either. Upon entering, a staff member greeted him and asked what he needed.


    "A mage''s robe, please," Efraim stated with a smile.


    "Do you have any color that you prefer?" the staff answered with a question.


    "I''m good with black," Efraim replied.


    However, the woman shook her head upon hearing his request.


    "We don''t have that kind of color, Sir. Black robes are something associated with dark magic, so most mages don''t like to wear those," the staff explained in a very polite manner.


    "Then, a white one will do," Efraim stated.


    The woman left for a second and returned with the robe.


    "If you like, you can fit it in the dressing room," the staff said as she handed the robe to the appraiser.


    Efraim heeded her suggestion and went to the cubicle area. While fitting, he looked at himself in the mirror.


    ''I really can''t understand mages; how can they move in this baggy clothing?'' he contemplated.


    The robe had a plain white design with intricate symbols that Efraim had no knowledge about. It even had a hood, perfect to cover his head while a long sash was hanging around his neck.


    "Looks great!" Efraim exclaimed upon seeing that the clothing''s flowing hem was enough to hide the weapons strapped on his legs.


    He went out of the cubicle and saw the staff waiting in front.


    "It perfectly fits you, Sir," she commented.


    Satisfied by the staff''s remark, Efraim settled the amount. Then, he was walking towards the exit when someone called him out.


    "Efraim?" the voice said.


    The appraiser halted in his tracks and looked behind. He saw a familiar face looking at him from one of the store''s corners.


    "Celine?" he uttered.


    The woman approached him right away, though there was this little bit of confusion in her eyes.


    ''Why is he wearing a robe? He''s not a mage, is he?'' Celine thought.


    Though she chose to stay silent about this, she displayed a wide, captivating smile before speaking.


    "Why did you disappear all of a sudden yesterday?" She asked, and her expression turned into something serious.


    "Oh, it just happened that there were so many people, and I lost you in my sight. But hey! You look pretty good today!" Efraim replied, trying to change the flow of conversation.


    Celine looked straight at the appraiser.


    "I''m not buying it!" she lashed out.


    Then she crossed her arms, raised one eyebrow, and tapped her right foot in a continuous motion.


    "C''mon, tell me! I''m waiting," she added without averting her eyes from the man.


    However, the appraiser didn''t reply; he just kept on staring at her back. Curious about where his gaze was, Celine looked behind; she roamed her eyes, searching for the reason for the man''s strange action, but aside from a few people and the clothes lining up, she saw nothing noteworthy to capture her attention.


    Given this fact, she moved her gaze in front; however, her eyes squinted in disbelief, and her ear-piercing scream reverberated inside the store.


    "Efraim!" she yelled.


    For the second time around, the appraiser fled away from her.


    . . . . .

 Exclusive Ticket

    Efraim sighed in relief after leaving the shop. She had nothing against Celine, but his gut was telling him that she was not a simple mage, and he didn''t want to attract more trouble.


    Now that he had his clothing, he just needed to get an entrance ticket towards the ball, and to do that, he must first register himself as a mage.


    ''But how should I be able to?'' Efraim contemplated while walking down the street.


    Mages were classified into three categories; the first one is the Artillery Mages, who excelled in casting long-range spells with massive areas of effect.


    Then the Battle Mages who fought in close distance and mastered hand-to-hand combat while using magic to enhance their fighting styles.


    And last but not least, the Auxiliary Mages who stood out in performing support-type spells such as buffs, debuffs, and sometimes healing magic as well.


    "My left eye has a hexagram pattern; it almost resembles a magic circle. Maybe I can use it to register as an auxiliary mage," he uttered, still thinking, but he soon shook his head and rejected the idea.


    "No, they would not entertain me once they knew its ability," he added.


    During his contemplation, he found himself in an open space with a large volume of people.


    ''Is there some sort of event here as well?'' he thought and pushed himself into the crowd.


    Then his eyes widened in astonishment upon seeing a lot of children practicing in the field of magic. Some held staffs while others had scepters in their hands.


    "Heed thy call, destroy that wall, fireball!" shouted a child, and a magic circle materialized in front of him.


    Then, a blazing ball of fire was launched towards the training dummy, creating a small explosion, and a series of applause came after.


    After catching sight of this, Efraim looked at her right hand.


    ''Heed thy call, destroy that wall, fireball,'' he chanted inside his thoughts.


    However, seconds passed, but not a single ember of fire flickered in his palm; even a magic circle didn''t materialize.


    With a long, deep sigh, Efraim uttered. "How I wish I had elemental affinity!"


    Given this fact, he returned his gaze back to the children. Most of them used wind and fire-type magic, while there was someone who managed to deploy a lightning spell, which caused the crowd to turn wild.


    After all, mages with a lightning affinity were a rare sight. They were considered the cream of the crop. With proper guidance, they would definitely be a monstrous entity capable of destroying hundreds of fiends in just a snap.


    Efraim activated his Flair and looked at every child. Number twenty-seven, written in purple, appeared at the child who launched the lightning bolt, while the rest had figures in a black and blue color.


    ''That''s not that surprising at all, given his affinity,'' Efraim thought.


    Then something caught his attention; behind the group of people, there was something colorful flickering, and he knew what it was very well.


    "That''s a gold one," he uttered and went towards its direction.


    Upon walking closer, he saw the owner of the number. It was a child sulking in one corner.


    "Three?" he murmured.


    He observed the little one and noticed that he was doing his best to chant, but every time a magic circle appeared, it shattered into fragments soon after.


    Confused by this scene, he approached him.


    "Hello," he said while wearing a friendly smile.


    The child looked at him; there was a hint of hopelessness lingering in his eyes.


    "Are you here to mock me as well?" the little boy asked.


    Efraim furrowed his brows and answered. "Why would I?"


    The child lowered down his head, and the appraiser noticed the droplets of tears falling on the ground.


    "Because all of them said that I''m useless, that I can''t even cast a single spell," the little boy cried.


    "Then just let them be. Let them think that you''re useless while trying your best in silence," Efraim replied.


    However, the child didn''t stop wailing; he was too young to understand such a statement. So the appraiser gave him a pat on the head and just waited for him to calm down.


    And as soon as he stopped crying, Efraim lifted his chin and smiled.


    "Take a look at this," he said while staring straight at the child''s eyes.


    Then he straightened his hand forward and aimed at the training dummy.


    "Heed thy call, destroy that wall, fireball!" He chanted, and just like what happened earlier, no magic circle materialized in the air, and nothing came out of his palm.


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    Curious about what he did, the child stared at him with a confused look in his eyes as if asking. ''What?''


    Upon seeing his curious expression, Efraim crouched down for their eye level to match, and then he smiled.


    "Did you see that? I suck at magic; I can''t even cast a spell, but..." He paused for a bit and pointed at his left eye, and as it turned into a cyan hexagram pattern, he continued. "I still excel in other things. So if magic is not really for you, try something else and discover your own path."


    "Discover my own path?" the child repeated.


    The helplessness still remained in his eyes, but there was now a glimmer of hope present underneath.


    Upon seeing this, Efraim nodded and messed his hair a little. Then he stood up and left the place.


    Meanwhile, a smoldering scent lingered in the ground''s atmosphere. It started as faint until its smell became more intense and rich.


    "Is something burning?" a man asked.


    The crowd looked around, searching for the source of the scorched stench. Then in a far distance, they noticed a small ember flickering in one of the training dummies.


    All the people present with their mouths partially opened questioned what they had seen. For the very first time, they witnessed something they couldn''t explain.


    A vibrant green flame that lasted for seconds, burning the equipment and leaving nothing even cinders behind.


    . . . . .


    The night came earlier than expected, and brilliant colors of orb lit up the magic tower''s compound. Mages with their extravagant robes, along with those luxurious staffs and scepters, lined up at the ball''s entrance.


    And in the farthest part of the queue was a young man with hair and eyes darker than black. Dressed in a simple white robe, he waited for his turn with patience.


    ''Should I sneak in?'' Efraim contemplated while taking a look at the long line.


    However, he rejected the idea the instant he saw the large number of guards patrolling the area. It would be the end for him once he was caught. After all, he was just trying his luck to see if he could enter the event.


    Despite explaining the effects of his left eye, the Association of Mages declined to give him a certification, and he didn''t even have an invitation. Thus, with courage alone, he still showed up while expecting a miracle to happen.


    Several minutes later, he felt a gentle poke at his side, which made him move his gaze right away, and upon seeing the pair of crimson eyes glaring at him, the corners of his lips curled into a smile.


    Like what he was hoping for, his exclusive ticket had arrived.


    "Celine," he uttered.


    . . . . .


    At the same time, inside her room, Lindsay looked at herself in the mirror. A fancy black gown with a diamond crystal lining hugged her hourglass figure, her black hair braided like a bun, showcasing her unblemished nape while her deep round eyes radiated a golden sparkle.


    She was dazzling, a total beauty, yet for some reason, the expression she had displayed told a tale of sorrow. She tried to wear a smile, but it disappeared in a flash.


    Then, a knock on the door echoed in her room.


    "Come in." She gave permission, and the moment it was pushed open, Captain Zed entered.


    "You look gorgeous, Young Lady," the old man greeted.


    "Enough with the flattery, Captain," Lindsay replied, without averting her eyes from the mirror.


    The old man chuckled at her response. Then he opened his mouth once again.


    "The Grand Lord is waiting," he said in a polite manner.


    With a deep sigh, Lindsay forced herself to smile. Then she faced the old man and walked in his direction.


    Upon coming closer, she asked. "Would you do the honor of escorting me?"


    "It''s a pleasure," Captain Zed replied, and the two of them sauntered outside.


    As they reached the stairs leading to the lower floor, Lindsay saw two people standing while chatting with each other.


    And the moment she realized who they were, she clicked her tongue in annoyance. One was the highest form of existence in Celestia, the Grand Lord and also her father, while the other was a young man around her age.


    Brown, spiky hair and amber-colored eyes, the heir of the family who excelled in advanced magic, her betrothed, the strongest battle mage, Zack Chronos.


    . . . . .