The chaos within the walls of Greenville City persisted for a solid three days before finally subsiding.
The scope of the 'Realm of Apocalypse - Godly Realm' was just too extensive. Though it hadn't reached its maximum yet, it had already enveloped nearly half of Greenville City. Add to that the shocking news of the legendary wizard Fayz's demise, and the entire Wizard City was thrown into turmoil.
Fortunately, the return of Harof and his allies stabilized the situation. The instigator, Ogest, had been locked away in the magic core, preventing the situation from worsening.
***
On the third night, within the dilapidated Sun Crown Tower, a meeting was once again convened.
When Lynn arrived, the meeting room was already packed. He was surprised to find Rol present. However, Rol seemed somewhat dazed, sitting silently in a corner with magical restraints around his wrists.
As Ogest's disciple, Rol had evaded a portion of the turmoil, untouched by the conflicts within the Sun Crown Tower. However, his awkward position led to his immediate incarceration upon rescue.
After enduring three days of interrogation and memory probing, Rol's spirit had clearly reached its limit. But compared to this, the revelation of Ogest's true identity dealt a far deadlier blow.
While Lynn and others were privy to the inside story, more members of the council were still clueless. As they entered, the room erupted with urgent inquiries.
"Chairman Harof, what's going on?"
"Did Master Fayz really get assassinated?"
"I refuse to believe this was Master Ogest's doing. It must be a mistake. How could the 'Star of Magic' commit such an act..."
The entire chamber buzzed with noise. The news of the legendary wizard's death and the looming threat of the Realm of Apocalypse challenged everyone's capacity to bear it.
Moreover, the revelation that the mastermind behind everything was supposedly Ogest, the so-called Star of Magic, was simply unbelievable.
"Everyone, please, some quiet." Harof's grave voice resonated through the chamber. "This situation is far more intricate than you imagine, a result of my grave negligence. According to Rol, the current Star of Magic, Ogest might not be the person you all think he is."
Harof's statement left the council members perplexed. "What do you mean, Chairman?"
Instead of continuing to explain, Harof turned to Rol. Coming directly from Ogest's disciple, Rol's account held more credibility.
Under the mocking and bewildered gazes, Rol slowly began his explanation. He divulged every detail, from the information he found to the conversation with 'Ogest' in the central control room. His memories laid bare, leaving no room for concealment.
"Master Ogest turned out to be the rogue wizard Merk?" Tike was speechless, unable to fathom how Ogest, the Star of Magic highly regarded in the Wizard City, could also be the merciless Merk, responsible for the slaughter of thousands using psychic magic.
"But didn't Merk die a long time ago?" a council member asked, puzzled. Initially, the parliament dispatched three powerful wizards to eliminate members of the psychic school, a mission that involved over a hundred people. Many witnessed Merk's demise.
"That was a scheme meticulously planned by the teacher... no, Merk. It was a feigned death and escape." Rol explained. Merk's goal was to amass enough souls and assume a more suitable identity within the council.
The assembly of council members was immersed in this shocking revelation.
Lynn wasn't surprised. After encountering both Kashimo and Merk, he had already pieced together the general sequence of events.
The ease with which Herlram obtained psychic school information was likely orchestrated by Merk.
No wonder, after receiving Tike's communication, the Star of Magic actively volunteered to come to Iyeta Harbor. Undoubtedly, it was to reclaim the school's research findings.
"What about Odessa? Wasn't he Master Fayz's disciple? But I heard Merk calling him Kashimo. What's their relationship?" Raphael was utterly perplexed.
Rol hesitated before shaking his head. He had no information about this.
"Odessa, as you've seen, is Merk's right-hand man, Kashimo. It seems they played a similar game..." Harof sighed. He had instructed 'Ogest' to deploy more personnel to protect Fayz, but it seemingly backfired.
Harof felt immense guilt for the death of his old friend. Had he given more attention to the Cult of Apocalypse, perhaps the situation wouldn't have escalated to this extent.
After a pause, Harof continued, his expression grave. "If I'm not mistaken, Kashimo is likely affiliated with the church."
The church?
Raphael and others were momentarily stunned. For these wizards, the church was both familiar and foreign.
Apart from Lynn, none of the council members had interacted with the church. Yet, they were acutely aware that the existence of the Wizard City was to resist the church's aggression.
Like a flock of trembling sheep barricaded within a fence to ward off external predators, they sought a fleeting sense of security.
This could only be described as humiliating. Previously, they had harbored similar sentiments, subtly resenting the council's timidity. However, this Cult of Apocalypse incident was their first tangible encounter with the threat posed by the church.
Dark shadows cast over their minds.
"Esteemed Chairmen, permit me to ask, what is Kashimo's true objective?" Lynn, who had been silent until now, suddenly inquired.
Three days ago, after the assault on the Sun Crown Tower, Lynn vividly remembered Kashimo's grotesque smirk. Surely, he hadn't orchestrated such a grand affair just for simple destruction?
"It's likely to lift the legendary spell, [Lost Mist]," Victor spoke up first.
At that moment, everyone present grew tense. The 'Lost Mist,' shrouding the entire sea, dividing the Wizard City from the Sekas Empire, was undoubtedly the most crucial barrier.
If this spell were dispelled, it would mean the imminent possibility of an assault by the church.