On the skies high above in the eastern seaboard, 16 streaks of different lights propelled in the air at a supersonic speed.
Inside them were grandiosely robed people bearing the emblem of the League on the side of their arms. A ball of flame floated atop of a hand, that was the League's emblem.
Apart from how well-dressed the rest were, an old man in plain white robes actually led this group of men.
"Magister Lemus, you said that Magister Amos sent a distress signal to the relay earlier. How come it took us a while to receive that call?", the old man asked.
His white hair fluttered harmoniously despite how fast he was traveling.
The man beside him narrowed his eyes, "Elder Flock, that I am unsure. Maybe someone is messing with the League's communication systems.", explaining in a dire tone.
This communication system he talked about was a highly-developed and efficient system that allows the League and any of its members to share information within just by sending an encrypted signal constructed through mana anywhere in Aludia.
A member was trained in various ways on how to master this secret method. Furthermore, their signals were unique, allowing the League to determine who sent a particular message.
They could be cryptic or informative depending on the intentions of the sender. However, for Magister Amos's message to be that fragmented and confusing, someone inside the League must've tampered with it.
Magisters were the third-highest and most powerful in the ranking of members in the League of Wizardry. The probability of Amos sending a broken message was unusual for someone at that rank.
As for external forces messing with their communications, the League enhanced its communication methods over the years, increasing its security and preventing anyone from getting a hint of their signals.
"We're here.", the old man stopped, overlooking the blacked area.
Their eyes opened wide in surprise. This scale of a battle was too devastating for Amos and the rest of the group to survive.
Dartex's void mana was an extremely powerful type of mana that could erase or alter the existence of any object to whatever Dartex wished as long as it was within the boundaries of his power and skill.
If Amos and the rest were to survive, only someone at the archmage level or a radiant knight could help them. The divinity imbued in their powers was more than enough to trample the void's peculiar characteristics.
"Look over there!", one of them pointed at Eluard and Amos in the distance.
The newly arrived group landed. Amos immediately went over and greeted them.
Elder Flock looked at Amos with a hint of doubt, "Amos, what happened here? I thought you and the rest were in danger."
Amos bowed, "That was the case, Elder Flock. Not until this young man, Mr. Kai, helped us deal with Dartex."
They gasped in shock after hearing Dartex's name. Even Elder Flock became serious in the mention of that fallen genius.
"So he is still alive after all that has happened to him.", he sighed, "That man was persistent and courageous. What a shame that he fell on the darker side."
Elder Flock gazed at Eluard.
"Thank you, young man, for your timely assistance. I am Elder Flock from the League of Wizardry. I assure you that we will not forget what you have done today."
Eluard scratched his cheek in embarrassment. He was unsure of what to say after. Instead, he took a peek at Elder Flock's attributes.
[ Name: Flock Gamble ]
[ Age: 167 years old ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ Status: Alive]
[ Affiliation: League of Wizardry (Elder) ]
[ Magic Power: Archmage ]
[ Magic Root: Profound Magic Root ]
[ Magic Aptitude: 8.8/10 (Archmage) ]
[ Magic Affinity: Fire, Wind ]
'A profound magic root and an archmage at that?', Eluard didn't expect to see a true archmage today. All he could feel about this Elder Flock was how calm his figure was.
The power residing inside him was all restrained such that it didn't affect the outside world.
A loud snort resounded. It was a fat man advancing towards Eluard.
"More than that, Elder Flock. Isn't his timing too convenient? Don't tell me you knew that this place would be attacked, do you?", he questioned Eluard's authenticity.
Amos smiled despite how hostile it sounded.
"You're right, Magister Jaggos. This man here is actually someone from the Heavenly Magic Academy."
The people from the League gasped in surprise.
"Heavenly Magic Academy?"
"I thought that it was closed for years! How come they have a student now?"
Jaggos didn't believe what Amos said.
"Impossible! The Heavenly Magic Academy hasn't been seen until now! How could someone like him come from there?", he argued.
The other wizards and clergymen retorted Jaggos's argument, witnessing with their eyes how Eluard arrived through the teleportation magic formation.
"Now, now. We don't need to argue much about this.", Elder Flock interfered, "We can just ask him if he knows the way to the Heavenly Magic Academy.", eyeing Eluard with curiosity.
'Strange, I cannot determine how powerful this person is. It's like trying to stare at the bottomless ocean.'
Everyone accepted Elder Flock's suggestion. However, the old man waved his hand and dismissed their thoughts.
"However, now is not the time to think about that.", seriously gazing at the spot where Dartex vanished, "Dartex must've known of your identity already. If he chooses to divulge that information as soon as possible, we would be facing a huge disaster."
They looked at each other and realized what Elder Flock implied.
Demonic Creatures. The Otherworld and its rivalry against the Heavenly Magic Academy.
Dartex was a genius. Even if Eluard didn't say who he was right from the start, he would suspect Eluard's identity.
Moreover, he was a very unstable warlock. Nobody knew what was on his mind, and the things he would do next.
Eluard, however, could feel a tense crisis looming over his head. He blatantly divulged his identity in front of his enemy. The worst part was that the latter was able to escape without him doing anything to stop it.
Also, Dartex was affected by a strange spell, the demonic whisper.
Eluard's guts were telling him that the fallen genius was working under the demonic creatures, and his presence to trample upon the ruins today might be an order from Dartex's master.
"I can feel the trace of spatial magic being used here recently. However, I cannot trace to which other side did it end.", Elder Flock voiced out.
At that moment, the system prompted Eluard.
[ The system can track Dartex's dark portal endpoint at the cost of one purple magic crystal. Would you like to proceed? ]
'Eh? You have this kind of functionality now?', Eluard was surprised.
[ The system's range of capability is vastly more than you have imagined, host. ]
'But why the high price though?'
[ This is a highly optimized method to trace the flow of magic based on the books present in the public library. Any normal methods used in Aludia would cost more than the current price. ]
After hearing the system's explanation, Eluard sacrificed the purple magic crystal on his inventory. Despite how powerful it was, he wouldn't be able to utilize it any time soon.
Elder Flock then noticed mana surging from Eluard's body.
"Young man, don't tell me you can trace Dartex's dark portal?", he flustered.
Spatial magic and everything related to it were too profound that even an archmage like him have barely scratched the surface of that topic.
Now, a young man younger than him by more than a century attempting to do something he couldn't do.
Eluard nodded, "Yes, I can, Elder Flock. My master taught me many things, and this is just one of them."
He went at Dartex's previous location, clapped his hands, and closed his eyes. Everyone didn't disturb him, expecting of good news from Eluard's actions.
Even the doubtful Jaggos stopped questioning Eluard and remained silent on the sides.
[ Tracing in progress… ]
[ … ]
[ … ]
[ … ]
[ Trace completed. The endpoint is shown on the map. ]
After a minute of waiting, Eluard opened his eyes.
A blinking light was spotted in the outskirts of The Wastes, near Vahalla's Dominion.
'Damn it.', he cursed.
"How did it go, young man? Were you able to locate Dartex's current position?", Elder Flock asked.
"Yes. Unfortunately, he is in The Wastes now.", Eluard grimly replied.
"The Wastes?"
Everyone was frightened. The worst situation came upon them.
However, Elder Flock apprehended them and lightened the situation.
"All of you, calm down. I and this young man will go to the Wastes and confront Dartex before something worse occurs. The rest of you should guard this place and request more assistance from the Knights and other forces."
Elder Flock then grabbed Eluard's hand, "Come with me. Point me to the direction where Dartex is right now."
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