Chapter 94: Shoot Towards Dawn (7)
Aun Philara closed his eyes tightly. Through his lips, a mournful voice seeped out, as if announcing the imminent death of a loved one.
“…Tower Master Lorehon was devoured by Vijra last winter.”
“What?”
Ronan furrowed his brow. The Tower Master of the Dawn Tower being devoured by a book, what kind of bullshit was this? Eyrie’s eyes widened.
“Then, this illusion…”
“Yes, it’s one of Lord Lorehon’s specialties.”
Lorehon, the Tower Master of the Dawn Magic Tower, was known as the Flame Shadow. He earned this title for his mastery of both powerful flames and illusion magic that could deceive the senses.
Aun Philara explained how countless enemies had been reduced to ashes or lost their way in the illusions he created with his formidable powers.
“…But he wasn’t that strong.”
However, it was difficult to definitively attribute the recent disturbances to Lorehon. He was undoubtedly a skilled illusionist, but completely concealing the entEyrie Magic Tower or deceiving the eyes of high-ranking individuals like Aun Philara or Eyrie was a challenge even for expert illusionists. Aun Philara grimaced.
“Perhaps his abilities were amplified when he was devoured by Vijra. Who on earth broke the seal?”
“Fuck! Tell me in details! What exactly happened?”
Ronan urged him on, wanting more details. Aun Philara spoke with a heavier voice.
“On the day Lord Lorehon decided to leave for his ascension, he infiltrated the Forbidden Library. I sensed something was amiss and followed him. Without hesitation, he dispelled the protective spells.”
“That’s… unbelievable. If that was the case, there’s no way I wouldn’t have known…”
“That day was the day when the full moon rose. It was around midnight.”
“That…!”
Eyrie’s face stiffened. She transformed into her true form under the full moon’s light, a rare time for her to be absent from the library.
“Lord Lorehon knew your secret. He must have been well-prepared. So, don’t blame yourself too much.”
The events that followed happened quickly. Tower Master Lorehon immediately headed deep into the Forbidden Library, awakening Vijra, who had been dormant for centuries. Aun Philara arrived late, and by then, the situation had already deteriorated beyond control.
“It was too late. Tower Master Lorehon was already in the process of being devoured by Vijra. All I could do was seal him before he became completely monstrous.”
“Why in the world would the Tower Master do such a thing?”
Ronan frowned, remembering the face of the woman who had been devoured by the book. Aun Philara sighed heavily.
“It’s the nature of a mage. He thought he was prepared. You must have heard the legends about that cursed book.”
Ronan muttered to himself. In just three days, he had found plenty of information about Vijra in the depths of the sea of characters that were the printed words.
The Vijra of Destruction. It could mesmerize and devour its readers, bringing about destruction. Yet, it bestowed almost infinite power upon those who understood its content. The author of the book was none other than the devil.
“So far, countless mages have challenged books like Vijra and lost their lives. Most Tower Masters have been wary of such evil tomes. The argument that they should be completely eradicated comes up regularly in Tower Master meetings.”
“But Tower Master Lorehon was against it.”
“Yes, he believed that even such evil power could one day be used for the benefit of people. He argued that even the most dangerous flames could eventually be harnessed.”
Tower Master Lorehon had believed that he could prove this by obtaining the power of Vijra, the master of the forbidden books. However, he had failed miserably.
“I know. It was a reckless and irresponsible judgment. But I couldn’t blame him for wanting to shed light on the dawn of knowledge, even if it meant sacrificing himself.”
“Tower Master…”
“That’s what he became. Don’t blame yourself too much.”
Aun Philara lowered his head. Eyrie, who was about to say something comforting, clamped her mouth shut. Ronan, who had learned the whole story, pursed his lips.
‘He wanted to uphold the Tower Master’s will.’
His intentions were noble, but he had ultimately failed. It was too late to change what had already happened. Ronan decided to move forward.
“Alright, what’s done is done. But how did the seal get broken?”
“I have no idea about that… It’s certainly not a spell that would naturally dissipate, not even after hundreds of years.”
Aun Philara explained that he had cast every sealing spell he knew, and Vijra, who was caught off guard because he was in the middle of a predation, was resealed along with the Tower Master.
“In fact, it was a state practically no different from when it was previously sealed. If anything, the seal may even have been stronger, but I can confidently say that the seal hadn’t weakened.”
“So, that means some idiot with nothing to do crawled into the Forbidden Library and unsealed it.”
“At this point, that’s the most plausible assumption. But who could it be…?”
Aun Philara fell silent, and the narrow, high corridor filled with a heavy silence. He finally spoke up.
“…For now, we have to do what we can. Ronan, return immediately to the safe zone and wait there. Miss Eyrie and I will restore the defensive system and then return briefly. And…”
-Thud!
As Aun Philara was about to continue, something fell at their feet.
“Hmm?”
The three of them simultaneously cast their gazes downward. Something small and intricately designed sparkled at their feet. He picked up the item and frowned.
“…Glasses?”
It was a shabby pair of glasses. Only the left lens remained, etched with thick, fine cracks like delicate spiderwebs. The decorative frame was bent and twisted. Eyrie tilted her head in recognition.
“Huh?”
She had a vague memory of having seen it somewhere before. Finally, she snapped her fingers and exclaimed.
“Ah, these are the glasses that Lapiesta used!”
“Who’s that?”
“The person who used to help me manage the library. He was the first among the six missing individuals. But why is this here…”
“…It’s a missing person’s belonging?”
Ronan felt a sense of unease, much like Aun Philara. He squinted and examined the glasses. Something shiny was stuck to the frame.
“This is…”
It didn’t take long for him to realize it was a residue of mana. And the significance of it all. Ronan’s mouth hung open.
“…Nebula Clazier.”
Rustle!
Suddenly, there was a sense of presence from above. Ronan slowly raised his head. A man, suspended upside-down like a bat, clung to the high ceiling. Between the torn clothes, mana gleamed as it seeped out from his bare skin.
“Ugh… Aaaah…”
Crack. The man, who had twisted his neck in a grotesque angle, peered down at them. Ronan, who made eye contact with the man, let out a curse.
“Fuck!”
His parted lips dripped with saliva. His two pupils were completely black. Aun Philara and Eyrie followed his gaze, their breaths held.
“What… is that?”
It was the same appearance as the woman who had been devoured by the book. Ronan pulled out his sword. Kwaang! At the same time Lamancha drew a circle in the air, a beam of light shot straight towards the man.
“Kwaaagh!”
The man, hit in the eye by a piece of debris, screamed as he plummeted. He tried to get up, his joints bending unnaturally, but Ronan prevented him. Thud! Leaping straight at the man from behind, Ronan struck the back of his head with the hilt of his sword. Eyrie’s shout was heard from behind him.
“Be careful!”
“What?”
Suddenly, the surroundings brightened. Ronan, sensing a presence, turned his head. A magic circle, about 1 meter in diameter, was flickering on the wall to his right. The geometric patterns on it were glowing as if it could spew flames at any moment.
“Damn it…”
Ronan was about to release his attack, but a sudden movement from above caught his attention. A sparrow made of flame darted down from the ceiling, narrowly missing him, and collided with the magic circle.
Bang!
The magic circle, made of flames, was absorbed by the bird. It then floated gently down to Aun Philara’s shoulder. Ronan chuckled dryly.
“It’s mine.”
“There are two more.”
He said, keeping his gaze on the ceiling. Chilling moans echoed through the corridor again.
“Ugh… Ahhh…”
“Cursed bastards, just like bugs.”
Ronan cursed quietly. Not far away, two people hung upside-down from the ceiling like bats, looking at them. The woman in a robe had mana emanating from her hand as if she had just attempted a spell that would have blown her own head off.
“Ah… Aaaah…”
Meanwhile, the man facing them was preparing a Fire Arrow spell. Six fiery arrows formed around him, ready to be launched.
Ronan was about to draw his sword again when suddenly a thick vine grew from the ceiling and wrapped around both individuals.
“Ugh?!”
“Keuek!”
Ronan’s eyes widened. The semi-transparent vine shone faintly, as if it were bathed in moonlight. Eyrie, who had floated up in the air, intervened in front of Ronan.
“I’ll handle this.”
Swish!
With a light gesture from her hand, the vine was severed. The tightly bound pair slumped to the ground. Ronan rushed toward them, sword in hand. Eyrie shouted.
“Wait, don’t kill them!”
“It’s not what you think, just step aside for a moment.”
He carefully observed the man and woman bound to the trees. Fortunately, he didn’t sense any shimmering mana around them. The only one who seemed connected to Nebula Clazier was the man, Lapiesta, who had fallen earlier.
‘No way.’
Suddenly the puzzle started to come together. The sudden unsealing of Vijra, the first missing person associated with Nebula Clazier, the destruction of the gardens around the same time…
He suddenly understood. The first missing person, Lapiesta, was the key to the unfolding events. Ronan pointed at Lapiesta, lying limply on the ground.
“Eyrie, that guy was the first missing person, right?”
“Yes? Ah, yes. That’s right.”
“When exactly did he go missing? Can you remember?”
“Well… it was late spring. Strange things started happening at the tower since Lapiesta’s disappearance.”
“That bastard… No, I mean the garden was blown up by Nebula Clazier, right?”
“That was about three months ago… around the same time.”
Ronan’s puzzle pieces fell into place.
“Damn it.”
A shiver ran down their spines. Everything fell into place. Based on their previous experiences, Nebula Clazier was not known for executing just one operation at a time.
‘The self-destruction was a deception.’
The primary objective was likely to unseal Vijra. The fact that Lapiesta had worked in the library confirmed it. The self-destruction was a ruse to create chaos in the tower, allowing them to unseal Vijra.
“Damn it, Aun Philara…”
Ronan was about to reveal what he had discovered when a horrifying voice echoed through the maze.
【You’re sharp.】
It was the same voice he had heard in the library. This time, it seemed to reach all three of them, and they froze simultaneously. Suddenly, the corridor began to vibrate violently.
“What… What’s happening?”
“Ugh…!”
It felt like being inside a giant’s beating heart, and they couldn’t move their bodies. Just as Aun Philara was about to say something, a massive rock wall shot up, separating Ronan from the two of them.
“Dammit, what is this?”
Ronan quickly swung his sword. Dung! The razor-sharp blade struck the stone wall, but it was too thick to make any difference. Seeing the scars on the wall healing, he cursed under his breath.
“Damn it, Aun Philara! Eyrie!”
He shouted as loudly as he could, but there was no response. Another wall surged, blocking the back passage that led to the exit. Ronan found himself completely trapped in a solitary cell. Once again, the voice echoed.
【Come, I will open the way.】
Thuuuuudddd! Suddenly, the wall in front of him began to recede, revealing an endlessly stretching corridor. The corridor extended almost to the length of a toppled tower before finally stopping its expansion. Ronan growled in frustration.
“What kind of trickery is this?”
【Bold of you to assume it’s just a trick. You must want to save those two bugs, isn’t that right】
“What?”
He asked what it had done to the two of them, but there was no response. Then, a low flame appeared on the ceiling and began to spread rapidly toward the end of the corridor. Ronan furrowed his brow when he saw the brightly lit corridor.
“…Damn it.”
It was clearly a staged performance with a sinister purpose. There was no other way forward. Ronan gripped the hilt of his sword and began to move forward. As the endless corridor expanded almost horizontally to the length of the tower, he finally stopped. As he walked through the corridor, the voices echoed in his mind.
【It’s that guy…! The one who burned down Langium…!】
【Why does Lord Vijra take an interest in such a young one?】
【Come to me, child! I’ll give you everything you desire!】
Ronan immediately realized that these were conversations between the Forbidden Books. Judging by the variety of voices, there were likely more than a hundred of them.
“Shut up, you pieces of paper.”
【Kukuk, your arrogance won’t last much longer.】
Ronan continued down the corridor in silence. Before long, he entered a spacious area. The room was made of dark blue stone, and there was a solitary cubic altar in the center.
When Ronan’s gaze fell on the altar, his eyes narrowed. Aun Philara and Eyrie were tied up with chains, groaning.
“Ronan… please, don’t come…”
“I… can’t breathe…”
Their bodies seemed to be covered in blood, suffering from severe injuries. Ronan rushed towards them immediately. An earth magic circle unfolded beneath his feet.
“Dammit!”
A few moments earlier, a much larger magic circle than what Ronan had seen in the corridor appeared. It was too late to dodge, but Ronan quickly assessed the situation and struck the ground with his sword. Kwaah! The swirling flames, split into two, engulfed the entire room.
But that wasn’t the end of it. Successive magic circles hidden throughout the room revealed themselves, each bearing inscribed magic spells. Dozens of massive flame spears were launched towards Ronan.
‘I can do this.’
With a peculiar, almost ethereal sound, Ronan invoked the power of Lamancha’s Swordsmanship, and a crimson aura enveloped him. He calmly traced the trajectory and swung his blade. Shaaah! As the flames that struck the sphere of energy dissipated and the attacks were thwarted, Ronan confidently spun his sword once and spoke.
“You seem rather impolite to your guest, don’t you?”
Having thwarted all the attacks, Ronan adjusted his stance and stood firm. A figure that was previously invisible was now seated on the altar with crossed legs.
It was an elderly man holding a thick book in one hand, dressed in a robe similar to what Aun Philara was wearing. He looked at Ronan and let out a sly chuckle.
【Greetings, Ronan.】
“Virja.”
