A branch snapped somewhere behind him. Fayne spun toward the sound, his spear lowering slightly as his other hand brushed against the air — mana threads stirring around his fingertips.
He whispered, "Auxiliary Magic: Detection."
The air shimmered faintly, then cleared. Threads of pale green light traced faint shapes through the forest — showing heat, mana flow, and movement. Nothing close… but something had definitely passed through recently.
He frowned. The mana trail wasn't normal — distorted, as if burned and twisted at the same time.
"That's… unstable energy," he muttered. "Not a beast."
The fox stirred weakly, letting out a faint cry. Fayne glanced down. "You can sense it too, huh?"
He hesitated, torn between caution and curiosity. Normally, he'd take the creature back to the cabin — heal it, study it, maybe figure out what kind of magic had scarred it. But the mana trail ahead… it pulsed with something wrong.
The logical part of him whispered: Go back. Reinforce the barrier.
The other part — the one that had been alone too long — whispered: You need to know.
He sighed quietly and looked toward the fox.
"Stay still. This won't take long."
He traced a small circle in the air, casting another auxiliary spell — a barrier dome, light and temporary. The spell formed a soft shimmer around the creature, enough to keep it safe from smaller beasts.
Then he stood, rolling his shoulders and gripping the spear tighter.
"Alright then… let's see who's playing with unstable magic in my woods."
Fayne followed the mana trail deeper into the forest, where sunlight grew thin and the air felt heavy with residue mana. The scent of burned bark lingered.
After a few minutes, he reached a clearing — blackened trees, soil turned to glass, and at the center, a faintly glowing crater.
He stopped at its edge. The energy radiating from it hummed against his skin, prickling like static.
"A discharge?" he whispered. "No, too controlled… someone did this."
He knelt, brushing his fingers over the cracked ground. Residual mana clung to it — a mix of Fire, Dark, and something else.
"Interference..." Fayne muttered, eyes narrowing. "They tried to erase their signature."
For a moment, the silence was absolute. Then, from behind the shattered stump near the crater's edge — a faint shimmer moved.
Fayne rose slowly, spear ready.
"I know you're there," he said, his voice calm but sharp. "Show yourself."