The morning dawned with a crisp chill in the air, but Lyra, Jhaeros, and Nara were far too preoccupied to notice. They stood outside Kalem's workshop—a rented forge on the outskirts of the campus—gripping their shared unease like a shield.
"I can't believe we're doing this," Lyra said, glancing nervously at the door.
"Believe it," Nara replied, cracking her knuckles. "He owes us some answers."
Jhaeros, ever the calm observer, gave a sharp nod. "If something's off, we'll find out soon enough."
The forge was exactly as they'd imagined—neat yet chaotic, with tools hanging on the walls, half-finished weapons on racks, and faint embers still glowing in the forge. The metallic tang in the air mixed with the scent of oil and leather.
But Kalem was nowhere to be found.
"Where is he?" Lyra muttered, moving cautiously around the room.
"Not here, that's for sure," Nara said, peering around a stack of crates.
Jhaeros' ears twitched suddenly, and he motioned for them to be quiet. "Someone's coming," he whispered.
The trio scrambled, ducking behind a stack of barrels near the window. From there, they had a clear view of the forge's entrance.
The door creaked open, and Kalem walked in, flanked by three men. The strangers wore sturdy traveling clothes, their faces shadowed by hoods, but their movements were confident and deliberate. Two of them carried a heavy wooden crate between them, setting it down with a dull thud.
"Is everything ready?" the lead man asked, his tone gruff and businesslike.
Kalem strode to the workbench, pulling a tarp aside to reveal several sets of finely crafted armor and weapons. Each piece was a masterpiece, polished to a mirror finish and etched with faintly glowing runes.
"They're all here," Kalem said, gesturing toward the equipment.
From their hiding spot, Lyra's eyes widened. "Are you seeing this?" she whispered.
"Yeah," Jhaeros murmured. "Enchanted gear."
"That's why he's always locked up in here," Lyra added, her voice laced with disbelief. "He's been making weapons and selling them."
"Well, he is a blacksmith," Nara pointed out with a shrug.
Lyra shot her a glare. "Not like this. Look at those enchantments. This isn't normal student work."
"Quiet," Jhaeros hissed, his attention fixed on the scene.
Inside, the lead man inspected a breastplate, his fingers tracing the runes. "You've outdone yourself. But tell me, kid, are you supposed to be selling this kind of gear?"
Kalem didn't flinch. "What do you mean?"
The man chuckled, setting the breastplate back on the table. "This isn't your average equipment. Enchantments like these? They're mostly used by nobles or people rich enough to arm entire battalions. The academy wouldn't be thrilled to find out you've been selling their resources on the side."
Kalem crossed his arms, his expression calm but firm. "I paid for the materials myself, and the enchantments are my own work. The academy has no claim to it."
The lead man raised an eyebrow. "Fair enough. But this is risky business. You're talented, kid, no doubt about that, but playing in the shadows has its costs."
Kalem smirked faintly. "That's why it's temporary. I only need to keep this up until the year-end exams. Once I get access to the academy dorms, I won't need the extra cash."
The man laughed, a low, gravelly sound. "Smart kid. All right, let's settle up."
He gestured to his men, who opened the crate they'd brought. Inside were rows of rare materials— some rare-metal ingots, Mana Shards, and bundles of unrefined ore. One of the men handed Kalem a small pouch of coins.
"Half in cash, half in materials," the lead man said. "Fair trade, yeah?"
Kalem inspected the contents, nodding in approval. "Fair enough."
As the men left the workshop, Kalem began organizing the materials, muttering to himself. "This should keep me going for a while... Just need to survive until the exams."
Outside, the trio crouched behind the barrels, their minds racing.
"Did you hear that?" Lyra whispered, her voice tinged with both shock and concern.
"He's using the forge to fund himself," Jhaeros said, his tone neutral. "Nothing unusual about that."
"Except he's selling enchanted gear to shady buyers," Lyra countered. "And he's using academy resources to do it."
"Not entirely," Jhaeros said. "He said he paid for the materials."
"Yeah, but those enchantments aren't basic," Lyra argued. "He's been using academy tools and knowledge for this."
Nara shrugged. "So what? He's resourceful. If anything, I respect him more now."
Lyra stared at her. "This could get him expelled, Nara. Or worse."
Jhaeros tilted his head, his feline eyes narrowing. "There's more to this than we're seeing. Kalem isn't careless. If he's doing this, he has a reason."
Lyra crossed her arms, frustration evident in her posture. "Reason or not, we need to talk to him. No more sneaking around."
Nara grinned. "Oh, I can't wait for that conversation."
The trio slipped away from the workshop, their thoughts a whirlwind of curiosity and concern. Kalem's secret had been revealed, but the mystery behind his actions was far from solved.