Stellar Echo: Heart of the Myst

[lordanl]

Without intending to stand aside like dead weight, Ethan quickly retrieved from his storage ring a pair of thermal flasks adorned with beautiful carved runes. Several porcelain cups, and some desserts that were kept in a gorgeous display case that maintained them fresh and at their peak. Ethan then placed them on the coffee table and served them into the cups. At that moment, he looked at everyone present and announced with a smile.

"Here is a little refreshment to lift your spirits—some pastries and coffee."

Upon hearing the announcement, the students turned to look at Ethan and then gazed at the impressive desserts and the cake, quickly assuming he was not speaking to them. But at that very moment, the Direct Disciple opened the gate of the display case holding the desserts, then added with a smile as he looked at them.

"Go ahead, the previous fight was quite tough, and it's good to have a little snack; it might help us better weigh our options in solving the riddle."

"Thank you very much, Direct Disciple Williams."

Upon realizing that it was indeed for them, the students quickly expressed their thanks with cheerful and somewhat moved smiles on their faces, as the chance to eat what the Direct Disciples enjoyed was far too rare; so, with great enthusiasm, they began to take some pastries and their cups of coffee, soon displaying expressions of delight at the incredible taste of what they were eating.

(Direct Disciples really do have the best things…)

Upon tasting the pastries and the coffee, the same thought occurred to the three students—not only were they exquisite, but with each bite, a warm current flowed through their bodies, erasing fatigue and energizing their exhausted muscles. At that moment, Ethan turned to look at Zoe, Elara, and Liliana, then commented with a smile.

"Come on, fellow disciples, although they're nothing out of this world, the pastries are made with High Honey from the Tau System and the coffee is Albor Coffee, so together they can energize the body and clear the mind."

"Thank you for the attention, Disciple Williams, though I must apologize—I'm not much of a coffee fan; I prefer tea." Liliana remarked with a smile as she gracefully took a dessert, a gesture echoed by Elara and Zoe with slight nods as they too took some desserts.

Liliana's words brought a somewhat awkward smile to Ethan, who had only coffee with him, since in his circle—his family and his master—coffee was the most popular beverage, and he was no exception, while tea was something consumed only on rare occasions.

"I apologize, Disciple Faye, but I don't have any tea with me at this moment." Ethan said, his face showing a hint of regret. To which Liliana replied with a smile, simultaneously retrieving a beautiful teapot from her storage ring.

"Don't worry about that, Disciple Williams—I appreciate your thoughtfulness; I do have some tea with me."

"I am equally grateful for your attention, Disciple Williams, but getting back to the topic, I suppose our next course of action will be to wait until nightfall so that we can rearrange the stellar charts with precision." While taking one of the cups of tea Liliana had served, Zoe remarked with a serious expression, prompting the other two girls to nod as they sipped their own tea.

"You're right—adjusting them based solely on our memories could lead to mistakes; it's better to wait until night." After placing her cup on the table, Elara agreed with a nod, then took a small bite of her dessert, a gesture that brought a satisfied smile to her face.

"Then, for now, we can take our leave and rest a bit."

After tasting the dessert, Zoe commented in a calm tone, and the students nodded before saying their goodbyes and heading toward their respective shelters with slow, tired steps. Meanwhile, Elara, Liliana, and Zoe remained in the area for a moment, and by the time the students had disappeared into their tents, Elara turned to look at Ethan and spoke in a calm tone, though visibly tired.

"Disciple Williams, it's best that you rest; we'll meet around midnight."

"Alright, then I'll leave you to rest."

With a slight bow and a smile, Ethan rose from his seat and headed toward his own shelter—a much larger and more opulent structure than the others—leaving behind the beautiful ladies, who shortly afterward departed as a group toward another of the luxurious-looking tents.

Although the exterior of the shelter appeared to be made of some kind of fabric or leather, the interior was completely different, with floors resembling dark marble and ebony walls adorned with all manner of precisely carved runes. This revealed a space far larger than its exterior suggested.

At the center of the room stood a large, luxurious-looking bed, flanked by shelves filled with books and various magical artifacts. Off to one side, a few meters away, was a beautiful dark-wood desk of sophisticated, minimalist design, its surface etched with runes from which several holographic screens emanated.

On these holographic screens were displayed all sorts of numerical tables and statistical graphs with data pertaining to the shelter itself, as well as real-time images of the surroundings. Not only of the shelter but even projections of the exterior of the cave. These were complete with intelligent systems that identified everything shown, to the point of being able to provide a danger estimate.

The place also featured a cozy living area furnished with beautiful leather sofas and a low table at its center. In this area, a large window replaced one of the walls, offering a view of an expansive universe filled with stars and galaxies—as if the site were in the middle of a space station.

With somewhat tired expressions, Zoe, Elara, and Liliana made their way to the shelter's living room, where they collapsed. On the coffee table, a tea set appeared that began preparing tea on its own before floating over and serving it into the cups.

"It really was a complicated moment…" After letting out a tired sigh, Elara commented as one of the porcelain cups flew to her.

"No kidding—the beginning was extremely complicated, and getting hit by fire and electricity hurt a lot, though not as much as colliding with the wall of light; that really knocked the wind out of me and left me dizzy for a moment…"

Zoe added with a sigh after taking a sip from her own cup, glancing at Liliana, who was drinking from hers with a relaxed expression. But Liliana quickly set her cup aside and spoke in a tired voice.

"Well, it was a very tense moment—I feared failing to achieve stability in my mana construction if I didn't make it solid enough. But I'm sorry; I'll practice more mana constructions and try to create stable, resilient, elastic structures."

"Perhaps you should ask your younger brother for help; it seems he's very skilled at that. After all, the throne he conjured at the start of the tournament looked very comfortable." Elara remarked with a smile, eliciting complicated expressions from both Liliana and Zoe.

"Although he focuses more on Myst constructions, it's really crazy what he can do now—even the chairs he creates are practically indistinguishable from real ones. If you sit with your eyes closed, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference; they are truly impressive…" Liliana said softly, with a slight sigh, becoming increasingly aware of her younger brother's astounding talent.

"But speaking of the matter, how should we respond to what he did to us? It wasn't very kind of him…"

Zoe asked with a somewhat troubled expression, for although Erik had indeed caused them many problems with his cunning 'steal and run' act—a fact that had angered her a bit—the truth was that, in her eyes, he still appeared dazzling and even more attractive than before.

His plan had been unexpected and meticulous, analyzing the mechanism of the column of light to perfection before anyone else and moving at the exact moment, catching everyone off guard—able to 'steal' the staff right under the noses of the strongest of his generation and escape unscathed, leaving them as a mere afterthought. Something that, honestly, not many—not even she herself—could do.

But the most astonishing thing of all was that, until now, no one knew for sure how he had done it; although his impressive speed could be explained by a one-time-use magical artifact of maximum Revealed level, everything else remained a complete mystery that many teams, including his own, had tried unsuccessfully to uncover.

Erik's act of passing through the column of light was the most alluring to all the groups, as it granted a substantial advantage in obtaining the staffs. Throughout the tournament, several participants had attempted the same feat with various hypotheses in mind, but so far, those who were lucky ended up with severe injuries, while the unlucky were directly teleported to the space station.

"Really, Erik pulled a very nasty trick on us there, but don't worry—I will personally make sure he gives you a satisfactory explanation for his little stunt. You can trust me on that."

Liliana said with her arms crossed, looking rather angry, as she had truly suffered because of that reckless fool who hadn't even thought to take her along on his spree—or at the very least, warn her of what he was about to do so that she wouldn't be involved—which prompted Elara to reply rather hastily.

"It's not necessary, it's not necessary. Although it's true we experienced some difficulties, this is still a tournament, and technically, we were competitors, so his actions are perfectly understandable." As she spoke, Elara seemed to realize something, and she quickly added in a somewhat shy tone, lowering her voice.

"Although, if he really feels inclined to apologize, I wouldn't mind if we went out to dinner one or two times."

"Hmph, you look like a lovesick fool." Liliana snapped in annoyance at Elara's comment, to which Elara retorted indignantly, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"I'm not a fool! Don't forget who designed the strategy that allowed us to get the staff!!"

"Now, stop fighting, both of you."

With an ironic smile on her face, Zoe said in a strict tone, prompting the two girls to huff before turning their heads—as if to indicate they would ignore the other—though Zoe could only gently shake her head before changing the subject with an amused expression.

"But then, what do you all think of the riddle?"

"Oh!!"

Liliana's eyes lit up at Zoe's words, and immediately, with a somewhat proud smile, she gently waved her hand, causing the view from the panoramic window to change—now displaying an image of incredible clarity of the starry sky. Holographic screens appeared before each of them, showcasing various controls and more detailed images.

"Fufufu, in reality, my shelter can keep records of up to one year of data related to itself, and that includes recordings of the exterior, among which are recordings of the surrounding airspace, many of them pointing directly at the night sky."

Liliana said with a small, proud smile, for her shelter was indeed quite impressive—the very best that could be achieved for a magical artifact of its type while remaining at Revealed level—something only possible because it was made by her master personally. A gift for the tournament given exclusively to her, as Erik had made one for himself, giving her a small sense of victory.

"So you're also worried about a traitor." Upon seeing the impressive display, Zoe couldn't help but comment in a grave tone, to which Liliana quickly nodded solemnly, while Elara straightened in her chair with a similar expression.

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[lordanl]

The issue of a possible traitor had been a constant concern for the three girls. After all, it was too much of a coincidence that the three students who ended up eliminated were the strongest in the group below them, the direct disciples, and also the most loyal, as they were part of the same fraternity at the university.

Although the students weren't particularly talented—since they were all around 300 years old and only one, the water-affinity mage, was an Ascended-Expert, while the others were merely Ascended-Advanced—they were still a force to be reckoned with in their current situation, as they had good technique and vast combat experience.

Moreover, since they belonged to the same fraternity—a social group that represented high status and great opportunities at the university—it was unlikely they would commit betrayal. If they did, they would be automatically expelled, and it would be difficult for another fraternity to accept them, as the most valuable asset of any fraternity was its direct disciples. Losing them had been a heavy blow.

But since they had imagined that something like this could happen, especially with that blue-haired fox competing against them, the girls had remained cautious from the start, refusing to fully reveal their plans. Not even to Ethan, who was the new direct disciple of the Order thanks to his master recently joining and the director granting him recognition. As a result, they were the only ones who knew the location of the refuge, which could only be accessed through tunnels created with the help of several magical artifacts, primarily from Liliana and Elara.

The magical artifacts not only created complex tunnels that prevented ethereal projection beyond their walls but also, without the key, the marks left in the tunnels would disorient anyone who tried to navigate them. This ensured that no one could find the path to the refuge, even if they knew the way beforehand, allowing them to maintain relative calm despite the suspicion of a traitor in their ranks.

"Yes, although until now it was just baseless suspicion, some strange things happened in the last fight, so it's better to be even more cautious and control the information we reveal." Liliana commented with a dark expression similar to Zoe's, to which Elara added with a serious look.

"But we also have to consider the possibility that it's just a coincidence, as being overly cautious could backfire, especially when we're in a race against time with people searching for us everywhere."

"You're right about that too. Maybe we're just being a bit paranoid, but it's better to stay cautious, as we have been so far. This is a delicate moment, and we could fall victim to an ambush at any time." Zoe added seriously, elegantly sipping her cup of tea, at which point Liliana asked in a calm tone.

"I completely agree, but what are we going to do about the three openings we have?"

At Liliana's question, Zoe and Elara could only sigh heavily, as it was a truly complicated problem. Elara then commented in a slightly tired tone, bringing her teacup to her lips.

"It's a tricky issue. At this point, it will be hard to replenish our numbers. Almost all the other participants are already organized, especially those with strength similar to the members we lost. Besides, at this stage, it's hard not to be suspicious of any new person who joins."

"Elara's right. We already suspect a traitor in the group, so bringing in more people now would only worsen the situation, which could be more harmful than beneficial." Zoe agreed with Elara's words, who added with a smile, looking at Liliana.

"So, we have no choice but to continue with reduced numbers. It seems we'll have to rely on you and Disciple Williams."

"Yes, I suppose that's the only way…" Liliana nodded with understanding and a serious demeanor, to which Elara smiled softly and asked in a cheerful tone, changing the subject to something less serious.

"By the way, what do you think of Disciple Williams?"

"Honestly, nothing special. Although his illusion affinity is quite rare and useful, he doesn't stand out that much." Zoe replied without much interest, bringing her cup to her lips, to which Liliana responded with a slightly surprised look on her face.

"Are you serious? He was a vital part of our success. If he hadn't infiltrated the enemy group with his illusions to take out one of their mages, we wouldn't have been able to obtain the staff, not to mention that his illusory fog matrix was what allowed us to retreat safely."

"I see your point. Disciple Williams was indeed a crucial part of the operation, but I still don't feel like he stands out particularly. It's like he's missing something…" Elara commented thoughtfully, wondering about the precise reason behind her assessment, but Zoe, who spoke right after, gave her the answer.

"Elara's right. Although Disciple Williams is quite good, compared to Disciple Erik, he still has a long way to go. Even though they're at the same level, the disparity in their ages shows who's more talented.

"But even without that, Disciple Williams' behavior and attitude are too childish compared to the mature and elegant style of Disciple Erik. It really makes you think that the older one is Disciple Erik, when in reality, he's a third of Disciple Williams' age."

"That's it! That's why I feel like he's missing something. He's much worse than Disciple Erik!"

Zoe's words illuminated Elara, who nodded vehemently and commented excitedly, finally understanding why she felt he wasn't good enough. Disciple Erik was too outstanding, and comparisons were inevitable.

Meanwhile, Liliana looked at her friends in surprise, who were exchanging satisfied and understanding glances, wondering where they saw the "mature and elegant" in that fool Erik, who spent his time eating cookies and playing with his wolves like a little child. This inevitably led her to ask incredulously.

"You can't be serious, can you?"

"Of course we're serious. Disciple Williams isn't bad, but he still has a lot to improve compared to Disciple Erik."

Seeing Zoe's serious expression as she responded, Liliana began to reflect a bit on the topic, realizing that they were partly right. Setting aside the "mature and elegant" part that she couldn't see anywhere, Liliana couldn't help but agree that, in terms of pure talent, Erik was a damn monster.

Erik's talent was so terrifying that year after year, he achieved increasingly absurd feats. Ethan, on the other hand, could only be called a rare genius with great potential but no real achievements to show for it, and he was almost a century older. Meanwhile, that fool was already as strong as him and had achieved admirable academic accomplishments, and the most exasperating part was that the fool barely even attended classes lately.

"Well… maybe Erik is a little better…"

With some reluctance, Liliana let out an admission that was somewhat hard to make, as knowing it and putting it into words were two very different things. But wanting to quickly change the subject, she added seriously.

"But let's stop wasting time and focus on solving the riddle."

"You're right. We've rested for a while. Let's not waste any more time and get to work."

After saying that, Zoe activated the staff, and several holographic screens containing images of the staff, overlaid with the actual recordings from that night, appeared in front of each of the girls. They immediately began adjusting the discrepancies between the two, while noting the changes they had to make in holograms that resembled spreadsheets.

…
…
…

A few hours later, the girls finished adjusting the images of the staff, ending up with a long list containing information about all the changes each star had undergone to align with the real images of the night sky.

"Well, I think this confirms that the star charts aren't deliberately distorted but are actually slight changes caused by different observation points." Elara commented with a focused expression as she analyzed the list of data on a holographic screen.

"Yes, it seems there are exactly four different viewpoints. I guess we'll have to calculate the distance of those points using our current position as a reference…" Liliana sighed, a bit tired, as she made the magical teapot brew more tea and took out a couple of desserts from her storage ring. At that moment, Zoe commented with a tired smile.

"It's most likely that the palace is located at the intersection of these four points, so let's not wait any longer. Let's find the place."

With tired smiles on their faces, the girls immediately began calculating the observation points of the different star charts. But since all they had was a very rough and basic map of the planet, with many blank and unexplored areas, when they finally found the intersection point, they realized they had no idea what the area was like.

"It seems we'll be in uncharted territory… this is going to be problematic…"

As she looked at the map on a holographic screen, which showed a pin in a blank zone, Elara commented with some concern. Zoe responded with a slight sigh and said while extending her hand for the floating teapot to refill her cup.

"We have no other choice. Sending a scout ahead could alert the other participants. Besides, we're short on numbers, so we need to be extremely careful."

"I guess that's all we can do. How troublesome…"

Setting her cup down, Liliana commented in a complicated tone, to which Elara and Zoe could only sigh in annoyance as they tried to calm their mood by sipping from their own teacups. They then did a few more checks to ensure they hadn't made any mistakes in their calculations.

After a while, having reviewed all the calculations a couple of times, Elara stretched out on the couch and then rubbed her eyes gently, visibly tired. At that moment, she spoke while lazily stretching.

"Well, I think it's better to get some sleep before midnight. It's been an exhausting day."

"…You're right. But, by the way, what are we going to tell the others at midnight? Will we look at the stars or leave immediately to take advantage of the element of surprise?"

After a tired yawn, Liliana asked while stretching similarly to Elara. At that moment, Zoe covered her own yawn with her hands and commented in a soft voice.

"I think it's best to leave at midnight. If there are traitors, they won't know what's happening until the last moment, which will give us some room to maneuver."

"I agree. Let's sleep for a couple of hours and leave at midnight." Elara nodded and let herself fall tiredly onto the sofa, at which point Liliana commented as she stood up.

"Then that's what we'll do. And are you planning to stay here or go to your own tents?"

"I'll stay here. This couch is calling me…" Elara said in a somewhat funny voice, already almost asleep, which made Zoe shake her head. Zoe then commented as she got up from her sofa, holding the staff in her right hand.

"Yes, it's better if we stay together, though I'll sleep in a bed."

"I'm not sharing my bed, but I'll leave a couple of beds here if you want to sleep."

Liliana spoke in a casual tone, pulling out two beds similar to the one already in the room. She then headed to her own bed with a tired step, falling asleep almost instantly. This made Zoe laugh amusedly as she quickly picked up the sleeping Elara in her arms and placed her on one of the beds. She then let herself fall onto the other bed, also falling asleep instantly while firmly holding the staff in her hands.

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[lordanl]

By the time midnight arrived, Zoe suddenly opened her eyes and tightened her grip on the staff in her hands, which she had not let go of even while sleeping, allowing her to release a small sigh. At that moment, Liliana and Elara also woke up, stretching lazily, visibly rested and energetic.

After tidying up their appearances, the girls left the portable shelter together and headed toward the common living room, where they found Ethan in the company of the other three students, chatting calmly while drinking what appeared to be coffee.

"Good evening, everyone." Zoe was the first to greet, causing all the young people in the room to rise from their seats and greet her in unison while bowing respectfully.

"""Good evening, direct disciples."""

"Good evening, Disciple Laverne, Disciple Faye, Disciple Belmonte." Ethan added, performing a small bow, to which the girls nodded and returned the greeting.

"Well, tonight we're going out, so I hope you prepare everything necessary. You have 15 minutes. Disperse."

With a serious and authoritative tone, Zoe ordered the group of students, who felt a bit confused as they glanced at each other, but quickly obeyed and ran to their own shelters to gather their equipment. After all, they couldn't afford to have several gigantic storage rings like the direct disciples and kept most of their gear in their shelters.

As for Ethan, he remained in his spot, just as confused as the other students, so he couldn't resist asking, filled with confusion.

"Fellow disciples, wouldn't it be safer to send a small scouting team to take pictures of the sky and then analyze them? Besides, I don't think it's a good idea to bring out the staff right now..."

"Hehe, you're right." Elara commented with a smile as a small, discreet flame appeared in front of her, which changed shape, turning into a cluster of words in the air.

[We've already solved the riddle, but we suspect there's a traitor, so we don't want to alert them.]

Upon reading the fiery message in the air, which had deliberately been created from a blind spot of the shelters, Ethan was equally confused and surprised by the suspicion of traitors. However, he wisely chose to remain silent and simply nodded in understanding. Fifteen minutes later, the group gathered again, now fully equipped and ready for combat, so without further ado, they walked toward the shelter's exit.

After Zoe used the artifact to cover the shelter's entrance once more, the group continued walking through the cave, illuminated by a sphere of light above them, until they reached a large crack in one of the cave walls. Despite stretching from the ceiling to the floor, it was so narrow that no person could fit through it.

Quickly, Liliana stepped forward in front of the crack, holding a wooden staff with intricate runes carved into it, which glowed softly. Soon after, the crack widened enough for two people to walk side by side without feeling cramped, at which point she began walking inside.

Following Liliana, the group entered the crack, which immediately closed behind the last person, erasing any trace of activity in the area. After walking for a while through the tunnel, the group arrived at a wide circular area with six arched entrances leading to different tunnels, where Elara pointed to a specific one, and they continued their journey.

The group kept walking through tunnels, encountering several intersections along the way, where Elara always chose the path, until they finally reached a dead end blocked by a massive boulder. Upon arriving, Zoe stood in front of the group and announced in a serious voice.

"Now we'll enter stealth mode. We'll move together at all times. Remember to stay alert."

After everyone nodded in understanding, Liliana and Ethan quickly took their staffs and conjured a magical circle beneath the group, along with various runes that surrounded them, causing them to vanish from sight as if they were mirages. They became invisible and difficult to detect.

After ensuring everything was in order, Liliana swiftly waved the second wooden staff in her hand, causing the boulder in front of them to deform, creating an ascending staircase. She quickly began climbing, followed closely by the group, soon reaching the surface after some time.

Upon reaching the surface, the group found themselves in a jungle area, filled with impressive trees brimming with life and color. However, they didn't waste time admiring the scenery and quickly pulled out their flying artifacts, mounted them, and rose into the air. Liliana, for her part, closed the hole in the ground they had emerged from, returning the massive boulder to its original form, as if there had never been a huge staircase-shaped hole in it.

Flying with the help of various means, the group spent some time in the air, always alert for possible pursuers, passing through different biomes—deserts, jungles, snowy areas, and more—which greatly confused the students. However, seeing the serious expressions of the direct disciples, they chose to remain silent and follow orders diligently.

Finally, after a couple of hours, the group arrived at a beautiful natural canyon, with steep rocky walls composed of layers upon layers of rocks in countless beautiful colors, an indelible record of the geological history of the planet Eryndor. At that moment, Liliana and Zoe turned to look at Elara, who, holding a crystal tablet in her hand, nodded seriously.

"Let's study the terrain a bit without separating."

With Elara's agreement, Zoe quickly ordered, to which everyone present nodded, and they began wandering the area at a leisurely pace, analyzing everything they saw in detail. Meanwhile, Elara and Liliana recorded everything with their crystal tablets, which displayed holograms of a map forming in real time.

The beautiful natural canyon was adorned with all kinds of vibrant vegetation, as well as a small crystal-clear stream running along the bottom, filling the scene with life and creating a beautiful contrast with the earthy and gray tones of the impressive canyon. This made it a good place for a short vacation—a thought that crossed the minds of several presents.

After wandering through the intricate passages of the canyon, with Elara carefully examining her crystal tablet, the group suddenly came across a crack in one of the "walls", prompting Elara to raise her hand. At that moment, Zoe, seated atop a beautiful nine-tailed white fox, ordered in a firm tone.

"Stop."

While Liliana, Zoe, Elara, and Ethan gathered to look at the hologram on Elara's tablet, the other students exchanged understanding glances, finally realizing what had happened. The direct disciples had solved the riddle and were about to enter the palace, which made their eyes shine with excitement.

"It seems this is the place..." Elara commented in a serious tone as she compared the coordinates of the location with those they had calculated, to which Liliana nodded.

"It must be. We checked the calculations several times, and this crack almost looks like an entrance."

"So we've arrived? We've found the palace?" Ethan asked with a hint of excitement in his tone, to which Zoe replied seriously.

"It could be, or it could just be a clue. But for now, let's enter." Seeing her fellow direct disciples nod in agreement, Zoe quickly turned to look at the three students and ordered firmly.

"We're going into the cave. Magni, you're with me at the front, and the rest follow us."

With Zoe's words, the burly mace-wielder quickly stepped forward, holding his enormous two-handed mace firmly, while the others grouped into formation, with Ethan at the rear alongside the young man with dark skin and golden hair. Liliana, Elara, and the young man with tanned skin and black hair with pale green tips remained in the center.

"Let's go."

Zoe quickly gave the order to enter, and the nine-tailed fox beneath her began moving as if walking on air, alongside Magni. He moved on what appeared to be a metallic disk densely engraved with all kinds of runes that allowed him to move with some freedom.

Upon passing through the crack, the group found themselves in a natural cave, not very large, dimly illuminated by luminous stalactites on the floor and ceiling, giving it both a magical and eerie impression. At that moment, Zoe pulled out the magical artifact she used to open the shelter and activated it, causing a light to scan the entire cave, almost like some kind of scanner.

Shortly after, geometric lines of light spread throughout the cave, glowing softly and intermittently for a few seconds before disappearing, at which point the crack they had entered through closed, erasing any trace that it had ever existed.

With the only source of light now gone, the place was enveloped in darkness, which was combated by the faint light emitted by the stalactites. At that moment, Liliana extended her hand forward, and a warm, whitish sphere of light formed above it, rising to the ceiling of the cave after a small upward motion of Liliana's hand.

Meanwhile, without saying a word, Zoe stored the staff that had turned the cave into a shelter and quickly grabbed the tournament staff from her waist, where it levitated firmly, defying gravity, right next to her katana. At that moment, she activated it, filled with anticipation. But unlike before, this time only a single holographic screen appeared, which no longer displayed star charts but instead showed a written message. She instinctively knew that only she could see it.

[Select up to 9 companions.]

Seeing the message, a beautiful smile adorned Zoe's face as she quickly turned to look at her companions, selecting them mentally. Once she had chosen them all, she turned back to the hologram, which now also showed a number of companions with a message at the bottom.

[Only 6 companions have been selected. Are you sure you want to proceed?]

With a serious expression, Zoe quickly nodded while her companions looked at her somewhat confused, causing the message on the screen to change, now displaying a single message in large letters.

[Prepare for teleportation in 5 seconds.] Reading the message, Zoe quickly turned to look at her companions with a serious expression and announced solemnly.

"Prepare for teleportation."

Everyone present was a bit surprised by Zoe's sudden announcement, but quickly prepared, gripping their weapons tightly while taking deep breaths. Then, 5 seconds later, a flash of light filled the area. After a brief moment of vertigo, the group found themselves in the middle of a vast vestibule carved into living rock.

"We're in the palace, I suppose."

Liliana commented as she recovered from the vertigo, looking at the enormous black wooden door at the far end of the vestibule, to which Zoe nodded calmly and commented while studying the surroundings and the door Liliana was looking at.

"That's most likely the case. The staff brought us here, after all."

"I suppose we should head to the door..." Elara commented thoughtfully, also looking at the door, to which Ethan added seriously.

"Though I doubt it'll be that easy..."

Entirely agreeing with Ethan's comment, the girls nodded in unison, at which point Zoe turned to look at the three students, who were also cautiously studying their surroundings, and announced in a firm tone.

"We're in the trial palace, so from now on, we must remain even more alert and ready to react to any unforeseen events. And Magni, you stay with me at the front. We must protect the mages with everything we've got."

"Understood, Direct Disciple Laverne. I'll do everything I can to keep them safe, even if it means getting eliminated from the tournament." Magni quickly responded with a serious tone, tightening his grip on his enormous mace as his runic tattoos glowed faintly, to which Zoe nodded in satisfaction and commented.

"Don't worry. If you get eliminated, I'll make sure to compensate you appropriately."

"Thank you very much, Direct Disciple." Magni quickly responded firmly, performing a small bow, at which point Zoe turned to look at the others and ordered firmly.

"Let's move forward."

Everyone present nodded with serious and focused expressions, gripping their weapons tightly and mobilizing their mana, conjuring runes and magical circles that covered them with various protective barriers. Zoe then returned the tournament staff to her waist and advanced with firm steps.

After spreading out slightly to give themselves enough space to react to any unforeseen events, the group reached the door, which immediately seemed to come to life, glowing softly with iridescent colors, tensing the group. However, they relaxed slightly upon realizing that the lights were actually different holograms containing what appeared to be runes.

"Is that runic language, isn't it?" Liliana asked as she analyzed the words on the holographic screens.

"It seems so..." Elara nodded in agreement, and then the three girls turned to look at Ethan, who was studying the runes on the holographic screen attentively.

***

Hello everyone, the second volume concluded on Patreon with the chapter I published today, and although I left a longer public note over there, I also want to inform you here that I'll be taking about a week off from publishing this novel. The third volume turned out to be quite complicated to write, and it coincided with two equally difficult arcs from my second novel, so I want to give myself a few days to stockpile chapters and better edit the ones I already have.

Spoiler: Patreon

If you like it, you can support me on https://www.patreon.com/lordanl and get up to 10 advanced chapters.

 

[lordanl]

The runic language was an ancient written language used by the Boreal League, though it has fallen into disuse in modern times. It was based on runes that were very similar to those used to create magical artifacts or spells. Although there were some differences, it was common for practitioners of the Aegis System, who were sorcerers, to have some knowledge of this language.

Suddenly finding himself the center of attention, Ethan pretended to cough a couple of times to clear his throat, straightened his posture slightly, and then took a step forward to speak with a serious expression.

"Indeed, it is the runic language. A well-thought-out choice for the test, as, although it is now a disused language, it was very popular in ancient times, and we may encounter it in the ruins. Fortunately, I have learned a bit and can translate it."

"Then we will rely on you, Disciple Williams." Zoe remarked in a calm tone, to which Ethan quickly nodded and focused his gaze on the holograms, adding.

"I will do my best."

With a serious and concentrated expression, Ethan reviewed the runes on the holographic screens, then brought his hand to his chin, thinking about how to adapt the meaning to the galactic language while preserving the nuances. After a few seconds, he nodded in satisfaction and began to speak again.

"...The written message goes something like this:

'In hands of sages, warriors bold, true power lies.
He who walks with wisdom, history as his guide,
The shrouded path shall rise, unveiled to wise eyes.
Reflect the past, wield the key, and knowledge gates swing wide.'

"It's a bit complicated to translate this kind of ancient poetry into the galactic language, but that's more or less what it says."

After reciting the poem, Ethan added in a pensive tone, which led everyone present to sink into their thoughts, pondering its meaning. After a few seconds, Elara was the first to speak, her tone thoughtful, her hand on her chin, deeply immersed in her thoughts.

"I suppose 'the key' refers to the staff..."

"That makes sense, but what does 'reflect the past' mean? Could it have something to do with the light affinity?" Zoe added shortly after, looking thoughtfully at Liliana.

"I doubt it. Although [Past's Reflection] is indeed a light affinity spell, it's something of a much higher level, something only possible for Arcane-level mages. I don't think they expect us to perform that spell. Besides, the light affinity is too rare for the riddle to be related to it." Liliana disagreed, convincing everyone, who quickly returned to their thoughts.

"Liliana is right. 'Reflect the past' must refer to something more metaphorical..." Elara murmured softly, still pensive, while Ethan continued to examine the runes carved into the door, trying to find any useful clues but finding nothing that particularly caught his attention.

After giving up on the door, Ethan turned his gaze to the staff at Zoe's waist. After examining each of its runes, he noticed something strange. Despite being slightly illuminated, the surface of the staff seemed to faintly reflect the image of the door. But what was truly odd was that, through the staff's reflection, a faint figure of what appeared to be a hand could be seen carved into the door.

Noticing this detail, Ethan's eyes lit up like lanterns, and he quickly turned to look at the door again, where he could see nothing resembling what the staff's reflection showed. This brought a huge smile to his face, and he soon announced, absolutely convinced, that this was the key to solving the riddle.

"It's the staff's reflection!! 'Reflect the past' refers to the staff's reflection!!"

Ethan's words caught the attention of everyone present, who looked at the staff with curiosity. Indeed, after staring at it for a while, they found the faint figure of an arm carved into the door reflected in it. Zoe quickly took the staff and began to move it, revealing that the figure was actually a mage fighting a knight.

"You're right. The door's reflection in the staff shows 'a scene from the past'." Elara commented delightedly, while Zoe, with a smile on her face, began to change the staff's position, trying to provoke some reaction, but nothing happened.

"Is it a matter of the angle or the distance?" Zoe asked, confused, as she stepped forward and backward. At that moment, Liliana softly commented after a moment of consideration.

"Maybe it's both. Try taking a few steps back and adjust the angle so that the images of the mage and the warrior appear simultaneously in the staff's reflection."

After nodding in agreement, Zoe took several steps back until she reached the perfect spot where the figures of the mage and the knight appeared together in the staff's reflection. This quickly confirmed that it was the correct answer, as both the staff and the door began to glow brightly.

"It seems that was the correct answer." Zoe commented with a charming smile, which spread to the other two girls, causing the men in the team to swallow heavily, mesmerized by the almost hypnotic beauty the young women exuded.

While the young men were nearly hypnotized by the beauty of the direct disciples, the massive wooden doors opened, revealing a descending spiral staircase of stone steps on the other side. At that moment, Zoe quickly ordered, placing her right hand on the hilt of her sheathed katana.

"Everyone, stay alert. We'll descend in defensive formation. Be ready for combat. Magni, with me."

"Understood."

Zoe's voice snapped the young men out of their trance, and they quickly formed up while Magni stepped forward, announcing firmly. At that moment, Zoe summoned the beautiful nine-tailed fox once more, which appeared in a trail of fire, then offered the staff while speaking in a tone full of respect.

"Hiyori-sama, I will be in your care once again."

"Trust me, little Zoe."

The beautiful fox responded in a sweet, melodious voice, taking the staff in its teeth, then positioning itself in the middle of the formation. Zoe turned to look at her companions and announced firmly.

"Let's go!"

Passing through the enormous doors, the group encountered a long spiral staircase illuminated by pale blue torches. They descended with their weapons ready and barriers up, prepared for any attack or trap. Soon, however, the group reached the bottom, where they found a massive cavern supported by gigantic pillars that made them feel like ants.

But even more impressive was the beautiful palace visible at the center, which seemed to have come straight out of a fairy tale. Seeing the palace in the distance, the group nearly jumped with excitement, but they managed to keep their emotions in check and approached the place cautiously, maintaining their formation.

The group continued their journey toward the palace, alert and increasingly excited to see their objective up close. Their steps grew lighter, but suddenly, a massive fireball struck the barriers protecting them from the side, causing the barriers to tremble violently and crack like glass, while the ground shook slightly.

"We're under attack! Reinforce the barriers and fall back!!!"

Zoe shouted quickly, extending her ethereal projection to its maximum to identify the attackers. This prompted the entire group to spring into action, with the mages rapidly conjuring new barriers at full speed while retreating in an organized manner, also extending their ethereal projections to the maximum in all directions.

Almost simultaneously, several spells came hurtling toward them, impacting the new barriers and unleashing furious explosions that released brutal shockwaves capable of destroying the barriers. The group had to rebuild them, consuming enormous amounts of mana while retreating hastily. Despite having fallen back quite a bit, the group continued to be attacked, so Zoe quickly turned and shouted.

"We need to change tactics. Disciple Williams, conceal us. Liliana, do your best to identify the enemy. In the meantime, let's keep moving."

Without saying a word, Ethan pulled out a beautifully crafted crystal vial containing a luxurious blue liquid—a mana recovery potion—but he didn't drink it. Instead, he held it between his teeth, then, with his staff in hand, conjured a large number of runes around the group.

"Cloak of Fog."

Quickly, the runes conjured vast amounts of whitish Fog that completely concealed the group, to which he added several illusions to make them harder to detect. Meanwhile, Liliana quickly deactivated the light barrier she had been maintaining to protect the team. Her staff began to glow softly, and a large, complex magical circle slowly formed in front of her.

While Liliana concentrated on the magical circle, Zoe guided the group to move erratically within the dense fog. The attacks kept coming, but thanks to the mist and the illusions, the enemy couldn't pinpoint their location and was essentially attacking blindly. This allowed the group to catch their breath, giving the mages a chance to drink mana recovery potions with a bit more calm.

Almost two minutes later, Liliana's magical circle was complete, and a holographic projection formed above it, depicting a group of ten people in an attack formation, with mages in the rear casting spells and drinking potions like water. But the girls' eyes focused on a beautiful young woman at the center of the group.

The young woman, with delicate and symmetrical features, pale skin, blue hair, and eyes of the same color, had an appearance that could only be described as seductive. Her voluptuous and curvaceous body was something she seemed unafraid to show off, wearing what appeared to be a modified version of the university uniform—a super short, tight dress that left her long, toned legs exposed and teased with a plunging neckline that emphasized her ample bust.

Meanwhile, in her right hand, the beautiful young woman held the tournament staff, while in her left she carried another staff, this one black as jet, with an elegant and stylish design adorned with golden metal decorations at the top—a clear indication that she was a mage.

"It's that bitch Christine! Damn it!!"

With Liliana's angry exclamation, the girls immediately raised their alert level to the maximum. Meanwhile, Zoe turned to look at the boys in the group and spoke with a dark expression, her tone laden with threat and murderous intent.

"I'm only going to say this once, so listen very carefully. If any of you dare to betray us for that bitch, I swear I will hunt you down and make sure you regret it for the rest of your lives. You won't find a single place in the University where you can hide from us."

Along with Zoe's icy words came the murderous intent of Liliana and Elara, who scrutinized the faces of each of the men present, engraving their features into their minds. This sent a shiver down their spines, and they immediately nodded in understanding like frightened chickens, utterly terrified by the distorted expressions of the girls, who just moments ago had exuded a warm, hypnotic beauty.

"We need to make sure we enter the palace first, though, it would be best to eliminate that bitch here and now."

After glancing at the men in her own group, Liliana commented with visible resentment. Then she turned to look at the hologram, where she began to study the group composed exclusively of men, except for the beautiful lady with seductive features and a sensual body.

"Let's go with a full-power attack. Let's take advantage of the fact that we can see her, and she can't see us."

Elara quickly added with a Machiavellian smile, as a large magical circle began to form in front of her. Liliana quickly followed suit, and Zoe turned to look at Ethan, speaking in a cold tone.

"Disciple Williams, I expect you to do your best to keep us undetectable. The other side must have some method of staying hidden, and we'll be in trouble if we're discovered."

Seeing Zoe's aggressive expression, Ethan quickly swallowed the potion he had in his mouth and spat out the glass vial, then spoke with firmness and confidence.

"You can count on it, Disciple Laverne."

As if to demonstrate his intentions, the runes around the group increased in number, while Ethan quickly pulled out two recovery potions from his storage ring and placed them in his mouth. This made Zoe nod in satisfaction, and she quickly turned to the students, ordering with authority.

"Everyone, prepare to attack following Disciple Faye. Hiyori-sama, I beg for your assistance in the attack."

"Don't worry, little Zoe. I will coordinate perfectly with everyone." The fox responded in a calm voice, without moving its mouth, but without using telepathy. Zoe quickly bowed slightly in gratitude.

"That is a relief. Thank you very much, Hiyori-sama."

***

There are new public images of the characters on Patreon.

Spoiler: Patreon

If you like it, you can support me on https://www.patreon.com/lordanl and get up to 10 advanced chapters.