Fragarach

Nyx Arcan

[I never use this skill unless I really need to do so. This mana that I am feeling, is not human nor demi-human. It is not even from the demons, but why is it so intimidating?] he thought as he tries hard to scan what is inside the container but his vision is blocked by something that he cannot explain.

Helen saw their heavy expressions without even Karen completely opening the container. [Is it really that big of a deal? It is just meat you know?] she told herself as she tries to melt the ice in her hands.

*PSHHHH!*

Karen opened the container then instantly a foreign aura spread out in the air and made the atmosphere a little chilly, when Mars and the young master felt the aura that escaped from the container, their heart beats rapidly as chills run down their spine.

“What the-“the young master mumbled instantly.

The moment Karen took the lid of the container, a group of demi-humans wearing black outfits suddenly surrounded the young master including Mars are on high alert.

“Ahhh!” Helen shouted her lungs out while Karen could not let out a single shout because of the shock.

This instant action startled Helen and Karen that made them step away from the table.

“What are you doing?!” the young master shouted. “Get out of my sight!” he commanded with a furious expression.

The incident caught the attention of other vendors and they turn their heads to see what is going on. The demi-humans with the black outfits were silent and staring daggers at Helen and Karen.

“You heard the young master, get out of his sight this instant!” one of the demi-humans ordered.

Helen and Karen look very confused since the young master had an agonizing expression he moment the demi-human ordered them to disappear.

“What are you waiting for?! Move!” another one spoke.

The corners of the lips of the young master are twitching in annoyance and rage. Mars noticed the further change in the temperature of the atmosphere and when he turns to the young master, he is already pissed.

One of the demi-humans broke formation and walk towards Karen and Helen to drive them away when someone grab his collar from behind. “What are you doing?!” he ask arrogantly.

He accidentally raised his voice thinking that one of his comrade grab his collar so he turns back and saw the furious face of the young master and his comrade in-arms’ pale and sweaty faces.

“Eh?” the muttered after realizing that he made a very bad decision.

“I think you misunderstood what I just said. I was referring to you idiots.” He said with overwhelming authority as he tightly grip the man’s shoulders.

“……..”

The man could not say anything after seeing the furious look in his master’s face.

“Do you want to disgrace our family just by merely opening a container?” he whispered in the man’s ears softly.

Sweat drip in his face as he felt the hostility behind his soft voice. The witnesses of the incident are confused as to what happened at Karen’s stall as the young master and his group of guards stand in front of the stall. A grown man walk towards the group to confirm what happened and ask them to leave.

“Excuse me, what seems to be the problem?” he politely asked.

The head of the guards turned towards him with his sudden appearance. “This is nothing important. Leave.” One of the guards said in an arrogant tone without their master’s guidance.

[This bastards, I just told this guy off then another one ran his mouth saying whatever he wants.” He thought as he turns his head towards the one who answered the man.

“I am just asking politely here because this ruckus is bothering and making the other costumers feel uncomfortable. So please, if you are done with your business, can you please leave?” the man pleaded in a soft tone.

“Mind your own business and leave.” He instantly replied.

After taking an arrogant reply the man could not blindly turn his eyes anymore and decided to closer near the man who replied to his polite request. Mars had a bad feeling that something bad is about to happen.

The demi-human’s blood is boiling because of the anger of his master directed at them that it blinded his mind as he looks for something to vent his anger to.

*Step! Step! Step! Step!*

[I thought I told this human to peace off, does he really want a beating that badly?] he thought as he heard the man’s footsteps getting closer and closer.

“I am asking nicely- ugh!” he groan immediately after taking a few steps closer.

*Crash!*

The demi-human threw a kick at the man requesting them to leave the market because they are making the other costumers uncomfortable. An empty and innocent crate had been reduced to broken pieces as the man landed his back on the poor thing.

*Fwooosh!*

The demi-human moved an insanely fast speed to score another hit at the harmless man.

[I was going to get scolded later so why not make it grand?] he thought as he formed a fist to hit the man.

His heart is beating insanely fast knowing that there are two persons from his kin who are strong enough to stop him.

[What the?!]

His punch stopped midway when he felt his body floating in the air.

[This crazy bastard wants to die so badly.] Mars grabbed his back and slammed him to the ground.

*Tuug!*

The ground shook from his single action alone. The demi-human could not let out a single cry before passing out with a single slam to the ground.

[Stupid s**t.] Mars thought as he went to check on the situation of the man who landed on a crate.

[Thank goodness he’s just unconscious, if that stupid s**t did it a little harder, this man could have died. What an i***t, kicking a non-combatant civilian in the chest is as cowardly as it gets. TCH! ] he thought as he did a face palm and click his tongue.

The man who landed on the crate also lost consciousness after a single kick.

*Whistle*

The other demi-humans turned stiff with the heavy atmosphere around them that they did not even heard Mars.

[Hey! All of you, take this stupid cat and bring that unconscious man for treatment immediately.] he ordered as he pulls the leg of his unconscious kin.

The others immediately took the unconscious cat on one of their comrade’s back and disappeared while the others took the unconscious man to the nearest treatment station.

“What happened to him?” the personnel asked.

“It is complicated.” The demi-human answered as he shake his head.

The personnel only smiled awkwardly.

“We are really sorry for the inconvenience everyone!” Mars bow as he apologize to everyone around them.

With everything returns to normal, the costumers and the vendors returned to their stalls and continues to what they were doing.

“I am really sorry for what happened, my men are very rude towards the both of you.” The young master apologized to Karen and Helen.

“It is okay, I am fine. Thought I am more concerned about your man, didn’t he put a lot of strength in that slam?” Karen ask as she points her finger at Mars.

“I know that it is a little late for me to introduce myself but I am Nyx Arcan. I am the successor to the Arcan family from one of the noble families in the city.” He bowed down as he introduced himself to the vendors.

“It is a pleasure to meet one of the prestigious noble families’ successor.” Karen said politely. “So that’s why the guards are so vigilant.” Helen said as a follow up.

[But why did they react like that when Karen just opened the container that contains the meat that they are going to buy? No matter how you look at it, it seems really really strange.] “But why did you react like what you did earlier? There is nothing wrong in just opening a container right?” she thought as she added a little of what she noticed.

“Did you seriously not feel the change of the atmosphere?” Mars asked the both of them.

Mars wanted to know why they cannot feel the instant change of the atmosphere when the source is right in front of them but to his dismay they both shake their heads in denial.

[Then this can only mean one thing: the only ones who can feel the aura earlier are the ones who practice mana manipulation.] both Nyx and Mars concluded after hearing what the vendors said and since they are non-combatant justifies their deduction.

[There is no doubt about it that must be the reason.]

After introducing himself he had his eyes fixed on the container and its contents. Karen and Helen noticed that he and Mars’ eyes are fixed at the container.

“Is there something special about the container?” Karen asked. [Why do they stare at the container so eagerly?]

“The only thing inside the container as you can see, is the meat and the ice.” Helen said as she showed the ice that he held trying to melt it down. “But the thing is, that ice does not melt.” she said with a smile.

Helen knows that they are quite interested in the contents of the container since both of them are staring at it for a while. And she also know that the only thing that is interesting inside the container is the ice that Karen’s son, Raven, put inside.

“Are you sure?” Nyx instantly asked after hearing what Helen said. “May I?” Nyx asked permission while pointing at the ice that surrounds the meat inside the container. “Oh- of course.” Karen stuttered after Helen surprised her by what she said.

“That is outrageous! Ice that never melts? Are you kidding me?” Mars protested. “Young master do you really believe this? Mars said as he pointed his finger to the container.

While Mars is busy protesting about what Helen said, Nyx on the other hand is quite fixed on the ice in his hand.

[Impossible, a small sheet of ice should have melted right away in my palms. Let’s try using a small heat in my palms.]

Nyx’s hands started to produce little fumes of heat but the ice still remained solid and did not melt.

[Impossible! How can this be? What is this? It is cold so it is definitely ice, but why doesn’t it melt?] sweat started to break out from his face after facing something unknown before his very eyes.

Helen and Mars are still on whether she told the truth or not while Karen just watch them run their mouths on one another.

“Here look, you see this? I am pinching it but it does not melt, see?” Helen said as she tries to pinch the small ice in her fingers. “How do I know that it is not a rock that looks like ice huh?” Mars argue with his nerves bulging on his forehead.

[This ignorant blind man!] [This scamming woman!] both of them had electricity clashing in their eyes while looking at each other.

“How long has that ice stayed in your hand?” Nyx ask to break the argument between her and Mars while looking at the ice in his hand eagerly.

“Young ma-“

“Karen said this ice have been here since the other day you bought her whole meat.” She said as she took some ice in her hands.

Mars tries to cut in but Helen scored before him and gave them a shock.

“Wait what?” Mars muttered in confusion. [Did I hear that one wrong?]

“Eh? But that was two days ago. How an ice survive that long?” Nyx said as he glanced at Mars who is equally confused. [Who the hell made this?]

“My son just made if from nothing, I watch him make it at home. But since he wanted to attend the academy for the first time, he helps me with the meat that I sell on the market.”

Everything about the ice that never melts is a mystery and Karen added another one to help them get confused more.

[That’s ridiculous, anyone with that level of mastery on mana manipulation cannot be with the city not knowing his existence. And from a commoner family as well, and that is a lot more confusing since most of the main noble families tries every method to strengthen their young ones, giving them the best education they can get just to reach a certain level of strength and this one pops out of nowhere and decimate everyone who lived only for the sake of getting stronger.] Nyx thought as he tries to imagine how strong this person is in actual combat.

“This is unheard of, your son making ice out of thin air without even attending the academy? Are you kidding me?” Mars still wants to argue even when his sweat is telling him that these vendors are telling the truth.

“They don’t have any reason to lie to us so just let it go for now Mars.” Nyx said as he put the ice back to the container.

[I won’t lie, they don’t seem to be lying and they don’t really have any reason to do so. It’s just frustrating to know that a commoner manage to out skill without even attending the academy where all the brilliant talents emerged.] he told himself as he bit his lip in frustration.

“Can we pay for the container as well? I would like to study it further if it’s okay to you.” Nyx proposed as he grab Mars to pay for everything.

“It’s okay, you can bring the container with you, and you don’t need to pay for it.” Karen politely decline when Mars is handing over the payment for the container. “Then please accept it as compensation for what happened earlier.” Nyx insisted.

“And about that one, please forget about it since none of us got hurt except for the man from your guards and the vendor but I know that the matter with the vendor has been taken care of so you don’t need to worry about it.” She persisted.

[Wow, I have never seen anyone politely declining compensation. Other people would take it without any second thought. This is a rare sight.] Nyx thought as he slowly put the payment back to his pocket.

“Thank you for your kindness. Then we’ll be on our way. Pleasure doing business with you.” Nyx said as he bow to the both of them.

Mars bow down as well as a sign of gratitude towards Helen and Karen as he lift the container and put it inside the carriage.

They wave goodbye as the carriage slowly disappeared at a distance.

“It was my first time talking to one of the main noble families, it made me really nervous. Thankfully young master Nyx is very easy to talk to.” Helen said as she put her hand in her chest to feel her heart beat.

A few moments later Raven arrive at the stall of his mother with everything on the table sold, alongside with the container.