The cool night air brushed against the terrace, carrying with it the faint scent of jasmine from the garden below. The city lights twinkled in the distance; their glow mirrored by the stars overhead. Arden sat with the General, his son-in-law Manuel, and Dr. Santillan around a small table adorned with a steaming pot of tea. The atmosphere, though serene, carried a weight of unspoken urgency.

Arden leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees. His expression was calm yet serious. “General,” he began, meeting the older man’s gaze, “your health isn’t just about age or physical condition. It’s about something deeper—a connection within you that’s become blocked.”

Manuel raised an eyebrow, his skepticism evident. “Blocked? Are we talking about stress here, or something more... mystical?”

Arden smiled faintly. “It might sound mystical to you, but where I come from, it’s simply a fact of life. Lolo Lando called it the Agos sa Kinabuhi—the Flow of Life. It’s the energy that connects all living things, flowing through us and around us. When that flow is disrupted, the body weakens, and the spirit falters.”

Dr. Santillan frowned, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. “You’re talking about some kind of life force, like chi or prana?”

“Exactly,” Arden replied, nodding. “Different cultures have different names for it. But it’s all the same principle. In our traditions, the Agos is everything—it’s what lets a seed sprout, what makes a river flow, and what keeps the body in balance.”

The General, his hands clasped in front of him, watched Arden intently. “And what does this have to do with me, boy?”

Arden straightened, his tone taking on a quiet authority. “Your body has been fighting itself, sir. Your energy—the Agos—has been stagnant, trapped. That’s why you’ve been feeling weaker, slower. But you’re not far from a breakthrough. With the right guidance, you can restore the flow and regain what you’ve lost.”

Manuel scoffed softly. “And how exactly does one ‘restore the flow’? Is there some sort of magic ritual we’re supposed to do?”

Arden shook his head. “It’s not magic. It’s understanding how to work with your energy instead of against it. The first stage in this process is called the Agos Realm—the Flow Realm. It’s the foundation of all spiritual and physical energy. Once you access it, your body begins to align with the natural rhythm of life.”

The General leaned back in his chair, a spark of curiosity flickering in his eyes. “So, you’re saying I’m close to this... Flow Realm?”

Arden nodded. “Very close. But without proper guidance, you might never reach it. That’s why your body feels like it’s stuck—because it is.”

Dr. Santillan, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke. “This all sounds fascinating, Arden, but let’s be realistic. How do you prove something like this? And even if it’s real, why keep it a secret?”

Arden’s gaze sharpened, and his voice dropped slightly. “Because the world isn’t ready to believe in things it can’t see. If word gets out about this, people will dismiss it as superstition or insanity. And worse, there are those who might try to exploit it for their own gain. That’s why it’s important to keep this knowledge between us.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The General rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You’re saying this is dangerous knowledge.”

“It can be,” Arden admitted. “In the wrong hands, the Agos can be twisted into something harmful. But in the right hands, it’s a gift—a way to heal, to protect, and to grow stronger.”

Manuel crossed his arms, his skepticism giving way to cautious interest. “And you think you’re the ‘right hands’ to guide the General?”

Arden met his gaze evenly. “I don’t think. I know. My Lolo trained me for this—he saw something in me that I didn’t understand until now. If you trust me, I can help him.”

The General broke the silence with a low chuckle. “You’ve got guts, boy. I’ll give you that.” He leaned forward, his tone softening. “Alright, Arden. I’ll put my faith in you. But if this is going to work, I’ll need you to show me. Talk is cheap, but results? Those speak for themselves.”

Arden inclined his head respectfully. “You’ll see, sir. Tomorrow morning, we’ll begin. For now, rest and prepare yourself. This isn’t just about strength—it’s about understanding yourself and the flow of life around you.”

The General nodded, his expression thoughtful. The conversation ended with a quiet toast of tea, the weight of Arden’s words lingering in the cool night air.

As the others dispersed, Arden remained on the terrace for a moment, gazing at the stars. The cool night air whispered across his skin, and his thoughts traveled back to a pivotal moment in his life—the day Lolo Lando guided him through his first breakthrough into the Agos Realm.

He had been only eight, his hands still calloused from the endless training Lolo demanded of him. That day, Lolo had led him to a secluded spot in the heart of the forest, where the river carved its path through smooth rocks, its rhythm steady and unyielding.

“Listen, boy,” Lolo had said, crouching beside him. “This isn’t about strength or speed. It’s about surrender. The Agos isn’t something you conquer—it’s something you join. Breathe with it. Flow with it.”

For hours, Arden had meditated by the river, his young mind struggling to understand what Lolo meant. The frustration had built until, finally, he stopped thinking and simply let go.

And then it happened.

The river’s rhythm became his rhythm. The energy within him—wild and untamed—aligned with the flow of the world around him. A surge of power coursed through his body, so intense and overwhelming that he had gasped aloud. He could feel the Agos not just in himself but in every leaf, every stone, every drop of water in the river.

“You’ve done it,” Lolo had said, his voice steady but filled with pride. “Most men spend decades trying to reach this point, and you’ve done it before you’ve even grown tall enough to look me in the eye.”

But that was only the beginning.

Arden’s connection to the Agos had deepened in the years that followed. By the time he was twelve, he wasn’t just in tune with the Agos Realm—he had transcended it, mastering levels of spiritual energy that even Lolo had admitted were beyond his understanding.

“You’re different, boy,” Lolo had told him one evening by the fire. “The Agos doesn’t just flow through you. It answers to you. That’s a gift few can claim—and a responsibility even fewer can bear.”

Lolo’s deep, rumbling laughter echoed in the forest, a sound filled with triumph—but to young Arden, it always carried an unsettling edge, like the kind of laugh a villain might let out before revealing a devious plan.

Back on the terrace, the memory sent a cold shiver down Arden’s spine. That laugh... it never failed to make him question if Lolo had secretly enjoyed watching him struggle through his grueling training.

“Crazy old man,” Arden muttered under his breath, shaking his head with a smirk. Even now, he could almost hear Lolo teasing him.

The thought brought a grin to his face as he turned and walked back inside. Tomorrow would be a challenge for the General, but for Arden, it was just another day shaped by the lessons of a man who could turn even the toughest trials into something worth laughing about—devilish laughter and all.