Lord Of The Lost

Sofia's knowledge ran deep, far beyond what most people could imagine. Iris, her grandmother, had shared these secrets with her like bedtime stories.

But Iris wasn't just any werewolf. She was a priestess; a unique figure even among the Wolf Lords. She carried a wisdom and power far beyond that of ordinary werewolves, her role crucial in preserving the inheritance of their race.

---

William listened carefully as Sofia explained. For a player venturing beyond Border Town, this kind of knowledge was invaluable. It offered context for the world, a roadmap for navigating its complexities.

When she was done, William simply nodded. "Let's go," he said.

He led her to the Magic House, where Metatron and the others were already waiting.

The next step in their journey had begun.

----

Perched on the edge of the misty forest, the Magic Castle stood like a jewel on the border of two worlds. The faint, ever-present fog from the forest barely reached halfway up the castle walls, as if the mist itself knew better than to encroach further. It was a delicate balance, like a traveler sheltering under the eaves during a storm, Calcifer's unspoken boundary kept the mist at bay.

Over time, the castle had become a popular destination for players. Despite the general lack of wealth among them, many made the pilgrimage for different reasons: some to marvel at its beauty, others to gain experience, and many to purchase affordable potions.

The demand left Hall, the winged servant of the castle, overwhelmed. His constant scurrying about had left the feathers on his wings noticeably sparse.

---

William strode through the bustling first-floor lobby, glancing at the growing crowd of players haggling at the counter. Ignoring the commotion, he ascended the stairs, making his way to the rooftop where Calcifer, the Forum Master, and a few others waited.

For most players, Calcifer, the master of the Magic House, was an enigmatic figure; rarely seen and never available for direct conversation. It was only thanks to William's involvement that Metatron had managed to gain an audience with him.

Calcifer's attitude toward the group was detached and indifferent. He didn't bother with pleasantries until William stepped onto the rooftop. At that moment, Calcifer finally turned, his dark robe shifting with an almost imperceptible ripple.

William didn't waste time. He produced the Black Crow Badge, placing it on Calcifer's desk with a casual grin. "My Black Crow Wings are damaged. Can I get them repaired under warranty?"

Calcifer raised a hand, black robes billowing slightly as his magic surged. The badge glimmered momentarily, and within seconds, it was restored to its original, pristine condition.

"Impressive," William said with a smile. "Can you do the same for my dragon scale armor?"

Calcifer glanced at the bag of shattered fragments William had brought. The once-mighty armor had been destroyed in battle, scattered into dozens of pieces, later collected painstakingly by players.

Amused, Calcifer remarked, "If you soak it in dragon blood, it won't just be restored, it will awaken the latent power of the dragon race itself. Interested?"

William laughed dryly. "Not with my current budget."

The idea of upgrading the armor was tempting, but the cost of dragon blood was far beyond his reach. Reluctantly, he let it go.

---

Calcifer's tone shifted as he addressed William again. "Are you sure you want to take this group of burdens with you?"

William froze. "Huh?"

Calcifer gestured toward the Forum Master and the others. "You'd be better off choosing stronger teammates; knights, warriors, people who've already chosen their paths. These novices, wandering without purpose, will only weigh you down."

William frowned. Calcifer's sudden criticism caught him off guard. After all, it was Calcifer himself who had suggested finding more teammates.

"How do you know they won't become strong?" William countered.

Calcifer smirked, his piercing gaze unwavering. "Your growth is remarkable, I'll admit. But carving out a path isn't something that happens overnight. These people haven't even begun to take the first steps, let alone become someone worth standing beside you."

His words carried a weight that unsettled William.

The Forum Master, for example, had already reached Level 9 yet still hesitated to commit to a path, hoping to align his talent with an extraordinary future. William couldn't shake the feeling that Calcifer wasn't just critiquing their choices, he seemed to know far more than he let on.

Calcifer's voice grew quieter, almost reflective. "You think you're forging new paths, but the gods have already walked those roads. No matter where you begin, all paths eventually converge, and at the end, the gods are watching."

"The gods are watching…" William murmured, rolling the phrase over in his mind. There was something deeper behind Calcifer's words, a truth he couldn't yet grasp.

He grinned faintly, masking his unease. "Are they watching you, too?"

Calcifer's expression didn't change. "There is no true god in the path of magic," he replied simply.

The weight of those words hit William like a lightning bolt. Magic, the most powerful force in the world, had no patron deity.

He remembered something Iris had once said: magic's potential was so great that the gods themselves had worked to strangle its future, ensuring no magician could rise to challenge them.

It was a chilling reminder of the unseen forces that governed their world, and the barriers placed on those who dared to reach too high.

William remained quiet, his thoughts swirling as Calcifer's words lingered in the air like a storm cloud.

The black magicians believed the gods had persecuted them, so they conspired with the original knights to rebel. Yet, their supposed allies, the Death Knights, refused to cooperate. Their rebellion failed, leaving a legacy of mistrust between paths.

---

Calcifer continued, his voice calm yet laced with intrigue. "More than one god has fallen in the Lost Labyrinth. If you can find the place where a god perished, perhaps the ruins of his kingdom; you can drastically shorten the time needed to open your own path."

For William, already a transcendent, such a reward held little allure. But on the rooftop, the Forum Master and Metatron's eyes burned with desire.

Metatron, in particular, had been struggling to carve his own path. Even with [God's Perspective], his vision of the future was fragmented and unclear, like wandering aimlessly through a labyrinth, unable to find the way forward.

Both men were eager to pry Calcifer for answers, desperate to unlock the secrets of the Lost Labyrinth. But Calcifer, ever aloof, dismissed their curiosity with a cool indifference.

Finally, William broke the silence. "Which god are you referring to?"

Calcifer's lips curled into a faint smile. "The God of Prophecy and Dreams," he said. "A true god who could see all futures. His dreams foretold the end of all things, an endless string of dramatic coincidences and tragic conclusions. He watched everything unfold, reveling in the beauty of fate, yet could not escape his own prophecy.

"If you want to open your path, you must find the ruins of His dream kingdom. Within it lies the power to discover your own ending."

---

The Lost Labyrinth was a graveyard of secrets, holding fragments of civilizations, lives, and even gods. Almost anything imaginable could be found within its cursed halls, including remnants of divine power. While most treasures were distractions, there were some; rare and dangerous, that could help open the door to a transcendent path.

William frowned, trying to piece it all together. "And how do we find the dream kingdom of this fallen god?"

Calcifer's sharp gaze swept across the group, his expression unreadable. His eyes lingered for the briefest moment on Metatron before answering.

"If the pull of fate is strong enough, it will guide you," he said. "The question is whether you can seize the opportunity. Time is not on your side."

---

The group understood the weight of his warning. Time was slipping through their fingers.

After the events of the full moon night, many players had abandoned Border Town to explore the wider world. With resources in the town stretched thin, only a few dozen players had been able to secure job changes, most of those spots claimed by William and the Forum Master.

For the rest, their only hope lay beyond the borders, in untamed lands filled with both opportunity and danger.

---

William shifted the conversation. "What about the Black Forest? Can you do anything about it?"

The Black Forest had swallowed the king's guards whole, and yet Calcifer, the royal magician, had done nothing but watch.

Calcifer chuckled softly, the sound devoid of warmth. "My power is precious. My reason for being here has nothing to do with the Black Forest."

William hadn't expected much, but Calcifer's indifference still stung.

The royal magician wasn't as invincible as he seemed, but William couldn't help feeling disappointed.

---

Calcifer pulled a thick book from his robes, its plain cover worn from time. "Since you're venturing into the Lost Labyrinth, let me recommend this. It's a compilation of knowledge from generations of adventurers, details about the monsters you'll face and the dangers of the maze."

William glanced at the book, intrigued. "What's the price?"

Calcifer's smirk returned. "No money. But you'll owe me a favor in the future."