Mage Legend

"Lynch, are you alright?" Zilvra called from outside, "How did you get in there? Hurry and tell us."

Lynch waved to his companions outside and began speaking with them. However, Zilvra and Morgan couldn't hear the Mage's voice at all. Zilvra loudly informed Lynch of this phenomenon, surprising the Mage. He found a piece of paper, wrote a sentence on it, and took it to the boundary for his companions to see.

"I can hear you talking, I'm all right." The sentence on the paper was very plain and clear: "I know how to get in, but you can't do the same thing yet. I'll study that Crystal Ball to see if there are any clues."

Zilvra nodded, and he and the Dwarf patiently sat down on the grass, just watching the Mage's movements. The closer Lynch got to the Crystal Ball, the slower his movements became. He looked like a child returning to his toddler years, learning to walk with his parents' help. Only Lynch knew what changes were happening here: inside the gazebo, thoughts were the only way to move the body; muscles were of no help. Moreover, the Mage could clearly see the scene outside and easily find the direction to move, but when looking towards the Crystal Ball, all he saw was a splendid flash of light.

Inside the pavilion, it seemed to concentrate all the light in the world, bright yet not glaring. Lynch gazed at the ever-changing colors, which formed the images of everything in the world.

The Mage reached out his hand, and the light bands would avoid his fingers, playfully jumping aside; yet when Lynch pretended to be angry or sighed, they would gather around him again. Lynch smiled as he observed the color changes here, finally finding two immovable points in the vibrant world—one of complete darkness and the other of complete light.

Using these two points, which never altered their distance from each other, as a reference, the Mage could determine in which direction to progress without deviation. He tried to dismiss distractions, focusing only on the movement itself. Gradually, a spherical outline appeared in his view—it was the grey Crystal Ball.

When the Mage concentrated his attention on the Crystal Ball, he was pulled back. Lynch had to try advancing once more. Learning from his mistakes, the Mage was only able to relax his other thoughts and begin carefully observing the Crystal Ball once he grasped its base.

Zilvra and Morgan watched Lynch place his hand over the Crystal Ball, holding their breath in concern. Many Crystal Balls in the world possess powerful magic, and a slight mistake could lead to a trap. However, Lynch seemed unharmed. His hand hovered easily in the air, as he muttered incantations. A soft red glow enveloped the Crystal, constantly changing color, turning yellow, green, and finally transforming into purple.

The Mage's voice then floated out, "Everyone, don't worry anymore, I've brought everything here under my control. Now only my Spells work, and everything will soon return to its original, normal state!"

The entire castle suddenly shook, but the convulsive tremors only lasted a short time. It was like a long-suffering, dying person taking a deep breath, then letting out a painful scream. Though faint, the sound sent a chill down the spine.

Zilvra looked at Lynch, and the Mage's smile then allowed her to relax. Apart from this courtyard, everything began to slowly shrink. However, due to the perspective, Morgan felt himself becoming tall. A soft beam of light pierced the darkness, illuminating above their heads, as Lynch's voice slowly wafted over, saying, "Welcome to the All-Knowing Tower, the legendary largest library!"