Lane went into the forest that night. The moon was dim; the wind howled through the trees, and the air was cold and misty. He no longer feared wolves—he was strong enough to fight them now. That night, he was to spend alone in the forest, a punishment from his master for losing a chess match.
His steps were steady as he walked through the darkness. Every rustle no longer felt like a threat, but a call. He had been through so much that the forest now felt like home.But when morning came, he returned to the cabin covered in blood.
As he stepped inside, Old Vaen frowned."What happened to you? What did you do out there to end up like this?"
Lane replied in a weary voice,"Master, I know you didn't send me into the forest for nothing. I used the opportunity to wipe out the entire wolf pack. Turned them all to ash. I've grown stronger. During the fight, when I used lightning mana, I felt time slowing down… as if every strike froze the world itself."
The old man laughed."My boy, you're finally mastering your magic! That's good, very good. But do you really need to kill wolves to learn?"He lightly tapped Lane's head with his staff.
Lane gritted his teeth."Master, can one truly learn without fighting? If I only circulate mana every day, I'll just strengthen an empty shell. True growth comes through battle. And while I was fighting, I noticed something strange—the wolves were reacting to something. It was like they were being driven mad, forced to protect something."
Vaen fell silent for a while, lost in thought."Wolves are noble creatures. They don't attack for no reason. There's something behind this."
Lane said nothing. He studied his master's expression, trying to read his thoughts. Finally, Vaen spoke."Rest for today. Tomorrow we'll go see for ourselves. This doesn't sit right with me."
Lane nodded, went to his room, changed clothes, and took a shower. The hot water loosened his muscles; the weight of slaughtering an entire pack slowly drained away. He had killed thirty-two wolves.
The scenes replayed in his mind.Eight wolves had surrounded him, ready to attack. Lane gathered lightning in his hand. When the first wolf lunged, a flash struck—it turned to ash instantly, and the two beside it froze. The rest backed away in fear. The surge of electricity was so violent it jumped to the trees and set them ablaze.
Next scene—Lane was running, wolves chasing him. This time, he used fire mana. He turned sharply and released the flames. The wolves were fast, but the fire caught them; their fur ignited, and they scattered in panic. Half the pack was gone with a single fireball. Lane launched another—but missed. It hit a tree, which burst into flames. The forest caught fire.
"What kind of idiot uses fire magic in a forest…" he muttered to himself.He was lucky; he managed to contain it before it spread further, though the ground was charred."Whatever," he thought. "All that matters is that I'm still alive."
He rested for a while, restored his mana, and followed the trail of the fleeing wolves. Soon he found their den—around fifteen of them remained."What if I just toss a fireball in there?" he mumbled, then chuckled."No… too risky. Fire's hard to stop. Poison's better."
He began cooking the wolves he'd slain. The smell filled the forest. Then he gathered a few poisonous mushrooms, extracted their juice, and poured it over the meat."Perfect. If I leave this by their den, they'll never suspect a thing. Add a bit of relaxant and it's flawless."
He left the tainted meat near the den. The wolves caught the scent but hesitated. A curious pup approached and tasted it. When nothing happened, the others followed. Soon, they devoured it all.
Lane waited patiently. By dusk, he readied his lightning and aimed at one of them. The wolves didn't react."So it worked," he said with a smirk.But seconds later, they sprang up and charged at him.
"How's that possible?! You're still standing?!"Lane drew his sword and fought back. Yet he soon realized their strength was gone—they collapsed one after another. He slaughtered them all.
The memory faded."Gods, that was exhausting," he muttered. "Never playing chess with that old man again."
He lay on his bed. The soft mattress pulled the fatigue out of him. Within minutes, he was asleep.
By evening, the rich smell of food filled the cabin. He woke up, washed his face, and went to the main room. Old Vaen had outdone himself again."Master, this smells amazing. Thank you," said Lane.Vaen smiled."You've slept quite a while, boy. Eat well tonight. You won't see meals like this for a while—the journey ahead may be long.""Understood," Lane replied.
They sat down to eat."Master," Lane asked, "what should I bring tomorrow?"Vaen answered,"Take your sword and your magic staff. You rarely use it, but better safe than sorry. Pack some food; I'll handle the rest."
After dinner, Lane prepared as instructed.
At dawn, they set out. The forest was still asleep. They laughed and chatted as they walked.Leaning on his staff, Vaen spoke,"This continent holds many mysteries, the most important being the ancient gods. Their remnants still lie hidden across this world. It's older than it seems. And among them, only one—the Celestial Dao—might still exist. Since contact with the Eastern Continent was lost, no one knows whether they live or not."
Lane listened with fascination. Something inside him stirred—a longing to go east, though he didn't know why.
They walked for a while longer until they reached the place where Lane had slaughtered the wolves. Lane fell silent, scanning the area.Everything… was spotless. No scorch marks, no bones, no blood.
"Master, this is strange. Everything's clean," he said.Vaen crouched, touched the soil. A black dust rose between his fingers."Boy, this is dark mana. Not good. Be careful. This could be the work of a dark mage."
They moved cautiously. With each step, the pressure of dark mana grew heavier; the air thickened, breathing became harder.Eventually, a cave appeared before them. A strong wave of darkness flowed from within. Lane's core reacted—it was calling to him.But he hid it from his master and stayed silent.
Vaen turned, his tone sharp."Stay alert. Behind me."
Lane nodded and followed.Inside, the air was icy and suffocating. Lane conjured a small flame; it flickered against the damp walls.The smell of rot filled the space—they covered their noses with cloth.
Then suddenly, the old man shouted,"Boy, watch out! Ghouls!"
From the depths of the cave, undead elves, human corpses, and even the wolves Lane had killed shambled forward.Vaen slammed his staff to the ground."There's a lich here! Ready yourself—don't leave my side!"
The cave turned into a battlefield.Lane gathered lightning, Vaen summoned fire.A blast shook the air—flames consumed the front line of undead, but there were too many.
Vaen switched spells, calling upon the earth. He sealed the cave entrance with massive rocks. Still, the undead kept pushing through, crushed yet relentless.His strength was waning; the cave trembled.
At that moment, Lane released his lightning.The surge from his body lit the cavern like day, burning everything within ten meters to cinders. Most undead turned to ash.Vaen glanced at him, smiling."Training paid off, boy," he murmured.
But it wasn't over.Vaen pressed his staff to Lane's chest, channeling his own mana into him.The ground shook violently."Careful, boy!" he shouted.
The floor beneath Lane split open—and collapsed.He fell into the darkness below.
"I can't see anything…" Lane groaned as he hit the ground.He lit a fire spell. The floor was smoother than expected; the walls were carved stone."This… is a passage," he whispered.
But something was wrong. He felt eyes on him.Without looking back, he moved forward. His footsteps echoed, mingling with a faint, wet sound in the distance.
Then—something warm dripped onto his head from above.He didn't even look up; instinct told him enough.He cast fire upward. The tunnel flashed orange.
A massive body hung from the ceiling.A spider—but not alive. Dark mana pulsed through its veins.
Lane started running."Perfect. A giant undead spider and traps. What a day!"
The stone beneath his foot clicked. The floor gave way.He barely escaped in time. "Alright, that's enough," he thought. "Running won't help."
He turned around.Activated his lightning core, pushing it to seventy percent.The tunnel blazed with blinding light.
The spider froze. Lane seized the moment."Goodbye," he said, unleashing the lightning.
The blast echoed through the depths.The spider trembled but didn't fall. It screeched, spewing a cloud of poison, then struck with its front leg, smashing Lane into the wall.
The impact crushed his insides; blood sprayed from his mouth.He gasped for air."It doesn't end here…" he whispered, but his body wouldn't move.His vision blurred.
Then everything went black. Silence.A deep purple aura wrapped around him.
Dark mana.With the last of his strength, he clenched his fist, trying to suppress it.But it refused to obey.
Suddenly, his whole body glowed; his wounds closed, his blood vaporized.Dark power surged through his veins, reaching upward like a storm.
Lane's eyes snapped open. His body trembled.The spider recoiled in fear.Lane raised his hand—dark energy spiraled forth.In an instant, the spider was torn apart.
Only ashes remained.
Lane fell to his knees, panting."This dark mana… it's terrifying," he muttered.
He stood up and kept moving, watching for traps, every step cautious.Finally, he reached the end of the cave.
Before him stood a strange stone gate.Unknown symbols shimmered across its surface. Energy pulsed—it was either a seal… or an invitation.
Lane placed his hands upon it.