Legacy of the Dark Sage

Kyran and True Void resumed their search in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. They came up with only a theory but felt it was close to the truth.

Half an hour later, they finally found a clearing to relocate the cottage.

The Chaos Palace was close, but so was the ravine. The latter could be remedied, though. Anette could use her magic and make a barricade against the ravine.

Kyran could do this too but reckoned his godmother might have other arrangements, like extending the path instead of barricading to make more patches for her medicinal herbs.

After that, Kyran warped them to the cottage. By then, it was already nighttime.

Using his magic sense, Kyran confirmed that Cyneah was already asleep in her room with the puppet keeping watch outside her door.

On the other hand, Zephyr, who had returned after completing his errand, was watching over Anette while she worked at the hospice.

"This puppet..." True Void could not help but look scornfully at the naked puppet sitting cross-legged in front of Cyneah's room. "Is that one of the completed puppets you're boasting about?"

"Of course not," Kyran replied with an exasperated sigh. "This one is incomplete."

Not knowing True Void was looking down on it, the puppet stood and knelt in front of Kyran.

Kyran admitted he got frantic when White Lily found the cottage and even failed to give the puppet a proper covering, which was why it was naked. But Kyran would not tell that to True Void, in case the latter used that to tease him again.

"I don't have much choice back then," Kyran said, waving his hand to return the puppet into his pouch. "Zephyr was out on an errand that day when White Lily found this place. I have to return to the competition but I can't leave Neah alone."

True Void shivered, "Uwa... the legal wife found the mistress, huh. That's scary. I'm surprised you're still in one piece."

"Will you stop talking like that? You sound like Nolan."

"Bahahaha! You're concern about that and not what my words implied?"

"That's because I decided to ignore all your nonsense."

"Bahahaha! Fine! Fine! Oh? But the mistress isn't really alone, is she? This aura..." True Void looked up toward the cottage's attic. However, his expression dimmed slightly after sensing something was off, "Wait, is something wrong with your uncle?"

Hearing True Void refer to Nolan as his uncle made Kyran feel strange. It was not the first time, but Kyran was still not used to it.

Looking up at the attic where Nolan's essence was still recovering, Kyran answered, "That aura your sensing is Nolan's essence."

"Oh, no wonder. But with Nolan's magic level, his essence should not be this weak."

"... Yes," Kyran agreed. As they went downstairs, he added, "The truth, his essence was wounded. I'm not sure what happened, but..."

Kyran told True Void about the real Nolan leaving to search for Azaloth's inheritance and that he left an essence to wait for their return.

He also explained how he found Nolan's essence badly wounded near the Courtenay Family's land. That was why he took him to the cottage for Anette to see. Thankfully, Nolan's essence showed signs of recovering from Anette's potions. If not, there was no telling what could happen to Nolan's original self.

True Void agreed. He then urged Kyran to find his uncle soon because a mage whose essence got wounded would definitely suffer a backlash. Nolan might not be in danger if he had been in a safe location when it happened. But if he was in the middle of a fight, not to mention in a very dangerous place, he might have ended in a tight spot.

Kyran remained silent. He did plan to look for Nolan. If the joint military exercise did not happen, he would have searched for him between 'visiting' his targets as Nar.

Because Kyran wanted to help Nolan find Azaloth's inheritance, he believed his uncle's decision to look for it was not on a whim. The inheritance was crucial in saving the Regis clan, and Kyran had an idea why.

It was definitely not for Nolan to achieve a breakthrough with his magic level. He could do that even without relying on any inheritance. But likely, he wanted it for Kyran's father.

To fix Cade's broken magic core.

"Do you know what Azaloth's inheritance is?" Kyran asked after a moment of silence.

They were now outside the cottage, and Kyran was observing the surroundings with his magic sense.

"I don't know, to be honest. But if I have to guess, it's related to his magic," True Void replied while flying to observe the area from above.

"His magic, huh," Kyran repeated and fell into contemplation.

Recalling his short exchange with Azaloth before he knew who he was, Kyran admitted feeling the latter's magic a little strange. There was also how he manipulated the magic energies in the surroundings to seal Ruin's mark on his arm.

Usually, when a mage manipulated magic energies using their magic sense, their innate magic would respond, inviting it to move according to the mage's will.

For example, if a wind mage used his magic sense, the wind magic energy would respond. This was why mages using their magic sense had a high chance of being detected just from observing the shifting of magic energies in the surroundings.

But that was not the case with Azaloth.  To be precise, no particular magic energy responded to him.

It was quite similar to Kyran, yet also different because Kyran could attract all types of magic energy and convert them into his own, turning it into Void magic energy. In contrast, Azaloth simply attracted the magic energies without converting them.

Kyran wondered whether this happened because of Azaloth's 'special identity,' or his magic.

"What's Azaloth's magic?" He tried asking True Void, though he knew the latter would probably not answer.

"Energy magic."

Stunned, Kyran looked at True Void, who began his descent after completing his observation above. "That's fast."

True Void looked at him derisively, "What's fast? It's not like his magic is a huge secret. Unlike me, who was supposed to be the most feared weapon yet had no record whatsoever, Azaloth's fame rang throughout the Human plane. I'm sure there are numerous records of him everywhere. Besides, he is the most infamous Abjurer and the right-hand man of the terrible Dark Sage. Isn't your uncle looking for his inheritance because he believed it's something really powerful?"

"Actually, there are only a few records about Azaloth, and none about his magic."

True Void gasped upon hearing this, "Seriously?"

"But you're right. Unlike him, there are no records about you."

"Oi!"

Kyran chuckled and abruptly directed the discussion back on track, "Energy magic... So he can use magic energies in the surroundings at will."

"You can ask yourself once you talk to him."

Kyran heard a hint of annoyance in True Void's voice and could not help but smile.

True Void respected Azaloth as Caelan's right-hand man. But as Caelan's Ultimate Weapon, he also saw Azaloth as a rival. After all, the latter was dubbed as Caelan's Most Fateful Shield.

To appease True Void's annoyance, Kyran changed the subject and said, "That's right, after the competition, I'll be heading to the Blue Lotus."

True Void's expression dimmed. He knew about the Blue Lotus because he was conscious in Kyran's core when he met Byron.

Still, True Void never told Kyran his suspicion about the Blue Lotus's founder, the Dark Sage's 'left-hand man.' Because as far as he was concerned, there was no such person.

"I know you trust that Sigil since he is loyal. He's a nutjob, but loyal to the core nonetheless."

Kyran could not help but sweat for Byron. Then again, True Void had a point. Byron indeed acted foolishly at times— err, most of the time.

"However, you have to stay on guard," True Void warned. "Don't trust any of the other members of the Blue Lotus just because they claim to be my master's followers."

With a snort, he added, "But my word! Claiming to be my master's followers. What are they? Some kind of cult? My master would never approve! He would want companions... real colleagues! Not followers! Calling themselves his followers yet hiding in fear of the Royal Family? Humph!"

"I'm hiding too, you know. Though not in fear."

"You're different! You need to hide because the whole world would definitely fall into a state of trepidation if they know there is a new Void mage! You'll cause a widespread panic!"

"Wow, thanks."

True Void sighed and sat on Kyran's shoulder while he went to the flowering tree, the core of the cottage's array.

"Don't get me wrong, Void Halfling. Because of the lies, the Royal Family spread about my master, the mere thought of a mage possessing the Dark Sage's magic will cause unnecessary panic."

"I know."

"No, you don't," True Void replied, sounding somewhat sad, "Not really."