"Ahh, shit! It hurts like hell," Luke groaned, struggling to stay conscious as his body throbbed with pain. The noxious odors assaulted his senses, making the situation even more unbearable. Despite his efforts, his weakened body refused to cooperate, preventing him from sitting up.
Confusion clouded Luke's thoughts as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. "Where am I? And what is that awful stench?" He attempted to recall his previous experiences, piecing together fragmented memories. "I was hit by a car and blacked out. But I should be dead... Then, I found myself in darkness and a light tunnel... Is this the afterlife? Am I in hell?" Multiple scenarios raced through his mind, each one more unsettling than the last.
As the pain intensified, Luke's consciousness wavered, threatening to slip away. Just as he resigned himself to blacking out, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps and the clinking of metal armor. With a flicker of hope, he strained to focus on the sounds, trying to make sense of his situation.
"Clear the area! This room reeks of dark magic," a commanding voice echoed through the room. Luke's gaze turned towards the source of the voice, his vision blurred and his mind hazy. Through the haze, he saw a tall knight cautiously making his way towards him. The knight's eyes widened with disbelief as he spoke Luke's name.
"Luke Arcadia! What happened? Why are you here?" The knight's tone was filled with astonishment, as if Luke's presence in this place defied all reason. With a sense of urgency, the knight hurried towards Luke's side.
Struggling to remain conscious, Luke attempted to respond, but the pain and confusion overwhelmed him. His last coherent thought was filled with questions about the knight's identity. "Who is that knight?" With that, Luke succumbed to the darkness, his consciousness slipping away once again.
"Luke Arcadia? Luke?" Arthur rushed towards Luke with surprise evident in his voice. The other knights also shared the same astonishment, realizing that the missing Duke's heir, Luke, was lying before them. This news of the missing Duke's heir had caused quite a stir in the capital, and both Arthur and Paul were taken aback, considering their personal connections to Luke. Paul, being a friend of Duke Arcadia, and Arthur, having known Luke since childhood as the second son of Count Riversong, were especially startled by this unexpected encounter.
Concern filled Arthur's voice as he asked, "Is he okay? What do you think happened to him?" Worried about his friend's well-being, he glanced at Paul, seeking answers. Paul, his expression grave, responded, "I don't know, but Luke's magic power has been depleted, and he's barely clinging to life. We must hurry before it's too late to save him. Those heretics must have used him as a sacrifice in their ritual!" His words were laced with anger, his determination evident as he produced a rectangular crystal device resembling a smartphone. With swift movements, he manipulated the crystal's surface, channeling his magic power into it.
Within seconds, the face of a man appeared on the crystal's surface. Without waiting for the other person to speak, Paul urgently conveyed the situation, "Send an airship to my location. It's an emergency." Without giving the other party a chance to respond, he closed the communication. Two knights were assigned the task of carrying Luke out of the room, while the rest of the group focused on investigating the mysterious events that had transpired.
Despite their shock at finding Luke here, the idea of him being part of the heretics' cult didn't cross their minds. Luke was the bearer of the Crest of the Sun, an emblem that opposed the beliefs and teachings of the Luminous Dawn. The two factions had been mortal enemies since ancient times, further adding to the confusion surrounding Luke's presence.
"Arthur, contact the investigation team and have them come here. As for uncovering the details of the ritual or its purpose, we'll leave that to the professionals," Paul commanded, turning away from the group. Outside, Paul met with Vice-Captain Larry, sharing the urgency of the situation. "Larry, this situation is critical. I need to report this to His Imperial Majesty. I entrust everything to you. Do not allow any unauthorized personnel to enter," Paul instructed, his tone serious.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
"I have already contacted the Mystic Forensic Division (MFD) to send a team here. They should be arriving shortly," Paul informed the others. Larry acknowledged his responsibility, understanding the gravity of the situation. With that settled, Paul and Larry discussed meeting up later at Ol' Jonny's place for drinks.
Just as they were about to continue their conversation, their attention was drawn to a flying vehicle approaching them at tremendous speed. The vehicle grew larger as it neared, hovering above them before slowly descending into a clearing near the mansion. It was a magic airship, designed for efficient and swift transportation, devoid of offensive or defensive capabilities. Two men, roughly the same age as Paul and Larry, emerged from the airshih along with 3 others in medical attire.
"Hey there! What's the rush? You sounds so urgent that I even brought my baby along," the man with grey hair, goggles, and a mechanic's attire said, affectionately patting the airship. The other man, exuding an air of scholarly nobility, observed the mechanic's actions with familiarity and casually approached Paul. "That's why he can never get married. Hey, I tagged along when you called him," he remarked as if they had been friends for years. His attention then shifted to the mansion, where Luke lay unconscious on a makeshift stretcher, carried by two knights. The scholar's carefree demeanor transformed into a serious and commanding presence as disappeared and from where he stood and appeared right beside Luke in a second.He knelt beside Luke and called out, "Luke! What happened?"
Paul joined them, providing a brief explanation. "Lucius, we found him here, barely conscious. We need to transfer him to the Imperial Hospital in the capital. I'll fill you in on the way," he said, addressing the knights. The mechanic, now fully focused on the urgency of the situation, quickly sprang into action, rushing back into the airship to initiate the necessary operations.
On the airship,
Paul watched intently as Lucius and three medical personnel performed a series of tests and examinations on Luke. After a while, Lucius turned around, his face fuming with rage. "His magical reserve has been depleted, and his sun crest has been stripped clean. He would have been dead if not for his bloodline," he declared, causing shock to ripple through everyone present, including the medical personnel, Paul, and the ship's mechanic, Nick.
Paul couldn't hide his surprise as he asked, "Is it even possible to strip off someone's crest that they were born with?" Lucius, attempting to regain his composure, replied, "They did it because it is possible. I just don't know what their goal is in achieving such an act." He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "I will request an audience with His Majesty. If my suspicions are correct, this could be a grave matter," Lucius stated, and Paul nodded in agreement.
Paul's gaze turned serious as he continued, "You must have felt it too, right? The immense surge of magic power last night. This morning, I led my knights to investigate its cause. When we arrivedthe source we found abandoned mansion, we also encountered heretics from the Luminous Dawn, led by Saintess Selena and Sebas. Surprisingly, they retreated swiftly without engaging us." The room fell silent, with everyone listening intently. Paul pressed on, "The most suspicious thing is their goal and why they left so decisively. The mansion was also enveloped in a strange barrier and seals that we had never encountered before. My instincts told me not to learn about those seals, so I destroyed them. It seems my gut feeling was right. If I had tried to study them, we wouldn't have made it in time to rescue Luke," Paul explained.
Paul's words brought relief to everyone, including Lucius, who expressed his gratitude. "What did you find inside the mansion?" Nick, the ship's mechanic, asked as he operated the controls. "We discovered mostly trivial information and that the majority of the mansion's inhabitants were mere attendants or servants who mysteriously disappeared. However, we did find a hidden room used for rituals. Inside, we discovered the mutilated remains of individuals believed to be involved in the rituals. Luke was found lying at the center of a magic circle," Paul responded.
The ship landed as they concluded their conversation, opening its doors to a group of medical personnel waiting to receive Luke. After transferring Luke to their care, Paul bid farewell to Lucius. "I will head to His Imperial Majesty to request an audience and report what we discovered there," he stated. Lucius nodded in understanding. "Of course. After ensuring Luke's well-being, I will join you at the palace," he replied.
With that, Paul exited the airship and made his way to the imperial palace, determined to deliver the urgent news and seek guidance from His Majesty. The fate of Luke, the mysterious rituals, and the unsettling events at the abandoned mansion weighed heavily on his mind as he moved forward.