Wolves of Hader

Chapter 137

An old man was sitting.

He was staring blankly into space.

"Are you a mage?"

—Yes.

"What's your race?"

—I am Gadisil.

"Where is Gadisil located?"

—Northern Aindel.

"Do you know Gadisil is extinct?"

The old man shook his head.

His face looked as though grief was washing over it.

"Did you just say you're Gadisil?"

"Yes. I believe this old man is the great mage of Gadisil, who was deceived by a devil to guard this place."

"What exactly is Asgard?"

"A dragon."

"A dragon? You mean the legendary dragon?"

Everyone was in shock.

All the dragons from ancient times were said to have disappeared. Only the great Dragonborn 'Noble Dignity' was believed to exist somewhere.

I asked the old man again.

"Did the devils kill Asgard?"

The old man shook his head.

—I don't know. When I died and was resurrected, Lord Asgard had already passed away.

"Who killed you, then?"

—That, I do not know either. We Gadisil were a race that served the dragons, living in reverence to those noble beings.

"All the dragons are dead. The Gadisil who served them are gone too. There may still be some in Aindel."

—That's impossible. The dragons are extremely powerful and supreme beings. There is no way such beings could be defeated by mere devils.

We still don't know for sure.

There could be dragons in Aindel.

And the Gadisil, who serve them.

"The one who killed you is a devil. And it was also the devils who brought you back. The proof is on your body."

The old man looked at me and spoke.

—Is the war over?

"Yes. It ended—at least a thousand years ago."

The Guardian may all be different.

But the Guardian's lair houses treasures. Perhaps the Guardian's dwelling was originally a dragon's nest.

"What kind of dragon was Asgard?"

—He was a dragon who commanded lightning.

"The bones look metallic?"

—They are not mere metal.

It truly didn't seem like ordinary metal.

Could those bones be the source of lightning?

"What about the fragments of magic crystal?"

—They are Lord Asgard's heart.

"That's the heart?"

—When dragons pass away, they leave behind the source of their magic in material form. That is also the legacy Lord Asgard left to me. He said I may use that power.

The old man seemed to find it hard to accept reality. He kept treating it as Asgard's order.

Then the old man spoke.

—Could you kill me?

"Aren't you immortal?"

—Burn me with divinity. So that even my soul disappears.

"Don't you want revenge?"

—Revenge? Who do you mean?

"The ones who killed your master, killed you, and deceived you."

—Didn't you say the war is over?

"It may come again."

The old man's eyes were shaken.

This was only my speculation.

If the Guardian's lair was once a dragon's nest, the devils killed the dragon and made a demon gate there. And then installed a powerful Guardian.

But why leave a Guardian to watch the demon gate?

Maybe, just in case they returned one day, they had it guarded for over a thousand years. The treasure, then, is the legion's funds for the devils.

If that's the case, the devils probably wouldn't rush over suddenly. Instead, they'd slowly infiltrate human society, preparing to dominate the world again.

That's why the gate was made in the dragon's nest.

So they could prepare from the most hidden place. Perhaps a devil disguised as a human is already here.

"Does a demon gate really exist?"

"Yes. There are several more places like this."

"How can that be?"

"We must destroy all demon gates. Then the devils will never covet this world again."

Looks like I'll have to take down all the Guardians.

Likely, there will be signs before the devils come across. We just need to destroy all the gates before then.

"How about revenge?"

—I have already become a servant of the devils. My body cannot die like this, so burn me.

"What happens if you lose your hands?"

—I would not be able to use any abilities.

"Not able to draw on magic either?"

—Within my body is a crystal heart that absorbs magic. Without the heart, I can't use magic.

"That's good, then."

Schlick—

I severed the old man's neck.

Those watching gasped and stepped back. The severed head blinked its eyes. The body flailed, still alive but collapsed.

"Is it just the head that's alive now?"

"That's truly horrific."

"Brai."

"Are you only going to burn the body?"

"Yes. If only the head remains, he can't use any abilities. He can absorb magic through the heart, so without the heart, he can't keep any magic."

There was another reason to leave only the head. I could get information about the method to borrow magic and advice on magic itself. Also, details about ancient history.

Even if it was rather grotesque.

I took only the head and the heart.

I split the old man's flailing body.

Inside the left chest, the heart had shriveled and turned entirely to crystal.

I pulled the heart out.

I burned the body with divinity.

The heart of magic.

Dark power lingered in it, but it wasn't that strong. My divinity slowly seeped in.

"Old man, what's your name?"

Only then did the old man open his mouth.

It was a strange accent, but it was our language.

"My name is Rungha."

"Rungha. Where is the demon gate?"

"Very top floor of the palace."

That was also where the exit was.

They must have set it so devils could leave directly.

"Hans. Tie the head onto my backpack."

"Yes."

Hans tied the old man's hair to my backpack. It was rather gruesome, with just the head dangling, but I couldn't exactly put it inside the backpack.

I said to the Elin siblings,

"You two try dismantling the dragon's remains. If it's too hard, just leave it and come up."

"Understood."

I looked around at the party.

"Officers, you need to check the demon gate yourselves. Oren, can you move?"

"I can move."

"Then, let's go."

I led the officers up the stairs.

They clearly wanted to see the dragon's remains, but didn't show it. Devils were the greater concern than a dragon.

Some members were already clearing the blocked steps. Since the way out was blocked, the officers had no more curiosity left for the lower floors.

Thunk, thunk—

We made our way up, breaking through the blockade with hammers.

Many places had the ceiling caved in. The stairs were wide, so it didn't take much to open a way.

"Rungha. What kind of magic do you have?"

—I am only a stem of magic power.

"That's not magic?"

—I have lost many memories. I only remember a few incantations and can use magic power in simple forms.

Did the devils erase his memory?

He was still under some kind of sorcery, which would be hard to undo. Rungha himself didn't know the sorcery.

"Rungha. Many villagers died in the lower village because of the rock monsters you created. Why?"

No reply.

"Weren't you controlling them?"

—I'm sorry. The guardian statues began to move on their own, beyond my control. I only made the statues to prevent intruders.

"There seemed to be evil spirits within those rock monsters. Didn't you imbue them?"

—They weren't evil spirits. They were elementals who served Lord Asgard, just like me.

"So you were deceived again."

Rungha fell silent again.

"They were evil spirits left behind by the devils in the palace. You mistook those evil spirits for elementals and imbued them in the rock monsters."

—I could distinguish between elementals and evil spirits.

"I'm sure you could—when you were alive. But after becoming a servant of darkness, evil spirits would have been more familiar to you."

I heard a faint sigh from the direction of the backpack.

I watched the officers clearing the way in silence.

"Do your bodies feel different?"

Everyone seemed to be in good spirits.

The Tuji brothers too.

"I'm not sure what it is, but yes, definitely changed."

"Same here."

"I feel a sense of emptiness—is that normal?"

I smiled and nodded.

"Your bodies are about to change."

"How do you mean?"

"It's like a seed about to sprout. Your bones, flesh, and muscles want to evolve further, but you lack the nutrients. That's what causes the thirst."

"I see."

"Are you all experiencing the same symptoms?"

All five nodded.

"Perfect timing then. You should pour all your stamina and mana into this labor. Until you hit rock bottom."

"Was that always the plan?"

"Of course. Since you haven't exhausted your stamina and mana, you need to do it through manual labor. Frankly, I was planning to work you hard as soon as we got out."

The officers nodded.

"All right, shall we dig harder?"

"Y-yes."

"The members will withdraw."

"Yes."

Only the officers remained and began clearing the blocked staircase. All five kept glancing back at me, as if thinking I was fooling them. Which, to some extent, was true.

This time, I became the instructor.

I drove them relentlessly.

"Faster! Dig faster!"

"You must use up all your mana!"

"Oren! Haven't you recovered yet?"

"Use your mana! Your mana!"

The officers frantically cleared rocks with their swords and removed earth and stones. Their palms were bleeding. Yet each could feel their bodies changing.

"Faster!"

"I told you not to stop!"

"Don't rest! Run up!"

We climbed higher and higher.

As soon as a new way opened, I ran straight up to the next obstruction and yelled, forcing them to keep working.

"Faster! Even faster! Ah, my throat's going hoarse. Hans!"

"Yes!"

Hans stepped in.

"What did you do during the last training? Forget about the swords! You can always make new ones!"

"Are you really doing this for us?"

"For your own good!"

"You're not just making us work because you hate it yourself?"

"Quiet, focus now!"

Shouting at the top of my lungs.

We cleared all the blockages.

"Finally, it's open!"

"Chief! The way is completely clear!"

"We don't stop! Run up!"

"Run up!"

The officers scrambled up the stairs. Hans followed like a wolf chasing a flock of sheep. Soon, Hans's voice rang out loudly.

"Who told you to rest!"

"Let me rest a moment—"

"From now on, it's a full sprint! Your arena is this palace! From left to right! Run!"

"Run!"

"Use your mana! Mana!"

The regular members and Tuji brothers also joined in the training.

They weren't about to break through to another level like the officers, but there were promising signs of improvement. Even if it wasn't a huge leap.

So the officers, regulars, and the Tuji brothers began running around the palace. With the group together, it definitely motivated the officers as well. At least they weren't suffering alone.

I slipped down the stairs.

It would take another two or three hours for everyone to deplete their stamina and mana. Soon, all the cells in their bodies would awaken.

I went back into the treasure chamber.

Heaps of treasure were still there. Lok was packing up treasure. Donnie and Bellen were resting.

"Can't you dismantle it?"

"No matter how hard I hit the joints with a hammer, it doesn't budge. The bones are so thick."

"Looks very light, doesn't it?"

"Yes. It looks metallic, but it's not metal. I don't think anything in the world could be harder than this. If used for armor or weapons..."

"W-what are you trying to do?"

That was Rungha speaking.

"We're trying to take the dragon's remains."

"That's blasphemous!"

"How do you use the heart that was in the body?"

—I cannot say.

"If you tell me, we'll leave the remains."

"Truly?"

"Yeah."

Rungha hesitated, then spoke.

"That heart is the heart of Gadisil, crafted by Lord Asgard. It is enchanted for gathering magic power."

"How does one use it?"

Again, no answer.

"Guess I'll burn it, then. If you've lost your magic and your memories, what's the point in carrying your head around?"

"As you wish."

"Fine, then."

I put down my backpack and reached for Rungha's head. He squeezed his eyes shut. The moment I was about to lay hands on it—

"Wait!"

"Why? Got last words?"

"Did my race really become extinct?"

"Yes. No one can get to Aindel."

"I have no attachments to life. But I want revenge."

"There are no more devils to avenge."

"They will come again. I don't know when."

Even if life holds no attachment—

The extinction of the self—'I'—is always a regret.

A millennium of emptiness is no small thing, either.

"How do I use the heart?"

"Asgard Manaraz Haruhe."

The moment he spoke—

A tremendous surge of magic burst from the treasure heap and began to be absorbed by the heart.

Lok, startled, stepped back.

As the heart gathered magic, it radiated a powerful blue light. Sparks flew from the dragon's remains, too.

Rungha spoke again.

"Asgard Manaraz Rohjena."

The absorption stopped.

I asked right away.

"How do I borrow it?"

"You cannot borrow it."

"Why?"

"You must synchronize the heart and your body."

"If I can't use it, the earlier incantation is pointless. Should I just use the heart as a decoration?"

Rungha hesitated again.

As expected.

"Manaraz Rah."

At that moment—

Magic surged from the heart and began to infuse my body. It wasn't just me.

Thud.

Bellen, Lok, and Donnie, who were in the treasure chamber, also absorbed the magic. Soon, all three collapsed.

Because their bodies took in magic up to their limits. My own magic began to rise as well, though the absorption stopped after a while.

Bellen, Lok, and Donnie twisted in pain as if suffering even greater torment than when they drank from the wellspring of magic. I could withstand it since it was about a tenth of my previous magic intake.

Still, it was remarkable.

The wellspring of magic failed to fill my body, and it was the same for the three who collapsed.

"What sort of magic is this?"

"It is dragon magic. Different from nature's magic."

"There's a difference?"

Rungha's face looked conflicted.

"The magic of creating magic."

"So that's it."

I sat cross-legged.

The magic of creating magic.

I wondered how this would change me.