Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1691: The Plan (Part 2)

Idore stood within the high reaches of his palace, his gaze fixed through a massive glass viewpoint that overlooked the vast expanse of the city. His eyes were particularly drawn to the fortifications he had spent so much time perfecting, the great walls and the imposing towers that stood as sentinels beside them. At the outermost perimeter, the towers were teeming with activity, packed with mages who stood ready to rain down destruction on any intruder. Moving inward, the second line of towers was different; they didn’t house living mages, but were instead fitted with strange, intricately constructed magical objects, automated defenses designed for cold, mechanical efficiency.

Lastly, there were no towers built by the third and final wall. Idore felt they were unnecessary at that point. If an enemy was skilled or lucky enough to reach the inner sanctum, Idore and Trubin themselves would be there to deal with them personally. Furthermore, the inner grounds were crawling with the countless high-ranking members of the Noble Guild that Idore had painstakingly collected over the years.

These were not mere apprentices; these were individuals with seasoned experience in the lands of Pagna. They were elite warriors and scholars who had been part of the most prestigious academies and the most powerful guilds, all of whom had abandoned their former lives for the chance to belong to the premier group serving the head of the Grand Magus. To Idore, the defense was impenetrable. It would take a massive, powerful army, something far larger and more coordinated than anything currently existing on Alterian, to even hope to breach these walls. At least, that was the conviction Idore held in his heart.

"Do you really think he will come today?" a voice asked from the shadows at Idore’s side.

As Idore turned his head, he saw a masked individual standing there. The figure wore deep black robes adorned with silver embroidery that swept across his chest in sharp, angular patterns. It was Trubin, who had returned only yesterday after successfully completing his various assigned missions across the territory.

"Of course he will," Idore answered, his voice devoid of doubt. "The Dark Magus has always been impatient, driven by a restless energy. With every step I have taken and every move I have made, I have backed him into a corner where he now has no other choice. If he chooses to wait, he will find that there is no one left to help him. His potential allies will wither away, and his enemies will only grow more numerous and more powerful."

Idore gestured toward the city below. "Already, in the wake of the attacks you carried out, the leaders of the guilds who were replaced are coming forward. They are requesting an audience, desperate to see if they can join the Noble Guild to ensure their own survival. Raze knows all of this. He understands the political landscape is shifting beneath his feet, so he will be forced to come today to strike while he still can."

"Do you want me to head out and stop his advance before he reaches us, or should I remain here to support the walls?" Trubin asked, his hand resting near his weapon.

"Ha!" Idore laughed, a cold, sharp sound. "Things aren’t the same as they were back when we were on Alterian. I know what you said, that the Dark Magus is significantly stronger than he was before, and I believe it. He would have never been able to best the others otherwise. Everyone was hiding their true strength from one another, playing their cards close to the chest. I knew they all had their own secret ways to grow stronger, so the fact that he defeated them gives me a clear idea of his current power level."

Idore turned back to the glass, a confident smile playing on his lips. "However, we are no longer in the world of Alterian. We are in the Noble land, a place built on my terms. As things are set up, I believe he might manage to get through the first wall. He might even be able to break through the second wall if he pushes himself. But that is as far as he will go."

He leaned in closer to the window. "He will never reach the third wall. We won’t even have to leave the comfort of this palace to make a man like him suffer. That is the sheer scale of power the Noble land possesses. In a way, this is a good test. If my defenses can stop the Dark Magus here with ease, then we might finally be ready for the next step of our plan."

Meanwhile, Raze and his small group had been traveling through the city for quite some time. The atmosphere in the streets was tense and volatile. Along the way, they had spotted a few scavengers picking through the ruins of abandoned shops, as well as several mages who had emerged from their hiding spots. However, no one dared to attack them. Even as a small group, they radiated an aura of danger that kept the opportunists at bay.

Faint sounds of combat echoed from different districts, indicating that small skirmishes were breaking out elsewhere, but Raze and his allies decided to ignore them. Their focus was singular. They continued until they finally reached the edge of the northern district, where the scenery changed. They could see the beautiful green trees and lush grass of the parks that stretched along the river. Beyond the two large bridges that spanned the water lay the south side, the territory now known as the Noble land.

To get a better vantage point and assess the situation, Raze led the group to the top of the tallest building in the vicinity. Standing on the rooftop, they looked out over the massive fortifications. From here, they could clearly see the layers of walls, the looming towers, and the sprawling palace that sat at the very top of the tiered city.

"Alright, I have to ask... that looks terrifying," Londo said, his voice dropping an octave as he took in the sight. "There are probably thousands of mages in there, all equipped with powerful enchanted items. They’re the best of the best. They’ve clearly set everything up knowing full well that we are going to attack. We can’t just charge in there blindly, otherwise we’re just choosing a very expensive way to die."

"You are right," Raze said, his eyes narrowing as he memorized the layout of the towers. "I am not a fool, and I don’t intend to just charge in like a mindless beast. At this point, I don’t care if it’s a fair fight. I don’t care if the world sees what I do as cowardly or unjust. Every single thing I do from this moment forward is designed for one purpose: to take down the Grand Magus."

Raze lifted his hand, reaching into his dimensional inventory. With a fluid motion, he pulled out a specialized item and fitted a mask over his face, his eyes glowing with a cold, determined light through the slits.

"We will use every single thing we have at our disposal to destroy them," he declared. "Whatever it takes."

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