Routine

"Smart thinking," Arianna said with approval. 

There was no hesitation in her voice as she accepted Gladius's strategy. In fact, she seemed genuinely pleased to be following his lead. It was a testament to the trust and respect that had grown between them in their short time together.

"Alright then," she said, a hint of excitement creeping back into her voice. "Let's get this show on the road."

As Arianna began to channel her magic, preparing to incinerate the excess bodies, Gladius felt his Sword Force stirring within him. 

He stood ready, alert for any potential threats. The air around them hummed with anticipation and the promise of conflicts to come.

...

Emberstar City glimmered under the night sky, a tapestry of twinkling lights mirroring the stars above. 

The city's magical essence pulsed through its veins, from the grand spires of the Arcane Nexus to the humble street lamps infused with arcane energy. 

As darkness settled, a deceptive calm blanketed the bustling metropolis.

Within the Arcane Nexus, the epicenter of magical learning and power, the talented disciples' quarters buzzed with an undercurrent of anticipation. These halls, usually filled with the drone of magical incantations and the soft glow of arcane experiments, now held their breath in expectation.

In one of the more lavish rooms, Vayn and Keal sat facing each other, their faces illuminated by floating orbs of soft, magical light. The opulence of their surroundings – plush velvet chairs, shelves lined with rare magical tomes, and artifacts of immense power scattered about – spoke volumes of their status within the Nexus.

Keal broke the tense silence, his voice carrying a chill that seemed to lower the room's temperature. "You know, I've been thinking. Maybe our scout actually managed to take out Arianna and that insignificant mortal tag-along of hers."

Vayn's lips curled into a smile that never reached his eyes. 

"Now wouldn't that be something?" he mused, a cruel glint in his gaze. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves. That woman's reputation for cleverness isn't unearned." He leaned back, fingers steepled beneath his chin. "Still, whether our man kills them or just brings back information, we win either way."

Their confidence, fueled by arrogance and ambition, soared at the thought of the rewards Sir Starforge would bestow upon them for Arianna's capture. In their minds, hunting down a fellow Mage – especially one whose ideals strayed from the accepted norm – wasn't just acceptable; it was their duty, a service to the magical community.

As they reveled in their imagined triumph, a sharp knock cut through their musings. 

Vayn's smile widened, anticipation building as he casually waved his hand, channeling a stream of arcane energy to open the door.

The smug expressions on Vayn and Keal's faces faltered as the door swung open, revealing not their victorious scout, but another type of Mage entirely – one specializing in corpse identification. 

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly, their earlier bravado evaporating like morning mist under a harsh sun.

Keal's voice, now edged with a harrowing chill, cut through the silence. "What's the meaning of this? Speak!"

The scout Mage visibly trembled, his body reacting to the oppressive magical auras emanating from Vayn and Keal. To an average Mage like himself, their presence felt like thousands of invisible blades poised to pierce his flesh. The pressure of their gazes alone was almost unbearable.

Swallowing hard, the scout forced himself to deliver the news. 

"My lords," he began, his voice barely above a whisper, "it's... it's as you feared. When your scout failed to report back, I was tasked with investigating." 

He paused, steeling himself. "I found his body impaled on the tusks of Nascent Boars."

The words hung in the air like a death knell. Vayn and Keal's expressions darkened further as the scout continued, "There were no traces of Mana on him. It appears he was killed by the beast alone. However, the boar itself had remnants of Fire Mana within it."

"Damn it all!" Vayn and Keal cursed in unison, their minds racing to piece together the implications.

Vayn, his earlier smugness replaced by a calculating frown, pressed for more details. "So, she took on a Nascent Boar hoard mission. And this was the result. What of the other boars?"

The scout shook his head, his voice quavering. "Nothing unusual, my lord. An average number of beast corpses. It seems the woman may have set a trap for your scout. She must have sensed him somehow – perhaps by sheer luck."

A heavy silence blanketed the room as Vayn and Keal processed this information. Their minds worked furiously, analyzing every detail and its potential implications. 

After what felt like an eternity, Vayn's face settled into a mask of cold determination.

"She's proving to be more of a nuisance than I anticipated," he spat, voice dripping with disdain. "But no matter. Sir Starforge appreciates a challenge. If she wants to play games, we'll oblige her. We'll draw this out, let her think she's clever, before crushing her and all her little schemes."

Keal's eyes gleamed with cruel anticipation. "Precisely. No matter how cunning she thinks she is, a cornered rat can only run for so long before it's caught."

In their arrogance, neither Vayn nor Keal spared a thought for Gladius. Sure, he had shown some skill against the EmberForge Mages, managing to cut through a stream of Mana energy. But in their minds, this was clearly the result of some enchantment Arianna must have placed on his sword and body. It was common practice for Mages to enhance mortal weapons and bodies. 

So even now, Gladius remained a mere footnote in their calculations – a mistake that would prove costly in the days to come.

As the scout Mage was dismissed, visibly relieved to have survived the encounter, Vayn and Keal began to formulate their next moves. The game of cat and mouse had taken an unexpected turn, but they were far from admitting defeat.

...

Blissfully unaware of the machinations unfolding against them, Gladius and Arianna had settled into a rhythm of their own. 

Days melted into weeks as they fell into a routine that balanced survival, growth, and constant vigilance.

Each dawn would find them venturing out to tackle average bronze Guild Missions, focusing primarily on culling Nascent Beasts. These missions served a dual purpose – honing their combat skills while maintaining a low profile. They were meticulous in limiting their activities to small-scale hunts, avoiding anything that might draw unwanted attention from Mage scouts investigating battle scenes.

After each mission, they would return to their modest inn room, transforming the simple space into a sanctuary of learning and self-improvement. 

Arianna would immerse herself in her magical studies, delving deeper into the intricacies of her Aether Spirit and the complex arts of her magic.

As she pored over ancient tomes and experimented with new spell formulations, the air around her would shimmer with ethereal energies. Her Aether Spirit, a manifestation of her connection to the spiritual realm, allowed her to perceive the delicate threads of magic that wove through the fabric of reality.

"It's fascinating," Arianna would often muse, her eyes alight with wonder as she manipulated strands of pure magical energy between her fingers. "The way these different magical essences interact, combine, separate... it's like a dance, intricate and beautiful."

Gladius, for his part, dedicated himself to enhancing his understanding of magic and refining his sword force comprehension. He would sit in deep meditation, his Innate Sword Spirit pulsing with energy as he explored the boundaries of his abilities.

"I can feel it," he'd say softly, eyes closed in concentration, "the sword, a force of the world, a force in the sky, in the very air we breathe. All Forces are similar to this...how can connect ourselves for these forces to become an extension of ourselves."

The young swordsman's dedication was unwavering. He knew that to protect Arianna and survive in this world of powerful Mages, he needed to push himself beyond his limits. Each day, he felt his connection to his Innate Sword Spirit grow stronger, the concept of the sword becoming more deeply ingrained in his very being.

Despite the peace they found in their daily routine, neither Gladius nor Arianna allowed themselves to become complacent. They remained ever vigilant, acutely aware that their pursuers could strike at any moment. Every mission, every training session, every moment of rest was approached with a mix of determination and caution.

Their lifestyle was one of constant tension, where any small mistake could lead to dire consequences. The threat of discovery loomed over them like a shadow, turning every stranger into a potential enemy and every unexpected sound into a cause for alarm.

Yet, even in the midst of this perilous existence, Gladius found himself experiencing a profound sense of tranquility. 

The simple act of passing each day with Arianna by his side filled him with a contentment he had never known before.

He found joy in Arianna's boundless curiosity, her eyes lighting up with excitement as she unraveled a new magical theory or mastered a complex spell. Her unique perspective on the world, shaped by her Aether Spirit and her mastery of her magical arts, never ceased to fascinate him.