Magus Reborn

158. End times

Kai and the rest of his troupe moved gracefully through the lands of Sylvastra, following the five elf elders who walked alongside him. They were all quiet, leaving past all the hushed whispers. But their eyes spoke a lot—they were fixed on Kai and his group as if they were rare beasts they had never seen before.

That was true—Kai doubted most elves had gone far enough from their ancient forest to see humans in person.

Kai ignored the stares he was getting from the elder elves and continued to walk. He noticed that the ordinary elves who had gathered earlier to watch had already dispersed, probably returning to their homes and tasks. Raven had also left, taking her family with her after asking Kai for permission. Without a pause, he had agreed.

As they walked, his eyes were drawn upward to the towering trees that surrounded them. He felt dwarfed by their sheer size, every single one reached into the sky like the pillars of some vast natural cathedral. Their thick trunks were a deep, rich brown, and their leaves shimmered faintly with colours that seemed to shift in the light—gold, green, and silver blending seamlessly.

He noticed fruits hanging from some branches, glowing faintly. The mana rich environment seemed to have an effect on them and he was sure that they would have special properties.

Kai's eyes brightened as they landed on one particular tree he recognized—Lightwood.

Kai, knowing the importance of lightwood—especially for the creation of armour for the upcoming battles—didn't hesitate to take a closer look.

There should be more around, he thought to himself as his eyes trailed upward of the tree. Its bark was smooth and pale, almost white, with veins of soft, ethereal golden light running through it. The leaves were small, veiny, and translucent, and they glowed in the shade.

Once he laid eyes on the majestic tree, he found himself unable to look away. It was almost as if the tree were calling to him. Then again, it could simply be the overwhelming abundance of mana saturating the air. He was certain that more than half of these trees were potent sources of mana.

Kai sighed in delight. In a way, Sylvastra was a paradise for Mages and alchemists—a dream come true. If he could spend just a year here, he was confident he could break past the fifth circle.

V'aleirith, who was walking beside him, must have noticed his wandering gaze because she slowed down her steps and finally broke the silence.

Her voice was weary but extremely calm when she spoke. "You look fascinated and it seems like you didn't come here just to learn about the prophecy."

Kai shifted his attention to her, their eyes meeting. "There are a few reasons, but the main one is the prophecy of the cycle of life and death. I've found no mention of it anywhere else."

"That's not surprising. The prophecy is ancient—so old that it predates many of our written records. Prophecies are tricky things, Arzan. Some come true, some don't, and many are simply forgotten, lost to the flow of time. But this one... we've seen signs. Tangible signs of its fulfillment. And because of its nature, we've worked hard to keep it hidden from the world. If it were to become widely known, the chaos it could unleash would be immeasurable."

Her eyes shifted to the trees that they were passing, distant in thought. "Parasites always emerge during times of great change, at the ends of cycles. We've seen their influence before, and we see it again now."

Kai's eyes darkened at her words. "Is it truly the end of times?"

His mind wandered back to the true end he had once lived through. That had been one hell of a nightmare, and compared to that, the current era seemed peaceful, even though there were totally different challenges for him to face.

V'aleirith looked at him thoughtfully, her silver eyebrows frowning at his words. "Perhaps not the end as you imagine it," she said. "But it is the beginning of an end. If we fail to act, what follows may come sooner than we estimate. And if it does, no one—not elves, not humans, nor any other race—will be ready for what's to come."

As they continued their conversation, a voice from behind cut through the quiet forest. It was sharp and dripping with disapproval.

"What we are doing is blasphemous," an elf yelled from behind. Kai turned back to see an extremely tall elf. His facial expressions refrained him from showing any emotions but he stared right at Elder V'aleirith. "We are going against everything Sylvastra has stood for. Not only are we letting an outsider and his companions tread these sacred grounds, but one who clearly has no selfless intentions."

Elder V'aleirith sighed, letting a huge breath of air through her nose. "You don't decide who is selfish and who is selfless, Caelith," she replied. "From what I've seen of him, he wishes to stop the prophecy as much as we do. Perhaps even more so." she gave a silent nod to Kai, as if she understood his intentions. "Anyone who dares to go against fate is selfless, no matter what their reasons might appear to be."

The elf, Caelith scoffed, his voice rising. "You speak as if you know his heart. But how can you? Letting him in was already a mistake. Bringing him here, during the Rite of Binding—no outsider has ever been part of it! What if something goes wrong because of them?"

Another elder, older, with short hair, turned his gaze on the man. "Enough," he said. "We've already allowed them in. Hostility serves no purpose now."

"But, Flossbor—" Caelith began, only to be cut off again.

"Be silent," Elder V'aleirith snapped this time, clearly looking like her patience was thinning. "No one will do anything to disrupt the rite. Keep walking, or leave if you can't hold your tongue. But don't open your mouth just to spout foolish assumptions like a senile fool."

Caelith let out a frustrated huff, muttering under his breath, but he said no more. Kai watched the exchange with quiet curiosity. He filed the term "Rite of Binding" away in his mind, deciding to ask about it later.

But he didn't think V'aleirith would lose her patience like that. Throughout the interactions they'd had, she'd been extremely calm, and patient. And to stand up for him against a fellow council elder spoke volumes. It made the reason for his presence here and the prophecy much more important in his mind.

No one spoke after that as they moved through a narrow path surrounded by redwoods.

Soon, the forest began to open up.

The trees around them grew sparser. A soft light swept through their enormous trunks. But it wasn't that made him stop in his tracks. A slight gasp escaped his lips.

The clearing was right in front of them, and in the centre, stood the Elder Tree. If the other trees of Sylvastra were majestic giants, this one was their god. Its trunk was impossibly thick, rising straight into the sky until its top disappeared into the clouds. Branches spread out like the arms of the sky, and roots twisted and coiled across the ground, glowing faintly with veins of pure mana. The air was heavy with energy, thick enough that Kai felt his skin prickle and his breath catch.

The emerald-green leaves twinkled, speckled with golden light, as though the tree itself held the stars within its canopy. Tiny orbs of light floated lazily around it, moving in different, meandering patterns. At first glance, they looked like glowing fireflies, but as Kai squinted, he realized they weren't insects. They were spirits, their forms shifting and moving with soft, flickering shapes.

The entire scene was overwhelming, like stepping into a painting too grand and vibrant to be real. The Elder Tree wasn't just alive—it pulsed with the purest mana Kai had ever felt. It was as if the tree was the heart of the world. The beats echoed through the forest.

For a heartbeat, nothing happened.

Then, a sudden force yanked him forward, as though the tree itself had reached out and pulled him in. The world around him vanished in an instant, leaving only darkness—vast and endless.

***

Amyra sat cross-legged on the rooftop, her fingers absently tracing the grooves in the tiles as she gazed down at the training yard below. Sentinel, her creation, towered over the guards as Knight Killian barked orders left and right. The golem, with its hulking frame and glowing core, moved methodically, swatting away strikes and lurching forward in calculated bursts.

A slight smile played on her lips as she watched her work in action. Though she couldn't be down there among them, thanks to Knight Killian's insistence on her recovery, this was enough for now. Watching Sentinel perform filled her with a quiet pride. Every block, every movement, felt like a validation of the hours she'd poured into its creation.

Her smile faltered slightly as her thoughts wandered. When will I get to build another?

From what she'd gathered through hushed conversations with the maids, the forge was a treasure trove of possibilities right now. Diagrams and blueprints of other golems filled the space, some of them sketched by none other than Lord Arzan himself.

One design in particular intrigued her—a smaller construct resembling a bird, something the maids called "drones." She didn't fully understand what they were, but the thought of exploring their design stirred an ache of curiosity in her chest. Yet, for now, the forge was off-limits to her.

Amyra sighed, her gaze returning to Sentinel as it deflected another attack. The core in its chest pulsed faintly.

"Amyra," a voice called from behind her.

Startled, she turned to see Princess Amara standing a few paces away. A subtle smile on her face as she clutched her hands in front of her and looked at her.

"What are you doing up here?" Princess Amara asked.

Amyra turned back to the training yard. "I was watching the training session, Princess Amara."

Amara walked towards the railings gracefully and leaned slightly, peering at the scene below. "You can call me Amara," she said. "Our names are already similar enough."

Amyra shook her head slightly. "Our statuses aren't."

The princess laughed softly, brushing her hair aside. "That doesn't matter. I heard you're a Mage being taught by Count Arzan himself. That makes your status higher than a commoner's, doesn't it? So, call me Amara. At least when we're not in public."

Amyra glanced at her, surprised by the casual offer. She hesitated before finally nodding. "Alright... Amara."

It felt weird—to call a princess by her name. But Amyra wasn't the one to disrespect a kind offer.

"Good," Princess Amara said, a satisfied grin spreading across her face. She sat down beside Amyra, her attention briefly flicking back to the training yard. "So, what's it like? Seeing something you made standing there like that? The other maids told me that golem was yours."

"It feels..." Amyra paused, searching for the right words. "It feels fulfilling. Like part of me is out there, helping in some way."

"I imagine it must be. But I also imagine you want to do more."

Amyra tilted her head. "Why are you here, Amara?"

The princess turned to her, her grin returning. "I was bored. And I wanted to get to know you better."

Amyra blinked, taken aback. "Why?"

"Why not?" Amara said simply, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. "You're fascinating. And if Count Arzan trusts your potential enough to mentor you, then I think you're worth knowing."

Amyra didn't know how to respond to that. She turned her attention back to Sentinel, her mind swirling with questions.

"I heard you played a big role during the beast wave. Your powers even protected Knight Kiliian. That's incredible. Honestly, I'm just... fascinated by you. I've never been in a battle, you know."

Amyra turned to her, studying her expression. "Just that is enough for you to want to get to know me better?" she asked sceptically.

Amara's blush deepened, and she laughed softly, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Well, that... and the fact that you're being taught by Count Arzan," she admitted. "I heard he rescued you. He helped me out too, so I guess I feel like we have some things in common. That's why I wanted to get to know you better."

Amyra raised an eyebrow but stayed quiet, letting Amara continue.

"Besides," the princess added, "I've never really had friends. My maid, Anya, is always there for me, but... she doesn't treat me like a friend. She treats me like someone she serves. Now that I'm here in Veralt, I thought maybe... I could try. Make an effort, you know? So..." She hesitated, glancing at Amyra shyly. "How about it, Amyra? Will you be my friend?"

***

A/N - You can read 30 chapters (15 Magus Reborn and 15 Dao of money) on my patreon. Annual subscription for both of them is on too.