The mage sauntered off, leaving Brofli to continue his mission.

"Not many individuals are here; most people came in groups."

"From outside, they seem like just practicing their magic, but an intelligent eye can easily discern and see that they are testing the limits of the warning system."

"A mage being level two or level three or the limiter of level three in the room does not mean that a level three magic can not be cast to harm a level four mage."

Brofli thought.

His gaze swept the room, noting a faint glimmer of protection magic along the edges—likely cast by the ship’s captain to contain any accidents.

His focus shifted to the spacing between groups, carefully observing which organizations stood closest to each other.

As he noted these details, Brofli murmured under his breath, mentally reporting back to Sylas.

“Two exits, guarded, two guards each. Magic detection seems focused around the main doors. Spacing between groups... calculated.

Dark Father’s mages seem more aggressive than the others, while the Frost Elves appear... poised.”

Continuing to observe, Brofli took mental note of the magical strengths displayed—some mages brandishing bright flames, others hurling bolts of lightning that cracked through the air.

"Just cheap tricks in front of my lords," he thought and then nodded as he knew that these spells are not the real spells they would use in the battles.

No mage fool enough to use and show their real spells and magic capabilities in a public practice room filled with an uncountable number of enemies.

He assessed their power levels, a small smile creeping onto his face as he realized that, while formidable, none of these spells seemed beyond what Sylas’s forces could handle.

He turned his gaze to the far end of the room, where a single mage from an unknown organization practiced silently.

Unlike the others, this mage’s magic didn’t produce any visible light or sound—it was subtle, almost invisible. Brofli’s eyes narrowed.

Whoever that was, their magic was an enigma and likely designed to deceive and mislead.

He noted this mage’s location and would report it in full to Sardias and then to Lord Sylas.

Satisfied, Brofli gave the room one last look before heading toward the nearest exit.

The mission was complete, and he had seen all he needed to. As he left the room, he whispered to himself,

“The pieces are falling into place. Lord Sylas will be pleased.”

---

7

----

The room fell silent after Machivel’s grim suggestion.

Sylas’s sharp gaze swept across his generals and masters, gauging their reactions.

Each face bore a different expression—Gran looked thoughtful, Sardias’s eyes narrowed in contemplation, Suntuzel frowned deeply, and Redel remained impassive, though his tightened jaw betrayed a flicker of unease.

Brofli, standing to the side, shifted uncomfortably.

Sylas leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he broke the silence.

“A coordinated sacrifice of third-level mages to fuel a curse spell,” he repeated Machivel’s words slowly, his voice even but laced with a calculating undertone.

“It’s a drastic measure.

But in the right hands, it could be devastatingly effective. Tell me, Machivel, do you believe it has been done before?”

Machivel straightened in his seat, meeting Sylas’s gaze without flinching.

“It has,” he confirmed.

“Although extremely rare, there are records of similar rituals in ancient texts. Sacrificial magic of this nature is not something most organizations would resort to—it’s taboo, forbidden by many doctrines. But desperate groups, or those with nothing left to lose, might see it as a viable strategy.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"My lord, I would also remind you that Frost Elves sacrificed people to summon a level four peak monster to fight against you."

"If I remember, its name was Origin Frost King."

Sylas nodded.

"Yeah, you are right. It is different than what we are thinking and planning here, but. It is still a spell that cast via sacrifical means."

Sardias tapped a finger against the table, breaking his silence.

“If this practice room allows spells as powerful as third-level curses to be cast without triggering alarms, it could very well become a staging ground for such a ritual. The question is, Who among our potential adversaries would be willing to make such a sacrifice?”

Redel spoke up, his voice calm but firm.

“The Dark Father’s faction comes to mind. They’re known for their ruthless methods and obsession with blood magic. If any group would view their members as expendable pawns for a greater cause, it’s them.”

Gran frowned, crossing his arms. “True, but we shouldn’t rule out the Frost Elves. They’re known for their precision and cold logic. If they deemed such a sacrifice necessary to secure their survival or dominance, I wouldn’t put it past them. In the end, as Machivel said and Master Sylas confirmed, they have done it in the past.”

Sylas nodded, absorbing their insights.

“Both are valid possibilities. But we mustn’t forget the smaller, less prominent groups.

Desperation can drive even the weakest to extremes.”

He turned his gaze toward Suntuzel, who had been uncharacteristically quiet.

“What’s your take, Suntuzel?”

Suntuzel leaned forward.

“I agree with the assessments made so far. But there’s another angle we must consider: the coordination required. Sacrificial magic of this scale would need absolute precision and synchronization among the casters.

"It wouldn’t be something they could pull off on a whim—it would require planning, preparation, and, most importantly, secrecy.”

Sylas tapped a finger on the table, his mind racing.

“Secrecy, yes. Which means they would need a secure location for their preparations. Somewhere isolated..."

Redel tilted his head.

“The practice room itself could serve as such a location. Its design inherently shields its occupants from magical detection. If a group wanted to set the stage for a sacrificial ritual, that room would be an ideal choice.”

Machivel said to Redel.

"How do you think they would hide it from the other mages?"

Redel smirked a little and then added.

"They can cast hiding spells; I believe there is a high number of them in the volumes of third-level magic spells in existence."

"If there is not high enough mage to observe such a spell, it would be hidden."

Machivel nodded and kept his silence. His eyes seemed to focus on something.

Brofli, emboldened by his earlier success, hesitated before speaking.

“My lord, during my reconnaissance, I observed certain individuals who seemed... detached from the usual training routines. They weren’t practicing spells but rather whispering amongst themselves."

Sylas turned to him, intrigued.

“Did you identify their faction?”

Brofli nodded.

“Yes, my Lord. They bore the insignia of the Dark Father mostly. I can say that they mostly spoke to those mages without any insignia or marker of their organization.”

Sardias exhaled sharply, his expression darkening.

“That settles it. If the Dark Father’s faction is already gathering in the practice room and acting suspiciously, we cannot ignore the possibility of a ritual in the works.”

Gran nodded.

“Agreed. But what’s our next move? Do we intervene now, or wait and gather more information?”

Sylas considered the question for a moment before replying.

“Intervening too early might tip our hand. If we accuse them without evidence, they could easily deny it and redirect suspicion toward us. We need to tread carefully.”

Machivel leaned forward, his eyes glinting with a dangerous light.

“Then we gather evidence. If they’re planning a ritual, there will be signs—materials, magical fluctuations, perhaps even unusual behavior among their members. We could send someone to monitor them more closely.”

Sylas’s gaze flickered toward Brofli.

“You’ve proven yourself capable. Would you be willing to take on this task?”

Brofli straightened, pride shining in his eyes.

“It would be an honor, my lord.”

Suntuzel interjected, his tone cautious.

“We must also prepare for the possibility that we’re wrong. If the Dark Father’s faction isn’t planning a ritual, but another group is, we could miss the real threat by focusing solely on them.”

Sylas nodded.

“A fair point. Machivel, assign a few of our spies to monitor other factions discreetly. I want reports on any unusual activity, no matter how small.”

Machivel inclined his head.

“Consider it done, my lord.”

Sylas leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful.

“And what of our own preparations? If a curse is cast, it could target anyone—even us. How do we counter it?”

Redel spoke up again, his voice steady.

“There are countercurses, though they require immense skill and preparation. We would need to know the exact nature of the curse to dispel it effectively."

"Alternatively, we could take preventative measures—wards, protective talismans, anything to shield ourselves from potential harm.”

Gran nodded. “I’ll begin crafting protective measures immediately. It won’t be foolproof, but it should provide some defense against lower-level curses. Of course, I am not a mage, so I will take help from some of you people.”

Gran said, looking at the masters and generals.

Sylas allowed a small smile to cross his lips.

“Excellent. We’ll prepare for the worst while remaining vigilant."