The dead labyrinth, The new Clain protector.
By now, night had fallen although it was only its start. The group of merchants was matching forward in high spirits.
There was no word in the world that would describe the said party function for them than profits.
For this, their manager Byrum Plains looked very pleased with this business deal.
Being their custom, it was the Orchid merchant group's rule of sharing a two percent of the profit with all their employees.
And for this, the guy who was all time came out of the courage. Though his courage looked normal, it was only a security measure for the group to avoid bandits along the way.
However, this was rather the hardest part to achieve firing their journeys as they were meant to cross mountains and valleys. It was common sense that many of these were always occupied by bandits.
The man got off the carriage at once. Looking around, he was trying his best to scrutinize the group he was leading on this mission.
Dressed in a long black attire, although he sounded off the managerial status, all the team saluted the moment he got out of the carriage. It was as though they copied the army character here but this act of theirs had a hidden meaning.
Much more being useless to those that looked at the Orchid caravan, the caravan always knew best why they always had to follow such criteria, and just now, the manager had noticed something off the place.
To think someone joined our caravan for a ride without our knowledge, these fellow should be a big problem to us.
The manager mused. The guy was by no means that old. By most, he was only twenty-eight though he still had a few days to his birthday celebration and this was the sole reason as to why he was in a hurry to reach home.
Ruling from the Eastern City, the said second largest and most powerful of the four, the Orchid merchant group was one of the most excelling merchant groups within the city.
And for this, the group's caravans would always receive attention from many places in the kingdom while in business.
Manager Byrum walked calmly as he got to the group of Mr. Clain. Although he was kind, the man never accepted trouble to come his way so he straightened himself before approaching the group.
With a salute, he greeted them humbly even when anger was clear on his face. The ability to keep a calm attitude was a must-have personality among managers and it was no surprise to the three for the man to keep his calm. They had been working with many caravans along their life journey leaving them a mind of who caravan managers were by personality.
Seeing the visible anger in him, Mr. Clain followed suit with a salutation and then introduced himself in the process.
My surname is Clain and these are my colleagues. We only came to the city to let the young lads awaken their magic elements albeit to their ignorance of the city rules, they ended up in trouble so we are heading back to Almain village for the time being.
The manager had all their story, though praised for his kind heart, he would never do any act that would leave a blood birth to his caravan but before he is a group is in trouble with the city lord.
The man was no fool to bring trouble to himself least mention his caravan as he did know why the group was on the run.
While in the city, he came to know that the young city lord sought a lady out but what came out as a result was far bitter than red paper.
To think these people had the guts of harming the young lord and escaped the city lord's furry by his roof, this would bro g him trouble the moment word got to his father but the last words of the man felt familiar to him.
Wait who mentioned them? scratching his head to recall the whereabouts of this incident.
As though recalling something, he asked, "Did you say you are Clain from Almain village?"
Hearing this, Mr. Clain proceeded to answer with a yes. He was only probing the water for them to cross to think this person knew of the story behind his hints, they might be saved or taken back as gifts to please the city lord. If the latter were to happen, they had to clear their way out in time.
As though he came to a realization, he remembered that his father had stated that if he were to meet any Clain from Almain village, he had to treat him with utter respect and had to help them even if it meant losing the wealth they had accumulated all this long.
Now the group before him was the real thing his dad mentioned to him. To think he was the man to rebuild their family's relationship with their benefactor, this was truly a great milestone move for his family.
With an entirety politeness, the man called them in and let the young lads sleep down his carriage. The wagon had a space below it where the four went to sleep soundly.
As manager Byrum had a conversation with the group, he came to understand why the village is stated to be a myth to the outside world.
The place had a spell that surrounded it and it was for this that not anyone that sought it could see or come near it without being accepted by the locals of the village.
So it is really true that the village exists. To think such a thing came to me after this long a period, I should be really blessed to stand on such a path. I will bring my family to glory again just like in the past. The manager thought to himself.
***
Just as Raman went to sleep, he went back to the mystery that he sought to solve. As he had failed to cross the plant guardian spell the other time, he was in full spirit the moment he came back to this place.
Walking calmly, he went further ahead as he crossed the short twinkling grass that was at sight. If memory serves him right, the old man had stated it clearly that all he needed was to awaken his magic and he would cross through the spell with ease.
Just as he was in his train of thoughts, he was already in place and the plant Guardian spell was before him. To think he got the chance to come to this place again was no an easy feat for anyone to achieve.
Who said chance comes once in a lifetime? He has now made his third journey to this mysterious place and yet one comes out to claim that fate gives you one chance in a millennia light move. what a joke?
Calming himself, he walked straight along the narrowing path within the Plant Guardian spell.
As expected, indeed the spell remained put. not even a single move could be spotted as he made his way to the other side.
But things were never as he thought them to be. If one were to look carefully, the plant guardian spell only occupied a small part of the area but when Raman got to move through the narrowing path, he came to a realization of the true meaning of the said phrase of not judging a book by its cover.
To think the spell occupied a space this long, it was no wonder given an attention among spells in this world. Think of it, I have long read various books but I haven't heard of one ever using such a spell, should it be that we currently lack people with such talent?
As he mused through the world records of the experts, he exited the plant spell and stood on real sand. To think this place even held sand within it.
Just then, the sand started wriggling, and in no time, a group of insect beasts the size of a normal hen started showing up an by one.
How could he fail to recognize these insects? Since they were always by the village borders, he could easily tell what they were with one glance.
These were the rumored Gul insects and rumor always praised them to be the protectors of their village.
Reciting a few phrases, the Gul insects dug back to the ground leaving him to reach the White House in whole.
Seated cross-legged inside the house was the old Ai as he looked to be meditating.
Entering the house, a voice sounded out as though old Ai was speaking yet his mouth remained shut. To think such a feat was possible with cultivation, wouldn't that make him a god?
Walk to the right and the door will be opened. Keep in mind not to change anything in place for now.
Hearing his voice, the Raman followed to the right and indeed, a door opened before him.
Just like the first room where the place held only a well-carved stone that old Ai sat on, this room also held a stone in the middle of the room.
However, what was on the stone wasn't old Ai but a ring and a necklace whose head was like chilling borne though Raman could not feel the chill that it exuded.
The two items were like rusted steel nails the moment Raman looked at them but recalling old Ai's words, he braced himself and touched the stone before picking up the two objects from the stone then...