Arthur: I'm finally nearing HQ. What in the world is so urgent that the King Mage sent me a return order?

While pondering about the letter I make my way up the Grand tower and make it to the top reaching the King mages office. I takes a moment to collect myself before knocking the door

*Knock knock knock*

???: Arthur is that you? come in

I open the door and walk in a decorated office filled with maps, antiques and paintings

Arthur: You called for me James?

James: Yeah, I'll just be direct have you heard of a man name Frederick

Arthur: Who's Frederick?

James: someone who got assigned to Jack for his instructor exam

Arthur: doesn't Ben take care of that?

James: Usually unless Ben has his hands full

Arthur: yeah and a Giant lives on the moon, what's the real reason

James: well I did some digging but couldn't find out anything about Frederick no student records, barely any mission reports

Arthur: You think he's a spy?

James: no the Council would have already snuff this out a mile away. I suspect the Council is actively hiding Frederick for some reason

Arthur: and you want me to find out why

James: Bingo. I'll be able to buy you one week before people start noticing your disappearance. The council's vault must have some sort of info so start there

Arthur: got it

James: and Arthur over more thing

Arthur: Yeah?

James: the Council has eyes and ears everywhere be careful

Arthur: got it I'll get going

I head down a floor where my office is located to grab some equipment, while making my way down I spot Jack and Frederick arguing about something down the hall. I can't quite make out what they're saying but the argument ends with Jack closing the door to his office on Frederick's face.

As Frederick walks past me his head down biting his nails I hear him mumble

Frederick: 6 times is unreal, if he fails me one more time I'm gonna lose it

6 times! Is Jack's also working with the Council? Damn, if Ben is in on this too then I really don't like my chances.

I head into my office and grab a mana shard to record any documents I may find. I also found my cloak from my student days so my fellow mages wouldn't recognize me and wait until dusk.

After the sun disappeared into the horizon I left my office making sure to be seen by no one and start heading down underground where the council's vault is located.

I head further underground the tower and the noise of the unending bustle of the people starts to fade out. it starts to get quiet, real quiet.

As I reach the vault there seems to be no guards by the vault and the door left open. I head into the vault and see mountains of gold coins at its entrance. I head deeper in and find mana gems, grimoires and lots of strange looking equipment.

making my way to the end of the vault and see a big hole in the ground. I look down towards the tunnel seeing a strange blue glowing light inside

???: Hey someone broke into the vault!

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I hear a large amount of guards at the entrance of the vault rushing in making their way towards me and with no choice but to jump I leap down bracing for impact.

*Thump*

Landing on some soft vegetation to break my fall but the moment I get my bearings the rotten smell around me attacks my noise. I infuse mana into my eyes turning it into a murky blue and start scanning around. Only to realise the entire cave is scattered with rotten corpses, I look beneath my feet to find its lodged into one of the corpses' chests.

Pulling my foot back I hold back the urge to throw up and head towards the light I saw earlier. Walking into the light I saw earlier is a tunnel system with mana gems that dimly glow a weak pale blue aligning the walls.

Typically when a group of mana gems are discovered the colours tend to diverge and shine different colours when they're bunch up like this.

Turning on my mana eyes to investigate further I sense a small prick on the back of my neck. Whipping my head backwards I see a tall man around his late 30s with ruffled hair and a scar on his chin. wearing a slightly torn miners uniform and carrying what seems to be mining equipment in a bag behind me.

Quickly inspecting the man with my mana eyes he doesn't seem to have a mana core for controlling magic, maybe a civilian? After a brief moment of silence the man speaks up

Miner: are you the part of the rescue team

Arthur: rescue team what happened?

Miner: while we were working the ceiling suddenly caved in on us

Arthur: are there any more survivors

Miner: I don't believe so

Arthur: (so that explains the bodies earlier, the culprit who broke in earlier must have been responsible. I better guide him towards the exit before delving deeper)

Arthur: well in that case let me bring you towards the exit

Amplifying my mana eyes I survey the tunnels searching around for an exit.

Arthur: ah there it is, follow me

Miner: Thank you young man do you think I can get my saviour's name?

Arthur: (I should probably use an Alias, don't want anything tying back to James)

Arnold: my name's Arnold

Miner: thank you Arnold

The man extends his arm for a handshake smiling, shaking the man's hand we start making our way to the exit.

While making our way to the exit the miner strikes up a conversation

Miner: hope you don't mind me asking but what's a mage doing here?

Arnold: …

Miner: it's fine if you don't want say

Arnold: (it might be better to tell a lie then leave it ambiguous)

Arnold: I was researching the mana gems in here

Miner: come across anything interesting?

Arnold: just a bunch of dead ends I'm afraid

Miner: Hey Arnold, you seem like a good kid I'm sure you'll find some sort of breakthrough.

Arnold: thanks

After exchanging some small talk the conversation began to die down. While making our way towards the exit the Miners footsteps get more and more distant. By the time I looked back the Miner disappeared. Rushing back worried that he may have fallen down somewhere, after a couple minutes of backtracking I hear whimpering in the distance.

Heading towards the sound's I enter a dead end filled with the same mana gems glowing a pale blue. At the centre of the dead end is a young boy lookin no older than 15. He jumps at the sight me yelling

Young boy: don't kill me!

Arnold: Kill you? I'm part of the rescue team

Young boy: rescue team?

Arnold: the ceiling caved in, or at least that's what one of your crew said

Young boy: what someone's alive who!?

Arnold: didn't get his name but he looked around 30 with a scar on his chin

Young boy: that psychopath! He killed my whole group for not leaving the cave!

Arnold: What! How'd a single guy overpower a whole crew?

Young boy: he used magic to take us all down

Magic? There's no way I definitely scanned him earlier, he definitely didn't have a mana core. Looking at my hand and briefly scanning it I notice that my hand had a tracking spell on it.

Arnold: fuck

Did they find a way to hide their mana core or use some sort of gadget? Either way I crush the tracking spell with my own mana and guide the boy to the exit

Arnold: take this tunnel and just keep heading straight you'll be out in no time

Young boy: your not coming with me?

Arnold: there's some loose ends I have to tie up, now go

As the young boy heads towards the exit I start making my descent down the Labyrinth.

But during my descent I can't stop thinking on who could have been behind this or what is inside the cave their so desperate for? I'm sure all my answers will be answered once I find the man again.