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All returned to normalcy after the Aedian incident, but there was plenty to talk about.
The news spread like wildfire about how several of the Magic Council had been replaced by fairy impostors, and how the King and Crown Prince had played them.
Grand Mages Patiel and Pariel had been found unconscious within their own manor, but sealed in boundary space.
The impostors had used Grand Mage Patiel's cold demeanor against him, and had trapped him within his own spell room, knowing no servant would dare enter without permission, even to clean!
Grand Mage Pariel had realized something was wrong, but had fallen into their trap and ended up locked in the same spell room.
Meanwhile, Taze had barely set foot in the Capital, when he, Grand Mage Sidian, Lord Scarlett, and Dr. Sylvadeen, were summoned by the Magic Council.
This was so a full account could be given in the presence of the King, and they explained all that happened in Aedian...
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When Taze had first arrived at Aedian, he disguised as a refugee, secretly exploring the town.
He first cast an illusion dome of the entire Aedian, so he would go unnoticed. Then he cast a spell which controlled every single plant in Aedian, letting him monitor the rampaging monsters.
It wasn't long before he noticed that the monsters all returned to a precise location at least three times each day.
Soon, he unearthed a relic buried at that spot, which had been strengthening the monsters. This relic was also responsible for making them resemble trees, and protecting them from most magic spells.
'How clever!' Taze thought, as he destroyed the small cube-like relic, shattering the illusion.
The monsters now resembled giant stone golems, and they had lost their strength and protection.
Taze finally approached High Mage Daius with the broken relic, explaining the situation to him, and together, they rallied the Battle Mages and took down the now weakened golems.
To rebuild Aedian, Taze secretly brought in Grand Mage Sidian, Lord Scarlett, and Dr. Sylvadeen, and they all helped restore the city to its former glory.
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...
At present, Grand Mage Patiel was eyeing Taze with grudging respect.
"Astounding!" He remarked, his face muscles twitching to show he could indeed smile with just a bit of effort!
"I was only doing my duty." Taze bowed humbly, and then glanced at Lord Scarlett, who gave a barely perceptible nod.
Taze straightened. "I want to bring another relic to attention..." He began, and held out his hand.
A luminescent blue sceptre appeared, hovering above his palm. It was locked within a clear orb, designed to keep the sceptre's power in check, yet its power pulsed through the entire Council building!
"This was found buried beneath Aedian's canals." Taze explained. "It seems to have been there for thousands of years, pre-dating Aedian itself, and most of Luxia..."
They all leaned over to inspect it, several sitting at the edges of their seats.
"None of us can control it, and it was Arch Grand Mage Soren who managed to create this orb to suppress it."
He didn't need to say more. They could all feel the pulse of the sceptre's power.
"According to Arch Grand Mage Soren, this is most likely the Sceptre of King Alaus. If wielded properly, this tiny relic can defeat five Arch Grand Mages!" Taze finished, and gasps filled the air, as they marveled at the small sceptre before them.
One Arch Grand Mage could level the entire capital, and this tiny relic could defeat five of them?!
King Alaus was one of the most powerful Water mages and rulers in Luxia's history... He was credited with pulling the Star Crystal from the skies, and unearthing at least two of the water crystals.
He had also built the current Luxian Palace, with his statue being the first of the giant statues at the Palace's entrance, and unlike most elves, he had lived for almost two thousand years!
"It's indeed King Alaus's sceptre!" King Vien stated, pointing out that it resembled the weapon King Alaus's statue held, and soon, the council members disintegrated into a spatter of different arguments.
Some thought the relic should be destroyed, others thought it should be sealed away, while some thought it should be used against Luxia's enemies.
But after the boomerang of ideas, King Vien raised a hand.
"Enough!" He thundered, putting an end to the meeting.
He looked pale, drained, tired, and had most likely had enough of the arguments.
"We'll meet at a later date and hold a vote. For now, seal the relic beneath the Palace. Have Arch Mage Soren lead the Grand Mages to seal it within several layers of enchantments!"
And that was that...
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After meeting with the Magic council, Taze hurried to the Scarlett estate and requested to meet Celia.
But the servants had fun at his expense, directing him round and round the estate with no mercy, each time sending him on an endless search...
Taze scowled after the fifth fruitless journey. 'Is she so angry?!' He worried.
He had gone to Aedian without telling Celia, and though he had realized his foolishness after reaching Aedian, it had been too late!
'Celia... Please don't blame me for being improper!'
He raised a hand and cast a simple tracing spell, but was dismayed to find she had revoked his right to use magic on the Scarlett grounds!
He reeled in shock. 'She's really pissed!'
Now more determined to find her, he bent to touch the grass, shutting his eyes in concentration. Every plant around hummed to life beneath his fingers, resonating with themselves.
Magic might be canceled within the Scarlett Estate, but that applied to mages, spells, and relics, not nature itself, and all Taze had to do was look through every plant...
Which led him to the Scarlett Sun Room!
Taze ducked once he opened the Sun room's doors, narrowly evading an ice vase which crashed on the wall outside, where his head would have been.
Celia stood against the wide windows, which made her barely a silhouette to him, but it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen, and he felt like a traveler drinking water after days in the desert.
"C- Celia!!!" He shamelessly wailed dramatically, striding to close the distance between them. "Celia! I thought I would never see you again!"
Celia scowled darkly, and several thick ice barriers appeared to block Taze's path, but he shattered through them easily and pulled her into his arms.
"You..." She said stiffly. "You're taking advantage of my love for you."
Taze sobered up at her serious tone.
"I'm so sorry." He said, squeezing her tighter, and he felt his heart break when a soft sob escaped her lips.
"I thought you were just busy with preparations to leave for Aedian." She said softly. She never liked his expeditions, but understood they were necessary. "I went to bid you farewell on the departure day, only to meet a clone..."
At present, she hit his chest, an angry tear running down her cheek. "What if something happened to you in those three weeks?!" She demanded. "I'd have been here, completely unaware till it was too late!"
"I'm so sorry!" Taze apologized, kissing the top of her head. "I was wrong! Please forgive me!" He squeezed her. "I missed you so so much!"
Celia sniffled quietly for sometime, but held herself rigid, determined not to give in.
"Serve tea and snacks!" She barked after a while, making the maids outside flinch!
"Tea and snacks?!" Mrs Ameli, the Head Maid shook her head in a whisper. "I thought she would skin him alive for sure! Her aura has been murderous for days!"
Celia's aura remained murderous as day turned to night, and she snapped at Taze at the slightest provocation....
It was either: "Don't breathe so loudly!"
Or: "Don't look at me like that!"
Or: "Don't sigh so often!"
And then at some point when he tried patting her head... "Don't touch me!"
But Taze just smiled at her patiently, his eyes glancing downward.
"Understood... But shouldn't you let go of my hand now?" He was staring at their joined hands. "Earlier, I even had to eat with my left hand..."
"Silence!" She snapped, and he hit back a smile.
From the moment he hugged her, till now, Celia still hadn't let go of his hand!
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