NOVEL NEXT Chapter 61: Theories to Truth
Inside the secret cave, the faint glow of the torches flickered against the stone walls. The air was heavy, filled with the scent of damp moss and the lingering heat from the sealed entrance.
Matthew stirred first, his instincts sharpened by years of battle. He immediately sensed something was wrong. The silence outside was too sudden, too absolute.
He turned to Priscilla and Josiah, who were still half-awake, and then to the sealed entrance. His heart tightened.
"They found us," he whispered. "How did they find us so quickly?"
But before he could spiral into panic, a muffled thud came from the other side.
THUD. THUD.
"Feral Beavers love ripe Aurdian Fruits!"
Matthew exhaled, relief flooding through him.
"It's Thane! He's alive!"
With practiced focus, he pressed both palms against the wall. A pattern of green light pulsed beneath his hands as his magic responded. The solid rock rippled like liquid, unraveling into an opening.
As the light faded, Thane emerged from the tunnel, dripping from the river water and grinning from ear to ear. Behind him stood a battered man with a swollen cheek and a bruised eye, clutching his shoulder.
"What a magic... This isn't an ordinary Green Mage," Edwin muttered, blinking at the shifting stone.
Thane stepped through the threshold, brushing water from his sleeve. "Hey there. Miss me?"
"Who... are you, friend?" Matthew asked warily, moving slightly in front of Priscilla and Josiah.
"Matthew, don't worry about him," Thane said, motioning toward his new companion.
"This is Edwin Maginstrate! An incredible theoretical mage, and the man whose teachings I'm greatly indebted to. It's a miracle we met."
"A theoretical mage?" Matthew echoed, his tone uncertain.
"Wha—greatly indebted to?" Edwin stammered.
"I don't even know you!"
"Right, forgot to mention." Thane's grin widened.
"I read your books."
Edwin froze. "You... read my books?" His voice cracked.
"Someone actually read them?"
"Yup. Loved them. They were amazing!"
Edwin blinked rapidly, tears almost forming.
"No one... no one ever said that before. But how? Those books were all tossed out!"
"Well, my master told me to read it and study it. I didn't know how he got hold of that. I recognized you by the picture at the back since my master told me that if I were to meet you, I would greet you as one would greet a teacher."
"I'm sorry," Matthew interrupted, still confused.
"But for now, let's get inside. We are being pursued after all! We can't afford to stay exposed."
They stepped deeper into the shelter, the sound of dripping water echoing softly. Matthew sealed the entrance again with a wave of his hand, the stones fusing back into place until the outside light vanished completely.
"I wouldn't worry," Thane said.
"We're safe here. The reason they found you was because of Master Edwin's device! But I took care of that problem."
"What do you mean?" Matthew asked, eyes narrowing.
Thane knelt beside a strange compass-like device that Edwin had been carrying. Its glass surface was cracked, and the small floating arrow within was spinning lazily before stopping, pointing directly at Matthew.
"This," Thane said, tapping the device.
"One of Edwin's inventions. The barbarians were tracking you with it."
Matthew's eyes widened.
"Verdok knew I had invented a device... And he used it to locate you. Apologies, everyone. I did not know it had to do... with the Heir to the Throne." Edwin glanced at Josiah and bowed.
"If you know his identity, then forgive me for being skeptical. How do I know that I can trust you?"
"He tried to sacrifice himself when he realized that it was the Prince he was tracking. He nearly died if I hadn't saved him." Thane explained.
Matthew's eyes widened. It was only then that he noticed the wounds on his face.
"If Thane said so, he must be our ally." Josiah spoke as he tugged on Matthew.
"...I guess he is." Matthew finally lowered his guard and glanced at the compass.
It was pointing at him!
Edwin rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed.
"I built it to detect the Magic of specific wavelengths. I owed Verdok quite a debt. A huge debt of my own foolish making. He told me that if I helped him find a Green mage who had a high bounty, all my debt would be paid. So I agreed. That device amplifies the resonance of elemental magic. And since there are a few Green Mages in this region, it was relatively easy to find yours. That man, was Verdok."
"Verdok? He is a captain of the Red Chains! While he is not as strong as Bolgard, he still was quite a powerful warrior."
"Eh? He was?" Thane tilted his head.
"Was killing a bloodthirsty hulking barbarian a menial chore for the young Thane Weakarm?" Matthew asked sarcastically.
"Well, I mean, compared to Bolgard, I didn't even need to get close to him. And I killed two of the three of them."
"Two? One was left alive?" Josiah asked.
"Intentionally. They used this thing to follow the trail straight to Matthew. I killed the one who was lording over Edwin, so the rest have no idea what this is. To them, it's just some magical trinket that picks up stray energy. They'll think it led them to me instead."
Matthew stared at him, processing everything.
"Verdok must have been trying to earn recognition from Boldred... or even from the higher ranks of the Red Chains. But with your little show outside..." Edwin thought.
Thane chuckled.
"I redirected them nicely. Now they think they have found a powerful Battle Mage."
Josiah and Matthew exchanged stunned looks.
"You're a... Battle Mage?!" they said in unison.
Even Priscilla gasped.
"But... I thought you were part of that secret society of Shadow Assassins!"
Thane blinked.
"A Shadow Assassin? Where did that rumor even come from?"
Josiah pointed shyly. "You fight like one!"
"Erm... not exactly," Thane admitted, scratching his head.
"And honestly, I'm not a Battle Mage either. I just followed this guy's theories." He gestured toward Edwin, who looked like he had forgotten how to breathe.
"You... used my theories?" Edwin asked, stunned.
Matthew folded his arms.
"Might I ask what teachings this master has imparted to you?"
"I'm not a master!" Edwin said quickly.
"My books on creating a theoretical Body of Magic and the Path of Convergence were failures! They were mocked! Ridiculed! Not one scholar supported me."
"The Path of Convergence?" Matthew repeated, his tone shifting to something between disbelief and recognition.
"You've heard of it?" Edwin asked softly.
Matthew nodded.
"I apologize, but yes. Among mages, your theories are... not well regarded."
Edwin flinched as if struck.
Thane frowned.
"You guys just didn't understand his genius. Spirit is the key, just like Grandmaster Edwin teaches! For example, Matthew, you've sensed that I don't have any Mana Core, right?"
Matthew closed his eyes, probing with his senses. His brow furrowed.
"Indeed. You hold great mana, but... no core."
"Then watch closely."
Thane raised his staff. The crystal at its head pulsed faintly as his left hand gripped it. Slowly, the glow traveled down his arm, faint chains of light forming beneath his skin. The light spread across his chest, then linked toward his right arm.
Flames began to gather in his right palm, small at first, then growing brighter.
"Impossible," Matthew whispered.
"It's... It's real!" Edwin's voice trembled.
"My theories... are real! Fire that doesn't burn, magic born of the self... It's Spirit Manifested!"
Thane's grin widened.
"You called it Magic-Borne Spells, right? Magic that isn't borrowed from nature or the world, but flows from Spirit itself. This fire is mine."
The flame in his hand burned gold and red, its edges rippling like silk. It gave off great heat, yet no harm fell on Thane's hand!
Matthew stepped closer, his analytical mind racing.
"You've formed... a Mana Convolutions! But without a Core, it shouldn't be possible!"
Thane extended his hand, showing the faint glow running through his veins. Within it, three whirlpools of energy spiraled like miniature storms.
"These are Mana Centers. That's what my master called them. But while our methods differ, I created mine using Edwin's Chain Theory."
"He's done it! My theory is proven! Spirit is the bridge!"
Matthew shook his head, still unable to accept it.
"Spirit?! That's absurd! Spirit can't hold mana! It can't channel energy!"
"Obscure? Fringe?" Thane chuckled.
"You've got it backward. The problem isn't the theory! It's this region! The three kingdoms are too weak in Spirit. You've built your magic around rules meant for broken tools! Not to mention the politics involved. My master was sure that this path was the right one. In fact, it surpassed his own!" Thane declared. He was confident that Celestial TV would offer him the best. If Edwin's show was there, then it had to be correct! Even Libra found it intriguing!
"What do you mean, the politics?" Josiah asked.
"Well, those who had the patent on magical sourcing had created a business over it. Edwin's family found the right way to cultivate, but they were persecuted for it."
Edwin couldn't help but let out a smile.
"No! That's only what... theorist and... and... mages lie..."
"Mages like Edwin's family spoke of. And yet, here it is!" Thane chuckled as he picked up a small rock.
"I did casting first... Let me show you... Containment!" Thane repeated his magical containment of the fire spell that was sealed into a weapon.
"The speed and power... it did not weaken! Your Containment is as good as your... Casting!" Matthew was shocked. Everything he knew about magic was collapsing right before his eyes.
"Spirit... is Vital...? Most Power users rejected it. And believed that Merodoth was teaching them a strange cheat... But was it real?"
"Mmm? Did they destroy Merodoth's reputation? If not, Merodoth, didn't Garron Duskbane also use Spirit arts?"
"He... he did?" Josiah was shocked.
"Of course he did! Didn't he use that to extract cores?"
"What?! There are no records of that! Wait... Garron Duskbane had vanished since last year... Did you mean... Did you meet THE Garron Duskbane?!"
Thane was quiet.
"Garron Duskbane is alive?!" Thane thought to himself, stunned. He had assumed that Garron Duskbane was decades before his time!