There was a solid chill to Margaret's voice that sliced through the silence of the room, her tone as cold as the edge of a blade.
"You must remain alert at all times, Valeria, do you understand?" Her face was set in a stern expression, her gaze unyielding as it bore into the younger woman.
Valeria descended the staircase slowly, her gaze downcast, her head nodding in subtle acknowledgement of Margaret's stern command. Her steps were cautious, almost hesitant, as if she were measuring each one.
When they reached the base of the staircase, Valeria finally dared to raise her eyes and they met Klaus's. He was already waiting for them, a steady smile, firm and undeterred, graced his features.
"Are we ready to go?" Klaus inquired, his voice vibrating with an eagerness that was impossible to miss.
Valeria's head moved side to side in a gentle shake, indicating dissent. Preparing to respond, she found herself interrupted by a voice that echoed from the top of the staircase.
"Go where?" The query came from Keira, her voice still groggy, the remnants of sleep lingering in her tone. She was descending the stairs, clad in her night clothes, her eyes heavy with sleep.
As she reached the floor, she scanned the trio, her gaze finally settling on Margaret. "Are you three leaving?"
Margaret met her gaze, nodding in affirmation. "A dungeon has emerged just outside the city limits. We're going to investigate," she explained.
Keira's brows furrowed in an immediate reaction, her gaze flickering from Margaret to Klaus.
"And he's going?" Her voice latched onto a note of incredulity, disbelief creeping into her tone. Her eyes moved back to Margaret, and the hint of a question was clear in her expression.
She was questioning Margaret's judgement, doubting her decision-making.
"Yes," Margaret confirmed, her tone as steady as before.
"Why?" Keira questioned, her arms crossing over her chest in defiance. "It's a dangerous place. A multitude of things could go wrong."
Margaret's lips parted, ready to retort, but Keira's voice sliced through the silence once again.
"If an outsider were to recognize him — and it wouldn't be hard, given his complete lack of mana — you could lose him," Keira warned, a dangerous edge to her voice.
"Are you truly prepared to take this risk?" Keira's question hung heavily in the air.
Margaret's gaze met Valeria's, an unspoken understanding passing between them. In response to the silent command, Valeria reached into her pouch, drawing forth a mask of black obsidian.
Its sudden appearance pulled the room's attention like an irresistible vortex, with Klaus and Keira fixating on the mask, their expressions a mirror of perplexity.
Margaret broke the silence, her voice echoing ominously across the room. "This is the Eclipse Mask. It can cloak one's entire being — aura, scent, even the rhythm of their heart. The only evidence of your existence will be the image you cast."
Shock etched itself onto Klaus's face, replacing his earlier bewilderment. His eyes widened in astonishment as he studied the mask in Valeria's hand.
"Could even a grandmaster fail to detect it?" Keira inquired, her tone laced with skepticism.
Margaret responded with a firm nod, her expression etched with absolute conviction.
Meanwhile, Klaus's brow furrowed in confusion. "Grandmaster?" he echoed, his voice tinged with intrigue. As the trio diverted their attention from the mask to him, he pressed on. "Who might that be?"
"Grandmasters are mages, who have refined and purified their mana core to the orange stage," Keira explained patiently. Seeing Klaus's confusion deepen, she added, "Every mana user has a mana core within them. This core is the source of their power."
Keira spun her tale with a rhythm of a seasoned storyteller, her voice weaving an intricate tapestry of knowledge about the mana.
"Each mage's journey starts the same - with a core of raw, red energy. This is the disciple level, our base. As we grow, as our mana strengthens and matures, the color of our cores shift. Each hue signifies a new level of mastery."
She left a pause, a moment for Klaus to drink in the information. "The grand masters," she continued, her voice imbued with an almost reverential tone, "are those who have cultivated their cores to a deep, dark orange."
Klaus, his brows furrowed in concentration, began to grasp the skeleton of the concept. "Dark orange?" he echoed, his voice a mix of confusion and curiosity.
"Are there shades within each color?"
Keira offered him a nod, the motion subtle yet filled with a certain grace. "There are three shades to be precise: dark, solid, and light. A disciple's core could be either dark or solid red. As they progress and become masters, the core changes to light red. And then, with time and effort, they can attain the grand master level, their cores transforming into a dark orange."
As Keira's explanation unfolded, the puzzled expression on Klaus's face gradually melted into one of understanding. He bobbed his head, his eyes bright with newfound knowledge.
Then, his gaze turned inquisitive, a spark of curiosity igniting within. "And what about you, Keira?" he asked, the intrigue coloring his tone and painting his expression. "What color is your mana core?"
A smirk tugged at the corners of Keira's mouth as she regarded Klaus, her gaze playful yet stern.
She paused, letting the silence stretch for a dramatic moment before responding, "That is not your concern."
With that, she turned away.
No sooner had Keira turned away, than a peal of laughter echoed through the air. It was Valeria, her amusement rippling through the tension like a rogue wave.
"Oh, Keira," she said, shaking her head in mirth. "That was so uncalled for. Are you perhaps shy about your mana cultivation?"
Keira's response was swift, her voice laced with a hint of playful rivalry. "If I'm embarrassed about my cultivation, then you, dear Valeria, might just die of humiliation. After all, I'm still one stage ahead of you."
The two women stood opposite each other, their gazes locked in a silent confrontation. The air became thick, charged with an electricity that hinted at the brewing storm. Just as the atmosphere threatened to snap, a voice sliced through the tension.
Klaus, his tone laced with curiosity, asked, "Are both of you still at the disciple level?"
"No!" Keira's reaction was immediate, her voice echoing with indignation. "She is at the disciple level, I am not."
Caught off guard, Valeria stuttered, "Y-You..."
"You just managed to scrape your way into the master level," she finally spat out, her voice regaining its strength. "And rest assured, it won't be long before I join you."
Keira's laughter was pointed, a barbed weapon in this verbal battle. "Wait until you actually get there, Valeria. Until then, you might want to consider staying quiet."
As Valeria moved to confront Keira, Margaret was there, her hand a calming pressure on her arm. "She's right, Valeria. Wait until you're at the master level." Ignoring Valeria's protests, Margaret guided her away, their figures retreating into the distance.
She turned her gaze to Klaus, her eyes glinting with an unspoken command. "Put on your mask, Klaus. It's time to go."