"How insolent!" Callen stretched out his hand, "One more step and it will be a punishment, Arakh."
Arakh suddenly stopped. His brows raised before he smirked.
Hmm? How disappointing..., Callen pulled down his hand, "It's good that you see boundaries, many resonators fall in the hands not of a master, but of its cockiness."
"Indeed, Master Callen," an ancient voice made Callen's eyes widen in shock. He immediately turned around and saw Indus with his hands behind his back. The old man smiled but he was constantly stroking his beards.
"P-Principal Indus! What are you doing here?" asked Callen.
"Oh? Am I not allowed to walk around the academy anymore?" asked Indus. "Or are you trying to impose your position on me, Master Callen?" the old man showed his sharp eyes.
The students gasped and looked at each other in shock. Things had escalated beyond their means, but it wasn't every day they saw this kind of confrontation.
"I wouldn't dare!" Callen stepped back shaking his head. "Y-You may do as you please, Principal Indus.
Indus didn't utter a single word and let the silence fill up the atmosphere, slowly crawling, slowly, choking Callen by the throat.
"Woah..." Arakh's golden eyes could see resonating as soft as a hymn permeating out of Indus's body. What is that? It looks fragile but... it's... powerful.
Indus closed his eyes with a smile, "I'm just messing with you, Master Callen."
"Ha... haha," You clearly were not! Callen gulped with a wry smile.
Indus nodded at him before approaching Arakh, "Not bad, Arakh." He rustled the boy's hair before walking away. "Keep up the good work all of you, you all did fine." he waved goodbye.
Callen looked at Indus's leaving back. Was it a coincidence? Or was he keeping Arakh on the lookout? First, it was Lorelai; now, it was that relic of an old man. Wait a minute. Callen frowned, thinking, "The only explanation is that Arakh had a bigger backing than Pakha." However, nobody from Kairan had that huge backing except Lorelai and her Master Braun. Then again, it's not like Pakha doesn't have anyone at the level of Master Braun behind him.
It vanished, Arakh said inwardly as Indus slowly went to the other wing of the academy. He looked at the contemplating Callen and shrugged.
"Class dismissed," said Callen before long as he left before the students did.
Arakh fell into the gazes of the students. His deed courted their attention and the way he challenged Callen was mesmerizing. However, none dared to say a word, none dared to approach. They... look.
Arakh smiled. They must be afraid of Pakha. His influence must have been that scary, huh?
He turned around and paid no heed anymore. There is no need to mull over it. I need to get my hands on a weapon. A glaive would look cool, but there is really no need to go fancy for now. I want to experiment with my enhancement technique on a weapon as soon as possible.
Arakh went to the Elabra Academy store where he found a clerk with a neat outfit. The store displayed various weapons on the wall, various pills on the shelves, and various robes by the stands. Though, as vary as it was, it was nowhere near fancy. The store was clean enough like its clerk, but it was not as complete as one might think.
"Hi, new face," said the clerk with a three-button vest and white long-sleeve and a slender build.
"Hello there," Arakh smiled and nodded.
"You must be, Arakh, right? My name is Tampa," the clerk smiled. "It's nice to finally meet the talk of the academy."
"Huh?" Arakh tilted his head with a raised braow.
"Oh, that's amazing, you haven't heard, a single thing about you?" said Tampa with a glint in his eyes.
With how it is, I'm not surprised, but then again, I didn't have any friends in the academy to tell me about this.
"Then you shouldn't pay attention to it," the Tampa clasped his hands, "So, what brings you here?"
"Oh, can I have a price list of the weapons available?" asked Arakh.
"A price list? Hmm, that's a first," said Tampa.
"So it's not possible," Arakh's tone laced with fear of disappointment.
"Don't worry, I will conjure up something, though, you need to tell me what it's for," said Tampa.
"I want to know the price of the weapons that you are selling, as well as other items, because that way I can be prepared for my next visit."
"Prepared? Prepared for...?" Tampa crossed his hands with both brows raised.
"Money?" Arakh jerked his shoulders.
"Money... hmm... HUH? Wait! So you don't bring any money right now?" asked Tampa with his hands on his waist.
"Oh, no, that's not right," Arakh shook his head.
Tampa sighed, "You had me worried there."
"I mean, I don't have... money..." Arakh scratched his head with a wry smile and a lush of red on his cheeks.
".... What?" Tampa blinked. The silence settled in between the two for a moment before Tampa leaned over on top of the counter. "Not even a single Copper Pasrih?"
Arakh shook his head, "Nope. Not a single one."
Tampa sighed as he buried his face in his forearm. "Alright, alright, wait a minute or two, I will conjure up one."
"Thank you!" Arakh bowed and put his palms together.
Then after a few minutes...
"Here," Tampa gave a parchment.
"Thanks!" Arakh grabbed the parchment, but Tampa was still holding it. "Uhmm."
"Make sure to bring money for your next visit, got it?" Tampa said.
"En! I will," Arakh nodded before Tampa let go of his grip.
"Now go hit the board and work some," said Tampa.
"Right! Wish me luck!" he waved his hand goodbye as he walked away.
Tampa sighed, "What a miserable kid, didn't his parents give him pocket money or something."
"His parents are gone." Lorelai stepped into view and watched Arakh getting smaller as he went.
"What?" Tampa straightened up. "Are you serious?"
"In a nutshell," Lorelai nodded.
"Damn it, Lorelai, you should have said that sooner, I could give him a discount or something," said Tampa before he pinched his glabella, "God! Now I feel awful."
Lorelai turned and raised her brows. "Oh, so that's how one could get a discount out of you."
"Hmm? How?"
"Dead parents—"
"NO."