Night finally receded, and a pale ribbon of dawn stretched across the sky. As the first faint light crept over the horizon, Magus left the tavern with Amy perched lazily upon his shoulder.
Amy's master—an enigmatic Wizard whom even she rarely mentioned—was said to dwell in Spire Stone Valley, a remote region to the east of Stone Bell City. According to Amy, the route was simple on paper: exit the eastern gate, travel a little over ten kilometers through a pine forest, pass between two mountains, and one would arrive at the mouth of the valley. In practice, it was far less pleasant.
Magus followed the path as instructed. After leaving the city, he and Amy crossed the pine forest, the sharp scent of resin cutting through the early morning chill. The further they walked, the more desolate the surroundings became. Spire Stone Valley was nothing like the lush region he had imagined. The terrain grew rugged, the earth bare of almost all vegetation. Jagged spire stones jutted from the ground like the fractured ribs of some ancient beast, while dry grasses and thorny vines clung desperately to cracks in the rock walls. Whenever the mountain wind swept through, the brittle thorns creaked and rasped, producing an eerie symphony that echoed between the cliffs.
Magus couldn't help furrowing his brows. Why would a Wizard choose such a barren, lifeless place to live?
But soon he corrected his own thought. A thousand years had passed since Amy's time. Perhaps the valley had once been lush, vibrant, and suitable for magical research. The land might have only later fallen to decay.
Amy, oblivious to his musings, curled comfortably on his shoulder, her tail swaying. She licked her paw contentedly from time to time, as though they were taking a leisurely stroll rather than navigating a desolate wilderness.
By the time the sun finally rose above the distant mountain ridge, painting the landscape gold, the pair reached a riverbank.
"Meow. Walk upstream along the river," Amy instructed, stretching a paw forward. "We'll reach it soon."
Magus did not immediately follow her direction. Instead, he tapped into his spiritual link and ordered Hidden Dragon, the creature lurking nearby in the shadows, to scout ahead.
The location had long been known to the Starfire Church. If they hoped to ambush him or recover what they lost the previous night, here would be the most logical place to set an ambush. He had no intention of walking blindly into danger.
Fortunately, after a thorough investigation, Hidden Dragon returned without detecting any signs of concealed enemies.
"It seems they haven't recovered from last night's battle," Magus murmured in relief.
Feeling more confident, he strolled upstream in a far more relaxed manner.
Following Amy's guidance, they soon arrived before a cave halfway up a cliff face. Using wind-elemental energy to lighten his body, Magus easily climbed the rock wall and stepped inside.
The cave interior was pitch black, but the passage was unnaturally smooth. The walls were sharply cut, and the ceiling was high—clear evidence that this place had been constructed artificially rather than formed naturally.
Magus produced a luminous pearl from his storage pouch, illuminating the passage with soft white light. He proceeded inward, moving cautiously but with increasing curiosity.
At the end of the passage, a vast circular hall opened before him. The floor was paved with square granite tiles, each engraved with dense and intricate patterns—clearly once part of a grand magic array. Unfortunately, time had not been kind to it. Many patterns were cracked, faded, or chipped away entirely, leaving the array dormant and broken.
Around the hall were more than a dozen doors, connecting to numerous branching passages.
Amy pointed one paw after another as she described them with practiced familiarity:
"That door leads to the Apprentice Living Area. Wizard apprentices used to rest there."
"That one goes to the Magic Plant Garden. There were lots of rare plants and cute little elves… but they all left long ago."
"That's the warehouse. Over there is the spell experiment plaza…"
As she spoke, Magus realized the structure was far larger than he had anticipated. The interior extended like a labyrinth, with countless rooms. It was, without question, a castle built inside the belly of a mountain.
Even though time had damaged much of it, he could still see faint remnants of runic inscriptions on the stone walls. They resembled the designs typically found in Wizard Towers, suggesting that this place had once been a grand magical stronghold.
Magus originally hoped to discover something valuable—ancient artifacts, rare materials, forgotten scrolls—but disappointment set in quickly. Every room he entered was already stripped bare.
The Starfire Church had clearly been here before him, and they had been thorough. Very thorough.
"What a pity," Magus muttered. "If this place weren't in such a remote and barren area, I could have restored it into a functioning laboratory or even revive the Magic Plant Garden."
After a final sweep, he saw no reason to linger. He carried Amy out of the cave and prepared to return to the city.
But just as they stepped back into the daylight, a thought abruptly struck him.
"Amy," he said, turning to the little cat on his shoulder. "The Starfire Church mentioned you were wandering north of the city earlier. What were you doing there?"
Amy froze. Her ears twitched.
Then she let out a distressed meow.
"Meow! I almost forgot! I still haven't recovered something important!"
"What is it?" Magus asked sharply.
"It's the Bloody Mandarava. After those bad guys took it, they locked it inside some big house. I tried to get it back, but there's a very powerful evil spirit guarding the place. I can't beat that thing!"
Magus's eyes widened in shock.
Bloody Mandarava.
Of all the magic plants, this one was among the most dangerous. It fed on the blood of living beings, and as it matured, its roots would turn an increasingly vivid crimson. At full maturity, it would emit subtle mental waves capable of inducing hallucinations, luring victims close so it could devour their souls.
Worse still, once it consumed enough souls, a powerful evil spirit would form within it—one that would attack, kill, and continue devouring in an escalating cycle.
This was why any cultivation of Bloody Mandarava required strict containment arrays. Without them, the plant inevitably caused a catastrophic evil spirit disaster.
Magus suddenly recalled the ghost rumors he had overheard at the tavern. A chill prickled his spine.
"The 'big house' you're talking about," he asked slowly, "is it… Lord Kubero's manor?"
Amy nodded vigorously.
"Meow, yes! That's the place!"
Magus exhaled sharply.
It all made sense. The Starfire Church must have deliberately arranged for the plant to be transported into that manor. But why?
After a moment of thought, the answer became clear.
Stone Bell City was the heart of Silvermoon Territory. And the Silver Moon Viscount happened to be a noble enemy of the scheming Gold Rock Marquis. If an evil spirit outbreak occurred within his domain, the Viscount would be forced to handle it. But purging an evil spirit was no simple matter. Relying solely on knights would likely cost countless lives.
Even if the evil spirit was eventually subdued, the territory would be severely weakened—leaving an opening for Gold Rock Marquis and the Starfire Church to take advantage.
"This old fox really never rests," Magus muttered darkly.
But then, another thought stirred within him, brightening his expression.
Despite how dangerous the Bloody Mandarava was, it was also incredibly valuable. One of the most important formulas in Anger MacLean's diary—the Evil Illusion Potion, a potion known to enhance mental power—listed the Bloody Mandarava's juice as its key ingredient.
Anger MacLean had spent decades searching for the plant but never found it.
And yet Magus had stumbled upon it in this convoluted, ironic manner.
"If I can obtain the Bloody Mandarava," Magus thought, excitement rising, "I can produce Evil Illusion Potions endlessly. The other materials can be synthesized through the Magic Cube."
But his excitement cooled quickly.
"Evil spirits are not something to take lightly," he reminded himself. "I should prepare more trump cards before facing it."
He recalled the two semi-damaged magic items he had acquired the night before. If he could repair them, they would greatly strengthen his odds against the evil spirit.
And as for helping Silvermoon Territory?
He had no intention of offering his services for free. Assistance came with a price, and he planned to collect it.
Magus narrowed his eyes, determination settling over him.
The Bloody Mandarava, the Starfire Church, the evil spirit, and the politics of the province—everything was converging.
And he was now at the center of it all.
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