章 19: Between chaos and shadows
Under a cloudy sky, four explorers stood before an ancient cave in the forests of Nightspeak. Their information had led them here in search of a valuable bounty: goblins inhabiting the caves, whose parts and belongings could fetch high prices.
"This is the place," said Erwin, the mage, looking cautiously at the cave. He was a young man with brown hair and sharp eyes. Despite being only a first-level mage, he had abandoned the magical academy in pursuit of freedom and adventure. His possession of two magical houses in his personal grimoire motivated him further to leave formal education. Reaching the Kraken Gate and the inner central chamber of the Ghoul's house was an achievement for someone like him.
"Let's get started," said Maria, the group leader, in a practical tone as she gripped her distinctive sword. "But stay alert—this forest isn't safe."
"Your caution is unnecessary," said Gerald, the massive warrior, swinging his greatsword. "All that matters is finding goblins. That means gold in our pockets."
Carl, the silent marksman, was scanning the area with his keen eyes. He nodded quietly, ready for any danger.
They entered the cave with careful steps. The air was cold, and the stench was nauseating. The passage was narrow at first but suddenly widened to reveal a small, dimly lit chamber. Bioluminescent fungi growing on the walls cast a faint glow.
"This place… this environment isn't natural," Erwin muttered, scanning his surroundings. "Goblins of this type don't live here. These conditions belong to the depths of the Dark Abyss."
Everyone paused for a moment, tension filling the air.
"You're scaring us," Gerald said with a nervous smile.
Before anyone could respond, a group of goblins suddenly appeared. These creatures were unlike ordinary goblins—tall and massive, with coal-black skin and glowing red eyes.
"What…?" Maria murmured as she raised her sword.
"They're Dark Goblins!" Erwin shouted, terror etched on his face.
The goblins charged with unimaginable ferocity. One of them attacked Carl, driving a small dagger into his neck before he could fire his bow. Carl fell to the ground, dead instantly.
Gerald roared in fury, swinging his giant sword. He managed to cleave one goblin in half, but the others quickly overwhelmed him, tearing his body apart with their claws.
"Erwin! Use your magic!" Maria yelled as she struggled to fight them off.
Erwin began chanting a spell, his hands trembling, but before he could finish, a goblin leapt at him and plunged a knife into his chest. He let out a muffled scream before collapsing lifelessly.
Maria, the last one standing, tried to flee, swinging her sword to fend off the goblins. But they quickly surrounded her, and she fell after a brief struggle.
When the battle ended, the goblins stood in tense silence. Instead of devouring the bodies as was their nature, they slowly retreated to the edges of the cave, as if something inside frightened them.
Deeper within the cave, where the light grew dimmer and the darkness heavier, a man sat cross-legged on the ground. A dark aura surrounded him, radiating a mysterious terror that pierced through anyone who dared approach.
This man was Gosho, a fourth-level mage, an "Arcon" who had fled the castle after sensing Claudius' aura. He knew staying near Claudius would be suicide. With Leanna dead, there was nothing left for him to do. He had retreated to this cave to contemplate his next move.
Gosho opened his eyes and slowly raised his hand, revealing a strange mark etched on his left arm: an incomplete circle with a hand grasping a shard of a broken moon, surrounded by intricate runic symbols glowing faintly red.
"The noise…" he muttered, looking upwards as though watching something unseen. Then he smiled coldly.
"Soon... the eldest son will rise to the world. "
His words echoed through the cave walls like a fateful proclamation, leaving the goblins trembling in their places as Gosho returned to his meditation, indifferent to the outside world.
But the world was not quiet...
Days had passed since the battle of the ice Phoenix, yet its aftermath lingered in every corner of Nightspeak. The skies, always cloudy, now breathed a fragile calm after the storm. A battle that had toppled one of the greatest enemies of the time had also brought unexpected chaos.
In the capital Athorin, life continued as usual, but the air carried whispers of unrest. News traveled quickly in this world, especially when it involved the fall of a king and the scandal of black magic.
In the bustling markets, amidst the calls of vendors and rickety carts, people paused to exchange wary glances and cryptic words.
"I heard it was about forbidden rituals."
"They say King Adrian betrayed the empire."
"And do you think the empire itself is free of such rituals?"
In one corner, a small crowd gathered around an old storyteller, leaning on his staff. His voice was low but carried a strange power.
"The wonders of this world never end, my friends. Magic, that gift given to some, has become a curse for all. We are born dreaming of it, wondering if we will be among the chosen, but no one tells us of the price. King Adrian, ah… he is not the first to play god, but he certainly will not be the last."
The storyteller's voice intertwined with debates in taverns, where sailors, merchants, and soldiers sat:
"An abandoned castle? What next? Why is no one explaining why half the forest is gone?"
"They say a great battle happened there. But who? And when? And how?"
"Rumor has it, it involved an Ultima-level mage and a sacred magical beast. It's like the gods are angry at us."
In the grand halls of nobility, the conversation took a different tone. Behind ornate dining tables, nobles exchanged forced smiles and suspicious glances.
"King Adrian? He was a fool from the start. But the question now is: who will rule Nightspeak?"
"It's not about who but how. The empire won't leave the region unguarded after this scandal."
Meanwhile, in the slums, where the common folk struggled to survive, the discourse was sharper. A woman carrying a bucket of water stopped to speak to her neighbor:
"If even the king resorted to black magic, what stops us? Our children are dying of hunger, and the empire cares only for raising taxes to buy mana stones. What do we have to lose?"
The neighbor replied, dusting off her clothes:
"Black magic? Ha, no one tells you about the consequences. It steals your soul. The king didn't just lose his throne; he lost himself."
"They say he used black magic to turn his niece into a witch, but she died in the ritual!"
Ironically, everyone complained about the world they lived in, yet no one stopped to ask: What if I were in his place? Would I be any different? Or, like him, would I seek power at any cost?
Elsewhere in the imperial capital, in a dark corner of the Imperial palace, Adrian, the former king of Nightspeak, sat on the cold floor of his cell, gazing into the void as though reliving the details of his downfall.
"Your reputation reached the capital before you did. Everyone is talking, but no one truly knows what happened in that castle."
Adrian turns to find a familiar face in front of him; it is the magician who helped him in the past and who is now a guardian, dressed in a robe of power and prestige... Zalther Corvinus.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Back in the depths of Nightspeak's forests, where colossal trees almost touched the sky, White had been wandering for days, his eyes fixed on the empire's western borders. Magical beasts appeared and vanished like nightmares around him.
"Marvelous! No humans, no road signs, just annoying little monsters… If I wanted a stroll through hell, I might have chosen a cozier spot!"
クリエイターの想い 
Ilies_Tenni
Ilies_Tenni I apologize for not publishing chapters in the previous days, the chapters were lost due to an accident and now I will have to write them again. (T_T)
But I promise I'll come back stronger, thank you for understanding.^_^
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