"Mist Forest?"
Sauron slightly frowned, recalling the recent encounter with undead while leading a team to gather Ghost Pattern Flowers in that forest.
"Yes, Mist Forest!"
Frost nodded, his expression serious. "Among the territories belonging to Night Raven City, the village nearest to Mist Forest is Horn Village."
"Therefore, I have ordered the militia of Horn Village to constantly monitor the situation in Mist Forest."
"According to the descriptions of the villagers, recently, the mist in the forest seems to show signs of spreading, and strange sounds are heard every night!"
Sauron touched his chin, thoughts flickering in his mind.
Earlier, he had ventured into Mist Forest, and he knew that the forest was now occupied by undead, especially the wraiths, which clung to the trees like demons.
Anyone who dared to enter Mist Forest would face attacks from the undead. Consequently, Sauron had ordered Mist Forest to be temporarily designated as a restricted area. However, it seemed that this measure had not resolved the crisis.
The spreading mist indicated that the territories of the undead were growing. It might not be long before Horn Village itself would be engulfed.
"Why are there so many undead appearing?"
Sauron slightly frowned, his eyes showing a hint of contemplation.
According to the Necromancer Codex, when people die, their souls usually become wandering spirits, unable to exist in the mortal realm for an extended period without sunlight. Undead needed specific conditions to survive, and Mist Forest had been a resource point for the Swain family for many years.
When Oren was still around, there had been no reports of undead in Mist Forest. However, now not only were there undead, but also ghosts and wraiths, claiming the entire forest as their territory.
Frost hesitated, a complex expression on his face.
"Is there something on your mind? Speak freely."
Noticing Frost's expression, Sauron asked.
"Do you remember the stories I used to tell you before you went to sleep when we were young?"
Frost's expression became complicated, and he faintly said, "In ancient legends, there's a prophecy that at some future moment, a tide of magic will sweep the world, and dark forces will devour everything."
"Magic Tide?"
Sauron's mind stirred, memories of his childhood flooding back.
The ancient legend of the Magic Tide had been circulating on the lost continent. According to the legend, thousands of years ago, the lost continent was a Dark Land ruled by ancient Spiritual Gods. They were powerful and ruthless, treating humans like livestock.
It was a bloody era.
One day, a Great Saint named Elsa descended to the world. According to ancient records, Saint Elsa led twelve saints and appeared during the darkest era of human history.
The saint defeated the evil ancient gods, bringing light to the lost continent.
Since then, humans entered a new era. The Great Saint Elsa enlightened humanity, guiding them from the Stone Age to civilization. Under Saint Elsa's leadership, the powerful Valeria Empire was established on the lost continent.
The existence of the Valeria Empire allowed humanity to enter a period of development for three hundred years.
That era was known as the "Old Calendar"!
Following the normal course of development, the mighty Valeria Empire would continue to dominate the lost continent. Under the leadership of Saint Elsa, humanity would grow and prosper.
However, one day, the third saint, Glyn, for reasons unknown, betrayed Saint Elsa.
Taking advantage of Saint Elsa's trust, Glyn severely injured him and paid a heavy price before fleeing.
In an instant, the empire faced a crisis.
The saints distrusted each other, unsure if the others were accomplices of the third saint. The once powerful Valeria Empire began to disintegrate.
Seeing the empire he had built with his own hands fall apart, Saint Elsa, who was severely injured, felt immense sadness but also helplessness.
Due to Glyn's betrayal, Saint Elsa no longer trusted the remaining saints.
After a period of chaos, Saint Elsa disappeared from the world.
No one knew where he had gone.
However, before leaving, the saint left behind an ancient prophecy – that one day, a Magic Tide representing extraordinary power would sweep across the lost continent.
At that time, darkness would engulf everything!
The prophecy did not clearly state what the so-called darkness represented. However, now, with the sudden appearance of wraiths in Mist Forest and rumors from the north, Frost immediately thought of the Magic Tide.
Sauron's eyes flickered slightly.
He had initially not believed in the legend of the Magic Tide. Still, since obtaining the Wizard Inheritance, Sauron had developed more thoughts about it. It was more than just a legend; the Magic Tide truly existed, just like wizards.
"If it's only Mist Forest, it seems insufficient to explain everything."
After a moment of contemplation, Sauron spoke.
"Not just Mist Forest."
Frost shook his head, saying solemnly, "News just came from the northern border. Someone found traces of ghouls near the Great Wall."
"Also, it's said that a spider demon crawled out of a tomb in the swamp dukedom, devouring all the people in a village."
"Besides, there seem to be werewolves appearing on the eastern plains."
"Although these pieces of news haven't been confirmed, rumors about the Magic Tide are becoming more and more intense!"
As he spoke, Frost's expression became grave.
If the legend of the Magic Tide was true, it meant that the lost continent would soon face a terrifying catastrophe.
"Alright! I understand."
After some thought, Sauron nodded.
Although the situation regarding the Magic Tide could not be confirmed, Mist Forest was an immediate concern. As the current Lord of Night Raven City, Sauron wouldn't easily abandon his territories unless absolutely necessary.
Especially Mist Forest, which had been an important resource point for the Swain family for many years. Now, Sauron wanted to cultivate the Snow Eagle Breathing Technique and the Red Snake Breathing Technique, and magical herbs were indispensable. If Mist Forest was as it had been, he could use the materials from the forest to concoct potions suitable for cultivating both Breathing Techniques.