Shadow clung to Morgen like a second skin, concealing the identity and power of the foe hidden within. Yet, even in the darkness, the venom in their gaze and the chill of their murderous intent pierced through, sending a tremor through his core. He wouldn't wait for more information; action was paramount.

With a sharp gesture, he summoned Amy, a Level beta monstrosity whose arrival echoed with a guttural growl that resonated through the tower. Morgen held no truck with coincidences. This abyssal creature, its alien form radiating hostility, wasn't a chance encounter. It prowled like a predator, and Morgen, despite his years as a hidden vampire elder, wouldn't be prey.

Spark's appearance and swift retreat only fueled his suspicions. To an outsider, these events might seem unconnected, mere flickers in the night. But Morgen, his caution forged in centuries as the unseen head of the Blood Clan, saw a chilling narrative unfolding. He'd never gambled with anomalies, always treating them as harbingers of potential disaster. This, however, felt different, imbued with a threat unlike any he'd faced before.

Now, a level beta demon, potentially, lurked near the Scarlet Mage Tower, its motives shrouded in darkness. What game was this creature playing? Was it a lone scout, or part of a larger invasion? Was his city, his haven, the true target? Uncertainty gnawed at him, but one thing was clear: he wouldn't be caught unprepared.

Morgen wasn't a man who succumbed to fear. He'd faced countless threats in his long, shadowed life, and each one had honed his instincts to a razor's edge. Now, with an unknown enemy lurking in the shadows, he wouldn't wait for the ax to fall. He had a plan, a countermove already forming in his mind.

His first line of defense: Amy. A creature of Green City, as cunning as an ancient serpent, she had both the knowledge of the local landscape and the connections to navigate its underbelly. With her shadow-walking abilities and network of informants, the Scarlet Mage Tower would gain an invaluable layer of covert security.

Spark, the white-clad mage, was useful for public appearances, a shield against overt threats. But Morgen wouldn't entrust his true power, his hidden machinations, to someone outside his control. He needed absolute loyalty, a Blood Descendant who wouldn't flinch even before a dragon's wrath. Only then could he be sure the secrets within the Scarlet Mage Tower remained his.

His vampiric identity, carefully hidden, was the key to his power. The Scarlet Mage Tower, a beacon of magic and influence, was more than just a symbol – it was a lifeline. Its loss would be catastrophic, unraveling the intricate web of control he'd meticulously woven over centuries.

With limited information, Morgen knew caution was paramount. The enemy's strength was unknown, but it was their hidden nature that truly chilled him. The unseen blade was always the deadliest. He had to act, and fast, before the shadows consumed him.

As dusk draped the city in shadows, Spark materialized in the study, his normally cheerful demeanor twisted into a grimace. Morgen, seated behind his desk, saw the shattered dream clinging to the mage's aura like spectral ash. A dark amusement flickered in his eyes.

"Quite the adventure you've had, wouldn't you say?" he drawled, his voice laced with something akin to mocking sympathy. "Perhaps you would humor me with a glimpse of this... legendary Abyssal demon?"

Spark's jaw clenched, and a low growl rumbled in his throat. "Damn you, De," he spat, the anger barely veiled by his customary gruffness.

His gaze flickered to Isa, nestled in a corner with a book. "Isa, my dear," he softened his voice, "would you fetch me a bottle of Green Leaf? Elven-brewed, mind you."

"Right away, Grandpa Spark!" Isa chirped, her small figure gliding between the towering bookshelves with an airy grace. The warmth in her voice seemed to soothe the harsh lines around Spark's eyes.

He stroked his beard with a sigh, a faint smile flickering back to his lips. Despite the recent encounter, his fondness for the young girl remained unshaken.

Morgen watched the scene unfold, amusement battling with a flicker of unease. The elder mage, usually boisterous and jovial, carried a deeper weight now, and his indulgence in Isa's presence felt almost desperate. What had he truly witnessed on his ill-fated expedition? And more importantly, what did it mean for them all?

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

As Isa left the study, Morgen suddenly remembered something and frowned.

"Master, I heard rumors that your newly constructed magic array cost the Scarlet Mage Tower a hefty 80,000 gold-pucks. Is it designed to defend against the dragon?"

Spark's eyes narrowed at Morgen's words. "Do you have any idea how much of a bargain you got?"

"As the only great mage in Green City specializing in magic arrays, I personally designed the array specifically for you. Are you not pleased?"

"Do you know my consultation fee?"

Morgen's mouth twitched. He had nothing to say.

Sensing Morgen's skepticism, Spark's displeasure intensified.

"By the Goddess of Magic, if you were not my disciple, I would have you under my desk right now."

With that, he retrieved a yellowed sheepskin scroll from his satchel and proudly displayed it on the table before Morgen.

"Look at this!"

Morgen picked up the sheepskin roll and unfurled it with curiosity.

The scroll was ancient and fragile, wrapped in a layer of pristine white paper that faintly revealed a vibrant painting. Could it be?

Morgen slowly unfolded the paper, and his eyes widened in astonishment.

The white paper presented a meticulously detailed depiction of two beautiful maidens bathing in a stream, their bodies rendered in vibrant hues. Magic emanated from the painting, as if the figures were alive before their very eyes.

Morgen raised the painting slightly to glance at Spark, who seemed overly smug.

"Was this what you wanted to show me?"

Spark beamed with pride. "You have never seen anything like this, have you? Do you know what this is?"

Morgen shook his head after a quick examination. "I have not encountered this particular style, but I possess something similar on Drive D..."

Spark erupted in fury. "By the Goddess of Magic, you insolent child! This is a precious ancient artifact that I acquired from ancient magic ruins in my youth."

"How could you have anything comparable?!"

Morgen offered a dismissive shrug. "These are just paintings. I don't understand..."

Spark frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

He leaned forward and peered at the paper in Morgen's hands. His face instantly turned beet red.

He snatched the painting away and glared at Morgen with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance.

"Damn you, who gave you permission to look at this!!! Take a good look at the sheepskin scroll!!"

"This is a personal collection gifted to me by the owner of the Lark Tavern. Do not even think about it! I will not share it with you, even if it means my death!!"

The old man's stubbornness and determination were evident, resembling a valiant knight wielding a lance against a fearsome dragon.

Morgen blinked, considering telling him that this was nothing. If you really wanted to, I could make you blind...

Suppressing a mischievous smile, he ignored the old-fashioned great mage and turned his attention to the sheepskin scroll.

It was ancient and worn, bearing the patina of time's passage.

Unfolding the entire scroll, Morgen felt the weight of centuries past.

The yellowed parchment was covered in intricate lines and marks, the remnants of time's wear and tear.

A six-pointed star-like pattern adorned the center of the scroll, with thousands of interconnected lines radiating outwards. Each intersection bore detailed numerical annotations.

The complexity of the patterns would confound even the most skilled individuals for a lifetime. Morgen, a novice in magic arrays, was no exception. After a brief examination, he set the scroll aside.

This was far less interesting than the bathing picture.

"So what of it?"

Spark's embarrassment subsided, and a sense of regained pride washed over him. Upon hearing Morgen's question, he picked up the discarded scroll with slight agitation and meticulously folded it back to its original state.

"So what of it? You fool! Do you have any idea what this magic array represents?"

Morgen shrugged. "I do not."

Seeing that Morgen had not fully read the scroll, he knew the insignificance of its contents in his mind.

Spark carefully tucked the sheepskin roll and his personal collection into his robe before answering slowly.

"Listen well, you ignorant child. Magic is a supreme force that dominated the world millions of years ago. However, what you do not know is that in ancient times, alchemy was an even more potent force."

"Yet, for unknown reasons, the gods conspired to destroy the civilization of alchemy. As a result, the alchemical artifacts that have survived to this day are but mere remnants of its former glory."

"This sheepskin scroll was discovered in the ruins of an ancient alchemy civilization, an intact artifact from that forgotten era."

"Based on my calculations, this magic array, which combines the principles of both magic and alchemy, rivals the power of artifacts!"

At this revelation, Spark's demeanor transformed, exuding the authority and confidence of a great mage.

Pausing thoughtfully for a moment, he uttered a sentence that sent a surge of excitement through Morgen.

"If this magic array can be constructed, it will render the Scarlet Mage Tower impregnable, even to a mage of level beta or an extraordinary being."

"With the protection of this ancient alchemy magic array, the Scarlet Mage Tower would become the most renowned in the world..."