Chapter Eighty-Four: Completion

“Are you surprised to see me? Am I not allowed to be here?” Gegalye looked at Hughes, who stood not far from him.

“There are so many formal sorcerers in the Shadow Ring. Aren’t you afraid of being discovered?” Hughes kept an eye on the Guide Guardian’s reaction as he questioned Gegalye.

“Of course I’m afraid, how could I not be? But you should be even more afraid than I am!”

“If I’m found out, do you really think you can get away?” Gegalye stretched lazily.

“What is it you want?” Hughes’ tone was a little stiff as he looked at Gegalye’s nonchalance. Ever since he’d met Gegalye, the power in their conversations had never been his.

“Oh, don’t be so cold! I just helped you, didn’t I?”

Hughes thought of the chip’s earlier notification and, hearing Gegalye’s words, understood at once. “The energy field in my room—was that your doing?”

“Who else? The fluctuations from your enchanted artifact were so intense—I was worried someone else would notice, so I sealed it for you!” Gegalye shifted his gaze to the half-finished Guide Guardian.

“I think you’d better finish this thing first,” Gegalye said helpfully, sensing the energy pulsing from the Guide Guardian.

Hughes, too, noticed the Guide Guardian beginning to change. After a brief hesitation, he decided to ignore Gegalye for now; completing the Guide Guardian was the top priority.

A low hum came from the Guide Guardian, and Hughes knew the moment had come.

He bit his forefinger, drawing blood, and quickly let the drops fall onto the Guide Guardian.

The blood seeped from the top all the way to the base, covering the diamond-shaped center in sanguine streaks. The blood was slowly absorbed, and the Guide Guardian began to transform. Exquisite patterns emerged on the diamond and the encircling wings; the wings, once pure white, started to turn golden, making the Guardian seem even more mysterious and noble.

“Guide Guardian, in the name of Hughes Bruch, I call upon you to lead me on the path to truth—Consolidate!” Hughes recited the final incantation in Arlenian. At his words, a force of attraction emanated from the Guide Guardian.

It drew in all the floating black runes from the air, absorbing them completely.

The suction sent chaos through Hughes’ room.

“It should be a low-grade enchanted artifact! I wonder where he got it—truly lucky!” Sensing the Guide Guardian’s energy, Gegalye judged its rank with ease.

As the black runes were absorbed, the Guide Guardian’s color deepened, the wings morphing rapidly.

When the last rune vanished, the suction faded and peace returned to the room.

After the runes were absorbed, the Guide Guardian transformed into a pale golden orb, about the size of a basketball, floating in midair.

“At last! Now all that’s left is to wait,” Hughes gazed at the golden orb, his eyes burning with a fanatic light.

Once the process reached this stage, the Guide Guardian was essentially complete. Barring any outside energy disruptions during its final metamorphosis, all that remained was to wait quietly; the low-grade enchanted artifact would soon be finished.

“Now you can tell me what you want,” Hughes said, turning his back to the evolving Guide Guardian to face Gegalye.

“What’s the rush? Even if the people in the Shadow Ring find me, I won’t rat you out,” Gegalye replied, finding Hughes’ anxiety somewhat tedious.

“Hah! As if you’d be so kind!” Hughes didn’t trust Gegalye—not when life and death were at stake. Who would care about anyone else then?

“Relax! This is just an avatar. If it dies, it’s nothing,” Gegalye crawled onto the table, fixing his gaze on Hughes.

“An avatar?” Hughes stared at Gegalye in disbelief.

“What else? The Shadow Ring has lasted for generations, with so many formal sorcerers—who knows what hidden powers remain? Even if I could conceal myself, I wouldn’t risk my true body here for long,” Gegalye explained. Suddenly, the scales on his body began to glow, each concealing fine runes beneath.

“What’s happening?” Hughes asked, alarmed by the changes.

“Not good! My infiltration has been discovered,” Gegalye said, unhurried.

“If you’ve been found out, why are you still here? Do you want us both to die?” Hughes glanced at Gegalye, then at the Guide Guardian still transforming. Were it not for Gegalye’s calm tone, he’d have fled already.

“I’m not worried. They won’t find me right away. Relax!” Gegalye seemed unconcerned—a mere avatar was of little consequence.

“I came to you for a reason,” he continued, aware that the Shadow Ring was already searching for him. If he delayed any longer, he might really be caught.

“Of course you did. You wouldn’t come just to chat,” Hughes thought to himself.

“What is it?” he asked, staring at Gegalye.

“Find an opportunity to leave the Shadow Ring,” Gegalye answered, spitting out a dark, viscous tube.

“This will help you break the contract you’re under. It won’t work on anything powerful, but for the sort you signed with the Shadow Ring, it’s simple enough.”

Hughes took the tube, feeling an inexplicable sense of revulsion.

“You don’t have to drink it—just pour it on yourself. It’s made from the feathers of a filth bird and will dissolve the contract,” Gegalye snapped, noticing Hughes’ look of disgust.

“I was already planning to leave the Shadow Ring,” Hughes admitted, realizing the filthy concoction was exactly what he needed.

“Then all the better. Your Shadow Ring is about to go to war with the other academies.”

“What? Why so suddenly?” By rights, the Shadow Ring’s longstanding foundation should have deterred any other sorcerer organization from attacking.

“Why? Don’t tell me you don’t know about the secret realm your Shadow Ring and Moonlight Garden discovered?”

“It’s rumored your headmaster found a way to become a second-level sorcerer in that realm. That alone has stirred many organizations into action! On top of that—”

“On top of that, the Shadow Ring’s lockdown made people suspect your headmaster has already succeeded in advancing! But if that’s true, how would anyone dare challenge you?” Hughes felt his decision to leave had come just in time.

“Even if he’s advanced, he’s only just reached the second level. There are quite a few peak first-level sorcerers in the far north, and together, they may not fear him,” Gegalye said, spitting out a scroll.

“What’s this?” Hughes asked, eyeing the scroll and then Gegalye’s small frame, unable to imagine where all these items were kept.

“It’s a map. Within six months, you must leave the Shadow Ring. Follow the location marked, and you’ll understand when you arrive,” Gegalye handed over the map.

“Six months? That soon? The situation must be worse than I thought.” Hughes resolved to warn Billy and the others—one last favor before he left.

“My original plan was to wait until you became a formal sorcerer before coming to you, but it seems the change in your eyes came sooner than I expected,” Gegalye fixed his gaze on Hughes’ violet eyes, as if recalling something.

“My eyes again?” Hughes touched his own eyes gently.

“My eyes…”

“You don’t need to know yet,” Gegalye interrupted before Hughes could finish.

“You’ll find out in time. For now, take care of what’s in front of you,” Gegalye said, suddenly adopting a different tone.

“Alright,” Hughes replied, and seeing there was nothing more to ask, he fell silent, waiting for Gegalye to finish.