The sound of footsteps approaching broke the reigning silence of the library. Isen turned the page of the magic book he was reading, and before continuing, settled back into the padded backrest of the wooden chair.

"Combat Mage Isen," said a voice.

Isen sighed and looked up. He didn't like being interrupted while reading.

"Yes?"

The apprentice mage hurried to bow as Isen's cold eyes met his. He was not the first to be discomfited by them. Even his parents had felt uncomfortable when their eyes met.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, master. The guardian of Linalta Tower has sent me to fetch you."

"She could have sent a message to my cybertable," Isen returned his gaze to the book. "What does she want?"

"She didn't mention it. She just told me to tell you to come to her office."

"Very well. You may go," said Isen dismissively.

The apprentice mage bowed again and left the library. Isen closed the book, returned it to its place, and headed to the office of the tower guardian.

The magic tower of Catlon was the second largest of the three towers that currently made up the Magic Brigade of Anlova (there had been a fourth in Tarefor, but it had been destroyed in a revolt). The cylindrical tower, with an internal garden connecting all the floors, housed numerous spaces dedicated to knowledge, learning, and training in the magical arts, in addition to residential rooms, kitchens, and offices. The lives of most military and civilian mages took place within those walls.

Upon reaching the office of the tower guardian, Isen gently knocked on the door with his index finger bent.

"Come in," said a soft voice. "Excuse me." Isen opened the door and entered.

The office was irregularly octagonal with pronounced peaks. The room was filled with shelves holding all kinds of books. In one corner, a narrow spiral staircase led up to a circular platform with a railing. On one wall was a map of all Terrarum drawn on rough paper that mimicked parchment. On another, there was a window overlooking the inner garden. In front of it, seated on a padded armchair, the tower guardian was reviewing one of the many books and manuscripts on her mahogany wood desk.

Like him, the guardian of Linalta Tower was an aehul. Physically, aehuls were similar to humans in terms of height and variety of skin tones, but they had slightly pointed ears and their build was somewhat more fragile. Most of them were blond or brunette with light eyes, and were often synonymous with beauty, featuring porcelain faces, smooth skin, and fine eyebrows. Eloquence was one of the most famous traits of their species, although Isen was the exception that proved the rule.

"Did you call for me?" asked Isen.

The guardian's gray eyes settled on him, and a shy smile formed on her thin lips. Her light blonde hair fell to her shoulders.

"Yes, Combat Mage Isen," Linalta said, gesturing with her hand and the door closed. Then she leaned back in her chair. "There has been an urgent request from the Fierce Stewards for a combat mage."

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"And you've assigned me?" Isen asked with his typical impassive face.

"That's right," Linalta replied with a hint of mischief.

"I see," said Isen. "What's it about?"

"It appears that early yesterday morning there was a shutdown at the Tagrei rune-electric auxiliary power plant, and it has since remained inoperative. The Catlon Central has tried to contact them repeatedly but there has been no response. So, a platoon of the Fierce Stewards is being dispatched to find out what has happened."

"Do they think it might have been attacked?"

"That's the interesting part, Isen. And why I personally called for you. Apparently, a strange message was received, the only parts deciphered were 'Attack' and 'Demon.'"

The word "Demon" caught Isen's attention. Since his adolescence, especially since his military status had given him access to certain areas of the National Library of Catlon, he had read numerous accounts and books from the old world in which all kinds of heroes faced demons and other beings. One of his favorites was about a mage named Sydriel, who, despite being marginalized and despised all his life by the inhabitants of the town where he resided, sacrificed himself to save the town when it was attacked by a demon. After the battle, the inhabitants of that small town wept upon realizing how foolish and unjust they had been, and finally, in honor of Sydriel, built a school so that those born with the gift of magic could find their place in the world. Some placed this tale as a possible origin of the magic towers of Ibelir.

However, all that was nothing more than fantasy.

"You don't really believe it was a demon, do you?"

"And what if it had been?" Linalta leaned her elbows on the desk. "Come on, Isen. I've known you since you entered the magic tower at eight years old, and I know you share the same passion as I do for the folklore of the old world. Don’t tell me you’ve never thought that gods and demons might have existed?"

"Yes," admitted the combat mage after a few seconds of silence. "But there's nothing to prove their existence."

Linalta leaned back in her chair. A mischievous smile reappeared on her face.

"Not for someone of your level." The tower guardian wiggled her fingers, and one of the drawers of her desk opened. From it, an ancient handwritten paper floated through the air and landed in Isen's hands. "However, one of the good things about being in my position is that, just like with magic books, I can access certain types of documents that most people cannot."

Isen took the paper and scanned the lines of the ancient text.

"As you know, some stories talk about battles and wars between some gods and their chosen, but what you have there is not a story, but an authentic letter from an officer written to his wife. In it, Castio Ruidez tells his wife that the city of Aseteneo has survived an attack by demons thanks to the divine powers of the god Deus's chosen, Eeril Saiol. If you look closely, he even describes Eeril’s transformation."

"Aseteneo... was a city of the ancient Crown of Kaslia."

"Exactly. One of the five crowns that made up the ancient Kingdom of Ibelir. Theoretically, the city was destroyed during the wars that ended the old world, and today they are nothing but ruins," said the guardian of the tower. "But the important thing about this letter is that, according to this officer, both gods and demons existed."

Although his face did not show it, Isen felt a strange joy coursing through his body. For him, the mythology of the old world had been an escape from his loneliness and sadness. In it, he found a world where only his imagination limited his possibilities. In it, his veins flowed with the blood of a civilization that had descended from the gods themselves. In it, alongside his group of adventurers, he had unmasked a noble leading a demonic cult and defeated the demon they had summoned. He had fought alongside the drauos of Varskug in the battle that saw the birth of Hacharoja himself. He had been a chosen of the god Raia and destroyed one of Drogur. In it, he had even found love.

"I've checked the letter, and it could be about seven hundred and twenty years old, which matches the date it was written. Additionally, the name of the officer also appears in another subsequent document as part of the garrison of Taldu."

Isen looked at the paper in his hands again. He knew that this could have simply been the delusion of an officer who had been close to death. However...

"And what if the old world hadn't been destroyed by the massive invasion of savages and arruks that followed the Great War of the Realms as the history books tell us?" Linalta asked with a hint of mystery.

"Very well, guardian of the tower," Isen said after a few seconds. "I will take care of the request."

Linalta smiled.