Thief of Twilight

Part Three: Chapter 84

I could feel my strength returning with each passing day. I could tell my stamina was improving. There were times I was running ahead of Sinopia. After my core was repaired, and Sinopia was confident in my abilities, we designated a location that would signal the end of our morning run. Once we met up, we would bask in the moonlight and talk about our past and he would share his knowledge with me. We even asked Cerise to join us a few times but she reminded us that she was not a fighter and would be a hindrance if we were to be attacked.

"I'm starting to feel like my old self." I held my hands before my eyes.

"That's good." Sinopia leaned back on his hands. "May I ask...this Oliver Baldwin..." he glanced at me. "Is he a mage of some sort?"

"No." I sighed. "Oliver is not a mage by any means. He's just a man who managed to get his hands on a lot of valuable augmented jewelry and weapons."

"Augmented weapons? And jewelry?"

"He has dozens of rings that can cast countless spells. He always carries a dagger or a sword that is also augmented. But since he's alive, he'll most likely try to use a weapon that can counter Yohan's sword." I sighed.

"And what about you?"

"He'll probably try to use the helos crystals again. But...I just have to make sure not to touch them, right?"

"That is correct, yes."

"Then...the only way to combat him is with long-range attacks or overpowering him. Overpowering him won't be difficult. Augmented weapons can only withstand so much before they are shattered."

"How do augmented weapons work?" Sinopia questioned.

"There are licensed sorcerers who create them. They are mostly used for royal guards across the continent. But sometimes, those guards are killed and looted. Those valuables are then sold on the black market or passed down from one person to the next. Every augmented weapon has a specific stamp on it. The stamp is always the year the weapon was crafted along with the initials of the sorcerer who sealed their magic inside of it."

"And how does someone learn how to use an augmented item?"

"It's a lot of trial and error. But for the most part, if the item was created by a water sorcerer who specializes in water magic, then you would just need to find a water mage to teach you a few spells. But most of the time, people just figure it out for themselves." I explained.

"What will happen once an augmented weapon shatters?"

"The magic is released. It doesn't return to the caster either. It just disappears." I looked at Sinopia. "So if I can just overpower him and break his augmented weapon, then I should be alright. At least I can disarm him. And then from there..." I lowered my head.

"I see you haven't thought that far ahead." Sinopia breathed. "At least not yet."

"I...I didn't think I would have to. I didn't think I'd have to kill him. To be honest, I don't really want to..."

"Why not? He tried to kill you with the helos crystals."

"I understand. But...revenge for that...I don't know. I think I would just prefer to disarm him and let him rot in prison. I feel like the humiliation of being taken down by someone he thought so little of is enough to make him go mad."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yeah, I know os." I laughed. "Oliver is someone who thinks very highly of himself. Thinking back...he probably didn't think much of me. So if I can take him down...no, when I take him down, he won't know how to handle the humiliation. He'll probably lose his mind right there on the spot."