"Fine, I accept your challenge." Akatosh smiles, "But on one condition." He continues eyeing her clothing.

"And what would that be?" Freia glares.

"Wear your armor." He answers while searching a portion of food and, when it magically appears, he then chomps an apple and a pair of dry meat right in front of the crowds and the princess.

Teleported her equipment in minutes, and to make the wait shorter, Freia equipped her gear through the use of magic.

"You done?" She says, watching Akatosh taking in the last piece of meat.

"I'm ready." He smiles, stepping out a distance from the princess.

As the crowds grow in silence, waiting for them to begin their fight. And when the signal was blown Freia didn't take any seconds as she quickly dashes in with her sword and shield. But when she was halfway through her target, Akatosh who was merely standing raised both of his arms.

"I give up. victory is yours." Akatosh implores.

Stopping her attack, the princess was confused, angered, and humiliated. "THIS IS NOT WHAT WE AGREED!" Freia shouts, angry and embarrassed.

"You know the rules and, so do I. Isn't that right umpire?" Akatosh said, looking at the arbiter.

"Um... Since the duel was held here and with the concur of our king. It is by the rules that when an opponent concedes defeat, the fights already decided. I'm sorry but, the duel's already ended victories on you." The referee says, unable to look at the princess.

"Then what about him nearly killing his opponent!?" Retort Freia.

"He didn't yield and, he was talking shit about me, so I did a little bit of workout," Akatosh says pulling out the ring from his finger. "I believe that this ring will suffice my fairness." He continues tossing the ring from the umpire and slowly walks towards the exit.

While the crowds begin to shout in disapproval, calling him a coward, some smile from his balls humiliating a princess right in front of her family.

"That guy seems pretty interesting." Says a man stroking his beard, a middle-aged man. And one of the thieves' guild members.

Right when he was about to enter the dark tunnel leading through the exit, Ashalain and Chifya once again rushes out from their seat.

"Haa... here we go again." Sheila implores, right after Chifya quickly pulls out from her seat and, to her surprise, she saw Ashalain too was doing the same.

Striping his armor and put every piece of equipment on his magical bag. He then casually wears a commoner's clothing for a look around at the festival before heading out to his next destination. As happy-go-lucky as he was, but when he opens the door, a hand quickly grabbed his shirt cornering him on the wall, it was Ashalain.

"It's nice seeing you." Ashalain smiles and, with bitter feelings she stored for him, constricting both of his arms. "Do you know what you stole?"

Seconds after being greeted by Ashalain, Chifya appears.

"Miss, can I have a thing for him too?" Chifya smiles at her.

Ashalain, knowing her intention smiles back and said "you're welcome. Feel free to do whatever you want."

Gripping her fists, Chifya punches Akatosh's abdomen hard and with a sprinkle of her magic sends him down on his knees.

"OOF... karma is real! You shouldn't have taken off your outfit now look what state you're in." The stillmage said.

"Did you or did you not sell my brooch?!" Shouts Chifya, watching Akatosh growling from the pain she inflicted.

Ashalain without hesitating lifts Akatosh from the ground and then corners him against the wall. "How many coins did you make from taking the gems on my sword."

"Darlings, if you two didn't make a painful greeting--" He pauses when blood and saliva drool from his mouth. "I would've freely given your items back. But since it came to this, I'll be taking it to my grave. So even if you kill me and take my bag it's useless cause you won't be seeing a single piece of your belongings stashed." Akatosh smiles holding the pain caused by the two ladies.

Out of a sudden, the two ladies felt an ominous feeling emitting from Akatosh. And in a blink of an eye, he was gone and, when they turn around, they saw him walking away from them.

"Hey, your time magic just went off," Akatosh says, groping his abdomen from the pain.

"Just shut up and let me have the concentration, do you know how hard to control this shit when you're hungry as fuck."

Before the ladies could take another step, Akatosh was now gone from their sight. They search and search but, he was already gone.

Sitting in through the alley, he takes his time slowly apprehending the pain. From his stomach, he felt it like his intestine was just ruptured, and the bones from his arms-- snaped.

"What happens to the two ghostly women."

"Killed them and ate their energy."

"What?"

"Nothing, go see a druid or a priest. I'm going back fishing might be a few weeks to recover my power."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"I thought you liches and demi lich have an unlimited stored of energy."

"It's because of what those bastards did to me distorting the essence of me being a lich. And to what happened from that thing you stored."

"Fine, I get it thanks."

Minutes after the stillmage went for a fish, a man suddenly saw him. The man hides his shock and slowly goes towards Akatosh mumbling his pain.

''Are you okay?"

"Does it look like I'm okay? And let me guess, going to rob an injured man--" He stops when the man gave healing on his abdomen easing his pain.

"You’re that man from the arena, you sure are one heck of a fighter after seeing how you smashed that guy's face."

"Well, he was asking for it."

"But I didn't see you injured from your fight. Did those two women of yours do this?"

"You were there?"

"Well, I thought It was some lovers' quarrel so, I casually passed by."

As the man continues to ease his pain, Akatosh saw he was a full-bearded middle-aged man with a muscular body.

"Are you perhaps one of the adventurers' guilds." Akatosh blurts though the man only shakes his head.

"Mercenary?"

"Try harder."

"The mage academy?"

The man smiles and said, "the thieves guild."

Hearing his words Akatosh turns silent, brisking his senses for any action.

"There's no need to be intense." The man says as he finishes his healing. "If you want to join, come at the 'Fox's Inn'." He continues smiling as he walks away.

Half an hour came, Akatosh stood and went asking for that tavern. He follows their words as he waggish his face through the crowds. And when he enters, he saw the same man sitting conversing with the taverner.

"I didn't get your name," Akatosh says, sitting right beside the man.

"My name, many. But you can call me Hawk."

"Names Tosh... and about the thing you've told me about."

Hawk nods at the taverner and gave Akatosh a ring. No conversion continues Hawk stood and treads towards the kitchen. Akatosh hesitates but, he takes the ring and without wearing it, he then follows.

"You should wear that." Hawk implies and suddenly walks through the wall.

Akatosh tried doing it but, he was unable until he equipped the ring. And when he touched the wall, quickly he was pulled and, in a blink of an eye there he was.

"Welcome," Hawk says, walking on the open ruined cavern. And beyond their front was a keep fifty meters from them.

As they came closer, members of the guild set their eyes upon him. While on the tail Akatosh sways his eyes looking left and right, measuring the members. Some were mages, a hooded rouge flipping a coin, mask thief but, he was more bedazzled by the place. Small creeks run through the places giving thrive to the vegetations and the warm sunlight coming through the hole of the cavern. Given that, the place was a warm haven for the guild members. Entering through the keep, the two went to a private room.

It was a short conversion direct to the point and for minutes truths were spoken.

"You were expecting me?"

"Not really, I was about to meet you after you'd finished undressing. But I was too late when two of your lasses began cornering you."

"Then how did you find me at the alley? It would take four out of ten to track me."

"When you know some tricks and stuff, it's easy to track someone." Hawk smiles. "So, how about it?" He continues offering his hand.

"Tell me about the rules and regulations." Akatosh implores.

After some extensive introduction. "What? There are four headquarters of this guild."

"Yeah, this place was the first headquarters of the guild. The oldest, so to tell, followed by the 'Arcane Tricksters' that consists of rogue-mages, the 'Phantom Blade' that deals on scouts, information, spy. And the 'Blood Shadow' that works on the dirty jobs, assassins to be precise."

"Then what about this place."

"The First."

"The First?"

"It's more like the basic training for the members. After unlocking their specialties, they'll be moved from those three headquarters."

"I see... Well, I'll be in your care. But I have to settle something, don't worry, it will only take a day." Akatosh implores, remembering his mule.

"Then I'll wait for you with a drink on the table."

"Thanks." Akatosh smiles walking away from the Fox Inn.

They then teleport back to their place, after which Amaragnum told Akatosh to better take a single page from his book.

"Why?"

The stillmage sigh. "Do you want to cause an uproar?"

"Ahh... I get what you mean but, you wouldn't be around."

"Stupid... All I need was just a single page even a single torn page is enough. Let us call it more like a door."

"Oh... I see."

"Oh, I see." The stillmage follows in a monotonous tone. "Ahh... I remember." The stillmage says, leading Akatosh out of the cave.

Once out, Akatosh was struck by how marvelous the place was. They were on an island, but not just an island. Three gorgeous mountains towering the sky, grassland filled half of the land and, trees on the other side. And the best part was a lake centering the island. Not only was the landscape that meets the eye but the place teeming with various animals.

"How did you find this place?" Akatosh says.

"I don't know, I can't remember. All I know was... From the first place I was teleported by that one who calls itself 'The Guardian'. But I don't know... That's what I was searching for."

"I see," Akatosh replies freeing the mule through the open planes.

They return to the Fox Inn on the evening of the night. And as promised, he was given a welcoming party by Hawk and the innkeeper.

"Hey! You’re that man who beat that shit. It was a spectacle to behold mauling his face." One member implores as they practice lockpicking.

"Ugh... Thanks for the compliment, I guess. You seem very happy about what I did to that man."

"Well, he did get a few of our members."

"It seems the adventurers' guild is much hated in here."

"Please, we're criminals. What do you expect our bounties are everywhere? But haven't you heard about that man."

"About who?"

"You know the man in the mask, who stole the sea queen's horde of treasures. And even cause some uproar at the Endregar kingdom."

"Ugh... Yeah." Akatosh implores.

It was a hectic month for Akatosh, but soon he was able to learn the lockpicking skill. Time flies for about a few more weeks and with few friends to laugh and drink. But one night he stumbles Hawk having conversions through via magic. And from the looks of it, it was at their conclusion.

"They are offering us a way out." A voice of a woman said.

"I highly doubt that--"

"Hawk! This is our--"

"I'm sorry but will have to discuss this another time. I got works to do," Hawk says, closing their conversation.

"Hawk!"

Just as Hawk ends their negotiation, he notices a shadow. Which, he immediately went to check who that person is. As quick as a snake, he saw Akatosh walking away just a few feet away from him.

"That's odd? Why didn't I sense him when he's just very closed?"

"If you want a drink, I can get you some." Hawk calls.

Akatosh hesitantly agrees and accepts Hawk's offer. As though they would drink in a private room. However, his anxiety is gone when Hawk leads him to the Fox Inn.

"I was informed that your fellow seniors are having a large heist this year." Hawk says, initiating a conversation.

"And?"

"Some juniors want to partake with them. I heard that one of the royal lords are their targets."

"So, you want me to dine with their feast?"

"It depends on you." Hawk smiles taking another sip.

"Tell me about the details and this royal vassal." Akatosh implores, eying Hawk intently as he smiles.

"Not here," Hawk says, nodding at the innkeeper.

They went to another room carrying drinks and snacks. And there, Hawk carefully explains the details to the traveler.

"Three months ehh... If that man hoards his money on a vault..." Akatosh smiles. "I'll be needing just one thing." He continues still smiling.

After one year has passed...

"I remember you. I thought you were dead," Akatosh says, with a dagger in his hand.

"Are you crazy!" One of Akatosh's partners implores in a low voice, trying to hold Akatosh's killing intent. "That's Ariendal De Shilvia! Are you nuts!"