"Welcome, Masters, to Iyeta," Philip greeted the two with a hint of unease but a forced smile. He added, "I'm glad to see you here."
Raphael scanned the group and asked curiously, "Where's Herlram?"
"Master Herlram went to Greenville a while ago," Philip replied indirectly.
Raphael raised an eyebrow, surprised that he hadn't heard about this development. Greenville was large, and he and Herlram were not particularly close. He decided not to question further.
On the other hand, Ogest stepped out of the carriage, his gaze fixed on Lynn. He smiled and said, "Is this Professor Lynn from the Society of Mystical Arts? Rol mentioned your magical courses and your airship experiments in his letters. It must be a significant contribution to the history of wizardry."
"Master Ogest, you are too kind," Lynn replied with a smile.
Raphael chimed in, "I've seen your star charts, and I must say they are exceptionally precise, much more so than those made by the divination wizards."
"In reality, the star charts circulating among the wizards are not entirely inaccurate. They are just based on different reference points. They may not have considered the influence of the planet's rotation," Lynn explained. He held great respect for the wizards dedicated to studying celestial movements. It was a lengthy and tedious task, and he understood that errors were bound to occur in the process of exploring the world.
As the group chatted, they made their way into the academy, leaving Tike and the others behind.
The relaxed atmosphere of their conversation eased Philip's anxiety. During a break in the conversation, Tike finally couldn't contain his curiosity. "Master Raphael, I heard that you personally designed the entire layout of Iyeta. Is that true?"
"Of course." Raphael proudly nodded.
Tike hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly, "If I'm not mistaken, this layout is designed to accommodate a particular alchemical array, isn't it?"
"That's right. You've managed to figure that out," Raphael said, surprised. Combining alchemical arrays with architecture was one of his specialities. When Herlram told him about his plans to research soul-related spells within the Iyeta Academy, Raphael suggested incorporating the alchemical array into the building layout to suppress spirits. It seemed to be the best way to prevent unexpected incidents.
Tike and Rol exchanged glances. Adding a curriculum for soul studies in the academy was not a significant event, considering it was before the downfall of the Soul Mage School. The city had been built over twenty years ago, and Raphael's contribution was commendable.
However, they found it strange that the entire city was covered by a soul-suppressing array. What about the poor souls in the south district who had their spirits taken away?
"What has happened in Iyeta Academy these days?" Ogest asked, timely with his question.
Raphael also looked inquisitive. When they entered the bustling harbor city, they noticed something was amiss because there was not a single person on the streets.
Philip sighed, realizing that he couldn't keep the scandal hidden from the two great wizards any longer. "Just a couple of days ago, a tragedy occurred in the south district of Iyeta."
"Are you saying that someone used a Soul-Devouring Array within Iyeta Harbor?" After listening to Philip's account, Raphael's expression darkened, feeling as if he had been manipulated.
He quickly deduced that someone had made unauthorized changes to his array design. So, when he heard about the unexplained screeching sounds within the academy, Raphael immediately understood that the souls of the deceased had gathered in the Screaming Tower, which was the core of the array.
Because that was where the array's focal point was located.
"Let's go. I want to see what Herlram is up to," Raphael huffed and rushed towards the location of the Screaming Tower.
Philip and the others didn't believe that Master Herlram was involved in this matter but couldn't stop Raphael's actions. They followed him.
Lynn was no exception. He was quite curious about how the two great wizards would deal with such a powerful Iyeta's soul.
The tower that had been sealed for years was opened once again. The interior was dark and cold, covered in cobwebs. The dust had settled on the walls and ceiling, showing that it had been neglected for a long time.
As they entered the tower, they immediately felt a heavy atmosphere, as if something were watching them from the shadows.
Ignoring the ominous feeling, Raphael continued towards the basement of the tower. Surprisingly, this area was well-maintained compared to the decaying upper levels.
"Be careful." Ogest suddenly warned.
In the next moment, a piercing screech echoed through the tower, and under the blood-red mist, a lightning-fast apparition shot straight toward the group, targeting Rol, the lowest-ranked wizard among them.
Under the influence of the Soul Wail, everyone's movements involuntarily halted. Rol couldn't react in time, and the vengeful spirit was already upon him. However, his body remained frozen, and he could only watch as a blood-red hand reached for his chest.
But faster than the vengeful soul was a powerful burst of magical energy. It struck the blood-red mist and sent the vengeful spirit flying.
Ogest had cast the spell, and he was the first to break free from the Soul Wail's influence.
Rol, who had narrowly escaped death, remained frozen in place, unable to move. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and he thought he was done for.
Raphael had also regained his senses. He flicked his wrist, and a vial was thrown at the vengeful soul. Upon contact, it exploded, releasing a cloud of powder that dispersed the blood-red mist. The true form of the vengeful spirit was revealed.
"Lyd- Lydia?" Tike exclaimed in shock. During the time he spent studying mathematics and magic in the academy, he had met the young half-elf girl. Seeing the face of the vengeful spirit, he couldn't help but call out her name.