CH201
Lins held his sword tightly, his desire to become a knight stronger than ever.
His goal was clear: to become powerful enough to enter the Lim Mountains and find Asna.
Just being a knight wasn't enough; he needed to become a great knight. Though it seemed far off, Lins believed that with hard work, he would achieve it someday.
***
Sea Stone City, the capital of the Norn Kingdom, was heavily guarded and home to many powerful individuals.
Within the city stood a spellcaster academy, dedicated to training talented spellcasters for the kingdom.
Severus, over 300 years old, was the headmaster of the Sea Stone Spellcaster Academy and a powerful magician. Few in the kingdom reached the level of magician, which was above high-level spellcasters.
Severus sat in his office, holding a letter from Oberstein at the border, sent by the king for him to handle.
Written by Commander Tyron, it detailed the events in the Lim Mountains—from the missing patrol to the fruitless search by a hundred troops, and the disappearance of hundreds of adventurers.
After reading, Severus had some suspicions. He believed the Lim Mountains likely held a ruin, specifically a spellcaster ruin. Such a place could explain why everyone who entered vanished. Many adventurers were spellcasters, and an ordinary ruin wouldn't trap them all. The letter suggested no one escaped, indicating a complex ruin.
Based on the information, only beginner spellcasters should explore such a place. Severus sighed, knowing he needed to stay in Sea Stone City to protect its people, unable to go himself. In his youth, he explored many ruins, full of dangers but also opportunities. Those experiences helped him reach his current level.
Severus called for a student.
Half an hour later, a long-haired man entered, dressed elegantly with a sword at his waist, a confident smile on his handsome face.
This was Severus's prized student, Cole. A noble, Cole showed exceptional talent in knight training from a young age. By thirteen, he was a great knight. Sent to the spellcaster academy, he displayed remarkable spellcasting talent, catching Severus's eye.
By fifteen, Cole became a beginner spellcaster, shocking the kingdom, which saw him as a future guardian.
At twenty-five, he reached intermediate spellcaster status. He then traveled the world, experiencing much and meeting powerful beings. Five years later, he returned to Sea Stone City.
"Teacher!" Cole greeted respectfully.
Severus felt proud of the tall young man before him. He had watched Cole grow and guided him on the spellcaster path. Severus believed Cole might be the kingdom's only hope to become a grand magician. Severus knew his own potential had peaked, never reaching grand magician.
But Cole's talent surpassed even Severus's younger self.
Severus had high hopes for Cole. If he couldn't become a grand magician, training one would be enough. But the path to grand magicianwas difficult, full of challenges.
Cole's journey had been smooth, facing few obstacles. Severus saw the Lim Mountains as a perfect training opportunity. Cole's intermediate spellcaster strength suited the challenge.
Severus didn't think Cole would fall there. If he did, it would mean only magi could explore the ruins.
The thought amused Severus; Oberstein was a typical border city with nothing special nearby.
The Lim Mountains' ruins likely surfaced due to failing wards over time. Severus suspected the missing weren't dead, just trapped in the ruins.
Cole could retrieve the treasures and rescue those inside, gaining resources and prestige.
"Teacher, what's the matter?" Cole asked, seeing Severus smile.
Severus hid his smile, not wanting to seem too relaxed. Cole was young, talented, but inexperienced. Ruins were dangerous; Cole couldn't be complacent.
Severus handed him the letter, "Read this."
Cole read it carefully. "What do you think, Teacher?"
"I suspect there's a ruin," Severus replied.
Cole pondered, "You want me to investigate?"
Severus nodded, "Yes, your strength should suffice. My concern is your lack of experience with complex ruin situations."
"Don't worry, Teacher. I need experience, right?" Cole smiled confidently.
Severus remained cautious, "Be careful."
"I'm not a child anymore. I'm an intermediate spellcaster. Even if I can't succeed, I won't be trapped," Cole assured.
Severus agreed; even if the ruins were dangerous, Cole's strength should allow him to escape. Few ruins could hold an intermediate spellcaster.
CH202
Severus looked at the confident young man before him and couldn't help but chuckle. Yes, Cole had grown up. As people age, they often forget how quickly time passes.
The little kid from back then had now become a formidable individual capable of standing on his own. The fledgling had grown into an eagle, and Severus realized he didn't need to worry so much anymore.
"Make sure you're well-prepared before you go, and be careful," Severus advised, feeling his age.
Cole flashed a bright, confident smile, "Got it, Teacher. I'll be off then."
Severus nodded, "When you return, I'll arrange a marriage for you."
Cole chuckled wryly and hurried off. He wasn't ready to be tied down by marriage. His years of traveling had made him fall in love with the freedom it offered. Marriage would mean losing that freedom.
Severus had bigger plans. If Cole wanted to become a grand magician, talent alone wasn't enough; he needed strong backing. Even the entire Norn Kingdom couldn't provide the resources to nurture a grand magician.
Severus's idea of marriage involved an alliance with the Elves, the world's rulers. If Cole could marry into the Elven race, his path to becoming a grand magician would be much smoother.
However, Cole was always resistant to marriage, which troubled Severus.
He sighed, "Can't rush it. Cole is still young; we'll take it slow." The alliance couldn't be rushed.
Currently, Cole might not be impressive enough for the Elves. If he became a magician, the chances of a successful alliance would be much higher.
Severus had no doubt Cole could become a magician; the challenge was convincing him. In such an alliance, Cole would inevitably have a lower status, and Severus wasn't sure how to persuade him to accept that.
The Elves were a proud and noble race, and most humans didn't meet their standards. Only someone as exceptional as Cole had a chance to connect with them.
Cole was young and didn't yet understand the importance of resources. His journey had been too smooth, and Severus hoped this expedition to the ruins would present some challenges. Life shouldn't be too easy.
***
A month passed, and Helag found himself with more free time. Since the adventurers were eliminated a month ago, no new ones had dared to enter the Lim Mountains. Although Base 27 still assigned patrols, they saw no one. The lack of adventurers made the patrols dull.
Helag found the boredom tolerable.
Five months had passed, and in seven more, he'd have been there for a year. Then, he'd return to the wizard plane as a permanent resident of Dawn's Land.
The quiet days suited him fine, allowing him to train diligently. The austere life at the base didn't bother him; it was just a change of scenery for his training.
Helag felt the energy in the planar coordinate mark on his left palm. It was full, ready to activate and take him to the Abyss Plane. But now wasn't the time. Any action at Base 27 would be noticed by the wizards there.
If Helag activated the mark and disappeared, it would draw Parker's attention. A person vanishing into thin air was too suspicious. Upon returning from the Abyss Plane, he'd face endless questioning.
"Let's head back," Helag said, noting the time.
His patrol was over, and it was time to switch shifts. David and Reese followed him back to the base. Since Helag's display of power in the valley, David and Reese had grown more respectful of him. His strength had surprised them both. His sheer power and speed left them uncertain they could withstand him.
Wizards pursued truth and valued strength above all. The strong naturally commanded respect. Helag's power gave David and Reese confidence. They were seen as a unit, always assigned tasks together. The stronger Helag was, the safer they felt.
When the trio returned to Base 27, night had fallen. The base was bustling with activity.
Recently, new arrivals had come to the base, all wizards from Dawn's Land. These wizards quickly found their factions and acted together.
Helag and his companions, from the Barrens, seemed weaker in comparison. Fortunately, they weren't bullied, and others didn't engage with them. They kept to themselves, avoiding trouble and conflict with other wizards.
They knew their goal: survive the year without incident.
Back in his cabin, Helag found Asna reading. Seeing him return, she stood and bowed, "Master, you're back."
"How's your studying?" Helag asked.
Asna had been learning Sivir language and was progressing quickly. Under Helag's orders, she hadn't left the cabin. Whenever Helag was on a mission, Asna stayed inside, avoiding any trouble for him. She knew her survival depended on her usefulness. If she caused problems, she'd have no chance of survival.
Helag had learned much about Asna through questioning her. He had asked about her life, gaining insight into the world.
While Shatia spoke of the Elves' internal affairs, she knew little of the world's lower levels. Asna, having risen from the bottom, understood it well.
"Master, I've mastered the basics of grammar and vocabulary," Asna replied in Sivir.
Helag nodded, saying nothing more, and sat on the bed to rest. Asna skillfully lit a fire, brewed coffee, and brought hot water for Helag to wash his feet. She was used to hardship and worked efficiently, always diligent in her tasks.