They all turned towards the old man. Agandaur started collecting stones while Gillibrian simply stared at the new presence. Stephan on the other hand thought of what the real identity of the old man. There was something like a title floating over his head and from the reaction of both his companions, he was the only one being able to see it.
Agandaur was ready to throw the stones at the old man but Stephan stopped him. "I believe your master sent you to us, right? We desire to have a meeting with him. This companion dwarf here is an acquaintance of the mage."
The crow shifter narrowed his eyes then shifted to his animal form and joined the lot of crows flying around the tower creating a mirage of blackness. Stephan took out his notebook and wrote something about the location of the tower. If he believed his instinct, all the places he would visit at the test, they would exist outside as well.
The three advanced to the tower's door and pulled a cord for the bell to be ringed. The sound echoed inside showing the emptiness of the place. A shiver ran down Stephan's span but a sense of excitement brushed over him as well. He found himself in that world she brought him to.
They waited anxiously at the door then the sound of footsteps approaching echoed closer and closer then it stopped behind the door. A small wooden slot slid open and two green eyes appeared and examined them.
"I have received your message, old acquaintance, and I have verified your existence. You all do not seem harmful to me and my research," a grumpy voice spoke through the hole. "I believe you must be here for a reason."
Yeah, we are here to rob you, mighty mage," Stephan replied. "What do you think? Are we doing a great job?" he spread his hands proudly. "You are the great mage of the dark tower so there is no way we can find you without being harmful," he smirked.
"You do not speak words of wisdom. Such rush blood in your vein! Your parents must have been thrilled when they got rid of you," his eyes moved to the dwarf after that. "Ammm… I know you. It has been such a long time since I have seen you."
With this, the wooden slot closed and then there was crack. In the end, the door opened revealing the appeared of a long-bearded man hiding behind a long robe. His hair was still dark showing the early time of his magic abilities and his age. Agandaur once again was prepared to throw stones and again Stephan stopped him. The mage had those eyes that seemed to say: Do not be foolish as his magic was great.
"Gillibrian, my old acquaintance. To what pleasure do I owe your visit here bringing me two strangers?"
"I hate to admit it but I owe this human my life and I hope you could guide us with our new quest. We need to accomplish it urgently and this human here is a support."
He turned and climbed the stone stairs. Stephan kept his eyes at him and for a moment, he saw the man disappear and appear so high on the stairs. From the look of it, it was going to take them a while to reach the end of the stairs.
"Now, listen well! You both!" Gillibrian said. "No matter what kind of door attracts you, I want you to stir away from it and not touch anything. God knows what kind of atrocities are behind those doors."
"I think I heard of this place before and why it is caller Tower of Darkness," Agandaur had his eyes fixed on the doors as he climbed the stairs. "It was said to me by one of my old folks that this tower holds the secret of the Universe. Each door has a specific secret. No one lived to tell what's behind them."
"I think it's more of secret of his researches," Stephan explained. "If I was in his shoes and as an apprentice magician, I would like to have a tower on my own and experience with magic," mages in Masmoenia had the trait of researchers on Earth; they were curious about everything and liked to know everything. "Behind each one of his doors, there must be a kind of research going on. The secret of the Universe must have been a term too vague to describe it."
"I don't really understand what you are blabbering about but," the dwarf replied. "I guess you are right. You magicians are too weird for us, dwarves. Mages are mostly humans. It's a term for humans. The elves are elves and us dwarves are dwarves. Each his own area of expertise. However, humans are too much of a hassle; they are curious about anything and everything."
Stephan followed the dwarf and understood from his talk that there was once, he was a servant in this tower. He had a debt and with no gold in possession, he settled it with his years. He recognized many weapons that were hung on the walls. His talk never ended, especially when he started explaining how he got the idea behind the weapons.
They reached a large room and the dwarf seemed to shut his mouth. He even told them to not talk and in case of a must word, they had to whisper. The door was wide open and the wizard was studying some kind of parchment. The others couldn't step inside but Stephan left all his shamelessness behind and got in. The mage glanced back at the two feet that approached him and the head that poked its nose at his research.
He picked up his parchment and closed his books then moved away, taking his research away from the strange eyes. Stephan followed him around the room and the other two simply gazed at them playing a game of tag.
"Now," the wizard yelled. "Stop following me around. You are disturbing my research."