Hiner started the day as usual: getting up early, doing some exercises at home, and preparing breakfast. A freshly made banana pancake and some juice. The secret to success is routine, training, and planning, he always said. He always tried to keep up with the training and planning part, but the routine was going to become difficult from now on.

He looked at the calendar on the refrigerator. The next five days were all circled. He didn't even need to mark this reminder; the dates were etched in his memory like a scar, but Hiner had a flair for the dramatics. What fun is there in doing something if it can't be a spectacle?

The smell of the pancake snapped him out of his musings. Hiner flipped it with a spatula, adjusting the temperature of the fire crystal. This was a good analogy for his plans. Controlling the intensity of his actions, changing the sides of the people involved, adjusting the preparation according to the situation... Everything in due time, manipulating the right people. The use of violence, although not to his liking, would be necessary. He would end up killing some people along the way, but it was a price he was willing to pay. It's not like he had never killed anyone before.

Hiner finished his meal and remained seated. His reflection in the window reminded him that he was no longer young. The few grey hairs in his stubble and slicked-back black hair gave him an air of seriousness, while his green eyes shone shone with great mental acuity. Hiner was an attractive man, with lightly bronzed skin and an inviting smile. But few people saw him up close since he was extremely reclusive. It was the only way to live, as Hiner was wanted throughout Kairos, with a hefty reward for his capture.

Hiner was the most known person on the entire planet, second only to Baruc. While one was known for his revolutionary inventions, innovative technologies, and benevolence towards the entire population, the other was almost a mythical being. Little was known for certain about Hiner's origin, but the stories tell that he is an extremely powerful Dark Wizard, capable of manipulating crystal energy and Creatures. Residents from different cities recount that he randomly appears, attacking the population without apparent reason.

Hiner looked at the calendar once again, quickly getting up. He finished getting ready, anticipating his daily plan. He placed his hand on the doorknob, closed his eyes, and said:

"Aestus and Orkan, I hope you're prepared for me."

***

Aestus woke up at his usual early hour, lying on his back and slowly opening his eyes. His room was in a pleasant dim light, and he felt tempted to go back to sleep, but even if he wanted to, Aestus was a person of strict habits and couldn't sleep for a minute longer. He didn't get up immediately, instead replaying the events of the previous night in his mind. His oldest friendship had ended, and it was his fault.

Turning onto his stomach, Aestus placed his large pillow over his head as if he could muffle his thoughts. The silence of his room contrasted with the turmoil of his thoughts, his guilt. He really thought he could "fix" Orkan, that he could "save" him. And he was exposed yesterday in the most foolish way. Orkan managed to read his intentions in an instant. And he even attributed it to the death of his parents.

It wasn't as if he was completely wrong. Aestus hadn't fully processed that fact yet, but the truth was that since he was a child, he cared about justice, about doing everything right. The world would be a better place if people were more just. Although Comanse is predominantly inhabited by Humanoids, there are other races on the planet. Kairos is home to five distinct races, with their own historical conflicts and debts between them. The relationships among them can be described with many words, but "peaceful" is not one of them.

Aestus was lost in his thoughts about interpersonal and interracial relations when he heard a noise in the distance. He removed the pillow from his head, thinking it might be his imagination. He looked around the room, trying to locate the source of the sound. His bed was in the middle of the spacious room. It was a wide and very comfortable bed with pristine white sheets. To his left was the closed dark wooden wardrobe, with all his clothes neatly folded and his armor hanging, in urgent need of repairs. To his right was his simple but sturdy desk, everything in its place, and the bedroom door, closed.

Aestus heard the noise again, two soft knocks on his window. He noticed that the light coming through the blinds was being blocked, which wasn't reasonable considering his room was on the second floor of a two-story house. Curious, Aestus got up, pulling the sheets aside. He unlocked and opened the window, only to come face to face with Orkan, hanging on the window frame, eating an apple.

"Oh, you're awake. What a relief. I thought I was going to hang there all morning, waiting for you to wake up from your probable depression," Orkan said, already jumping into the room with agility. He was well-dressed, with his blonde hair neatly combed and parted in the middle. His scruffy beard added a certain charm, contributing to the roguish look he so often cultivated.

"Aren't you going to get ready? I thought you'd be dressed and fed by this time," Orkan said, finishing his apple. "But your chest and abs are looking fantastic, my friend. Share your training routine with me later."

Only then did Aestus realize he was only wearing his pajama shorts. He never expected to receive a visit through the window, especially not from Orkan. But Aestus's body was indeed incredible, with heavy muscular mass and impressive definition. He trained, of course, but his physique was primarily due to his Class.

"Orkan, I wasn't expecting you... I..."

"You regret what you said and think I'm an amazing person, I know," Orkan interrupted, placing a hand on Aestus's shoulder. "It's alright, my friend, I forgive you. Now let's go and earn some crystals."

Aestus was stunned. He knew Orkan was a resentful and impatient person. It was unlikely that he had resolved his anger so quickly. Besides, his friend had said some harsh words yesterday. It wasn't as if Aestus was solely to blame. He remained rooted to the spot, trying to decide what to do or say. Orkan seemed to decipher his friend's thoughts.

"Look, now seriously. We were both idiots yesterday. We said things without thinking much. You hurt me a lot, so I said what I thought would hurt you the most. It was just a defense mechanism, I'm sorry."

"I don't think you need fixing, my friend," Aestus replied, lowering his head.

"Oh, no. I'm a mess, alright! Hahaha!" Orkan laughed loudly, waving his hand in the air. "You just caught me off guard. I know we see the world differently, and that's okay." Orkan ran his hand through Aestus's hair.

"Do you still want to be my hunting partner then?"

"But of course, my friend. Who else can put up with me in this little town?" Orkan sat on the bed, absentmindedly stroking the sheet. "Now go get ready. We have a Flaming Deer to hunt."

Aestus had harbored a faint hope that his friend had given up on this Hunt, but it was obvious that wasn't the case. Aestus quickly got dressed, changed his clothes, grabbed a sandwich to eat on the way, and offered another one to Orkan. They left Aestus's house shortly afterward, wasting no time. However, Aestus needed to get something off his chest before they proceeded.

"Okay, Orkan. You convinced me: let's do this Hunt. But I want it to be very clear that I still think what we're doing is wrong. And I also think we run the risk of being expelled from the Guild. But..." Aestus paused, unsure if he should continue.

"But the challenge is too enticing, and you believe you're capable of achieving it," Orkan completed his friend's train of thought. Aestus simply nodded, with a nearly imperceptible movement. "I know you too well!"

The two friends walked excitedly through the streets of the town. Comanse was a very pleasant village, perfect for living if you wanted a quiet place. It was the complete opposite of what the two young men desired. They were both passionate about excitement and adventure, ever since they were children.

After leaving the residential district, where Aestus' house was located, with well-maintained houses and spacious gardens, they entered a more commercial neighborhood. Here, the properties were closer to each other, but still managed to be beautiful and welcoming. Aestus entered a Blacksmith's shop, which had just opened for business. Orkan followed suit.

The interior of the shop was typical of a traditional Blacksmith, which contrasted with some technological equipment. The inventions and discoveries that Baruc brought to Kairos quickly revolutionized the way people lived, causing this blend of environments. The Blacksmith had antique tools and brick ovens, but also modern devices and contraptions that Aestus couldn't even determine the function of. Crystal energy was responsible for many of the functioning equipment, combining science and magic.

"Two young Hunters, I presume," the Blacksmith said upon seeing the boys enter his shop, analyzing their attire and damaged armor. He was a short and very strong man, completely bald with a well defined goatee.

The two confirmed, explaining briefly what had happened, requesting repairs as well as an inspection of their weapons. Orkan and Aestus materialized their weapons, presenting them to the professional. He carefully examined the longsword and the pair of daggers, testing the blades and grips. Then, he informed them:

"Your garments and armor indeed need a complete repair, but the weapons are in good condition. I can enhance them if you wish. You'll be able to fight better, defeat stronger Creatures. How about it?"

The two agreed, inquiring about the price. They could afford it without worries after all the contracts from the previous day. The Blacksmith then focused, using his skills. Intense red light emitted from his hands towards the Hunters' garments and armor. In an instant, it was as if the items had been freshly crafted. They even smelled new. He then worked on the weapons, holding Aestus' sword by the handle with his left hand. The blacksmith raised his right hand, conjuring a hammer made of red light. He struck the blade of the sword twice, producing crimson sparks upon impact. The same was done with Orkan's daggers. The man then examined the weapons, proud of his work.

"Your weapons are simple but very well-made, congratulations. I found this crystal here quite interesting," the Blacksmith said, pointing to the base of Aestus' sword hilt. "Does it have any energy? I couldn't sense anything."

"Well, actually, no. It's a family heirloom, so I wanted to keep it close at all times," Aestus explained.

The Blacksmith seemed disappointed with the explanation but didn't say anything more. He then charged for the job, and the young men left the establishment, happy with the efficiency of the service. They also stopped by a potion shop, stocking up on healing potions and ones for burns. Today's hunt promised many injuries. They were now prepared for the challenge, the test of their skills.

Orkan checked the address of the contractor, confirming it belonged to Mrs. Dessine, who lived on a large farm just outside the eastern part of the city. Orkan and Aestus hurried to the location, jogging at a controlled pace to warm up and prepare their muscles. The property was beautiful and well-maintained, with a large two-story house next to a towering tree. A middle-aged woman, very beautiful, emerged from the door, wearing a dark red apron and a brown scarf on her head, matching her neatly tied ponytail. She saw the young men approaching and approached them, wiping her hands on the apron.

"Good morning! By your attire, you seem to be Hunters. You came for the contract I posted, right?" She spoke quickly, not giving the young men a chance to respond. "Strange, I haven't received any notification from Barthos. But I won't complain. Let's get going because I want that Creature away from my crops as soon as possible."

Aestus controlled his anxiety, trying not to reveal that they were engaging in irregular activity. But the more he tried to hide it, the worse his expression became. He seemed to be in physical pain, furrowing his brow and pressing his lips together. Orkan, noticing his friend's physical and mental suffering, took the lead in the conversation.

"Yes, it's us. We've been Hunters for a while, and this hunt should be fairly simple. Here's the contract," Orkan quickly showed the paper they had taken from the Guild, "and we'll go and resolve this issue for you, ma'am. Where does the Creature usually stay?"

"Hold on a second," Dessine said, extending her palm toward Orkan as if telling him to stop. "I may have been born without a Class, but I'm not stupid. That contract doesn't seem to have Barthos's signature. I recognize that scribble from a mile away. Are you really from the Guild?"

Aestus went into despair, breaking out in a cold sweat. He hadn't anticipated facing this problem right before the hunt. He took a step back, seeing only Orkan's back. The Knight was certain his friend would be as nervous as he was, but Orkan remained rooted in place, showing no signs of being shaken. A gentle breeze lifted Orkan's hair, carrying a musky scent to Aestus. Even from behind, his friend seemed to emit a subtle golden aura. Orkan approached Mrs. Dessine, taking hold of her right hand. He looked directly into the woman's eyes, who appeared taken aback.

"It was all a misunderstanding, lovely lady," Orkan said, with a velvety voice that Aestus had never heard his friend use before. A strange shiver ran down Aestus's spine. "Barthos was very busy and forgot to sign the document, but you can trust us. We are here to help you." He caressed the back of the woman's hand.

Dessine blushed, bringing her left hand to her face. She couldn't take her eyes off Orkan, as if hypnotized. She then nodded, indicating the direction where the flaming deer was, stumbling over her words. Orkan released her hand and headed in the indicated direction without looking back. Aestus quickly followed, wanting to get away from Mrs. Dessine as soon as possible. When they were far enough away, Aestus asked:

"What did you do to that woman?"

Orkan looked at his friend with a smirk on his face. He clearly felt proud of what had just happened.

"After the battles yesterday, I felt that I had acquired new abilities. So when that lovely woman put us in a tight spot, I realized what I could do. It's not just contracts that I can steal, if you catch my drift."

Aestus made a confused expression, trying to understand. But soon everything made sense to him; he hadn't realized that his friend had put his Rogue abilities to use.