Artin Kalos  

Jon Sands

I inhaled, feeling the air's weight fill my lungs, and then exhaled slowly and deliberately. I shifted my aura with the rhythm, a subtle ripple that responded to each breath.

The trick is synchronization.

I had to use each breath to release and absorb the aura, which is much more difficult than it looks.

To me, my aura is like moonlight in the starless night. It is faint but everywhere.

It is hard to gather it in a stream, but that's what I am trying to do. It isn't easy to bring it out of my body in a controlled stream.

I didn't think control of the aura would be this hard. Experiencing it myself, I have a newfound respect for him.

He used to practice it at every free moment, between meetings, in the evening, and at dawn, and even while traveling.

For the past two days, two and a half since it is evening, I have been trying to practice in every free moment I have, but it is incredibly tiring, and I have shown nearly negligible progress.

I couldn't even practice for five minutes before I got tired.

Still, I have to push through.

I have seen first-hand the things aura could do. On the island, it had saved us and crushed us.

Even in the latest battle, Lord Silver's resilience was nothing short of remarkable.

That artifact would have claimed his life without question if he hadn't possessed an aura. His mastery of the aura—a testament to his unwavering discipline and strength—gave him a fighting chance and ultimately ensured our survival.

It is that trait that made me follow him.

I pushed myself until I couldn't support it anymore before collapsing on the floor.

I wanted to last at least five minutes but couldn't even achieve that.

I hope things will be better after we return home. Lord Silver said there would be someone to teach me there.

He said they are a master of it.

He didn't tell me the person's name, but I could already guess who it was. She is the one teaching Lord Silver in secret and also instructs Stone.

They have kept her secret, but I am his bodyguard. I noticed things, even when they were secretive.

Still, it is hard to believe, and I still have my doubts about whether she is that person or if he is referring to someone else.

I rested for a few minutes before getting up and leaving the room.

I have to meet with Lord Silver. He said he had a job for me, but I was curious and didn't ask.

Soon, I reached his suite, and the guards opened the door for me. I entered and saw him sitting in the living room with Miss Margaux.

Judging by the way he's dressed, he must be heading to the party.

There is a party every night. Yesterday, it was at the headquarters of the enchanter's guild, and today, it was at the palace of the King of Ilazad.

"Lord Silver," I greeted.

"Jon, you have come right on time. This has just come for you," he said, pointing at a wooden box in front of me.

It is a big box, the size of my hand. Made of wood, with delicate work done on it.

"Daggers?" I asked, and "Yes," he nodded.

The last battle had damaged my daggers. I gave them for servicing the day we came to the city and had been using a temporary pair.

I am surprised. They finished it in two days, whereas it usually takes over a week because they were not normal daggers but triple-enchanted ones.

Top of their grade, at that.

I appeared by it and opened the box. What I saw were not my old daggers.

"T..this?" I asked with my voice shaking.

"I hope you like them," he said with a warm smile.

Inside the box lay two black daggers, their sleek forms seemingly carved from polished obsidian-like bone, exuding an aura of elegance and menace.

They are dark as night, with swirling patterns carved across them.

These weren't just enchanted weapons—they were far beyond that.

These were half-artifacts, tools of immense power. Not only were they more potent than any enchanted weapon, but they also required no regular maintenance.

They were insanely expensive and nearly impossible to acquire.

Only a handful of artisans worldwide possessed the skill—and the audacity—to create such masterpieces. Owning even one symbolized unparalleled power and prestige; having two was nothing short of extraordinary.

"I love them," I replied, taking them into my hands. They feel good.

"I am glad," he said before his expression turned serious, and he slid the envelope toward me.

"Go to this place and find the man of this name," he stated, sliding the envelope toward me.

I opened the envelope and read it before turning to him.

"What do I do if I find him?" I asked. I want to know whether to kill him or meet him.

However, killing wouldn't come easily. Legend has it that Archimage City instantly detects such acts, conjuring a cage around the culprit when the deed is done.

Trapping them until guards come to apprehend them.

"Do nothing," he replied.

"Nothing?" I echoed, confusion evident in my voice.

"Just find him and come back," he replied, his tone calm but firm.

"Alright," I said with a nod before turning to leave.

A few minutes later, I was seated in the carriage, the rhythmic clatter of wheels against the cobblestone roads accompanying me as we moved steadily toward the destination.

I glanced at the slip of paper in my hand. The address wasn't complete—just a vague mention of Halis Market on the city's eastern side.

The driver filled in the blanks for me. "It's a small weapons market," he said casually.

The carriage took the Lightway, speeding through the elevated paths that cut across the sprawling city. Even so, it was over an hour before we arrived at Halis Market.

"It's not small," I muttered as I stepped out, taking in the scene.

The market stretched farther than I'd imagined, with at least a hundred stores visible from where I stood. Judging by the twisting alleys and corners, even more shops were likely hidden beyond the turns.

"It is small for Archmage City," replied the driver with a smile.

I shook my head and walked toward it. When I reached the entrance, I stopped and looked around.

I didn't have to look for long before I found the people I wanted.

I walked toward them. The porters and helpers were standing in the corner, talking with each other, but they turned toward me when they saw me coming.

I stopped beside them, and a shiny red coin appeared in my hand.

"This is for any person who points me toward Artin Kalos," I said and looked at each of their faces as the numerous expressions crossed on their faces.

"That's him." replied a young half-elf, pointing toward a store owner before moving his hand to get the coin.

"Slap!

"Didn't I tell you I have lie-detecting skills?" I said as I slapped his hand away.

Anger flashed in his eyes, and he took a step toward me before he was pulled back by his short friend, who had said something to him that made a spark of fear appear in his eyes.

I walked away, knowing they didn't know the man.

I went to another group and another before I started asking the storekeepers, but nobody seemed to have heard the name.

Still, I kept asking around as I explored the market, which isn't small at all.

I hope I will find him. I don't want to use grey guilds. Those people keep records of everything, including the record of the person asking for information and selling that information.

Information is a lucrative business. I know it, well.

I was a low-level thug that grey guilds employed occasionally to spy or intimidate before conscripting me to fight against the undead invasion.

Minutes passed, and I asked tens of people, but not a single one seemed to recognize the name.

Hun!

I was walking and asking when I felt someone following behind me.

It made me serious, but I kept walking as if I hadn't sensed him, and soon, I walked out of the market into the area with fewer people before stepping into the dark alley.

Immediately, I turned and saw a raven-haired middle-aged man. He was human and looked to be around fifty.

He is of average height and has an average face, and there seemed to be nothing remarkable about him except for his weight. He is fat and doesn't look like he could fight.

He looked harmless, but those eyes of his didn't give me a good feeling.

I have experienced enough things to trust my instincts when they warn me.

"Yes?" I asked.

He didn't reply. Instead, he came at me at such speed that I didn't think was possible for a man of his weight.

I was cautious and reacted fast. Bringing my daggers in my hand, only to see him in front of me and throwing a naked punch.

I looked as if he was mad. He was more powerful than me, but a naked punch against the blades was a mistake. I am sure he could see the blades they are.

They will sever through his advantage, but he didn't seem to have any fear toward them.

I was thinking about that when I saw something. It made my eyes widen in deep shock.

A faint green gauntlet appeared above his fist.

Anyone looking at it would think it is a skill. No, it is not; it is a method.

An aura method.

The man's control is so fine that I couldn't feel even the slightest of his aura, but I know its aura.

Seeing it, all the hope I had disappeared. There is no way I could win against him.

I wanted to avoid the attack. Seeing it, but I know, even with my speed. I won't be able to dodge it. The only way to defend it is to attack.

So, I did.

I slashed my blades toward him with Night Slash and Precise Strike and activated Crushing Dagger to strengthen it further before activating my aura.

For the first time since he appeared. I saw a ripple of emotion appearing in his steady blue eyes.

I didn't think about it and focused on the aura. I am trying to force it into my skills.

When he taught me the exercises, I asked Lord Silver how I should incorporate aura into my skills.

He said I don't have enough control, but I should force the aura into my skills if I ever found myself in a bind.

It is hard, but I pushed into it with everything I have. Some of it went inside, increasing the power of the attack.

Clang!

My dagger clashed against his first, and I felt shock before I was thrown back and crashed hard against the wall. Hearing some of my ribs cracking.

'Who the fuck is this guy?' I thought. I should have asked.

I thought he would be a merchant or something.

Since Lord Silver was always trying to bring those people to the city, I never thought I would be searching for a powerhouse at this level.

The man was no beginner—at least Level 40, possibly closer to Level 50.

His mastery over his aura was evident, each movement sharp and precise, demonstrating fine control that only comes with experience and a deep understanding of one's power.

I groaned in pain and was about to get up when I found the man in front of me, and he had my neck in his hand.

"Why are you looking for Kalos?" he asked, gripping my neck with his aura gantlet, but not hard enough I wouldn't be able to speak.

"I have been asked to do it," I replied.

"By who?" he asked. "Find out yourself," I replied, and he pressed my neck harder.

I didn't hide my tracks. When Lord Silver asked me something, he specifically asked me to be stealthy. When he doesn't, it means he wants to show my face.

It's why I only hid it with my cloak. I didn't even use the skills.

"You know, I could break your neck quite easily," he said. "I know, but you won't. The moment you do, the tower will know," I replied confidently.

However, I do not feel as confident as I sound.

This man is powerful. I am not his match; not even Lord Silver or Stone could match him.

"There are ways around it," said the man with a smile appearing on his face.

It made me shudder deep inside me.

"There always are, but there will be a price to pay if you do it," I replied, and this time, I was completely confident.

Lord Silver and others will take revenge. They might not be able to do something to him right now, but I am confident they will in the future, and it won't be very far away.

He pressed my neck even harder. Near breaking level before letting go.

I took a slow, deep breath and looked ahead. I saw an empty alley; the man had disappeared.

"Fuck!" I cursed and messaged my neck before leaving the alley and thanking the gods for that monster for not killing me.