The morning sun painted my room with a gentle glow, seeping through the curtains. I could feel the soreness in my muscles as I stirred from a night's rest. The day was upon me, and I had work to do.

Time passed by quickly as I spent the day at the Den, deep in its world of research. Within the archives, I delved into the logs and records, seeking knowledge of rituals and various past missions that previous Huntsmen have been on. Many of the books spoke of certain practices and forgotten incantations, as well as numerous boring bounty missions which I ended up skipping most of.

Minutes turned into hours as I pored over past documentation. The Den's archives were a treasure trove of wisdom, and I was determined to glean every bit of insight they held.

By late afternoon, my eyes were weary from glazing over books all morning and I needed to shake out the cobwebs in my joints.

I decided to head to the shooting range. An hour or so of honing my shooting skills would do me good. As I entered the range, the familiar scent of gunpowder filled my senses and the gun’s metal, cool in my hands.

But amidst the rhythmic crack of gunfire, my thoughts wandered. Images of yesterday's events flashed before me. Fritz's face, his taunts, the tension of the standoff—all vivid in my mind.

I couldn't help but envision myself holding my gun up again, aimed towards Fritz, the moment poised to define everything. But I forced the thoughts aside and continued shooting. I couldn’t be distracted any longer

As the sun was high, casting long shadows in the range, I decided to call it for the day. My muscles felt more limber, my mind sharper.

Exiting the range, I was met by Jean, a fellow Huntsman. One of the more tolerable ones. He gave me a nod of acknowledgment, his expression as upbeat as ever.

"Elias, you seem focused today," Jean remarked, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.

I ran a hand through my dishevelled auburn hair, the strands slightly damp with sweat. "Just trying to stay sharp," I replied.

Jean took a glance over his shoulder and looked towards the centre of town. “Boss asked me to go scouting for a while around town, he wants you to join me. Not preoccupied are you?”

“No no, I’ll come.”

I pulled out my pocket watch and flipped it open. Almost one in the afternoon. “I don’t suppose we can grab something to eat while working?”

With that both Jean and I took ourselves around Leode, keeping an eye out as was our job.

Finally, as the clock's hands inched towards evening, we both headed back to the Den. Our patrol had yielded no significant leads or events, and it was time to return and then head home for the night.

…

The following morning, I headed to the Den earlier than usual. To my surprise, the usually bustling headquarters was deserted, save for Darius, who was busy going through some paperwork. As expected of Darius, he kept himself busy no matter the time.

As I entered, Darius didn't even lift his gaze from the documents spread before him. His voice, calm and collected, broke the silence. "Elias, you're here early."

It always amazed me how Darius seemed to possess an uncanny sense of awareness as if he had mastered the language of footsteps, able to identify anyone's presence without so much as a glance.

I approached his desk, clearing my throat. "Darius, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Go on, Elias. What's on your mind?"

I hesitated for a moment before diving in. "It's about advancing, Darius. Becoming a higher-tier arcanist. I've been doing some research, and I want to know what it takes."

Darius let out a sigh, setting down his papers and finally looking up at me. He motioned for me to take a seat. I obliged, settling into a chair across from him.

He seemed to deliberate his response carefully. "Elias, you’re still new to this world of arcanists, you shouldn't rush into it. Adapting to your newfound abilities is crucial. The power of advancing too quickly can be overbearing, and if you're not ready, it could drive you to madness. Insanity."

As Darius spoke, the image of the monstrous Lamentor we had encountered at the Theatre the other day flashed through my mind, a chilling reminder of the potential risks.

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Darius continued, "Adapting and advancing takes time. It can be a matter of months or even a few years. Yes, you may have the potential to adapt quickly, but there's no harm in waiting. It's not just about the power you wield, Elias. It's about how you utilize it to the best of your capabilities. In time, you'll advance."

I nodded, absorbing his words. "But why such a huge gap? What's the difference between someone advancing in a month and someone taking years?"

Darius paused, his lips parting as if to say something, but he held back for a moment before continuing. "Some individuals are simply more adept. They've grown up in the arcanist environment, surrounded by it their entire lives. They're naturally quicker to adapt."

He leaned back in his chair, deep in thought, and then recalled something. "There have been rare cases of individuals advancing in just a few weeks, but to my knowledge, none of them survived for long."

Darius's gaze became distant as he continued, "The higher you advance, the harder it becomes to go further, and the longer it takes. It's a delicate balance. Many arcanists learn to harness their power at the lower tiers, as the further down the path an arcanist goes, the higher chance there is in turning."

I absorbed his words, the weight of their meaning sinking in. While I had an undeniable thirst for greater power, I couldn't deny the logic in Darius's counsel. Rushing into something as profound as advancing could have dire consequences.

"I understand," I finally replied, my tone reflecting a mixture of acceptance and frustration. "I don't want to risk my sanity or my life. It's just... We’ve seen what's out there. The threats we face are formidable. I just want to be as prepared as possible."

Darius nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Elias, your determination is admirable, but there's no need to rush headlong into danger. I promise you, that when the time is right, I will personally invite Alexei down from Goldeen once again to conduct the ritual. He's adept in such practices and will guide you through it safely."

His assurance brought a measure of comfort, but impatience still gnawed at me. If it was going to take a long time, I would have to figure out another way.

After my discussion with Darius, I left him and headed to the quarters. My uniform awaited me, neatly hanging on a hook. As I donned the familiar attire, I noticed something strange. My reflection in the mirror caught my attention.

I froze, studying my own image. It wasn't just the uniform fitting more snugly against my frame than before; there was something else. I watched in disbelief as my muscles seemed to look more defined as if I had magically been putting on muscle.

My eyes widened as touched my arms. It wasn't an illusion; it was real. The mirror reflected a version of me that was more defined, and more powerful than what I was in my past life.

I couldn't help but wonder if this was somehow connected to my path as an arcanist. Could it be that an arcanist was affecting my physical form? Would I become naturally more physically stronger as I advance?

Before I could delve deeper into that thought, I heard the familiar chatter of my co-workers entering the headquarters. They had arrived earlier than usual today much like I did.

Quickly finishing up with my uniform, I exited the changing room and joined them in the main hall. Fleur, Lucas, Jean, and Mar—our usual team members—were present as expected. But there was someone unexpected among them, Caius was here too. I had completely forgotten he had joined us.

"Caius," I greeted him, my tone slightly reserved. I couldn't help but wonder if he had already moved past our argument from the other day. His usual joyous demeanour was intact, and it was unnerving, to say the least.

"Elias!" Caius beamed, his enthusiasm undiminished. "Good to see you bright and early!"

I managed a small nod in response, my thoughts still lingering on the unresolved tension between us. It was hard to gauge whether Caius had truly let it go or if he was simply masking his feelings beneath that cheerful facade.

Just as I was about to delve further into my thoughts, the door to the headquarters swung open once again. This time, it was Felix who entered, his presence commanding attention. He had an air of seriousness about him that was unusual for someone as quiet as Felix.

Without preamble, Felix turned his gaze towards Darius, who was engrossed in his work. "Darius, I need to speak with you," he stated, his voice carrying a note of urgency. “Something has come up.”

I exchanged a curious glance with my teammates as Darius nodded and rose from his desk. The two of them disappeared into Darius's office, leaving us in the main hall, our curiosity piqued.

Jean leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "Wonder what that's all about."

Fleur shrugged, her expression equally mystified. "Who knows? But it must be important if Felix is here. He’s usually more reserved."

As we speculated, the minutes ticked by, stretching into an uncomfortable silence. I couldn't help but wonder what rumours or issues could have arisen to warrant such a serious conversation between Felix and our Boss.

Finally, Darius emerged from his office, his usually composed expression slightly furrowed. He glanced around the room, his gaze landing on me, Lucas, and Fleur. "Elias, Lucas, Fleur, join me for a moment."

We approached him, curiosity evident in our expressions. Darius motioned for us to gather closer, his voice a low, confidential tone. "Felix has brought to my attention some concerning rumours circulating in the Entertainment district. It appears that there is word spreading about the underground markets."

The mention of the underground markets made my eyes widen suddenly. The secrecy of the markets was paramount to our safety as arcanists. If news was spreading, it could lead to increased scrutiny from the enforcers, jeopardizing our entire circle and even causing chaos.

With the Anti-Arcanist Law in place set by members of the Royal families of Goldeen, any form of arcanist involvement was criminal practice. This meant that the underground markets were a breeding ground for illegal activity. Yet it was important to keep it hidden and running, or it could cause even more harm. It was a necessary sin to us as arcanists.

Darius continued, his words carrying a sense of urgency. "This could potentially become a grave problem for us. If the enforcers get wind of the underground markets, it could disrupt the delicate balance we've maintained for over two hundred years."

Lucas and Fleur exchanged worried glances, their understanding of the gravity of the situation mirrored in their expressions.

I nodded, my mind racing with the implications.

"What do you need us to do, Darius?" Fleur asked looking determined and ready.

Darius's gaze settled. "I need the three of you to investigate these rumours... discreetly. Find out if there is any truth to them. If you can figure out what or who is behind this even better, but don’t rush in just yet. If the underground markets have indeed been exposed, we’ll need to be cautious and figure out a way to take action to protect our circle."

Lucas and Fleur nodded in agreement, their determination evident. We were ready to carry out the task assigned to us, fully aware of the consequences if we failed.

Just as we were about to set out, Darius interjected again, his gaze shifting to Caius, who had been quietly observing the conversation. "Caius, this could serve as a valuable learning opportunity for you. Join them on this task. It's a relatively simple one but an important step in understanding our world. I know you won’t become an arcanist but it’s important to learn what you’ll be dealing with."

His eyes lit up with excitement, and he nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, Boss! I'm ready to learn and help in any way I can."

I couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance. The task ahead was already intricate, and now we had a tag-along, an inexperienced non-arcanist we had to drag along. But Darius had given the order, and I couldn't argue with it.

Suppressing my irritation, I gave a curt nod. "Very well, Caius. Stick close to us, and do as we say."

“Oh don’t worry Eli, I’ll be just fine. Hehe, maybe you’ll have to do the catching up,” Caius replied with a cheeky grin.

I rolled my eyes as we left the den, stepping out into the bustling streets of Leode. The sun could be seen glaring over the peaks of the building, casting long shadows on the cobblestone streets. The city was becoming alive with its usual energy, unaware of the hidden world we navigated beneath its surface.