Nodding and smiling as a response, Maven walked at the front. Together with Reyl they entered a massive chamber, with its dome soaring high above resembling a volcanic crater. The sunlight was sneaking from the grids on the highest part of the ceiling, reflected towards the crystal walls all the way to the ground, thoroughly illuminating the chamber.

At the end of the room, right under the crystal peak, Maven found a giant ice crystal soaring high. Driven by curiosity, she began to stride forward…

“Watch out, Mave!”

Aghast, Maven turned around. The next moment, Reyl tackled her down to the ground.

“Ouch!” Her eyes looked straight towards the face of this handsome man who was right above hers. But pass him, she gasped at the sight of a giant hand descending right towards her.

“Look out!” Maven instinctively pulled Reyl aside and rolled. They avoided the attack that created a crater right on where they just were. The place which happened to be already rugged since it wasn’t the first time a fight happened there.

Maven and Reyl quickly rose up and stood firm. Before them was a massive anthropomorphic figure in crystal armor, covering from the crown of its head to the base of its thigh, while it had the lower limb of a giant dragon snake. It wielded a large crystal sword in right hand, ready to be struck at enemy at whenever.

Cold sweat started dropping from Maven’s forehead before the semi-divine being in front of her. She glanced behind, finding four of her friends preoccupied with a fight against three obsidian golem from afar. She then looked again towards Reyl who was roaring.

His chest was puffing up a thick fire aura that was wrapping around his body from the glowing Crylionel he was wearing. Convenient timing! Was the youth about to go berserk like he did back then in the fight against Udmelekh?

Maven retreated, trying to make a distance. Her eyes were focused on the monster knight made of ice, who was standing still while bowing down. Baffled, she turned around towards the the black golems who were kneeling solemnly... towards Reyl.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“Mave, what the hell is going on? All these monsters are kneeling towards Reyl like they are welcoming their king!” Even the decently informed Declan could only scratch his head upon seeing what was happening.

“I don’t know. Let’s just follow him,” she answered as she pointed at Reyl who began walking past the Ice Knight.

Maven, Declan, Sophia, Bangor and Tobar then followed behind very warily. Without looking back for once, Reyl kept walking all the way until he reached a crystal ice obelisk which resembled a pine tree in shape.

Inside the obelisk, Maven saw a silhouette which was shaped like a human female. Curiosity again drove her to approach and see it more clearly.

Suddenly a woman’s voice could be heard. “Well, well, I have been waiting for you. How nice, perfect!”

Surprised, Maven moved back quickly and readied her battle stance along with her party.

“Who’s there? What are you talking about? Show yourself!” Maven looked everywhere in alert.

“My, can’t you recognize my voice? Youngsters these days have such a weak memory, or are you just too lazy to remember?”

Sophia suddenly realized something. “Aaah! Isn’t that voice… Impossible, teacher… haven't you already…”

“Died? That easily? How skeptical. Perhaps you will believe when you see me.”

The woman who Sophia thought to be her teacher came out from behind the obelisk. She stood next to the other woman with loosened long hair, frozen inside the ice.

Maven's attention was entirely absorbed by the woman who was standing before her, someone she knew very well.

“Ne-Nepathya Lei…” Her lips were shaking.

“Yeah, I guess that’s my name,” the bodacious woman commented, lifting the bangs of her long silver hair which was no longer braided, but let loose.

Maven was flabbergasted to see her. “Madame Lei, I’m glad you’re alive. But…. You don’t have that bandage on your eye anymore.”

Nepathya Lei only giggled. “Ha, ha, since by now I feel more than alive, that bandage is no longer needed. You have a keen observation, Maven, but still not keen enough. What matters is not the bandage, but what is behind it. Look closely!”

The magic instructor thus lifted her loose bangs to show the left side of her smooth face, no different from the right. The only difference was the left eye which was glowing in clear blue light.

Behind the light, it was apparent that her eye ball was no ordinary eye ball. It was clear without a pupil. It looked like a pearl, or to be more precise…

A crystal eye.