217. Echoes of Vinveil

Deep within the prehistoric cave, Willhelm clicked his ring, checking Cubie's location and the message she'd sent.

The text was a perfect emblem of her mannerisms.

"Lunarius Willhelm! The investigation of the missing lumberjack led us to this cave, location attached! We're about to journey into some sort of fissure. If we don't make it out alive, please tell Aurelia that we love her! Actually, no, just come rescue us if we haven't made it out by then."

The message was six hours old. The rest of the team had already located the other demon-possessed victims and put them to rest. But Zetius and Cubie were still missing.

Their absence had prompted Aurelia and her Prime Guardian to tag along. Willhelm glanced at their worried faces, the flickering torchlight dancing in their anxious eyes.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Willhelm said, leading them deeper into the tunnel. He wasn't so sure himself and felt a weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. Have I misjudged this case somehow?

"No sign of enemies," Ziyue reported, dropping soundlessly from the ceiling like a shadow.

"This place smells terrible," Astrid grumbled, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Never once in my long life did I expect such a rise of evil in my lifetime," Willhelm said, his breath fogging in the cool air.

"Lunarius, have you ever seen anything like this?" Aurelia asked, her brows arched in concern.

"Seen, no. Heard, yes. It sounds distressingly like the infamous Vinveil incident," Willhelm replied.

Suddenly, he stopped mid-stride, extending a hand to the damp wall for support. A ringing noise erupted in his head, a crushing weight that forced him to his knees.

"Your soul is mine…" The deep echo was not sound, but a violation within his own mind. He grunted in agony, covering his face as he knelt on the cold, unforgiving floor.

"Lunarius?! What's going on?" Aurelia knelt to his eye level, her voice laced with alarm, while Astrid grabbed his wings for stability.

Shaking his head to clear the lingering psychic static, Willhelm offered a weak smile. "I think it was just a bit of a rough night."

"I told you guys to drink in moderation," Aurelia grumbled, though relief softened her features.

He chuckled, banishing the dark thought that plagued him. The affliction had certainly worsened since that day.

"Looksie, Astrid here appears fine," Ziyue quipped, gesturing with an open palm.

Astrid snapped her head around. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Huh? Says the one who couldn't even walk to her own room," Ziyue dismissed with a wave. "Do you even remember chewing on the antelope horn?"

"Yuck! What even is that?" Astrid gagged, sticking her tongue out.

"It's for male potency," Friederich interjected, hooking his thumbs into his belt with a poised stance.

"Ew! What were you guys having me eat!?" Astrid blurted, her face flushing crimson with embarrassment. "This is one of your mischievous pranks, right?!"

Ziyue quietly drifted away, pointedly ignoring the accusation.

"No, Astrid. I gave it to Zetius, and he fed it to you," Willhelm added, scratching his cheek.

"Why?! I'm not lacking testosterone, am I?!" Astrid gasped, glancing down at her own muscular arms.

"Of course not. It's for your hangover—look!" Willhelm pointed ahead. The narrow tunnel walls and low ceiling suddenly opened into a massive, echoing chamber.

From a wall that rippled like disturbed water, a figure emerged with his cube companion.

Raising a hand to make himself seen, Zetius shouted, his voice echoing in the vast space, "It's me! Zetius!"

The cautious footsteps of the rescue party ceased. At Willhelm's command, the light orbs hovering above his head expanded, casting an ethereal amber glow that illuminated the entire chamber.

"Are you hurt?" Willhelm's voice resonated as he strode forward with long, hasty steps.

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"No…" Zetius shook his head, watching the rest of the group come into view.

"Aurelia, Friederich, Astrid…" His gaze landed on the last figure, her two-toned hair a familiar sight. She gave him a small wave. "Hi, Ziyue…"

"How surprising to see everyone is here for us!" Cubie's voice chirped exact words in his mind as she zipped away in a ribbon of light, diving gleefully into Aurelia's arms.

"You're both safe!" Aurelia chuckled, her relief palpable. Cubie purred softly in her embrace.

Abruptly, Willhelm clasped Zetius's shoulders, his grip firm. "You had me worried, you know."

Zetius nodded, then remembered. He turned toward the dark, shimmering wall. "Please step back." He conjured the mental image of a door, his fingers extending outward. His focus deepened, forcing the portal shut.

The strange wall chimed softly and waved one last time before dissolving, leaving only exposed, damp rock behind.

Friederich tapped his neck. "Wow… I didn't even see that strange wall until you closed it."

"Right?" Zetius turned and fist-bumped his tall, elven friend. Friederich was now clad in his white arcanist coat, radiating like the dawn — a significant improvement over the rags he'd worn during the recon mission.

"When did you learn how to do that?" Aurelia asked as Astrid and Ziyue gathered behind her.

Zetius brushed the back of his hair. "A nice lady taught me. It works similarly to a standard portal."

Immediately, Aurelia's smile vanished, her expression darkening. The other two women mirrored her, their moods shifting in an instant.

"There was another woman?!" they growled in unison. Zetius flinched as a dark, collective aura flared around them.

"All threats averted!" Cubie confirmed, flying back from the now-solid wall.

"Hahaha! I'll be curious to hear all about that," Willhelm slapped his thigh, breaking the tension. "But first, let's get out of this dreadful place."

The group made their way to their base of operations, well, not really — it was the backyard of Aurelia's mansion, which overlooked a panoramic view of many Tabit's cities. The sky had softened to a shade of orange, and an occasional breeze eased the hot, humid weather.

They settled at a long wooden table: Zetius, Astrid, and Ziyue on one side, with Friederich and Aurelia on the other. And lastly, Willhelm took his place at the head of the table.

The wildren maid, Yammi, catered to the party with refreshments, setting down pitchers of freshly crushed juice and platters of watermelon slices.

"Please enjoy!" she said, bowing low, her tail wriggling with joy, before she disappeared back into the mansion.

For a brief moment, there was only the comfortable sound of sipping and eating. Then, Zetius recounted the events of his encounter. The possessed lumberjack, his undead wife, and the enigmatic lady, Serene. He omitted the more shameful parts of their interaction, though the memory still lingered.

"Serene, huh?" Willhelm closed his eyes in deep contemplation.

"Do you know her?" Zetius asked, nibbling on a sweet slice of watermelon.

"No arcanists are registered with that name," Aurelia said, flicking through her glowing Arc Comm.

"You wouldn't find her there. But there is one Serene I know… an infamous one," Willhelm smirked, leaning back in his wooden chair.

"Serene Blair Veyne… The Celestius of Scorpio," Friederich finished, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

"Bullseye." Willhelm pointed a finger gun at Friederich with a nod of recognition. Zetius's lips parted, visibly surprised. He hadn't questioned her fairly destructive use of necromancy until now.

Astrid side-eyed him. "How did you not know who she was?" she asked, her voice flat.

"She didn't exactly dress the part," Zetius justified weakly. Astrid could only arch a brow in response.

Willhelm rubbed his hands together, his expression turning serious. "I believe her statement, though. Hell is breaking loose literally and rising to the land of the living. For all we know, we've already crossed the point of no return."

"We can't just sit back and do nothing… What if they keep coming? How do we stop them all?" Aurelia added, biting her lip.

"Indeed. It might not look like a big issue now, but if left untreated, these fissures could pop up near the city and cripple our society. I'll make a report tonight and ensure the Empress is well aware of the situation," Willhelm stated, a dreadful weight in his tone.

Zetius let out a long sigh. "And I'm not equipped to fight demons. Even low-tier ones have some resistance to fire." He turned to Astrid and Ziyue. "Did you two have any issues dealing with them today?"

"No… I just ripped them in half with a strength buff," Astrid responded, chewing on her straw.

"Unless you've forgotten, I don't use elemental attacks, Zetius," Ziyue replied calmly. Her high-kinetic projectile technique, also known as filling them with lead, had been brutally effective.

"How about this!?" Aurelia blurted out, her eyes shimmering with a new idea. "Lunarius Willhelm, it seems we are still lacking in raw power. Would you kindly spare your time to train us?"

Willhelm nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Well, I'm flattered, Princess. In that case, I'd gladly help out."

"Alright! Count me in!" Astrid chimed in loudly. "And I think it's about time you learn how to dual-cast as well, Zetius."

"Agreed," Zetius clipped.

"Please teach me too!" Aurelia let out a loud cheer. Her sweet smile was directed at Zetius, who returned it with the same sentiment. Then she turned to her prime guardian. "You too, right?"

"Certainly. I'll never back down from such an opportunity. Please count me in," Friederich declared, crossing his arms.

"It's settled then!" Willhelm concluded with a handclap, his green eyes gleaming with fire.

Zetius's gaze drifted to the quiet woman to his left, who seemed lost in her own thoughts.

"As much as I want to join you all on the training ground, I have to pass," Ziyue raised a hand in resignation. "This situation is getting out of hand in Russha, and I must return at first light."

"It's fine, Ziyue. We understand," Zetius reassured her, and the rest of the group gave understanding nods.

Throughout the quiet evening, the party spent their moment together. The world had taken a turn for the worse, but that didn't mean they would sit back and let it burn.

Their training with Willhelm Mae Arden, the second-strongest arcanist from the Aries division, was about to begin.

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