64 Breaking and Entering

"Keep your eyes open. If possible, recklessly throw yourselves into danger. The fact that you haven't even lost a hand just goes to show how incompetent you both are as my bodyguards. Since I paid good money for you, I think it is only fair that you experience many grievous injuries for my sake." -Leylin coldly ordered his Knight companions who stood right behind him.

"Yes, Master." -The two slaves answered with a grim tone, to which Leylin only scoffed.

[According to my scans, this defensive formation has been in effect for over a hundred years. When we came here yesterday, I thought that perhaps it was my short-range detection that was being jammed by the mana radiation of a peak level 3 acolyte... But now that you've advanced and I have also experienced several upgrades in my scanning protocols, I can assure you that I was correct the first time. This is clearly an ancient formation, Doctor.]

Hearing Aralis' feedback, Leylin squinted at the sight in front of him. He was standing before the massively tall granite boulder that sealed the only visible access point to the laboratory. An elegant silver archway adorned the top of the gate, leading one to assume that this was not a whim of Mother Nature, but instead, a perilous Magus hideout.

'You mentioned earlier something about the internal structure being rebuilt not so long ago. This notion paired with your recent findings leads me to conclude that I gave little Alfonse too much credit. He did not set up this lab and its main defenses with his own power.'

[What do you mean?]

'He merely stumbled upon an abandoned Magus lab and got lucky when the formation was weakened to the point where he managed to gain entry once he figured out the code. Then he seized the lab for his purposes in the region. He was basically squatting on another Magus' property...' -Leylin smirked at the implications.

[That begs two questions: how do you know the original proprietor was a true Magus, and how would you explain the defensive formation that allows passage to level 3 acolytes who can break the puzzle code?]

'It's quite simple, really. If you analyze the markings and runes, you'll discover that they are not as brightly lit as a sealing formation normally would.'

A few seconds passed, and Leylin's assistant spoke in his mind again.

[You're right, Doctor! My in-depth scans show they have not been fed with the Mana Energy in a long period. Only the caster or one who dominates the spell model could restore the formation to 100% of its strength. Alfonse was unable to do that, so he didn't cast the formation to begin with.] -Aralis deduced.

'Indeed. Even the pitiful vaults inside the acolytes' villas and the Viscount's castle were better maintained than this, despite the lack of complexity in the spell formations themselves... However, that is not even the most relevant subject at hand. These runes on the boulder are still quite fortified, which could mean only one thing. Whoever built this lair was not inferior to an official Magus in terms of power...'

While he was staging a de facto coup d'etat in Extreme Night City, Leylin had taken the time to personally loot the homes of every dead acolyte. This included the residences of Alfonse, Keith, Halius, and of course, the old scholar Murphy. From them, Leylin had gotten a few hundred magic crystals and a couple of semi-useless magic artifacts that he planned to sell for a few pennies. The actual treasures were obviously located in the clandestine mine and this lab.

[Since your conclusion is logical, then it also justifies why Alfonse proclaimed so vehemently to be nearing his breakthrough.]

'Now you understand why I am so eager to tear this place apart in search of more power sources or arcane devices. If he was so sure that something in there held any clues towards the best-kept secret in South Coast, the method of advancement to Magus... then it is there waiting for me.'

At that instant, Leylin put up his hands and began an incantation in the Byron language. Multiple purple sigils appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the area, as each of them began to spin with every word he uttered.

[There is no need to brute-force your way in. Thanks to Sage Lowian's academy notes you obtained at Ellinel Market, I extrapolated the ancient Magi language employed in them. Cracking the puzzle thereafter was as easy as pie. Won't you activate the code?]

'That's what Alfonse would've expected anyone with half a brain to do. After dealing with the mines he set in front of the granite boulder, most of the greedy trashes one would find on this side of the continent would just lower their guard and chuckle in satisfaction. But Alfonse was an arrogant clown. He was sure that no one would take the barbaric route and figure out his trickery by accident. Surely, he placed more traps either here or on the other side of the door. And who knows what else he could've prepared, not to mention the mutated lizard guards which are still there.'

[They are not a threat to you in any way though.]

'Admittedly, they are as good as leaves on the dirt, but still. It's not good enough to open the boulder gate, I must also be ready for the onslaught of arcane traps that will ensue.'

[How can you be so sure of that?]

'When the stakes are as high as the secret to becoming a Magus, who in their right mind would risk failing to protect this base? He may have been a mediocre schemer across the board, but he was definitely above file and rank. I will not humor that acne-ridden monkey even in his death.'

"Rakestra. Dameris." -Leylin chanted, and as the sigils were stabilized with his now denser level 3 acolyte Mana Energy, he turned his attention to the boulder.

'Aralis, transfer the code for the gate's puzzle to my brain.'

[Done.]

Not wasting any time, Leylin put his hands on the cold black stone, and he concentrated a tiny portion of his Mana Energy into the runes. The magic power could be seen flowing through the waterwork-like patterns, and soon, the entire formation was enveloped in his energy.

Seconds passed, and then a rumbling sound echoed throughout the hole Leylin's golem hands had previously excavated.

The boulder started to vibrate in place, and its form was beginning to shatter into smaller but still large rocks. The tiniest of them was the size of a hatchback car.

Leylin ignored the biggest rock as it was about to fall right on top of his head. When it did, it split into many pieces, but he was not even fazed by the impacting object nor by the fragments that acted as shrapnel.

While Fraser and Greem were busy blocking the high-velocity rock fragments with their shields, Leylin just continued to slowly infuse his Mana Energy into the formation. It was not yet opened completely.

Just then, when he was nearly finished with the puzzle's sequence, a bunch of translucent golden spears shot from the ground close to Leylin. He did not make a move.

By the time the mystical weapons were about to make contact with his body, the purple sigils ended their circling motion. They immediately projected a shadow hound each, and the vicious beasts darted out to intercept the arcane projectiles.

This event was instantly repeated for each of the spears, totaling 14 spears and 28 sigils. Every spell Leylin had prepared was necessary to deflect the homing attacks.

The Knight slaves had not caught anything but glowing shapes of two different colors clashing against each other; it all happened so fast and their abilities were not enough for them to keep up. This only made them realize how insignificant they really were compared to their Master.

'Unlike those pipe cleaners he threw at me during our battle in the Mankestre's nest, these spears were capable of killing me despite my mitotic regeneration if they scored a headshot. Hmm, so he managed to install Rank 1 Light element traps... What is it that you did not want me to find, little Alfonse?' -Mused Leylin, as he stopped suffusing his Mana Energy and retreated a few meters to gain perspective on the diluted sealing formation.

As if on cue, a series of portals opened from within the last remaining part of the immense granite boulder.

Out of them came forth a contingent of mutated lizards, all evidently debilitated by their Mankestre Snake parent's defeat. Their talons seemed less sharp, their eyes were dull, and their postures not as intimidating as they once were inside the withering woods cave.

Leylin was about to blow them up with an explosive potion, but he was interrupted when two speeding figures dashed out to meet the lizards in a furious melee, regardless of how sup-par it looked to the Farlier Baron.

"Cut all of the monsters down!" -Fraser yelled at his partner, while his and a lizard's blood spilled in equal amounts when he had risked his safety to deliver a magnificent Killing Move.

The light of several deadly Knight techniques illuminated the tunnel where seconds ago it had been magic spells that cast away the darkness.

"I grow bored of this poor performance of yours. If you don't clear out the area in 10 seconds, I guess I'll have to burn you together with these lesser creatures." -Leylin professed, making his servants grimace in apprehension.

"That won't be necessary; we'll take care of this for your Lordship!" -Greem howled, as he took his mace and did an incredibly taxing 360° Killing Move with it.

A dozen lizards were sent flying across the tunnel, and Leylin nonchalantly backhanded one cadaver that was about to collide with him.

Those leftover mutated creatures that were still moving or twitching were forthwith slashed by Fraser's handaxe, and thus, no more guards stood in Leylin's path.

He walked slowly to the entrance and as he passed a bleeding Fraser, he slapped him approvingly on the back, albeit with great force. It was on that part of the Knight's body where he had been cut by a lizard's claw, and the gesture had only worsened the hemorrhage.

Nevertheless, the slave decided to muffle a pained grunt, and he resumed his first aid with basic human medicines.

"Can you not open the gate to the lab, Master?" -A panting Greem inquired, genuinely not sure if Leylin was able to penetrate the obstacles put up by his dead enemy.

"I suppose I shouldn't blame you for being so ignorant. After all, you're just a mortal slave who doesn't know any better." -Leylin remarked condescendingly as he stared at the fractured and dimming rune patterns.

Normally, he would've killed Greem on the spot for doubting him with such a stupid expression on his face. But Leylin was currently in a great mood, and his subordinate was spared the execution.

"So in the end, his defensive measures were exactly as I had predicted... I was hoping for a surprise at least, but our little Alfonse was simply not born for greatness. One could argue that he was not someone to be trifled with. If one was a pathetic sissy with no qualifications, that is. However, to me, this kind of trapping is extremely lazy and ineffective. Mirroring portal? Wired formation sigils? Light Spear mines? This was part of the syllabus in Territory Protection 1 back at the academy..."

Leylin crouched to gather a sample of the most intact lizard tongue with a pair of tweezers he had taken out of his satchel. He placed the light green tissue on a test tube and rose up, as he sarcastically let out a breath in disappointment at Alfonse's efforts.

Whilst declaring that the academy taught the forenamed level of territory spells may have been an exaggeration on Leylin's part, the fact remained that he wanted to fight something more interesting before reaching the loot. Mainly so he could test his new abilities in live combat.

"He may have been above average, but when the rank and file is made out of Murphys and Keiths, it can't really be called an achievement to barely stand above them, can it?" -Said the Baron with a mocking chuckle, as he put one hand on the boulder and flared his Mana Energy one last time.

With this, the rock along with its runes shone blindingly, and then they immediately dissolved into nothingness, driving the Knights to hit the floor with their jaws. They had rarely seen their Master cast so many spells in quick succession or display such knowledge of the mystical, and were dumbfounded as to what his true limits as a magician were.

In front of the group, the silvery archway that adorned the giant boulder had also disappeared. In their place, the narrow entrance to a dark tunnel materialized elsewhere.

"Look, a new passageway got conjured out of thin air!" -Fraser sounded out in surprise. He was used to elementary spells, but he could still not wrap his head around magic occasionally.

Leylin shook his head with a smirk, as he commanded his bodyguards to follow with two fingers. Then he whistled lightly.

At that instant, a black raven flew in from the significant hole connecting the lab entrance to the forest, and the animal perched itself on Leylin's shoulders. Its mysterious crystal eyes glinted with human-level intelligence.

This raven was the improved version of the Negative Energy Eye. It had been previously created by Leylin utilizing one of his potions and alchemic formulas to vivify it. Since it closely resembled the real animal, this allowed for prompter reconnaissance and sneaking operations.

Leylin then halted a few meters away from wholly descending into the unknown.

[By harnessing this spell's effect, I should be able to use the raven to get a more accurate picture of the experiment lab's inner configuration. Everything it sees will be relayed to you as a holographic projection, Doctor.] -Aralis noted.

As Leylin signaled with his mind, the raven cocked its head lightly before giving a cowl. Then, it directly flew into the dark tunnel.

Various irregular rocky locations appeared on Leylin's holo screen. The raven's point of view was as if he had strapped a professional camera onto a bird, but with an enhanced definition. The scenery below the alchemical construct was being analyzed by the A.I. simultaneously, and the data was being relayed onto a secondary display.

The long and treacherous passage was quickly traversed by the raven. In moments, it had reached the other end.

Leylin saw a small and old underground cottage beyond the darkness of the rocky tunnel. Its exterior walls shimmered with spell-cast light.

Brown rugous vines crawled up from all sides of the grotto and covered the edification. Sprouting from the vines were a myriad of red flowers with what looked like petals in the shape of bones.

Astonishment surfaced from the depths of the raven's eyes as it landed on the ground next to the biggest flower. They reflected the thoughts of its Master who was quite a distance away.