"A servant betrayed you, captured you by some cult. And the most intriguing part was, using you to distort this kingdom." Akatosh implores casually sitting right beside Ariendal. "It's nice talking to you but, I got to go."

"Wait... You're from the thief’s guild?"

"Yeah... what about it?"

"There's not enough time but, promise me that I'll meet you at the plaza, tomorrow."

"Um... Uh... This is weird, I'm a thief and, you're a noble. You do know the consequences of dealing with a wanted man."

"I'll give you your reward for saving me."

"Deal... So... is there any password or something-something?" Akatosh without hesitation, accepts his word.

"Take this--" Ariendal says, giving him his ring, and just as when Akatosh glared in seconds Ashalain barge through the door with a sword in her hand. Still, in her skirt pajama, Ashalain was furious when he saw Akatosh glaring at his father's ring.

"Oh..."

Not a second to waste Akatosh quickly leaps through the window but before the stillmage teleports Akatosh. He waited for him to painfully land on the ground.

"AAAARRGGGGG! Fuck you!" Akatosh shouts in pain before being teleported.

Ashalain runs through the window hoping if she can still injure him by throwing her sword. It was too late for her to spear him, for the stillmage's teleportation ability was far quicker than those regular and intermediate mages and wizards.

She turns around to see her father in a healthy condition.

"How..." She was left stunned. "Just..."She continues, unable to conjure a word.

She had seen high priests and sage swapping to cure and understand his father's situation. Even the heroes and high-class adventurers are helpless to comprehend what ill his father had.

"Leave us." Ariendal implores the guards.

After a few minutes of shock and a cut-by-cut conversation. Ashalain told a secret that she promised she won't tell.

"That's impossible for someone with no magic. That man must have used the power of Farenggar's gems to cure--" With her sudden mistake, her father quickly apprehends her words.

"Farenggar's gem?" His father implores in a shudder and cold tone.

"Um..." Knowing she couldn't avoid her father's intuition. Ashalain musters her courage and told everything that had happened regarding the sword and how he met Akatosh.

Elsewhere...

Suddenly appeared at the corner of the thief’s guild headquarter. Akatosh was crawling for help with his watery eyes of pain.

"Ugh... Why are you crawling like a maggot?" Amaragnum laughs.

"You dog, you bastard, you bitch… I'll get back to you when I'm healed."

Aid came to his call and quickly cast healing magic at his feet. Members with druid healing power were the ones who mostly mend his injuries in one night.

"You alright?" Hawk says after seeing Akatosh open his eyes.

"Does it look like I'm alright? But yeah, my feet are in good condition. Anyway, I got something to tell you."

Equipped with his armor and the gauntlet he then cloaks himself for a visit. Akatosh strolls through the park casually eating a bunch of apples. Being early in the morning he took his time glaring at Ariendal's ring. It was an ordinary silver ring which he grew tired and brought his book, continuing his blueprints.

"A man with a silver ring." A man called to him; it was a servant in commoner's clothing.

He didn't reply and quickly follows the man leading him to a chariot. When he enters, Ariendal greets him with a warm welcome.

"So... Shall we?" Akatosh implores.

"Again, I'm deeply in gratitude for you."

"Um... Ugh, it's fine... Just, let us get on with the topic."

Ariendal sigh, "As you may have heard, citizens are anxious. The person who stole my appearance had created a large hole. After I was rescued, King Reigal manage to secure some people who were involved. Although their--"

"Let me shorten, that person who stole your appearance caused some ruckus here in this kingdom to start a war, correct?"

"Seems so, but what intrigues me was their main goal. That's why I need your guild's help." Ariendal implores handing Akatosh a parchment sealed by Ariendal himself.

Akatosh sigh as he receives the parchment. "Oh, I forgot..." Akatosh says, magically conjuring a three-flaming gem. "I'm tired of your daughter chasing me around just for these, so I'll be returning what I... Stole."

"Keep it."

"Wha--"

"Ashalain told me her story, that's why I entrust those gems to you. Consider it as a favor."

"Okay, this's getting weirder. Why me?... Well, you could have given it to those renowned heroes." Akatosh complains but, all Ariendal could do was shut in silent. "Let me guess, it's about my magic bag, isn't it?"

"Magic bag?"

"You know those bags that store anything... Didyour daughter tell you about that?" Akatosh says and with a sudden realization for spouting his secret. "You do, believe me, right?" Akatosh smile.

Ariendal clears his throat and in seriousness, he then spoke. "Now I know why my daughter is very much interested in you. But please, for the sake of these people you must keep it hidden."

"Fine, just-just tell your daughter to stop tailing me. I had my fill being tortured by her."

Ariendal smiles ignoring his last request. "I believe a courtesy of reward should be an honor." Giving Akatosh a large pouch of coin, he then continues. "That's 25 gold in all, feel free to count it."

"It's fine, it's more than I can take."

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"Please, you save me twice and the kingdom of Keshoval from degradation."

"Ah, so thanks... I guessed."

Giving farewell, they shake hands before parting. It was still fresh in the morning, so Akatosh went walking around the town. Visiting expensive restaurants, buying odd stuff that catches his eyes.

"So, this is what it feels like to be a rich bitch ass motherfucker." He mutters, spending two gold coins in a single day.

Meeting in privacy, Hawk carefully reads the letter Ariendal sent to him.

"So... Is it a green light or a red light?" Akatosh implores after Hawk finishes reading.

"Not very much." Hawk sigh.

Hawk spend a few minutes contemplating his mind and, after deciding. "Have you ever heard of artifacts?"

"None that I know. But I did hear a young hero carry such a thing. They say it was a gift from the gods."

"That's true but, there are other scattered relics that's might be far older than those." Hawk implores but with a serious tone.

"Um... why are we discussing this?"

"Do you know why the thieves' guild was divided into four?"

"Ughh..."

"Mezura, the goddess of blade and shadow patron of the thieves. Not knowing much about the past but, she gave her chosen four different types of artifacts. And the reason for those things is to vanquish a demon prince. A dagger that heals its wearer and can kill a single foe with one strike, a cloak that grants fathomless invincibility that not even a demon prince can see through. A ring that grants the user a vast regeneration of energy. Some say it holds great spells unknown to sages."

"And the last?"

"The last was forgotten. After the battle with the demon prince, the fourth one who wields the last artifact was lost in the astral plane."

"And why are you telling me this."

"It's because the three artifacts are kept in this place, beyond time and space. Naturally, those three were supposed to be kept in a different place."

"You mean those three headquarters?"

"Exactly, although greed and power overtook those three generations."

"And?"

"I killed them." Hawk implores in a sharp voice. "Lost by greed and power, I had to sort it out before the guild flooded in blood. It was hard before they could start plotting their plans. I took it as an opportunity, gathering the past three leaders into one place and, with the help of some friends, I manage to dispatch them all." He implores showing Akatosh a prominent mark. At the left side of his heart, Akatosh can see through, it's as if a part of him is fading.

"So, what did you do to those artifacts," Akatosh replies hinting at a fragment of lies from Hawk's word.

"Like I said, hidden. But enough of that, I'll meet Ariendal De Shilvia tomorrow."

Secretly working with Ariendal De Shilvia, Unknow to the other three headquarters, Akatosh's headquarter became much busier. Not robbery but passing messages and spying on other high-ranking merchants, nobles, and kingdoms.

A month has passed and, Akatosh notices the word he lived, age different. It was truly a different word in time, space, and everything.

"Fuuuuuuuk." Akatosh moans bathing in a pool of hot water, tired from the constant barrage of missions and requests from his guild. Carrying messages back and forth to Ariendal and his guild, stealing items that are intermediate thieves are capable of.

It was a short time though even then, he became tired of his guild's work, procedures and, a few laws to be followed. He wanted to return to the road.

Rumors about the war slowly subside, with the guild's help fueling Ariendal great information. There, their work leads them to Endregar and Maginum. However, new problems arise from the thief’s guild itself.

At the headquarter of 'The Phantom Blade' located through an unknown place of Endregar. A meeting was held by Hawk and the headmaster of 'The Phantom Blade'. Hawk together with Akatosh were the only ones who went for a settlement. Teleported in a different way only known to the thieves the two reached the destination at a lightning speed.

When he met the headmaster of the phantom blade, he was surprised it was a woman. But not the ideal woman anyone could have. Her hair was cut enough to mistake her for a man. Battle scars could be seen all around her body. She might not be the woman one could think, but an ideal for leading a guild.

It was a short meeting, and her words were not a threat but a warning to his headmaster, Hawk.

"So, you must be his right hand? I'm surprised I expect a lot more--"

"Bulkier? Taller? A man with many scars?"

"Different." She replies.

"Mhh..."

"Though be careful, that warm and cozy fire could burn a house down."

"You mean Hawk."

She smiles, "Out of us four, he's the most mysterious of us. And the most dangerous of us. None knew his past nor his power, but one thing for sure, he seems more than human to me." She implores walking past Akatosh. "Good luck, handsome."

They quickly return to their headquarter. Meanwhile, Amaragnum was requesting Akatosh a favor.

"What? You want me to couple a piece of your grimoire to me flesh?" Akatosh blurt.

"Quit complaining, just take a piece of that paper from my grimoire and paste it to your left hand. Except don't put it anywhere on your body especially to your lower body."

"What if I want to put it there."

The stillmage pauses for a moment and replies in a very drastic way. "You want to take injuries while I watch you screaming in pain?"

"I'm joking, why so serious." Akatosh implores pasting a piece of paper from his left hand. After which the stillmage uses his spell, as it was the paper dissolves into his left arm allowing Akatosh to no longer loses contact with his partner.

Still untrusting to the members of his guild Akatosh hides his equipment at their hidden island. As bonus for aiding Ariendal De Shilvia, a party was held. And on that faithful night, it came in with a dark turn.

A sudden attack was unleashed from within their headquarters. Worst their defense was in a drunken situation. The enemy clad in robes and mask easily dispatched the members of the thief’s guild. Throats were sliced as if they were mere cattle. The enemies' magic was far too intermediate for their mages to counter. Cornered, a man with a burned face appeared offering Hawk a deal.

"Hand over Hawk and I promise you'll all be offered with mercy."

"You know me?" Hawk replies tossing one of the enemy's heads.

"Only by name."

Like wolves cornering their prey, the enemies outnumbered them one to ten.

"Mercy this!" Hawk thwarts.

It was only a blink of an eye, but Akatosh saw his sight turns translucent. And after a blink, he saw Hawk choking the man with burned face to death. Not only that, his arms were chopped off and, the enemies were dead on the ground, headless.

"Who send you."

"You truly are a legend although, you should have come prepared, more of us are coming right now--"

Without continuing, Hawk decapitates his head.

For a second, Hawk suddenly kneel on the ground holding the part where his body was fading.

"Take them somewhere safe I'll deal with the incoming reinforcements. It's all up to you to guide them." Implores Hawk at Akatosh.

"Sorry but I'm not fit to be a leader, I don't have the confidence to guide these parties." Akatosh implores as the stillmage casts a sleep spell on Hawk.

"Guys, I need you to take boss at Ariendal estate. I'll buy you all a time to teleport."

They hesitated for a bit but in the end, they all teleported. The moment his members faded; the enemy's reinforcement arrives led by a female mage.

"Where is your leader teleported?"

"You're asking the obvious."

"Tell me, and I won't let your head roll on the ground."

"You shouldn't have said that woman." Akatosh voice was now dark, chaotic and the two were about to get wild.

With a single clap from Akatosh and Amaragnum, they were all drawn to the stillmage's dimension. Following another spell, they unleash a catastrophe sundering the ground. Burying them in a flash they left the woman to be their last meal.

Being left to be the last, the woman couldn't help but tremble at what she faced.

"Watch your head."

Using magic to decapitate, a burst of light suddenly covers the woman. Like a deva, the woman's eyes were shining in white light. More so she was floating and, her voice was now of a man.

"You are not him." The woman implores easily breaking Amaragnum's dimension.

Sharing the same mind, body, and emotion. Their blood begins to boil for Amaragnum had loathed anything noxious in light's clothing.

"Who are you--"

Not giving a warning, a cone of ice suddenly was fired in her direction. with enough time to react, she only waves her hand to diminish the projectile. Yet suddenly, Akatosh teleported in front of her and gave her a hard punch in the face.

In addition, a barrage of spells was then followed. Locking her into another dimension they brutally pummel every inch of her body. However, with so many of their attacks and spells they didn't manage to disintegrate her body.

Ceasing their attack, they notice the woman was breathing heavily and the injuries they gave were now regenerating at a slower pace. They smile, "Not so good after all."

They rush to give her a final beating. Dashing as if being catapulted, Amaragnum suddenly felt ominous energy coming from the woman. It was a power coming directly from a god.

"Wait! I know that power." Amaragnum implores but, it was too late when they pierced her stomach with their bare hands. And at the same time, a burst of bluish energy was released from her.

As being roasted in an oven they could feel their energy being distorted. The worst to receive the power of a god was Amaragnum. purge from every aspect of his life force, the stillmage with his remaining power teleports them away escaping another death's door.

Days passed and when Akatosh had risen from his slumber, he felt a collar tightening his neck.

"Hey, you're finally awake." A person said.

When his vision returns, he was dressed in ragged clothing. He was in a mine full of prisoners and slaves.