The First Step

Lucian was awaken from his slumber by a gentle but persistent ray of sunlight entering directly through the window.

He squinted and raised his hand to shield his face from the morning light. As he slowly awakened, he stretched and sat up, his thoughts already turning toward the day ahead.

With a sense of purpose, he began his morning routine by meditating. Sitting cross-legged on the rustic bed, he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts.

His concentration was so intense that he began to float slightly above the bed, a testament to his growing mastery and great control of his magical abilities.

However, his meditation was interrupted by a knock at the door. Lucian opened his eyes and heard the voice of the intruder, Brendan, calling from the other side.

With a crisp tone, Lucian invited him in, a smile Flickered across Brendan's face as he gently walked in.

Seeing that Lucian was in the process of dropping a cup of tea he had just sipped, Brendan eagerly asked, "I'm here now. Where would you like me to take you?".

Lucian's mind flashed back to the words of Brenton the dragon, his companion.

Brenton had told him about the Sacred Book of Arcane Magic and the first step in obtaining it: acquiring a magical compass from an antique shop.

This compass would guide him to the hidden location of the book. Brenton had also instructed Lucian to use his magical abilities to check if the compass emitted a dark velvet aura—if it did, it was the one they sought.

Brendan, sensing Lucian's momentary distraction, had called to him a few times and even waved his hands to regain his attention.

Finally, Lucian refocused his thoughts and looked at Brendan. Brendan inquired with curiosity, "You were lost in thoughts for a second. What were you thinking? What's wrong?".

Lucian's eerie response caught Brendan off guard. "I was thinking of how to kill you," Lucian replied with a sinister tone, "but first, I should torture you by breaking your bones and..."

Brendan, now apprehensive,interrupted Lucian and stammered, "But... but I swore not to deceive and steal from people again. Why do you still want to torture and kill me?".

Lucian, after having a bit of fun at Brendan's expense, responded in a dry tone, "You're meant to be my guide, not asking me nosy questions."

Relieved to know that Lucian was merely messing with his head, Brendan quickly responded, "Sorry, sire. It won't happen again."

Lucian's stern expression softened slightly, and he instructed Brendan, "Take me to the antique shops in Sibiah."The quest for the Arcane Compass had begun.

As Lucian and Brendan left the inn room and headed towards the innkeeper, the atmosphere was charged with tension.

Lucian fixed a stern and threatening gaze upon the innkeeper, who couldn't look at him in the face ,carrying a guilty look.

The innkeeper understood the message conveyed by Lucian's demeanor, and it made an ineffaceable impression of caution on him.

Exiting the inn, Lucian led the way, followed closely by Brendan. The innkeeper's eyes briefly met Brendan's as they walked out, silently communicating the gravity of the situation.

Brendan had already informed the innkeeper about the events of the previous night, and the guilt weighed heavily on the innkeeper's conscience.

The pair visited multiple antique shops in search of the Arcane Compass. Each time, they left disappointed, as the compasses they found were ordinary and lacked the dark velvet aura they sought.

After their visit to the third shop, which yielded the same result, Lucian and Brendan decided to take a break because Brendan's fatigue and hunger became evident .They headed to a nearby tavern to rest

On their way out of the third shop to the tavern, Lucian's sharp senses picked up on a commotion nearby.

He spotted a group of people bullying a market woman and her daughter, and he couldn't simply stand by and do nothing. Lucian took a few steps closer and issued a warning from a distance, "Leave the woman and her daughter alone."

The bullies, unfazed by Lucian's presence, rebuffed his warning. One of them went so far as to tell him to mind his own business.

Their relentless assault on the woman's belongings continued, and when the woman tried to intervene once more, she was met with another cruel kick.

Her daughter, in a selfless act of protection, threw herself in front of her mother, taking the hit.

The impact of the kick sent both mother and daughter tumbling to the ground. As the bullies prepared to continue their assault, Lucian's patience reached its limit.

He moved purposefully toward them, channeling his elemental magic with precision to subdue the aggressors.

The result was a chaotic storm of dust and elemental power as Lucian's magic swirled around the bullies, beating them into total submission.

People that surrounded them watched in awe and admiration as the heroic stranger defended the helpless victims.

With the bullies beaten into submission, the dust began to settle. While getting applauded by the people,the woman and her daughter, grateful for Lucian's intervention, stood up to express their thanks. Lucian, his voice humble and heroic, replied, "It's nothing."

With his good deed done, he departed, leaving behind a crowd of impressed onlookers. Brendan, having followed Lucian's lead, ran to catch up with his enigmatic companion.

As they walked away in search of a nearby tavern to relax, eat, and drink, Brendan couldn't contain his admiration.

In a commendatory tone, he said, "That was truly exceptional." Lucian, however, responded with a dry expression, clearly uninterested in praise. Understanding Lucian's countenance, Brendan mouthed an apologetic "Sorry."

Upon arriving at the tavern, they took their seats. Brendan wasted no time in placing an order for food, eager to satiate his hunger. Lucian, on the other hand, opted for a simple request—just water.

......

Meanwhile, Princess Felissa, still impressed by the heroic act she had witnessed, continued to explore the bustling streets of Sibiah, savoring her freedom.

As she strolled along, enjoying a stick of meat she had just purchased, her attention was drawn to a display of beautiful bracelets.

Intrigued, she bought two of them and immediately wore one on her left wrist. With a hum of delight, she began to appreciate the beauty of the jewelry.

However, her moment of fun and leisure was interrupted when she spotted Ser Alanis frantically searching the area.

She instantly knew he was looking for her,her carefree demeanor instantly shifted to anxiety, and she swiftly darted away to conceal herself, determined not to be found by her guard.

Felissa's heart raced as she ran in another direction, desperately seeking refuge in a nearby tavern to elude Ser Alanis.

Her eyes looked back, scanning for any sign to see if she was being followed or observed by her determined guardian.

In her haste, she accidentally bumped into something solid—a necklace resting on a stranger's chest. She felt a slight scratch on her forehead, but there was no time to dwell on it. With a sense of urgency, she rushed into the tavern touching her forehead.

Lucian and Brendan, who had both turned to see what had caused the commotion, exchanged curious glances.

Lucian's thoughts echoed with a sense of strangeness about the situation. He pondered, "Who is she running from?" However, as quickly as the thought entered his mind, he dismissed it immediately.

After all, he was a stranger to this city, and the girl's troubles were none of his concern.

As he turned to continue on his way, Brendan voiced his own perplexity, "That's strange. She did not even say sorry." His brow furrowed as he faced Lucian and added, "Why would she do that?"

Lucian responded with a dry look, offering no explanation. He began walking away,Brendan followed suit, saying, "Wait for me."

Meanwhile, Felissa, still touching her forehead where the scratch stung, could not help but wonder why she continually felt compelled to do so. Typically strong and agile, she found herself puzzled by her own actions.

As she looked up, her eyes dilated and widened in dismay. Ser Alanis stood before her, a relieved expression on his face.

Equanimous, Felissa inquired, her voice a mix of surprise, sadness, and curiosity, "How did you find me?" Alanis answered her in a straightforward manner, "I saw you briefly when you tried to hide after seeing me, I followed your trail to this place."

.....

Lucian and Brendan's quest led them through a series of antique stores, each visit yielding disappointing results as the compasses they encountered were just ordinary ones.

They persevered from the fourth store to the fifth, sixth, and all the way to the tenth, yet the elusive Arcane Compass remained out of reach.

Exhaustion began to wear on Brendan, his voice weary as he questioned Lucian, "Don't you get tired at all? We've been walking and searching for a long while, and we still can't find what you're looking for. I do not think I can go on anymore."

Lucian, still standing firm and resolute, recognized Brendan's fatigue. He nodded and replied, "We will continue tomorrow. Take me to another inn."

Brendan complied, leading Lucian to a more visually appealing and noticeable inn with impressive exteriors and interiors. As they arrived, Lucian glanced at Brendan, his expression a mix of surprise and a flicker of smile shared between the both of them.

Lucian paid for a night's stay, and Brendan, having fulfilled his duty, departed. Lucian was directed to his room, where he could rest and recharge for the challenges of the following day.