A Sorcerer’s Journey

Pillars of Void Fortress’ exploration searchlights radiantly brightened the dark sky around it.

Spirits were high on the Fortress surface. In the distant sky, two bright spheres gradually flew by, followed by thousands of blurry dots of light.

Within the Void Fortress, Tomb Averer possessed the highest absolute command. She appeared on the top of fortress square, quietly observing the sky.

A pair of cold eyes glared into space under her metal helmet. Tomb Averer carried four long swords on her back. Hundreds of dark red energy bars circled her body, shrouding her armor and her beautiful figure.

Decades were nothing but a blink of an eye to a Stigmata Sorcerer since the notion of time was irrelevant to them.

Bright Sorcerers gathered around the Fortress, as Dark Sorcerers were scattered all over the place. Fallen Amonro stood under the Fortress, ready to strike under the command of Demon-Hunters.

Grimm stood below the sacred sorcerer. Her big robes quivered in the storm, as rain pattered down brought by the elemental cloud which had been conjured above the sorcerer tower in Fortress Square.

Both Hearkening Whisperer and Tomb Segia returned to the Fortress. The bodies of the hundred meter tall giants dissipated, which allowed the Demon-Hunters who were ready to go in the square to quietly breathe a sigh of relief.

Amonros did not continue their pursuit.

Numerous Demon-Hunters gathered in Fortress Square. Among the crowd of desperate Demon-Hunters, Grimm found Millie.

It turned out that she did not ride the Elemental creature Crystal Ice Phoenix. Her robe was messy, and a thick frost covered half of her cheeks; an abnormal sign.

On the moment she saw Grimm coming over, Millie breathed a sigh of relief and said, “There was a moment when I thought that would have to stay in this world forever.”

On the other hand, Demon-Hunters did not need comfort, especially those Dark Sorcerers who lived in the realm between life and death.

Grimm nodded. Compared to himself, Millie escaped from the battle between Shadow and Battle Command. She had been through many more difficult times than himself.

Grimm extended his hand. In his palm was a bottle of medicine, and with a deep voice he blurted, “The shadows will contaminate you, but you can suppress it by half with a seal. This bottle of medicine should help you.”

“Thank you.”

After Millie consumed the potion, she threw Grimm a lump of ice. It was a ball of a frozen spider the size of a fist which was faintly emitting Enigmatic Energy.

“After the shadow disaster, I found this shadow spider specimen along the road. It contained Enigmatic Energy, which is worth studying.”

As Grimm accepted the shadow spider, a Bright Demon-Hunter flew over and said to Millie, “The medical department can provide you with treatment. All you need to pay would be two Sorcerer Essence.”

Millie nodded and bid farewell to Grimm. She followed the witch doctor to a space on the Fortress’ pedestal.

Under the Mask of Truth, Grimm was stunned for a moment. Instantly, he sliced open a dimensional gap. In the gap, was a Magic scepter which shuddered while shining brightly. Confused by the sight, Grimm yanked it out.

Clutch, Clutch!

After a series of curious mechanical sounds, a strange liquid was formed on top of the magic wand. It morphed into a metal man at only twenty centimeters tall, who then looked up at Grimm.

If Grimm’s memory served him right, this magic scepter was given to him as a reward for saving a Demon-Hunter’s life.

However, he would have never expected such behavior from the magic scepter at this moment. Grimm could only think of a specific form of witchcraft that was related to soul crafting, perhaps a type of phylactery.

It was known that certain sorcerers who studied the depths of a sorcerer’s soul had tried to bond themselves with specific tools to gain a second chance of life after death.

Compared to infesting their original soul seed within a Soul Slave, it was easier to bind themselves with a tool for this second chance to live on.

Once a sorcerer had died, the piece of soul within a phylactery would be awakened with all its memories. It was reborn as a non-living entity, much like an elemental or a mechanical marionette.

This soul acted like a toddler and asked in confusion, “I… suppose I’m dead?”

Then, the metallic figure looked at Grimm’s eyes under the Mask of Truth, ” Will you be my companion in the future? Have I entrusted my phylactery to you?”

Silently, Grimm shook his head. He sighed, “No, I accidentally saved you once and got paid for it with this magic scepter, but I didn’t know you had bonded it with your soul. I never knew you had to face death once again.

“Is that so…”

The tiny metallic man thought for a while, then looked around before he asked, “The last time I bonded my soul with this scepter was the exact moment before I entered the Shadow World. So… is this the Shadow World?”

“This is forty years after the Sorcerer World’s expedition into the Shadow World. Now, it’s a catastrophical time for us in this world. I think you must have faced great danger in your mission, and you must have failed.” Grimm guessed.

Yeah!

The tiny metallic man fell to the ground. He could not even stand still.

Although reborn, it was just an empty shell, a consciousness passed down with his knowledge. This tiny metallic man was no longer a Demon-Hunter. He no longer could contemplate Magic Power and master the ability to control a world’s law.

“Dark Sorcerer, if you can make sure that I leave the world safely, I will tell you the whereabouts of a secret treasure in the Sorcerer World.” The tiny metallic man spoke suddenly to Grimm.

As he looked at the preparations going on within the Void Fortress, this tiny metallic man could not help but be concerned for his own safety.

At this moment, he was nothing more than a Crystal Turtle.

Grimm frowned, “Although there has been some misunderstanding before, your existence now means more than a reward to me. I am not obliged to get paid again for another request of yours.”

“No, no, no!”

After the tiny metallic man repeated “No” thrice, he spoke in a serious tone, “Although I am no longer a Demon-Hunter, my spirit is still that of a sorcerer and a scholar. You cannot enslave my soul and body in any way. Such deeds would be no different to a Black Sorcerer, not to mention that killing me now would not do you any good.”

Hmmm…

Grimm thought about it seriously. He had never thought of it in such a way. It was all too complicated for him. He then said, “Bright Sorcerer, you had many connections when you lived. Why do I have to be the one who helps you?”

“This secret treasure involves some covert family scandals. I don’t want to leak it out. Plus, I only want one of them. However, as a Dark Sorcerer, I think… you should be interested in the scandals of families. Aren’t you?”

Sometime later, Grimm signed a contract of the Holy Tower of Seven Rings with the tiny metallic man. He sent it in to one of his World Fragments right after that.

Such an incident did not draw any attention within the Fortress Square. It was still a tranquil space within the Void Fortress. “You guys, follow me!” yelled a Level-3 Demon-Hunter with an Honor Badge as he pointed at Grimm and several Dark Sorcerers who were nearby.