From the mountain in front of Theo, a gigantic waterfall cascaded down, its waters releasing a hazy mist all around and pouring into a deep, natural pool. It was a mysterious, majestic, and magnificent sight under the starlit sky, its beauty both alluring and treacherous. The pool, surrounded by moss-covered rocks, gleamed ethereally in the moonlight.
Theo stood near the waterfall, his hair, clothes, and even boots soaked from the mist.
‘First years are sent to the Isle of Lumina for a class expedition. There, you will find a single waterfall that leads to a hidden place. Within that place resides an ancient spirit. You may ask it any question, and it shall answer you.’
Theo recalled the words Elowen had shared with him before he left for this expedition. Initially, he had doubted why such a place would remain hidden from other students; surely they could find it too. But after arriving and searching for a while, he realized just how elusive this hidden place was.
He had searched every nook and cranny around the waterfall, yet the secret place remained stubbornly out of reach. And as darkness enveloped the landscape, the task of searching became more challenging, but thanks to his [Leywin’s Gaze], his vision remained clear, unaffected by the lack of light.
Settling down wearily at the base of the pool, Theo sighed and muttered to himself, "Couldn’t she have given me more clues?" He gazed at the water reflecting the moon shining brightly above, casting a silver glow that lit up the glittering sky and the frost-covered rocks around him.
Just as his gaze landed on those frozen rocks, he frowned. He had searched every conceivable spot, except one. It was a place that hadn’t even crossed his mind as a possibility. It was so unassuming, so ordinary, that he had overlooked it entirely.
‘Found you at last,’ he realized, his fascination increasing with the discovery.
Without a second thought, Theo dove into the pool with a loud splash. The cold, chilly water instantly invaded his senses, making him regret his lack of preparation. He could’ve used one of his heat-inducing fruits before jumping, but he hadn’t anticipated the water being this unforgiving. His teeth started to chatter, yet he was determined not to resurface and redo this dive.
He plunged deeper, noticing the water’s clarity at the upper levels. As he descended, the water took on a bluish hue, and at the very bottom, it was dark and foreboding.
The odd sight of frozen rocks floating sporadically in the middle of the pool caught his attention and drew him further in. As he crossed through the darker phase, the water temperature dropped precipitously, feeling as if it could freeze his bloodstream. Despite this, he continued to paddle his legs, diving deeper. There was no question of giving up now.
Amidst the darker, deeper water, Theo was greeted by an unexpected sight—a faint source of light that shimmered in the distance, piercing through the icy depths. This beacon, though subtle, piqued his curiosity and promised an end to the suffocating darkness that enveloped him.
Compelled by the desire to reach the hidden place, he propelled himself towards the light with determined strokes, navigating through the increasingly frigid waters.
As he drew closer, the light expanded, enveloping him in its glow. With a few more powerful strokes, Theo broke the surface of the water and found himself in a completely different environment.
He surfaced, his head breaking through into an unexpectedly calm pool. He was in a cavernous space, an underground cave hidden beneath the pulsing waterfall, secluded and untouched by time.
Climbing out of the water, Theo immediately took out some Infernal Winterberries and began to munch on them. The berries worked their magic, slowly warming his chilled body. Once he felt better, he started to observe the place he had discovered.
The cave was cloaked in a dense layer of moss that clung to the rocky surfaces, lending the space an ancient, untouched feel. The only source of light emanated from the bioluminescent flora and grasses scattered throughout the cave. These plants cast a soft, otherworldly glow, illuminating the cave in hues of green and blue. Icicles hung like crystal chandeliers from the ceiling, their tips catching the light and refracting it throughout the cavern.
As Theo's eyes adjusted to the light, he noticed a narrow, moss-lined path that seemed to beckon him deeper into the cave. Intrigued, he followed it, each step echoing softly in the vast chamber. The path wound its way through the cave, leading him toward what appeared to be a deliberately crafted space.
As he approached the end of the path, he found a large, illuminated chamber. This new area was filled with various ancient symbols that adorned the walls.
As Theo was surveying the chamber, a figure materialized before him like a hologram emerging from thin air. The apparition was an old man with a long beard that tapered to an angular tip, and he was bald, his head reflecting the soft luminescence of the chamber. His appearance was frail and thin, cloaked in a robe that seemed woven from the threads of time itself.
The spirit of the old man regarded Theo with a discerning gaze. "Ahh… Not bad. He manipulated the outcome of you getting a class that synchronizes ideally with the Abyssal element, reducing the chances of your corruption by almost fifty percent."
Theo was taken aback, surprised not only by the old man’s sudden appearance but also by his knowledge of Theo's circumstances.
‘Does this mean that my assignment to a farming class was intentional? Was it all a plan to save me from corruption by the Abyssal element or from being mismatched with another class?’ Theo pondered, his mind racing with the implications.
The old man continued, his voice growing fainter as if power was draining from him. “Sadly, my mana is running out, so I won’t be able to remain with you much longer. I will have to go into my slumber soon. Please, ask your question quickly. I may be able to answer one at most before I sleep…”
Theo nodded, understanding the weight of this rare opportunity. He knew he had to choose his question wisely, as it might be the only one he could get answered.
Theo had many questions he wanted to ask. What was his origin? Who were his real parents? Where was his true home, and to what race did he belong? Why had his parents abandoned him, and why was he required to live as he had? What conspiracy or grand scheme was unfolding behind his back? Or perhaps, who was Liliana to him?
Yet, it wasn’t hard for him to decide what to ask. From the beginning, when Elowen had first told him about this place, he knew exactly what he wanted to know the most. This choice was easy for him; the question had been burning in his mind ever since that moment, waiting for the opportunity to be answered.
"How can I wake up Lilith?" he asked resolutely. While uncovering his past was alluring, Lilith held an even greater significance in his life. If he had to wager on anything, it would be her recovery.
The old man chuckled softly, his tone both amused and mysterious. “So, you could have asked for any secret, knowledge on how to defeat the Forgotten One, or the location of a mythic-grade treasure, yet you choose to inquire about waking your slumbering girlfriend. Such a hopeless romantic boy... That white-haired girl, she was just like you. When she came here, she asked how she could save you. And now, here you are, asking how you can wake up the one you love…”
Theo furrowed his brow, trying to make sense of the old man's cryptic words. The mention of someone else asking about him puzzled him deeply.
'Who could he be talking about?' he wondered silently. He had a possible name in his mind, but he wasn’t sure if it was her.
"To wake that poor girl, simply channel your Abyssal energy into her body," the old man continued, his voice growing fainter as if fading into the distance. "She is your guardian, so this will aid her. However, be warned, even if she wakes, it will be difficult for her..." His voice trailed off, and before he could finish, his spirit began to falter like a TV channel losing its signal, eventually vanishing altogether.
Theo stood there for a moment, his heart sinking as he realized the old man would not reappear. He scanned the chamber one last time and noticed something hidden behind a cluster of blue flowers in the corner. Approaching it, he discovered a purple-covered diary encased within a frozen block of ice.
Curiosity surged through him about this mysterious item, but he knew that melting and deciphering its contents would have to wait. Prioritizing his return from this enigmatic place, he carefully stored the frozen diary inside his Golden Vault. He then took a deep breath, before plunging back into the chilling waters of the pool.
***
“Where will you run now?” Julian called out, his tone laced with both mockery and challenge as he confronted Violet and Lorian.
The pair were surrounded, and this time Julian had summoned his power, his wrist alight with three blue rings. He aimed his hand at them as if ready to unleash a spell at the slightest movement.
“You can bark all you want, but we will not let you have it…” Violet retorted, though her voice revealed her fatigue; she was still far from having recovered her mana. They had only narrowly escaped earlier, and somehow, Julian and his group had caught up to them swiftly. Currently, they were encircled by seven students.
“You’re not even in the condition to fight me, and that elf boy, he is most likely out of any tricks…” Julian taunted, smiling. His clothes were charred and his hair disheveled, showing that he hadn’t paused to tend to himself in his rush to intercept them. Earlier, after losing their trail, Julian had been led here by their elven scout, who had maintained a vigilant watch on their movements.
Violet appeared visibly annoyed by Julian’s arrogance, but Lorian held her hand tightly, his grip signaling her not to engage in her weakened state.
Julian then turned his attention to Lorian, “Hand over the Sovereign emblem, or I will have to be impolite with you…”
“Impolite? Are you sure you can handle me?” Lorian countered as he unsheathed his sword, which immediately began to vibrate with a surge of energy.
Everyone present, including Violet, looked on in confusion.
“How could you use mana?” Julian questioned in puzzlement.
Lorian merely shrugged, clearly not in the mood to share his secrets.
“This is not possible, all the 1-A students have been disqualified…” one of Julian’s group members muttered, trying to make sense of the situation.
“He must have transferred it to that girl…” another speculated.
At that moment, Violet’s left wrist began to glow with three red rings, and an infernal wheel started to materialize before her.
“This is impossible… How are you two still standing here if the Sovereign emblem is not with you…” Julian stammered, unable to grasp the unfolding reality.
Just then, a voice echoed through the sky.
"The Sovereign Emblem of Class 1-D has been claimed. As a result, Class 1-D is hereby disqualified from the expedition."
With the announcement, a large black tear appeared in the space. However, unlike previous occasions, the students from Section D didn’t teleport out instantly.
The remaining students of Section D turned their gaze towards Julian. An Orc boy, his face twisted with rage, gripped his Axe tightly. “We shouldn’t have trusted humans; he betrayed us…” he grumbled in fury.
Julian responded nonchalantly, “I told those idiots to wait until I returned, but this isn’t bad either… If you want to face me, then come.”
As he redirected his palm’s aim towards the students of Section D, who had been his allies just moments before, they began to be sucked into the portal, vanishing from the spot without a trace. Julian didn’t even get the chance to fight them.
Now, only the students of Section C and Julian remained. They stared at Julian with suspicious eyes.
Before they could voice their concerns, another announcement pierced the air.
"The Sovereign Emblem of Class 1-C has been claimed. Class 1-C is hereby disqualified from the expedition."
At this revelation, the remaining two students from Section C aimed their spells at Julian—a barrage of Aero blades and ice bullets hurled towards him.
Julian sidestepped with a cunning smile, and the two attackers were also sucked into the void gate, just like their fellow group members.
Now, Julian was left standing alone with Violet and Lorian, who were staring at him with amusement in their eyes.
“I may be alone now, but I’m enough to take care of you two. Most importantly, 1-B will win this expedition as we have already claimed both of the sovereign emblems. It doesn’t matter where you have hidden yours…” Julian declared, his smile brimming with pride, as if victory was already his.
However, Lorian's expression remained unperturbed, his smile soft, which only fueled the frustration of his last standing opponent.
Julian, annoyed by Lorian’s expression, demanded, “Why are you smiling, Brat?”
However, his question was instantly drowned out by another announcement that reverberated across the island.
"The Sovereign Emblem of Class 1-B has been claimed. As a result, Class 1-B is hereby disqualified from the expedition."
Julian’s eyes widened in shock, his body frozen in disbelief.
As the space tore apart behind him, signaling his imminent expulsion, a punch came hurling towards him.
The forceful fist landed squarely on Julian's cheek, sending him hurtling toward the portal and snapping him out of his stunned trance.
Violet had seized this moment to unleash her pent-up anger through her fist while Julian was momentarily paralyzed by the shocking announcement.
As Julian disappeared from sight, drawn into the portal, Violet turned to Lorian with a hint of curiosity in her gaze. "Why didn’t you tell me about this?"
Lorian responded, "Brother instructed me to keep it secret. He suspected there might be an insider in our group…"
Violet rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. "You and your brother... I swear, you two are going to drive me crazy," she sighed, her frustration giving way to jubilation. With a sudden burst of energy, she exclaimed, "We won! We really won!" Her voice echoed through the area as she threw her arms around Lorian in a spontaneous embrace, catching him off guard.
Lorian, taken by surprise, stiffened for a moment but then relaxed, not pushing her away. The warmth of her embrace and the reality of their victory brought a genuine smile to his face.
Together, the duo celebrated their victory, their laughter and joyful shouts filling the air, marking the end of an intense and unexpected ordeal.
======[SnowNote]======
Don't worry, the next chapter will reveal Theo's perspective and shed light on the other side of the story.
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