Legend of the Arch Magus: The Upheaval Read online

  Prologue

  A month passed since Mikael left the Capital. The caravan moved through cities, towns and villages, trading goods every now and then. Numerous illegal transactions – from sex slaves, weapons to drugs – unfolded before his eyes, but he chose to shut his mouth. Mikael merely watched and recorded everything in his mind. After all, his objective this time was to assess Lark Marcus, one of the twenty-eight candidates for the throne. These illegalities could be reported later.

  Elaine must have given birth to my grandchild by now. The Healer said it’s a boy, so Bernard.

  It was a pity that he could not be there during the time his grandson was born. And to make things worse, this mission would probably take several years, probably until the King decided who would ascend the throne. By the time Mikael was finally freed of his duty, the child would have grown up considerably.

  I’ll make it up to them once I return. I promise.

  Mikael vowed within his mind. He opened the locket on his hand, looked at the hand-drawn portrait inside, and closed his eyes. He missed his family so much.

  “For a serf, that’s a pretty expensive-looking locket.”

  Mikael opened his eyes and saw Big Bun, the leader of the caravan, looking at him. He closed the locket and smiled. “A family heirloom. This is my treasure.”

  It was not a lie. Even serfs like him would sometimes carry an expensive item like that.

  Big Bun bobbed his head. “Take care of it. Once you’ve arrived at the town, you’ll no longer be under the protection of this caravan.”

  “Of course,” said Mikael. “Thank you.”

  “We’ll arrive at the Lion City in a day or two. Get ready.” Big Bun squinted as he looked at the distance. “We’ll be passing through that place soon.”

  His word felt ominous, and Mikael eventually saw the reason why.

  After exiting the forest, the caravan soon passed by a lake. It was large, probably two times the size of the entire capital. Mikael remembered what this lake was.

  The Lake of the Full Moon.

  This lake was famous for its peculiar character. All throughout the month, this lake was relatively peaceful, safe enough even for kids and fishermen to swim through. But during a full moon, things take a drastic turn. Monsters would come out of the lake and attack everything within its vicinity. Records said that although the monsters were weak, they come out in droves, their numbers enough to rival that of several armies.

  Mikael looked up. It was almost dusk. Judging by their speed, they would have to camp near the lake in the middle of the night. It was a dangerous move. Mikael could not understand why the merchants would choose to do that.

  Big Bun seemed to have read his mind. “There’s a garrison nearby. The Lord of the Lion City created it originally to deal with bandits, but it could be used as a safe haven during this time. My brother’s a sponsor. We’ll be free to stay there during the night.”

  Mikael doubted if that stronghold could withstand the onslaught of monsters, but since this merchant have full confidence on it, he had no choice but to concede. Right now, he was a mere serf, after all. He had no power to alter the caravan’s direction. If worse comes to worst, he could just escape by himself and go to the Lion City.

  By evening, their caravan reached the garrison. It was a small village with wooden walls, with a watchtower overlooking the surrounding regions.

  “Ah, Big Bun! We’re expecting you! Just in time!” A middle-aged man wearing light armor greeted our group. “Come in! We’ve already prepared a sumptuous feast!”

  So it’s true. It seems that the brother of Big Bun’s a bigshot sponsoring the military.

  Mikael took note of this one.

  There were around a hundred soldiers in the garrison. Everyone was well-equipped, from leather armors, iron swords, and stout shields. Numerous archers stood on the watch tower, their quivers placed on their backs.

  Although this army was decent enough to drive away bandits, Mikael doubted if it would be strong enough to hold back the monsters that would come out of the lake. Mikael soon found the answer to his question.

  “So this is the Myonite, huh?” Big Bun touched the large red crystal at the center of the stronghold. It was about a fist in size, with numerous purple particles moving inside.

  The leader of the soldiers grinned proudly. “That’s right. As long as this crystal’s here, this place’s safe. Those monsters are afraid of that thing. They won’t even come close to this place.”

  Mikael learned that the red gem was the crystallized blood of a Red Galparus Snake – one of the peak predators in seas and oceans. Creatures living in water naturally avoided the scent of such monster, making the crystallized blood a perfect deterrent from the waves of monsters coming out of the lake during the full moon.

  According to history, there used to be a city next to this lake, but the monsters that came out of the water burned it down to the ground. This was something that happened several hundreds of years ago, and according to records, the survivors of that city were the ones who built the Lion City.

  Mikael was glad that the lessons he took during his training as a knight was proving useful during these times.

  The merchants started eating the prepared feast. Laughter filled the air as the soldiers joined in. Mikael looked at the direction of the cages, particularly at the beastmen locked up inside. They were all naked and were given nothing but water and bread.

  Mikael sighed. He did not feel sympathy for them, but he did not feel hatred either. Once they’ve arrived at the Lion City, those guys would probably become toys for the Lord. A pathetic ending to a pathetic life.

  The bell of the watchtower rang, signaling that the monsters have started coming out of the lake one by one. But surprisingly, the soldiers were calm.

  Mikael quietly left the banquet and stealthily went on top of the walls. He was stunned momentarily of what he saw. A good distance away from them, the lake glimmered from the moonlight. Numerous shadows moved on top of it, their soft screeching sounds heard even from here. Mikael estimated that there were over ten thousand of them, probably more.

  If those guys attacked this place, the wooden walls would collapse in a matter of seconds.

  Why do these monsters come out only during the full moon? On normal days, the lake was relatively peaceful, safe enough even for civilians to swim through. Where did the monsters come from? At the deepest parts of the lake? But records stated that those who swam underneath the lake during a moonless night failed to find anything inside.

  Such questions ran through Mikael’s mind. A howling sound was heard. Mikael amplified his eyesight using magic.

  A wolf? No… That’s…

  What he saw standing on top of the lake surrounded by numerous monsters was a humanoid creature resembling a wolf. Its silver fur glimmered underneath the moonlight. It was beautiful, and for a moment, Mikael was at a loss for words.

  As he was staring at the creature, his eyesight still amplified with magic, the humanoid creature turned towards his direction. Its red eyes locked with his.

  And it grinned.

  Mikael shivered. He was sure that the creature noticed him.

  It lifted a finger, pointing it at the stronghold. One after another, monsters started walking towards the stronghold, their screeching sounds louder than before.

  The bell of the watchtower rang a different tune. Mikael was sure that the watchers noticed something was wrong. A shout reverberated.

  “T-The monsters! The monsters are coming this way! Thousands of them!”

  The rowdy crowd became silent. The previous laughter from before vanished entirely. Everyone stiffened.

  “I-Imp
ossible! We’ve been stationed in this place for over a year already!” The voice of the captain was hysterical. “As long as the Myonite is with us, those monsters wouldn’t dare attack!”

  “But sir!”

  The Captain climbed the watchtower. After seeing the monsters with his very own eyes, he was struck speechless. His jaw hanged open.

  A howling sound was heard beyond.

  The monsters started charging head-on.

  Chapter One

  After staying at the Lion City for a week, Lark finally returned to Blackstone Town. He was immediately greeted by Gaston and Captain Qarat.

  The old butler showed him a familiar letter, the one given to the village Elder. “Young Master, as you’ve instructed, we allocated several houses for the refugees. Currently, they’re staying at the Eastern Border of the town.”

  Lark listened to the reports of the butler regarding the refugees from Gahelpa Village. “So, Anandra’s woken up.” He did not expect the warrior to recover this soon. “Gaston, good job in quelling the discontent of the locals. We need those villagers to stay in this town. We need all the manpower we could get.”

  If one looked at a broader perspective, the domain of Lark was actually vast, probably comparable to that of a county. Just the northern and western regions of Blackstone Town alone were enough to create a large city. If they included the Endless Forest, the overall territory would be several times greater. The only thing limiting the growth of his domain right now were the people. Lark needed manpower – as much of it as possible.

  “Ah, also…” Gaston paused for a moment, a bit unsure of what to say. “I’ve received a report regarding three unknown hooded figures before. A lot of people saw them, those guys wearing full plate armors.”

  Lark realized that the butler was pertaining to the ‘guardians’ of Blackstone Town. He waved a hand and dismissed the doubts. “It’s fine. I know those guys. Rest assured, they mean no harm to this town.”

  The butler was obviously not fully convinced, but he simply nodded regardless.

  “I’ve sold the kalranes and herbs at the Lion City,” said Lark. He pointed at the carts parked near the Mansion. “In accordance to the agreement with the Merchants Guild, the first batch of merchants will come here a week from now. Be sure to gather several barrels of kalranes by then.”

  “Understood!” The butler bowed his head.

  A servant approached them. “Young Master, some of the refugees from Gahelpa Village wishes to meet you.”

  Lark looked at the direction of the gate and saw several familiar figures standing outside. He nodded at the servant and went out.

  “Elder,” greeted Lark the moment he stepped out of the gate. “It’s been almost half a month.”

  The Elder smiled softly. Beside him was a tall man with golden hair. “Yes. We’re really grateful for the benevolence of the Young Master.” He gently tapped the shoulder of the man beside him. “This here is Anandra, the warrior you treated back in the village.”

  Lark’s conjecture was right. It was indeed the warrior on the verge of death before.

  Anandra bowed his head deeply. He said with a deep but clear voice, “I heard from the Elder about the things you’ve done for us, for the village.” He looked at Lark straight in the eyes. “Thank you. For saving my life, for saving the village, thank you.”

  The words spouted by the village’s strongest warrior was filled with heartfelt sincerity. Lark smiled broadly. “It’s fine. Isn’t it normal for people to help each other out?” He chuckled, “And it’s not like I’m not going to benefit from saving you guys.”

  Lark spread out his arms. “I’ll be blunt. I need people. I want all of you to stay here in Blackstone Town.”

  After finding out that he was among the candidates for the throne, Lark immediately planned on further strengthening the military might of his territory. He knew human nature very well. Sooner or later, enemies aiming for his life would come. They would attempt to weed him out of the competition. He couldn’t really care less about the throne, but if they were going to come after his life, he would fight back. That was his resolve.

  To his glee, the Elder and Anandra immediately agreed.

  “If that’s the wish of our savior, we – the entire village – wholeheartedly agree,” said the Elder. “There are several strong men in our village and the women are also skilled in different crafts. You’ll find them useful for this town.”

  “I’ve heard from Sir Gaston that you wish for me to train the soldiers,” said Anandra.

  “Ah, that’s right.” He scrutinized the body of Anandra. Several bandages were already removed, excluding the chest’s. “I need to test your skills first, but we’ll do that only once your wounds have healed.”

  Now that he had taken a closer look, there was something odd about this warrior called Anandra. Lark could not feel the flow of mana within his body, something easily apparent in magicians.

  But if he was unable to use magic, how did he drive away the basilisk before? It was the question that ran through his mind as he stared at the warrior.

  After discussing several more things about the town with the Elder, Lark went towards the Easter Border, where the Mason was currently at. The workers cheered upon seeing the Young Master, while several children ran up to him and surrounded him.

  “The Young Master’s back!”

  “Young Master! Play with us!”

  “He came from that big city, right?”

  “Ah, Young Master, I’m really sorry!” One of the mothers apologized. She pulled away one of the kids that hugged Lark tight.

  Lark chuckled. “It’s alright.” He patted one of the kid’s head, ruffling his hair with mischievous strokes.

  Looking around, several houses have been finished, a pace previously impossible without the introduction of cement. Lark was glad that the construction project was proceeding at a relatively good speed.

  Silver Claw ran to him. “Ah, Young Lord.” He was panting, his face and shirt smeared with dirt. “You could have just summoned me to the Mansion. There’s no need to go all the way to the Easter Border just to see me.”

  Lark waved a hand. “It’s fine. I also want to see the state of things in this town.”

  The kids surrounding him dispersed upon seeing the Mason.

  “The Mason is here!”

  “Papa said he once ripped a wolf open with his bare hands! Run!”

  The kids ran back to their mothers. The construction workers laughed at this.

  Silver Claw glared at his men. “You rascals! What were you telling these children?!”

  Ever since Lark started implementing several projects in the town, the Mason immediately became the busiest person around. As one of the locals with the most authority, he made sure to uphold the laws and quell all sorts of trouble with his men. This eventually gave him the image of an officer with an iron fist, a tyrant that would not tolerate anyone slacking during work.

  Although the locals admired and respect him, they also greatly feared him.

  Silver Claw sighed upon seeing the wary looks of the children. He said to the Young Master, “What could I do for you this time, Sir?”

  Lark was clearly amused of the state of things. “I want you to create several wooden posts for me. Four meters tall, with space at the top for kalrane stones.”

  “Wooden posts,” repeated the Mason. He had come to learn not to question the directives of the Young Master. After all, the Lord of this Town was wise. This was the conclusion he arrived to after several months.

  “We’ll be installing them at the intersections, near the main street. Once the construction of the main road’s finished, it’ll be relatively safe and easy for the residents to walk outside during the night.”

  Lark further explained to the Mason that they would be installing kalrane stones at the top of the wooden posts. During the day, the gemstone would gather energy from the sun. During the night, it would light up, illuminating the streets and the are
as nearby.”

  Silver Claw wanted to ask if kalranes were really capable of emitting light for more than a dozen hours, but decided against it. He questioned the authenticity of cement and the farming tools before, and it turned out that the Young Master was right. He decided to simply trust his Lord this time.

  “As you wish,” said Silver Claw. “Does this invention have a name?”

  Since kalranes were relatively expensive, only nobles make use of it. And he never heard anyone using it as a source of street light before.

  “Name, huh?” Lark never really thought of it. It was, after all, a relatively simple item which could hardly be called an invention. “How about Sun Lamp?”

  Lark could already see it. Blackstone Town illuminated by kalranes at night.

  Chapter Two

  Pico brushed off the sweat on his forehead using the palm of his hand. Working on the poultry farm was arduous, since he had to take care of hundreds of chickens. Peeping sounds filled the air as the younglings pecked the ground, eating soil, worms, and insects every now and then.

  At first, Pico was hesitant of planting the Loi plants in this farm, since those things were known to attract pests. But after heeding the advice of the Young Master and incorporating the plants into his farm, he was stunned by the results.

  The Loi plants indeed attracted insects, even large ones, but those pests simply became prey for the hundreds of chickens roaming around freely in the poultry farm. Of course, Pico would still need to supplement it with lentils obtained from the Mansion.

  Near the first coop, several others were being built by the workers. The speed had slowed down considerably since the production of cement couldn’t keep up with the rate of the town’s development, but the speed was still far greater than those in the cities.

  As Pico was feeding the chicks, two carts stopped right at the fence’s entrance. He stiffened when he saw the Young Master come out of it.

  Immediately, he wiped his face with a towel and dried his sweat-filled hands. He ran and went out of the fence, and while panting, greeted the Lord of Blackstone Town. “Young Master! I didn’t know that you’ve returned already!”