When an Aether died close to an object, its remaining spirituality and Aetherflow would latch onto it, converting it into a Mythral. Similarly, nearby Mythrals might become more powerful if they tapped into the spirituality of a dying Aether and gained new effects.
Daemon wanted to get that Mythral knife, so he did not waste any time and started taking all kinds of jobs in the kingdom. He needed enough funds as well as to gather information about the Aethers in the kingdom.
He had just woken up from a nightmare. The knights he killed appeared in the nightmare, and he felt immense guilt.
"Why did you kill us? What did we do to be backstabbed by you?"
"You're no different than that demon. You're a murderer. We curse you, you will die a miserable death."
Their dead bodies stood up and started cursing him in the nightmare. Even though they weren't real, killing them had ingrained guilt deep within him.
"Those people aren't real, none of it is real. It's created by the mystic realm to test the individuals. I didn't kill real people; this is just a dream." He tried to make himself feel better and started planning.
"To prepare against Zypher, I have to use everything I can. I need knowledge of the Aethers present in the kingdom. Only then will I be able to plan. Gathering information is always the first step." He nodded in agreement.
Taverns welcomed all manner of people. Numerous amounts of secrets, gossip, and scraps of information travelled through their doors. Daemon made up his mind to seek smaller works there, to pick up something valuable.
He immediately searched for taverns in the kingdom and inquired about work. He managed to land a waiter's job in one of the taverns."I will start working immediately." He told the owner of the tavern.
The tavern was small and quite a bit of people filled it; it was cramped. Tables were placed very close to each other to carry more people. The noises of mercenaries, merchants, and travelers resonated in the air.
Some spoke of their lives, while others spoke of their trades, and a few talked of the kingdom itself. Aethers could be heard talking among them, too.
Workers were fully occupied taking care of the customers. They didn't get a single moment of rest, as they rushed between orders and tending to their every need.
However, it worked well for Daemon, since he was moving around a lot and could catch on to most of what was being said in the tavern. He didn't need to hear everything—just a few sentences were enough for him to deduce the rest.
"Did you hear one of our kingdom's battalions was wiped out by a single man? He mysteriously killed all the knights."
"There's a rumor that the unknown man will soon attack the kingdom and destroy it."
"Our kingdom's Aethers aren't any less. Hmph, what could a single man do against our strongest ones?"
"Sir Connor Dantes will save us. He's the strongest we've got. They say he passed the fourth ordeal recently and awakened the fourth brand. I wonder how strong he is now."
"We also have Saint Elise. She's the best healer in the kingdom. There's a rumour that she can revive people as long as their bodies remain intact and their spirits don't perish."
"Duke Asher is also very strong, though he rarely participates in battles now. But this could be an emergency, so he will have no choice but to battle." The group of mercenaries shared a worried expression.
Daemon collected all the information in his mind and nodded in satisfaction. Although he didn't get to know about those Aethers in detail, he still picked up something, and that was enough.
"Saint Elise, so she belongs to the church. If she can really bring someone from the dead, even if only once, then we hold a chance against Zypher."
"I need to get in touch with Connor somehow and give him hints regarding Zypher's time abilities." He planned the next step carefully. He could tell an Aether with lie-detecting abilities about Zypher's powers, but he refrained from doing so.
How would he explain how he got to know about it? It would only arouse suspicions against him. If Zypher had really exposed his abilities, he would've made sure not to leave him alive.
He still needed more information and funds to buy the Mythral he wanted. He did various work the next four days, ranging from running an errand, helping merchants and blacksmiths, taking small security jobs and offering services to the church.
He acquired enough money to buy the Mythral and also gained a lot of information. Zypher would attack the kingdom in two days! The next two days were very crucial, so he had to plan accordingly and quickly.
The first glow of morning sneaked over the horizon, colouring the sky orange and gold. The small kingdom awakened slowly to the glow on sparkling rooftops, illuminating streets, and the morning haze withdrawing.
There, Daemon stood and felt the beams of the sun land upon his face, warm and steady, his face glowing as he welcomed yet another day.
"I need to quickly go and buy that Mythral before someone else does." He concluded in his mind and left for the blacksmith's shop.
The smithy was just right, neither small nor big. The sound of the blacksmith's hammer hitting metal could be heard miles away. Some swords and other tools were orderly placed on the tool rack. The steel was shiny even in the gloomy lighting of the forge. The air was dusty and filled with smoke. Hot iron rose with every hammer stroke. There was no customer at this hour.
The blacksmith was an Aether and very skilled at his work, and it became apparent with the rhythm of each swing of his hammer. A soft light radiated from his arms, and somehow, it seemed the metal became his willing servant. Sweat trickled down his forehead, his focus was unyielding, with each hit as accurate as the next and each motion as assured and controlled.
"I'm here to buy that Mythral," Daemon spoke lightly. He didn't want to break the blacksmith's focus.
The blacksmith stopped swinging his hammer and glanced at him. He put his hammer aside and grabbed a cloth to wipe the sweat before walking towards the boy.
"It has been sold already. Duke Asher took an interest in Siphon Knife as it could render the brand useless for a split second, you already know. He bought it for two gold coins yesterday." He spoke gently.
Daemon wasn't surprised. He had collected a lot of information over the past days. He learned that Duke Asher often bought Mythrals with unique abilities for his collection, and Siphon Knife's ability was truly compelling.
"However, I regret not buying it earlier. That was the most useful for me. I need something of my own, I cannot blindly trust others for my survival. I can only create chances."
He fell into deep thought before finally asking, "Do you have something else that might be useful for me?"
"I don't know what will be useful to you, but you can take a look at the shop. I've created more of them since the last time you came, although I doubt you'll find something unique since Duke Asher already bought them." The blacksmith answered.
Daemon nodded in agreement and started taking a look around the shop to find a suitable one for himself. He saw all kinds of items and objects. Mythrals were in all sorts of forms, whether it be swords, pendants, rings, or even ordinary tools.
None of them were necessarily useful for him, as nothing here could potentially harm Zypher. He presumably had three or four brands; how could he possibly be harmed by these weak items? but that didn't mean Daemon wouldn't do anything. He would still prepare himself for the worst.
His eyes soon landed on a ring with a peculiar design. It was silvery, smooth and plain, and it had a black stone in the center. The stone had a faint glow.
"What does it do?" He asked while pointing at the ring.
"Its name is Switchstone. It can let you swap places with someone. Of course, the range is limited. You can swap as long as you're close to the target, and it's only one-time use. The stone will break upon use." The blacksmith hurried over and spoke.
"I need to buy this!" He immediately made up his mind. It could be useful in a dire situation. If anyone came too close, he could swap places to save himself.
"How many coins?" He asked composedly.
"Eight silver coins." The blacksmith replied.
Mythrals were usually very expensive, and not everyone could buy them, but as Switchstone could be used only once, it was affordable.
Daemon let out a wry smile as if mocking himself before taking out eight silver coins and pushing them into the blacksmith's hands. He put the ring on his index finger. It had formed a connection with him.
He only got ten silver coins after working really hard for the last four days, and now, after buying one item, he only had two coins left.
He made his way out of the smithy. It was still early in the morning. Today was the last day he had to go to the Church to offer services.
"Let's quickly go to the Church. I will immediately try to meet Sir Connor after that and give him hints for Zypher's power. He's the only one who stands a chance against that monster." He concluded.
Not long after, Daemon reached the Church. The church was quite small, and the walls made of white stone were still smooth and new. There was a little bell tower over the roof, which was noticeable even from a distance despite not being too high. The sunlight entered through the colored glass windows. Doors were open, inviting people into the rooms. It was not magnificent, but it had a feeling of peace and calmness.
He was given the cleaning work. He left after some hours when he was done with the work. It was time to finally meet up with Sir Connor!
Connor Dante's manor was near a river. The manor rose high at the end of the broad stone avenue, with walls reaching far and wide. Dozens of windows along its face glowed dimly with soft light. A massive gate bounded the entry, and neatly cut gardens lay on either side. The roof was high and terraced, and it gave off an air of pride, and above it, tall chimneys stood high into the air, releasing smoke. It was not merely a house; rather, it carried the symbol of power and wealth.
Daemon arrived in front of the manor, and his expression changed into a hesitant look. He arrived at the entrance where guards stood on either side. "I must meet Sir Connor." He said anxiously.
...
The lord's room was large, with high windows admitting the light. There was a great bed at the room's center, the frame made of black wood. Book- and scroll-filled shelves took one wall, and a massive desk took place by the window, packed high with papers. The room was tidy but had the heavy air of authority, the furniture all selected to demonstrate both wealth and might.
A young man with unruly light brown hair sat on a chair near the high windows. He had serene green coloured eyes, almost as if he could see things that others can't. He was still very youthful. He was Connor Dantes.
He sipped the cup of coffee as he looked outside. A boy with dark black hair that reached his shoulder stood at the entrance as he conversed with the guards.
"That's the boy who came back alive from the battlefield covered fully in blood. Why is he here, though?" He pondered.
He was there in the castle when this boy was called for an audience. The boy had left a deep impression on him.
"No one else noticed, but I did. He was recounting everything with such a horrified look on his face, but when he was leaving, his demeanour had changed completely, almost as if it was all an act."
However, it didn't bother him, as what the boy had said was the truth. He could sense the truth to a certain degree.
"I wanted to meet him once anyway. I should go outside and let him in." He made up his mind and left his room.
He arrived outside and walked towards the entrance. He saw the boy's anxious expression and wondered. "Why does he look anxious?"
The boy saw Connor and hesitantly said, "Lord, I've been wanting to meet you. I wanted to tell you something."
Connor's gaze shot towards the guards and gestured for them to let the boy in. The guards moved out of his way and let him enter.
"Why don't we have a nice conversation while we have a cup of tea?" He said with a gentle smile.
"Of course, My Lord," The boy said, his face relaxing.