"to think we would find this place rather quickly, this is quite a feat considering how secretive it location is, even Seraph and Larmore would be amazed". Barbara said.
"Indeed" Igor said with a beaming smile.
The two individuals stood in front of an abandoned looking building that has vines and trees invading its premises. Moss and green algae were on the walls of the building, if not for the fact that the building was marked as a potential research center,it would be overlooked.
"It looks abandoned, is this place still functional"? Barbara said
"Let's check it out". Igor said as they both went towards the door of the building, coincidentally, as Igor was about to knock at the door, a person from the other side opened it, startling them all.
"Zenobios"! Igor and Barbara exclaimated.
"Igor, Barbara? How... how did you find this place"? Zenobios asked.
"Never mind, come in".
"I did say we were going to meet soon, Igor, but i didn't know it will be this soon, it literally just a day apart ". Zenobios said.
"We are quite surprised ourselves, to think we would find a secret place like this and even find you, the world must be backing us". Igor said.
Entering into the building, there is an instant notice in the sharp contrast between the inside and the outside, while the outside looks to be in shambles and degraded, the inside looks as good as a newly built building, sparkling in dazzling aesthetics.
"To think the inside of the building would be this beautiful compared to the shambles of the outside, just what kind of enchantment was made here". Barbara said astounded.
"You must be quite a scholar yourself, yes this place is enchanted, what you see outside is nothing but illusion, not to talk about the fact that you cannot enter without the consent of an authorized personnel ". Zenobios replied.
"But how come we were not able to feel the enchantment made on the building, to be honest we would have been fooled if not for the fact that this place was specified ". Barbara asked.
"We've been doing magic research for a long time now and hiding the properties of an enchantment is one of our successful works". Zenobios said.
Igor, walking at the sidelines with them and listening to the conversation, he seems to be having some conflicting thoughts. Barbara walked beside him and whispered:
"Do you really think we found this place by luck and coincidence"?
Igor was quite stunned by this question, he looked at Barbara with a puzzled face.
"We will talk more about it later". She said.
It seems Barbara is catching up on something and she's looks at Zenobios with suspicion, well who wouldn't be, a man who came out of nowhere and fight off a dragon and coincidentally met him at a secret research place they planned to go, plus he is in contract with a devil _ not like they are the ones to speak but still...
Igor has been suspicious of him from the start, he recalled their experience of their journey on their way here.
* * *
Moments before Barbara and Igor departed from Seraph and Larmore, Larmore gave them a map marked with locations of possible places for a research center.
"In the map are possible locations for a research center, the research centers were not disclosed to anyone not even to us nobles, only the king, a few trusted personnel in the authorities and those who work there knows the location". Larmore said.
"Uhm, thanks ". Igor said monotonically.
"Just ask, i know you want to ask how i know this much, the answer is simple, i knew someone who knew someone that knows about it, bye good luck on your find ". Larmore said.
"..."
"Really explanatory, anyways bye you two, good luck on finding Orpheus ". Igor said.
"Bye"! Barbara said.
Departing from the two, Barbara and Igor were on the move to find the nearest marked location of the research center.
"According to the map, the nearest one is at the forest east of this city, it is pretty close ". Barbara said reading the map.
"We can but... i keep having this feeling that we should head up north, at the place marked near northern lights city ". Igor said.
"A feeling... really "Barbara said dead tone.
"There is no need for sarcasm, it's just a feeling alright, let continue to where we are headed" Igor said pouting.
Reaching a building deep within the forest with a bit difficulty due to its elusive location, they were glad they found one of the possible places for the research center, but the place looks deserted and has been invaded by the trees of the forest.
"This place looks eerie, should we venture anywhere near it". Barbara said with an uneasy expression.
"Yes I'm getting an ominous feeling from it too, but it wouldn't hurt to check right"? Igor said, feeling quite uneasy too.
Going near the building, they entered and were inspecting the rooms of the building together one after the other. They found numerous glass containers with nothing inside, some broken others still intact. Some rooms were vast but empty, others were filled with books of research notes and spells.
"It quite weird and unusual not to meet any beast on sight in an abandoned facility, is it because of that ominous energy that is radiating"? Barbara asked.
"Don't you think we should trace where that energy is coming from". Igor suggested.
"Let's go ". Barbara said.
Tracking and tracing the ominous energy, they went underground and found a large container, within it is a large blue egg.
"That is an egg, a dragon's egg"! Igor said surprised.
"A dragon's egg, how did it get here". Barbara questioned.
"Who knows, this is the first time I've ever seen a dragon's egg, it's beautiful". Igor said.
"..."
"That is great, but what kind of egg, even if it's a dragon's, gives off this repulsive and ominous energy ". Barbara said pondering.