"At the time of her death, Arch-mage Elvira sealed her greatest achievement. The tower of letho or ληθω in ancient language. It had been said at the time it was famous for its collection of legendary weapons and advanced magic research. How interesting. What did you think, Jaron?"

Aaron hit the page to get the attention of Jaron.

Jaron didn't look up from his copy of research papers.

"A Mieczysław's spear, a Hjördis' polearm, and even a Kleidí's sword. If the list is true, it explains the Knights." Jaron motioned to the tower.

Aaron turned to look. As they were sitting on the tower's broken outer wall, so the tower entrance was quite far away , but he could still see the colorful flags of different Knight's orders blowing in the wind.

When they first arrived, he was shocked to see so many here. Even though the expedition was for mages, the knights had outnumbered them. Was the lure of the three weapons really that strong? Aaron doubted it was the case. There was something else driving them here.

Sounds of horse steps grew louder behind Aaron.

Aaron turned his attention away from the entrance and towards the walls' broken gate. Knights on horseback were riding up towards them.

One of the knight's pulled his reins, stopping his horse.

" You two up there, get down."

Jaron remained sitting and whispered to Aaron.

" An arrogant one had shown up."

" Right." Aaron stood up, dusted his legs, and crossed his arm.

"On whose order?"

" I. John. The captain of the Societas Draconistrarum Knights. Hail from the great kingdom of Magyarország. "

" Order of the Dragon? Do you think it sounds a little too pompous for knights?" Aaron scoffed.

" You." Knight John clutched his reins, but kept his face calmed. " I will let you know our order name was well earned. It was founded by a hero. One of the Dragon Slayers from the great war."

Jaron looked over his prompt knee.

" Dragon Slayer? Isn't the current Dragon Slayer in the Varangian Guard? "

Knight John' eye twitched. "That Fake could never live up to the real dragon slayers. Wait, your badges. You punks. Now who is trying to boldly use the Dragon Slayer name. Why are a bunch of Varangian Guard's apprentices here?"

" Apprentices?" Jaron frowned.

" The Varangian Guard don't train apprentices." Aaron also frowned.

" You could fool me. Two of you look too green to even be considered novices. Go home, this expedition isn't for children."

" A child?" Aaron's eyes blazed.

" Hey, What's going on over here?” An old woman in robes walked over.

Aaron recognized the age face from anywhere.

" Old Gillian." Aaron's voice lightened as he jumped down to greet her.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

" Grand Mage." Knight John switched over to a polite tone. " I'm trying to send these apprentices home. Can you help?"

" An Apprentice? Aaron?" Gillian looked from Aaron to knight John to back to Aaron again and busted into laughter.

" I know right?" Aaron stuck his tongue out.

" Grand mage?" Knight John awkwardly smiled.

" Captain John returned to your camp. I can assure they aren't apprentices. Well at least one of them." She looked up toward Jaron.

" Junior mid tier." Jaron stressed with annoyance.

" Oh, not bad for your age." Gillian nodded.

Knight John coughed and turned his head away.

" I will be heading back, now."

He nudged the horse riding back to the tower.

As he disappeared from view Gillian shot Aaron a look.

" Already getting mixed up in trouble again, Mage Aaron?"

He raised his hands.

" It wasn't my fault. You know I don't like unwanted attention. "

" It's too bad you have a knack for drawing it. Didn't last time I saw you also got in a fight with some officials. "

" Wasn't my fault back then either."

" For it wasn't your fault, you still made a spectacle." Gillian giggled. " Afterwards did you get into trouble with your mom? By how red her face was when she dragged you away, I assumed you had the scolding of a lifetime."

"Hm, it wasn't too bad. Honestly the field hands who taught me those words had it worse when we got back home. "

"Oh, I bet."

Gillian motioned to Aaron and Jaron to follow her.

"Gillian, why are there so many knights?"

"I don't know. When I sent out invitations to mages, tons of knight’s order requested to join. My king accepted their request without informing me why."

" I see." Aaron narrowed his eyes." Then, when does the expedition start?"

" In a little while. We would be having an introduction ceremony, then we would be opening Archmage Elvira's Letho tower for the first time in 500 years. But before that, I have to show you something."

Gillian Led the two youths to the great wall of the tower. Circuit-like lines covered the tower.

Aaron's pupil shook. He hesitated, then traced his hand across the complex runes.

" This…"

They were the same from Sozopolis ruins. The energy draining runes.

Gillian stood beside him and also traced the ruins.

" I had a feeling you would recognize them. When I was talking with Brigadier Dieter, he told me about the runes you had encountered. The way he described them they sound like these runes."

"Do you know what they are?"

Gillian nodded.

"Their purpose is to draw out mana straight from the world and power the tower."

"Wait? Do you mean it doesn't need any mana stones?"

" Yes, that's right."

" That is legendary technology. How far have you managed to study it?"

" Sadly not far. The complexity of the runes are too much to study without any information. I hope by opening the tower we find the schematic of the runes."

" Right."

Aaron looked back to the runes. His heartbeat raced. He didn't know if these runes would be helpful in understanding his brother's research, but he couldn't help being excited about the possibility of learning more about magic.

Gillian laughed behind him.

"Glad you came to visit. You look like a child in a candy store."

" I'm not a child." Aaron pouted.

" Compared to my age, you are still a child for a couple more years."

She pinched his cheek.

" Hey, that hurts. knocked it off." Aaron waved her hand away.

" It is about time, we should head back."

She turned to head back to the tower entrance.

Aaron rubbed his cheek as he glanced at the runes again.

Jaron stopped to look at him.

" Coming?"

" Yes, let's go."