章 1: The Honorable Guest
1677 SD,
Nodara City.
In House of baron Robert Nodara.
____ ____ ____
In the remote city of Nodara, a blanket of dark clouds obscures the surroundings, leaving the earth damp and the roads muddy from the relentless rain.
At the city's heart, behind formidable stone walls, stands the imposing residence of Baron Robert Nodara.
Despite the downpour, a crimson flag, soaked but still fluttering proudly, adorns the top of his castle, while the heavily guarded iron door marks the entrance to his estate.
Baron Nodara paces anxiously at the main gate of his home, his heart pulsating with a mix of fear and anticipation.
Tonight, his residence has the honor of hosting a distinguished guest from the imperial capital.
Alongside him, his city officers stand patiently, their umbrellas shielding them from the heavy rainfall.
Suddenly, the sound of approaching wheels echoes through the rain-soaked air as a carriage pulls up outside, signaling the arrival of the esteemed guest.
Soon, as the carriage comes to a halt, a man steps out, draped in black attire from head to toe, his form obscured by a dark robe.
The golden emblem of a crow glimmers upon his chest, symbolizing his affiliation with the Tower Of Ravens, a dominant magician guild in the wizarding world.
The baron and his men bow respectfully to the guest.
"Welcome, sir wizard. It's truly an honor to have you grace our home," the baron says, with genuine warmth in his voice.
"We're honored," the other men speak too.
"Hahah... It seems fortune smiles upon our barony. Welcome to our lands, sir wizard."
Suddenly, the man sheds his robe, exposing his blonde hair to the downpour. His green eyes look cruel, as if he has ended thousands of lives.
"Forget the pleasantries... Do I simply have to stand here in the rain, Baron?"
"Apologies, sir... This way," says the baron.
Soon, they arrive inside the castle, where the servants of the house bow to the wizard of the dark guild. They have heard of the deeds of the guild, which fills them with respect, though fear lingers beneath the surface.
After a while, the dark mage settles onto the sofa in the opulent hall of the castle. Robert bows slightly and takes a seat across from him.
"Dorthy, please prepare some wine for our guest. The weather is quite cold... What shall I call you, sir? I haven't had the opportunity to inquire about your name," Robert requests politely, addressing both the maid standing nearby and the mage.
To this, the man in the black robe remains composed and casually responds,
"My name is Cyrus, one of the four archmages of Raven. Now, let's get to the point. How many days have passed since the portal appeared here?"
__ __ __
Portals of Calamity.
In 1455 SD, the Vortex Empire thrived with wealth, and its people enjoyed a life filled with happiness and ease, surrounded by the wonders of magic and mystic arts.
However, this idyllic existence was shattered when a colossal red portal appeared in the skies above the imperial capital, causing havoc and panic throughout the city.
At that moment, no matter where one looked in the sky, it was filled with monsters, instilling terror in the hearts of the natives. In this unexpected assault, more than 600,000 people perished.
Even the powerful wizards and sword masters fell short in defeating them, as the assault was too great.
During this crisis, Emperor Rudeus Vortex, the reigning monarch, experienced a phenomenon: a sword, seemingly tearing through the heavens, descended before him.
Instinctively, he armed himself with it, feeling millions of lights coursing through his veins as he slashed the sword upward.
Within seconds, the sky cleared, and all the monsters died. However, the sword did not acknowledge the emperor as its true wielder, and his body fragmented and disappeared as he drew his last breath.
This day marked a black day in the history of the Vortex Empire, known as the beginning of calamity.
Since then, portals started appearing everywhere, not just within the Vortex Empire. If one crossed these portals, they would be transported to dungeons filled with terrifying monsters.
Those who slew these monsters were hailed as adventurers, and that's precisely what Cyrus is - an adventurer, and the member of a dark guild known as the Tower of Raven.
__ __ __
Baron Robert feels relieved as the man before him already shows interest in their deepest trouble.
Moreover, this wizard, though young, holds the esteemed title of archmage, an exceedingly rare occurrence in the empire.
This fact alone speaks volumes about his majesty's concern for the land, sending such a prominent figure to aid them.
With sincerity, he responds,
"Sir Cyrus, it has been exactly 5 days and 13 hours since it appeared. I was concerned for the safety of my people, though truly grateful you have come.
However, we do have time, and considering you have traveled from afar, I won't hinder your rest."
Other than the first Portal of Calamity, all others have a certain time limit before they collapse.
If humans fail to solve them within this limit, monsters emerge through the portal, wreaking havoc upon the land.
Thus, it is imperative to eliminate them all before they can step outside of the portal.
"Alright..." Cyrus replies, knowing there is still plenty of time left before chaos ensues.
"Dorthy, prepare some wine for our guest. I'll show you to the guest room, sir," Robert orders, rising from his seat alongside Cyrus.
"As you wish, Master," the maid replies, bowing her head respectfully.
On the other hand, Cyrus doesn't speak much and heads towards the way, following Robert.
As He has his own agenda for coming here, and since it's only a black portal, this isn't something he can't handle.
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