Chapter 61

Harold eagerly awaited Magnus's continuation, his own opinions percolating as he anticipated what Magnus had conjured up.

"Let us pick up where you left off, Magnus," Lock interjected abruptly. "On our return from a perilous mission, we stumbled upon a village near the forest, consumed by merciless flames. Within the charred remnants lay lifeless bodies of both villagers and vile creatures—goblins and even a formidable Troll. As we delved into our investigation, it became apparent that the monstrous foes had fallen victim to formidable, high-level sorcery, likely inflicted by a solitary individual."

Lock inhaled deeply, mustering the courage to press on. "We scoured the area meticulously, yet that enigmatic figure had vanished into the ether, leaving no trace to decipher their identity. Nevertheless, as you are aware, we possess the unique ability to commune with the ethereal spirits residing within the forest. After cajoling them with great effort, the spirits materialized before us, but their visages exuded profound fear. They adamantly refused to disclose the intruder's name, offering only a single, chilling word: 'demon.'"

"Devoid of any further leads, we regrouped and relayed the situation to Magnus. It was then that we encountered a man who identified himself as Astaroth," Rowan seamlessly picked up the thread of the story. "That brief encounter causes the spirits that we always carried with us to scramble and ran away in fear. From that reaction of the spirits, we are sure that man was the culprit that had destroyed the village."

Harold rubbed his hand over his chin, lost in thought. He had caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure on the battlefield, but he wasn't close enough to discern its appearance or confirm if it was the rumored Astaroth. Turning to Magnus, he inquired, "Do you have any further insights on the matter?"

Magnus let out a heavy sigh and responded, "There was also a woman standing beside him when the guild was engulfed in flames. A powerful spell was unleashed, conjuring a torrential downpour that doused the fire. It wasn't an ordinary fire, and the rain was far from ordinary as well. Both Aric and I sensed a surge of mana in the air just before the rain descended. We couldn't identify the caster, but Astaroth and the woman were close behind us."

"You suspect that the man or the woman may have wielded that magic?" Harold inquired.

"It's possible that either of them was responsible," Aric interjected on Magnus's behalf. Magnus had been consumed with grief that day, rendering him unable to recall the exact sequence of events.

"But I have given this incident considerable thought, and if my guess is correct, that woman may be the missing witch," Aric stated. He continued, "In fact, there are far too many coincidences surrounding the entire situation."

"We have shared our information, so please, tell us what you think," Magnus demanded, fixing his gaze on Harold. He held a hint of suspicion towards the knight who had abruptly appeared and started conversing with them.

"Well... I believe most of what you have uncovered aligns with my own investigation," Harold responded cautiously. "The woman is the witch of Yosnad. My servants spotted her leaving the castle. Unfortunately, they lost track of her after she left town." Harold chose to omit the information his servants had provided, suggesting that Lalitha may have been responsible for the missing king's demise.

"What are your views on Astaroth?" Magnus pressed Harold with another question.

"I haven't met him, but I saw a figure on the battlefield near where the goblin king perished. I was too far away to get a good look... It could have been the person you're talking about or someone else," Harold stated.

"Now that the general and the king are gone, what's your plan?" Magnus asked Harold.

"I will meet up with the rest of the twelve knights. They are rushing back from their mission. We will then decide what to do," Harold replied. He continued, "I overheard your earlier conversation. I know there is an overall leader that oversees all the guilds in Arcania, I won't ask about the organization's secret, but I would like to meet your leader, if possible."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Harold. Even though you are one of the esteemed knights of Yosnad, the leader doesn't meet anyone" Magnus frowned, rejecting Harold's request. It wasn't that he didn't understand what Harold was asking for.

"I'm aware of him, his name, and his preferences... But this time, there's a possibility that a dangerous threat has emerged, and the most powerful witch is aligned with him. I don't believe the leader would want to remain passive in this situation," Harold responded. He had heard countless legends about the overseer of the guilds, the one who had initiated the creation of the adventurers guild. No one had ever laid eyes on him, not even the guild masters themselves. They would receive letters marked with his seal whenever he wished to communicate, a seal that could not be replicated by anyone in this world.

"Sigh... You might be right, Harold. And if you possess as much knowledge as you claim, then you must also know that there's no way for us to contact him," Magnus replied.

"There is one way, Magnus," Harold suddenly smiled. "Whenever a guild master dies, he always appears."

"You crazy bastard," Magnus cursed, raising his fists in a defensive stance. Aric and the elves also assumed battle-ready postures upon hearing Harold's words.

"Relax, I'm only joking... I'm simply stating what I've gathered from the stories I've heard. He supposedly manifests when a guild master meets their demise," Harold clarified. Magnus regarded Harold warily, still maintaining his defensive stance. He knew they were no match for Harold.

"Alright, fine... I will include a note to keep him updated on the situation, but it will be his decision whether he wants to meet with you." Magnus reluctantly yielded to Harold's request, fully aware that he might face consequences from their leader. Nevertheless, it seemed a preferable outcome to facing death in their current predicament. Magnus did not doubt that Harold's intentions were serious.

"Very well, inform him that in one month, we will await his presence at the castle," Harold stated with a sly smile before vanishing into thin air.

"Bastard, treating me like his servant," Magnus grumbled, fully aware of his limited options. He issued a few instructions to Aric and the elves before they each embarked on separate paths, venturing off in different directions.

In the depths of the ancient temple, a man and a woman emerged outside the chamber displaying statues of the goddesses.

The man's voice pierced the air, "Has Ezio discovered the secret door yet?" "Yes, Master Astaroth. Ezio awaits us in the chamber," the woman responded, and together they entered the room.

A mysterious figure cloaked in purple materialized before them. "Master Astaroth, right this way. Here lies the concealed door to the true statue," Ezio declared, guiding both Astaroth and Lalitha toward the wall adorned with a painting of the church. Ezio raised the painting, triggering a hidden switch, and a door materialized before Astaroth. With a firm push, Astaroth swung the door open, leading the way into the enigmatic chamber.

The room revealed itself as vacant, save for a solitary chair positioned ominously in the center. Curiously, it mirrored the very room Glenda had encountered upon her earlier arrival. As soon as the trio stepped inside, the door was sealed shut behind them. Astaroth's gaze fixated on the chair as he muttered, "This place exudes a familiar scent of blood and medicine... an unsettling presence amidst the sanctity of the church."

"You speak true, Master. My senses detect the arcane presence of hidden spells in this room, undoubtedly designed as treacherous traps. Shall I disarm them?" Lalitha inquired.

"Wait. Allow me to attempt something," Astaroth gravely proclaimed, stepping toward the chair and extending his hand above it. Like ethereal tendrils, wisps of his demonic essence spilled forth from his palm, delicately caressing the chair's surface. After a brief moment, he retracted his essence, declaring, "Guild Master Glenda has undoubtedly been here."

As soon as he finished his sentence, the trap door beneath them sprung open. Lalitha swiftly raised her staff and cast a levitation spell upon the three of them. Simultaneously, the second spell on the ceiling was activated, but Lalitha swiftly disabled it with a wave of her hand. These spells proved futile in the presence of the formidable sorceress.

"Ezio, return to my shadow," Lalitha commanded. Ezio's body transformed into a swirling purple stream of smoke, vanishing into Lalitha's shadow. Astaroth and Lalitha descended slowly into the room below. Once their feet touched the floor, Lalitha released her spell.

"This is becoming increasingly intriguing, Lalitha - a prison cell hidden beneath the church. Who could have anticipated such a revelation?" Astaroth surveyed the cell, immediately detecting the thickening stench of blood and an underlying scent of death, absent in the room above.

"This place appears to be in frequent use," Lalitha remarked, sharing her observations.

"And the recent occupant looks like someone we know, "Astaroth picked up a strand of pink hair from the floor.