Chapter 16 - The Castle

We venture north for about a month with Aurelie using her detect spell to navigate around roaming monsters however we still have the occasional encounter with them but nothing we can’t handle. We had lost all the sailors, a lot of them dying in the first few days before the rest retreated back to the beach.

Today I feel a subtle change in the air but I can’t exactly pinpoint what it is. As we progress onwards the change becomes more palpable, wait, it’s not the air, it’s the mana; it feels like it is changing so I mention it, “You guys feel that?”

Leonore and Aurelie stop before they seem to briefly meditate with Aurelie soon shaking her head, “Can’t feel anything, maybe the mana increased in density which would indicate a dungeon or a magical anomaly.”

Leonore concentrates longer as her eyebrows furrow when she seems to grasp something, “I can feel it, I think it’s corrupted mana, very weak traces are flowing through the ambient mana. Also, it’s hard to tell, but I think that the mana density has increased too.”

Aurelie and I frown, that doesn’t bode well so I immediately suggest, “We should walk around it then, don’t want to get near corruption again.”

Aurelie insists otherwise, “But we came out here to go exploring and searching for treasure, if there’s an increased mana density there must also be a dungeon or at least an anomaly.”

I reactively scowl, as does Leonore, but I fix my expression; she just hasn’t experienced corruption and how it can mess with you so her nonchalance is acceptable. Leonore seriously says, “You have no idea what you’re talking about, we are not going near corruption, that shit messes with your mind. If you experienced what Agnes and I experienced you’d be agreeing with us.”

I nod in agreement, “I’m with Leonore so it’s two against one, let’s go around.”

Aurelie opens her mouth to speak more but then stops herself as she resignedly shuts her mouth.

We skirt around the anomaly or dungeon and walk east for about half an hour before heading north, I notice that the trees seem to be transforming from their vibrant green, becoming a darker stale green while the trunks themselves looks less lively appearing more dead and blackened, the corruption maybe? Aurelie indicates for us to move to the right, a group of monsters likely up ahead. We break into a jog while Aurelie comments, “There is a lot more monster activity around here.”

That would make sense, we are in an area with high mana density which increases monster birth-rates and average strength. Aurelie skids to a stop, informing, “Even more monsters up ahead, do we engage or walk back.”

“How many?” I ask.

Aurelie responds, “About 15, we should be able to handle them but we could attract the first group of monsters.”

Leonore confidently smirks as she looks at Aurelie, “As long as we kill these monsters fast enough we should be fine, just don’t slow us down Aurelie.”

Aurelie glares at Leonore, technically I’m the weakest of our group so Leonore’s comment indirectly insulted me, but there’s no way I am slowing anyone down, we were all powerful for our rank. We continue onwards to where the second group of monsters are, when Aurelie indicates that we’re close I prepare my spells and we fall into our amateur formation. Leonore and Aurelie advance ahead of me to my right and left, I’m further back because I have no dodging spell and I am most effective when standing still when I can focus on minimising casting time.

The monsters appear and their appearance is most unsettling. They seem to originally have been rats, yet their bodies were all mutated with strange disgusting tumours, blackened fur and elongated black claws; they are corrupted. The creatures are in a wide opening so we fire our spells, a flurry of lightning bolts, spinning disks and fire missiles descend upon the group of monsters causing them grotesquely screech with a strange gurgling sound. The corrupted rats are rather resistant to magic with them taking three or four of my missiles before they die. I stand still while focusing my assault on the scuttling rats, bursting off chunks of their flesh as they squeal yet they seem relentless and entirely indifferent to the pain. Leonore and Aurelie try to redirect the creatures from me by dodging around and occasionally casting off a few spells.

Soon we finish off the dregs of the rats. While looking at a sizzling rat corpse Leonore remarks, “Corrupted monsters.”

I walk beside Leonore intently staring at the pustules bursting out black liquid, feeling a pang of horror, “Is that how we would’ve turned out if we stayed exposed to corruption.”

She looks up at me with a smirk before teasingly saying, “Yup, you would’ve become a hideous beast.”

“Ha, so would you.” I shoot back.

She snidely replies, “I’m too beautiful, if anything it would’ve enhanced my features.”

I interrupt, “Not here, please! Let’s get moving.”

We walk northwards for a about an hour before feeling the reverberating rumble of steps which causes the trees to tremble and leaves to fall; that could only be a massive group of monsters so Aurelie focuses intently with her detect spell while saying, “I can’t detect them yet so they must be a fair distance away.”

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Leonore seems anxiously jittery as she mockingly remarks, “And? We’re going to get crushed regardless of how far they are.”

Aurelie remains professional as she shrugs uncaringly, “I’m just saying, we have time to figure out a solution.”

Well there’s really only one solution and I’m sure that’s what Aurelie is insinuating; to run to the anomaly and hope to god that it’s a dungeon or at least a structure where we can hide from the incoming stampede. Leonore echoes my thoughts, “You can’t mean to go towards the anomaly.”

Aurelie talks down to Leonore, “Don’t be an idiot Leonore, it’s our only choice and you know it.”

Leonore seems ready to rebuke but then begrudgingly nods her head, she seems to be getting better at controlling her emotions from the corruption; took her much longer than me that’s for sure, I wonder why that is, maybe it’s will or even personality.

We start jogging toward the magical anomaly, well to roughly where it is; it’s hard to pinpoint the location based on vague changes in mana density. The rumbling seems to only get stronger so I shout out, “Come on, let’s pick up that pace.”

We break out into a run, swinging around trees and dodging past shrubs, we soon come across a road. Following the road I start feeling a drastic increase in mana density along with a stronger tingly feeling from the corrupted mana.

Soon the trees thin out and what trees remain look withered with dwindling leaves and discoloured bark. We eventually see a wall in the distance except it looks mostly destroyed with toppled portions and pieces of stone scattered about. There is a large foreboding castle poking out from within the walls.

The sounds of the monster stampede becomes deafening but Aurelie says, “It’s odd, I still don’t detect any monsters nearby.”

“Who cares, maybe it’s an entire monster surge.” Leonore suggests.

Aurelie’s remarks with concern, “Even so, I’m sure I would’ve detected at least something by now, something feels off.”

We pass the walls and find ourselves in a well-maintained garden with a path that heads straight to the castle’s entrance so we rush toward the lone castle. The stampede grows even louder increasing my anxiety and the castle went from foreboding to oddly inviting, as if I would be entirely safe inside its walls. We become strangely silent as we fall into a slow walk while unquestionably approaching the castle. The large wooden doors of the castle are already open displaying a lavishly decorated interior that seems to pull me in.

Once we’re all inside I jolt at the sound of a loud slam behind me. I wake up from my strange reverie and look back at the shut door while asking, “What happened?”

Aurelie’s expression grows solemn, “Illusion magic, we were lured here, the horde wasn’t real…”

Leonore’s face drops, “Illusion magic, how strong must the illusionist be to so easily bring us here?”

Aurelie replies, “At least rank 4 I would say.”

Feeling immense terror my eyes widen, “Wait wait, those monsters we heard weren’t real!?”

“Who knows what was real and what wasn’t.” Leonore cryptically replies.

I am about to cast spells at the door when I stop myself feeling hesitant at any potential dangers, cancelling my spells I take a closer look at the door. It is covered in numerous intricate runes that I have never seen before with powerful mana running through them, having so many runes covering such a large area, this must be a formation and it doesn’t take a genius to know that attempting to shoot it down with my weak spells will be useless. Leonore and Aurelie are studying it as well and likely come to the same conclusion as me so we turn around and examine the interior of the castle.

Feeling that knowing about illusion magic is rather important I ask, “So how does illusion magic even work, I’ve seen it briefly mentioned in my readings but nothing specific.”

“Well Illusion magic is one of the hardest types of magic requiring a mage to be talented with water, air or both. A mage can cast sound illusions using air magic or create mirages using water, combining both a mage can create fake scenes that can disorientate their victim.” Leonore explains.

I nod while taking note of the odd interior; the lavishness is unsettling as it looks maintained with even ignited candles and candelabras. Aurelie asks, “What’s the plan then?”

Leonore’s expression grows ugly and impatient, “We find whoever did this to us.”

Ignoring Leonore’s impulsiveness I consider our options. Destroying the door is out of the question as I fear what throwing spells at those rune will do, so we can only really try exploring the castle, I look to Aurelie, “You detect any monsters?”

She concentrates as I feel the movement of mana while she casts a spell before saying, “I do, and they seem powerful, all rank 3’s.”

This response causes even Leonore to lose some of her anger as her expression transforms into one of concern. I sense the mana, it’s incredibly strong in here so rank 3 monsters being here makes sense; Leonore and I were able to fight those rank 3 corrupted beasts but they were honestly rather weak for a typical rank 3.

Suddenly a spell seems to form in front of us as energy particles coalesce into a head creating a blue floating head. I step back and prepare to cast a spell but suddenly the head speaks, “Forgive me for scaring you dear mages, I am Magician Cyrille. I am the reason for your visit here.”

Leonore steps forward as she angrily asks, “So you where the one who tricked us?”

The head breaks apart before reforming, “Tricked? I suppose, but it was out of self-preservation. I am currently held prisoner by a greater demon and therefore require your assistance. I have obscured you from the eyes of the greater demon but I cannot hold the spell forever, please, make haste and follow my bidding, I can assure you that great rewards await if you can set me free.”

“I don’t know, this all seems kind of fishy,” Leonore remarks as she studies the head sceptically.

I agree but it can’t hurt to hear it out so I ask, “When you say follow your bidding, what do you want us to do?”

The head tilts slightly, “Oh it’s quite simple, collect a few things to create a formation that will help me kill the demon.”

Aurelie asks, “I don’t understand, why would the demon keep you alive, shouldn’t it just kill you?”

A vague smile forms on the floating head as it playfully says, “Ha! Of course, that would typically be the case, but I have valuable information that the demon wants to know. I’m sure the demon has already called a mind demon over to give my mind a looksies before brutally slaughtering me.”

I suppose what magician Cyrille is saying makes sense, he is a powerful mage after all so why would he have to lure us rank 1 mages here unless he was imprisoned. I look to Aurelie and Leonore, “What do we do?”

Leonore grows ponderous before saying, “We could try to find our own way out, but he said that he was obscuring us only temporarily so if he is speaking the truth then we could be fucked. I think it’s smarter to just follow whatever he suggests and back out if it gets dangerous.”

“Excellent, I knew you mages would make the appropriate choice.” The flying head gleefully says while sagely nodding. It then suddenly flicks around before floating down a hallway with the head emitting blue light that weakly lights up the eerie stone walls, “Quick, let us go, I can already feel my spell weakening.”

Leonore and Aurelie follow after the stupid flying head as it comically bobs up and down. I feel a little hesitant, didn’t we agree a little too easily, but my thoughts seem to fuzz up as I nod to myself, bah, the head seems trustworthy…