The Master of the Tower Dreaming of What Lies Beyond (6)

Even after Blind Vision ended, my senses stayed razor-sharp for a short while longer. I pushed my horse hard to track that mysterious wave before the aftereffect fully faded. The signal led out of the village and into the low foothills of the Lumiere Mountains. Just as the lingering sensitivity cut out, we reached the wave's endpoint.

"Ahh... my crotch hurts...."

The moment we stopped, Celestine slid off her horse with a groan, spreading her legs and thumping her groin with her fist. Each smack sent her plump, jiggly thighs wobbling, wafting that signature perfume scent thick in the air. Sniff. Oh man, that's bad news. Why does her body smell like perfume only to me?

"What happened, Mr. Leonar?"

Captain Bibian dismounted and scanned the surroundings.

"I picked up a strange wave. Tracked it here, and it cuts off."

"A strange wave?"

We were at the edge of a gentle hillside, right at the mouth of a scrubby thicket. Nothing special about the spot otherwise.

"Doesn't look like anything's visible."

"It's a magic wave."

That's what I'd sensed back in the village—a ripple of magic. Spells draw in ambient mana to cast, which inevitably distorts the mana around the casting site. Normal people can't feel it, but mages who wield mana, or demon hunters who've amped their senses with Blind Vision, can. Problem is, demon hunters like me aren't deep into magic theory. I can detect the ripple but can't analyze it to pinpoint the spell or its caster.

If we had a mage in the guild, they'd have figured out exactly what went down here in seconds. But mages cost even more than healers....

"Magic...? You mean a mage did this?"

"Can't say. Could be the culprit's a mage, or some wandering spell-slinger fixed this mess without us knowing. Gotta check."

"The latter's highly unlikely."

Captain Bibian replied with a skeptical edge to her military tone.

"Those noble, high-and-mighty types living as vagabonds? Absurd. And one saving a village in crisis solo? Utter nonsense."

"Yeah, I figure the same. A mage helping for free is like an orc going vegan or a dwarf swearing off booze."

In Chaotic Empire, that's mages for you. Elite mana-users, arrogant to the core, looking down on everyone. Sure, a few good eggs exist, but they're rare. Most cluster around so-called mage towers—magic academies—forming cartels, throwing their weight around everywhere.

"So the wave ends ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠here?"

"Yep. Let's scout for anything suspicious."

Me, Celestine, Captain Bibian, and two guards spread out at intervals and pushed forward. The slope steepened, bushes thickening—it wasn't easy going. Especially for Celestine. The rest of us powered through fine, but she slowed, then lagged behind, clutching a tree and wiping sweat from her brow.

"Guild chief... can I rest a sec...? Can't breathe... huff...."

She'd spent her life as a temple saintess, then gorged nonstop at the guild, packing on weight. No wonder her stamina sucked. If she's tagging along on more jobs, time to get her exercising. She's more high-maintenance than I thought.

"Sure. Stay put."

I left her and climbed higher. The magic wave stopped here, so a mage's hideout had to be nearby. Like Bibian said, I suspected some evil wizard's prank or unethical experiment. If so, it'd be my duty to lop off their head.

Didn't matter their skill level—not too tough. No Hunting Dog's Mark, but with potions and Celestine's buffs, I could take 'em.

"Gyaaah!"

Celestine's scream pierced from behind.

"Celestine!!"

I spun and bolted back. She was away from the tree now, hopping mad on one foot.

"What happened?!"

"Guild chief! There's something weird on the ground there!"

"The ground?"

I swept aside the bushes where she pointed.

"Hm? This is...."

"What is it?!"

Captain Bibian and the guards rushed down behind me, swords drawn, eyes scanning all quadrants.

"Found a seal. Celestine, how'd you spot this?"

"My thighs hurt so bad I tried sitting... landed right on it. Then it lit up and started spinning.... Am I cursed? Like my butt rotting away or...?"

"That's black magic. This looks like standard spellwork."

"Phew...."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

She rubbed her rear with glowing golden hands and sighed in relief.

"A seal? How's it so obvious? A trap?"

Captain Bibian sheathed her blade, squatting for a closer look.

"Without the glow, we'd never see it. It's scratched into the dirt with twigs under all this brush."

"Twigs, and it glows?"

"Magic. Step back a sec."

She moved aside. I knelt on one knee and examined it closely. Triple concentric circles, each etched with unfamiliar runes that'd look like doodles to normals. Smooth metallic orbs—one per ring—pulsed with blue mana light, slowly orbiting along the curves.

"Letters?"

"Yeah. Ancient tongue mages chant in."

Celestine, Bibian, and the guards gawked in awe at my rundown.

"Guild chief, how do you even know that...?!"

"Demon hunters survive by knowing stuff."

"Still, ancient languages...? So you know what it does?"

"It's a lock. Crack it, and it'll open a hidden spot. Common for mage hideouts."

Tension creased Captain Bibian's face.

"A mana wave from the troubled village leading here to a concealed seal. Means a mage's deeply involved."

"That's the read so far."

"Then we solve it.... Can you?"

Right. Unlocking reveals the hideout—or a link to their base. Simple puzzle, really. Spin each orb to the caster's preset word in sequence. Like a combo lock.

One big difference from a regular lock: Screw up, and a trap spell nukes the intruder. No do-overs.

"I'll do it. Everyone fall back down the slope."

"Dangerous...? I could stay and shield you."

"Shield blocks ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the seal."

"Oh, right...."

I ruffled her hair with a grin.

"Appreciate the thought. Not that risky—just playing safe. Head down."

"Got it. Be careful."

Once Celestine and the guards reached the horses, I knelt again. Not hard, but magic's finicky—even right combos can glitch. Low odds from a mage this skilled, but better safe.

I spun the outer orb: Control.

Middle: Peace.

Inner: Sacrifice.

The rings whirled fast, expanding into a shimmering dimension gate.

"Come up! It's open!"

They hurried over.

"A portal. To where?"

Bibian eyed the spinning vortex suspiciously.

"Not some cliff drop, I hope?"

"Doubt it. But everyone's going in? Some should stay, guard the horses, signal the guard if we don't return."

"I'll go solo. Rest stay."

"You sure? As investigation chief, trouble hits, it's a blow to the guard."

"Exactly why I go. Gotta confirm everything firsthand."

"Plus watch I do the job right."

I quipped. She cracked a smile.

"Fair. Me, Celestine, Captain only. Rest—if no return by sunset, alert the guard."

Checked Nightrend, potions, special oils. Hope I don't need 'em, but might have to.

"Celestine."

"Yes, guild chief?"

"That practice—you can do it on people now?"

"P-people...?"

Her big eyes blinked, then she nodded firmly.

"Of course...!"

"Good. Let's go."

With me in front, the three of us stepped through the gate.