Silence had settled over the night like a thick, unyielding blanket, but the crackling torches defied it, spreading their trembling light on both sides of the road. Their dancing flames cast golden glints that oscillated between stillness and movement, a faint glow that contrasted with the implacable hardness of the stone walls, cold and rough, like the hand of a petrified giant. The shadows played at will in the cracks and nooks, as if each dark corner harbored secrets that whispered in the ear of the night wind.
This was one of the hidden corridors of the royal castle, a darkened passageway whose austere appearance contrasted with the sumptuous halls and lavish galleries on display before the eyes of the public. Here there was no room for ostentation or splendor; everything was conceived with a single purpose: to ensure maximum efficiency and security. The walls, bare of ornamentation, showed their raw stone, and the floor, uneven and worn, told stories of furtive steps and decisions made in the dark. It was a space designed for silence and discretion, an echo of secrets that slipped into shadows, far from prying eyes.
The gray tiles meandered like a river of stone, losing sight every few steps in a labyrinth of unexpected curves and turns. Yet my feet continued to advance with certainty, moving with an almost instinctive fluidity despite the gloom that hung over the corridor. Each step was a precise calculation: first the toe, a light touch that tested the ground, and then a careful sway that distributed my weight over the rest, as if I were dancing with the darkness, in a choreography learned over countless furtive nights.
My eyes moved with keen attention, roaming every corner of the corridor without stopping at a single point, sweeping the gloom for any sign of hidden danger. I remembered well that the first defenses in these passages had not been installed until I turned thirty — ingenious traps designed by master builder Chálkellon, a virtuoso of military architecture. This time, however, I could not blindly rely on my memory. The changes I had brought about could have brought new fortifications and new obstacles. Nothing in this place could be taken for granted; every step was a move on the chessboard of an unknown enemy, and I had to anticipate every move in the surrounding darkness. For in maximum wakefulness is how I had lived during my previous life, and I do not know how to live any other way.
Four minutes and twenty-seven seconds had elapsed since my departure from the royal laboratory. In approximately thirty-five minutes, a central guard patrol would pass near my target. I knew well what I would face: each patrol was composed of four advanced rank 2 soldiers, hardened in combat and with the honed skills of those who have seen too many battles, and a rank 3 captain, usually of intermediate level. It was a disciplined team, trained to react with lethal precision at the slightest sign of danger. There was no margin for error; every second was either an advantage or a risk in this game of black and white.
After so much running, I finally reached my destination: the palace treasury. About a dozen meters in front of me, a straight corridor stretched out, leading to a "T" intersection. At first glance, there was but one solitary figure: an old man sitting on a small wooden stool. His hair, gray as ash, fell in disarray over a face of bronze, furrowed with scars that spoke of countless battles. He wore silver plate armor, dull and worn, that looked as if it had seen better days. His eyes were closed, as if he had succumbed to the weight of years and the weariness of a long vigil, and his right hand gently clutched a great halberd in a gesture about to abandon it. He seemed lost in the world of dreams, oblivious to my presence... but in this place, any appearance could be a deception. 'Years forward, years back... You haven't changed a bit, Selenor.' I devoted one of my many thoughts as my legs slowed, now with greater care than before.
General Selenor, an old friend of Kháris and Hyprónesis, commander of the ancient army lost in the great territorial wars. In these times, an old fox acting senile, yet agile and with great physical prowess. Trapped in the acme of rank 3, he is undoubtedly a king among those of his own rank and a slave to his potential from another perspective. He who was my right hand during my time in royalty, you will be of use to me one last time.
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The many bodies of young and veteran soldiers littered the ground of the indiscriminate war. It had been more than thirty years since then, but there was no detail that I did not remember.
Formations of infantry knights were moving up the flanks, encircling the last of the opposing forces from the East. The artillery magi did not hesitate to finish off the main threats of renown in the bowels of that pocket. Certainly, the enemy division commander was just a terrible leader, or perhaps an inexperienced young man. After all, the center of an armed force is the most prone to attacks, as there is no risk of causing friendly fire; it grants a false sense of security to the soldiers inside it.
'Old memories... I never get tired of seeing them.' I thought as I smiled in my mind. That memory was invisible to the eye, for these images were nothing more than wind moved by my magic, a breeze forming figures with its trajectory, thus being perceptible only to me, its controller.
Suddenly, a vibration appeared in the surrounding air. Before it reached my ears, I stopped playing with my magic and entertaining those useless thoughts.
"General Selenor, don't you think it is displeasing not to receive your visitors?" — Said a female voice, tone inquisitive and without evil intent behind it, so soft that it had become creepy.
I had no time for games. My legs showed explosive strength, advancing toward the direction of the noise instantly. The halberd at my fingertips quickly crossed the space with a crescent cut. The ferocity of a veteran was revealed behind my falsely carefree stance, a display of my martial arts inherited for generations in this old body that after so much training makes them look totally natural.
When I opened my eyes, the tip of my halberd, which I had stopped, was pointing into the void.
I couldn't help but hesitate for a moment before grunting. My measurement could not be wrong, the direction of the sound was correct, and the distance traveled was just right. The only explanation was that the intruder was using an invisibility spell or artifact.
My control of the surrounding mana was regained, having been slightly lost due to the sudden movement. Now that I could feel the air in my surroundings, I perceived the outline of a cloaked, hooded human in a cloak, the tip of my halberd was under his chin.
"Invader, don't think you escape my senses! Make yourself seen this instant, or I will not hesitate to slice your throat." — I said in my rough, imposing voice, looking at where the figure's eyes should be, my expression serious, and my brow furrowed.
After my words, the light in front of me began to distort. A young brunette girl of no more than twenty appeared before me, her black ponytail covered by the hood. Her body hidden behind a brown rag, similar to a cowl. She had a calm smile on her face, feeling no danger or fear whatsoever.
My face darkened involuntarily... She is only a rank 2 magus... However, she has managed to walk here without me hearing her footsteps, only detecting her once she decided to reveal herself. And, even more chilling, was the fact that she had stayed just within the eight-meter limit that covers my control of the surrounding air.
Usually, I would have killed her without waiting for a response, for intruders of this type do not come to give a gift. And, if I wanted to keep them alive, I would attack one of their limbs to avoid trouble and capture them.
However... This girl seems to have too much information, my intuition is screaming at me that something was very wrong. Is she an envoy from another kingdom or faction to give a message? What I can be sure of, is that her performance in combat does not cause a danger to my health, besides, if she were a real danger who knows my limits, she would have attacked initially and from a distance greater than eight meters.
While my head was working on overexertion and the edge of my halberd was still threatening the young woman, her lips parted, mentioning a single word with great confidence.
"Rosáreda" — That word hit me like a thunderbolt, leaving my mind blank, stopping in its tracks those thoughts and even my breathing; the force left my arms, lowering my halberd to the height of her chest.
When I wanted to come back to myself, to react and play dumb to make believe I didn't know anything about it, I knew I would only succeed in wasting my time... She knows... I don't know how, I don't know why, but she knows...
"... She's your daughter, isn't she?" — Continued the young woman once my thoughts settled. — "Half human, half monster... Perhaps more the latter than the former."
Each word shook the deepest part of my being, my hands began to tremble as if they belonged to an inexperienced youth again.
"... What do you want...?" — I managed to question with a pleading tone, losing my composure. — "I don't know what you're talking about, what your motives or intentions are, but don't think I'll be so easy to tame."
"In the south of this kingdom... there are some lands that, coincidentally, are in your name and, at the bottom of these lands, there is a very curious mountain, where, after going through a very expensive and deliberately placed illusion so that no one common will detect it, at the bottom and behind multiple secret rooms and hidden doors she is found, isn't she?" The young girl's smile remained unperturbed, as if she was expecting everything that was happening.
Surely my face right now was priceless, my authoritative face and serious temper were slowly losing their light as panic and worry flooded it with every detail.
"Look... We might be able to work out a deal... if you don't tell anyone." Now that my biggest secret had been revealed, all that was left for me to do was try to minimize the outcome.
"Of course... don't worry, Selenor. I only require a small favor." — She left a brief silence. "I want you to open the door behind your body."
My hands tightened on the handle of my halberd. Did she want me to give up my honor and pride as a knight? No, not just my honor, but the ideals that forged my life as it is!
As much as I wanted to finish her off, I was powerless. I knew perfectly well that a rank 2 magus could not reach this place by herself, much less have such private knowledge of me—that secret I kept even from my most faithful friends...
If I killed her, the person or faction behind her, which must have been investigating me thoroughly, would make their move, making public the situation of my supposedly deceased daughter... Having been turned into a monster during those chaotic times, she would be killed by those neighboring kingdoms or even by the nobles and "defenders of justice" of this nation. After all, monsters originating from humans have a great possibility of generating intelligence, which can cause great calamities in nearby societies...
I ducked my head, turning around and walking back to the seat where I had sat before. Moving it aside with a flick of my hand, I traced patterns on the stone wall with my mana, which was absorbed by it.
Soon after, the illusion shattered, revealing a large metal door with glowing blue runes etched on its sides. After the activation of the pattern and mana recognition, the doors opened wide with the mechanical clatter of gears.
I had just sealed my fate... I had opened the treasury to an invader... Not even little Kháris could save me from this one. But... at this point, I didn't care. I had already decided long ago that I would do whatever it took for my beloved daughter... even if beast she is, as long as she still is, hope there will be... Only... I didn't expect this moment to come so soon...
The young woman passed me at a steady pace. Her presence indiscernible, as if she were not a living being in the least, her movements fluid as water, the soles of her feet silent against the ground, as if she were floating above it.
As the young woman entered the metallic room, she spoke without looking back, "Remember... these artifacts were destroyed by you, for you have become a traitor paid by the Western coalition to wipe out the royal treasury, understood?"
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The treasury was a large subway construction, formed entirely of magically fortified iron; its walls, ceilings, and floors having a thickness of thirty centimeters.
Of course, the main defense was hidden behind its walls. In the underground of the palace, a great tangle of magical circuits and artifacts were ready to wipe out any intruder trying to force their way in with offensive spells or barriers to prevent invasion. In turn, these circuits were connected to the capital's magic system, being one of the main nodes of this network that allowed the passage of mana to the residents and the city walls in case of emergency; these were something that every city had, and their subway presence made them difficult to sabotage and locate unless the enemy obtains the construction plans through espionage or similar methods.
Common knowledge aside, the treasury was divided into three main parts: the warehouse, where high-value materials were kept and which occupied most of it; the library, a series of files containing spell instructions and recipes for refining potions, creating artifacts and drawing magical circuits; and, finally, the armory, where artifacts and potions of high importance, yet useless nowadays for various reasons, were temporarily stored.
While my mind was following various lines of thought and counting the time I had left, my body had reached the armory, stopping before one of the many pedestals inside.
Five rings sat on the marble of the pedestal, while five other spaces had been left empty beside them. Both the rings and the hollows were spotless thanks to the magical cleaning circuit under the pedestal, making maintenance on them unnecessary.
These were ten space rings, rare items in low-resource territories and impossible to find in their market, even for the kings of these countries. Tópos magic is, after all, one of the "World Magics", magics extremely difficult to learn or find that touch the very workings of the world. However, this is just an exorbitant myth, a mere exaggeration, for when you delve into any magical element, you will end up touching world principles sooner or later.
The only real difference of World Magics is the fact that they start from some of these principles. This brings great disadvantages to their early practitioners, making them very weak in comparison with magi of a common elemental magic; world principles cannot be easily controlled by a low-rank mage. On the other hand, these magics bring their advantages in the medium-long term, as at these ranks, their practitioners will have enough power to use these types of magics efficiently, while the others are still far from reaching these principles in their respective elements.
Of course, none of this matters once you reach the apex. Once you reach the top, all magics have the same power and importance, as they are all indiscriminate parts of existence.
In conclusion, lowly kingdoms like this one could only have a few of these artifacts, mostly used by royalty and, temporarily, by important people during missions that required their use. They were also often used as an incentive during large coalitions or joint missions with other kingdoms.
My hand grasped the fourth ring with resolve, placing it on the middle finger of my right hand. All of these rings were of rank 3, something obvious from the disturbances they emitted, but artifacts of the same rank still have differences in quality.
The magical disturbances of the rings could be felt by bringing your body close to them, and you could even see the distortion of space with the naked eye with a little concentration on its surroundings.
Taking one last look at the ring hugging my finger, its body was silver and the central gem black as the abyss. It was clear that the disturbances of this one were much less than the others. Contrary to common sense, this was undoubtedly a higher rank 3 artifact, for its efficiency was greater than the others, not letting the effects of its tópos energy escape so easily.
Spreading mana through the magic circuit of my new artifact, I activated its recognition function. From now on, this ring would only be activated by my mana, unless the function was manually reset, a somewhat tedious job for ordinary magi.
With this, I already possessed the maximum possible two space rings. I ignored the other rings and focused on the rest of the pedestals with artifacts and cryogenic cabinets, high temperature furnaces, electric fields, among others, for the maintenance of materials. I was unable to take all of them with me, but I will not reject those that are useful for my next steps.
With only a few seconds since I entered the treasury, I advanced quickly towards the objects that caught my attention. Even at this moment, my bare feet produced no audible noise, while the thin film of mana surrounding their soles prevented any trace of footprints not caused by weight...
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