Magus Supremacy

The door gave a soft creak as Dame pushed it open, revealing a modest but surprisingly well-kept space. The walls were paneled in dark cedar, their polished surfaces carrying the faint scent of aged wood.

A single window sat opposite the door, its shutters half-open to let in the warm amber glow of the late afternoon sun, spilling golden light across the floorboards in soft streaks.

Two beds stood side by side against one wall. Their frames were sturdy oak, and each was dressed in thick woolen blankets dyed a deep burgundy. The mattresses looked firm but inviting, with neatly folded linen sheets resting on top of them.

Between the beds stood a small nightstand, a simple brass oil lamp placed upon it, its glass chimney polished to a near-gleam as though freshly cleaned that morning.

In the far corner, a squat wardrobe leaned slightly to one side, its iron handles dulled and cold, worn smooth from years of use. A circular rug of faded blue rested in the center of the room, softening the plain wooden floor beneath it.

The air carried a cool freshness, touched faintly with the aroma of lavender, likely from the dried sprigs hanging neatly above the door.

It wasn't luxury, but it was clean, quiet, and for two strangers far from home, it was enough.

Dame drew in a sharp breath, as if savoring the scent of the room, then exhaled slowly in a long sigh.

"This is where you will be staying for the rest of the week," Dame said with his hands outstretched.

"Alright," Grey replied simply as he walked forward and sat down on the bed, causing Dame's eyes to twitch in annoyance.

'He could have at least said thank you. I lost a gold coin just to secure this room.'

"I want to get to work right away, so I'll need privacy. And whenever you want to come in, knock three times. If I don't respond, it means I'm completely busy and immersed, so you should leave." Grey declared firmly.

'He talks as if he's my master. No… more like he thinks he's above me.' Dame thought bitterly as he glared at Grey for a brief second before letting out another sigh.

"It's fine. I will be dropping by every evening since I'm always busy during the day. Before I go, is there anything you need?" Dame asked.

"Uhm… I'm not sure yet. If I do need something, I'll inform you. So you can leave now." Grey said with a casual wave of his hand, dismissing him.

"Sure thing," Dame muttered as he turned to leave, Finn following behind him and exiting the room, leaving Grey and Thalos alone.

"Phew. I feel hot under this damn hood." Grey let out a breath of relief as he pulled down the hood, revealing his young face and his crimson hair fluttering freely in the faint breeze drifting in from the window.

"Being back in this faction and breathing its air brings back memories," Thalos sighed as he sat on a chair tucked into one corner of the room. "Anyway… what do you want to do now that we are here in the faction?"

"Work," Grey muttered as he rose from the bed he had been sitting on, then lowered himself onto the bare floor in the center of the room.

"What kind of work?" Thalos raised an eyebrow when Grey's pendant shimmered and the book given to him by Dame appeared in his hands.

"Do you know what this is?" Grey asked as he lifted the book.

"Nope. What is it?" Thalos asked curiously.

"A book on the different magic circles that exist, along with methods of crafting weapons using them," Grey muttered as he began flipping through the pages calmly, his eyes scanning each symbol and line of text with quiet focus.

"No way!" Thalos exclaimed as he shot out of the chair, genuine shock etched across his face.

"Yeah. And I suspect it's your master's own, which is why I intend to study it as quickly and as thoroughly as I can. Who knows what I might be able to uncover from it? Hence, don't disturb me either." Grey replied, waving his hand dismissively, as though brushing the matter aside.

'Co…could it really be my master's? If so, how did it end up in Dame's possession? How could he have found it? He said it was within his clan, but I am certain my master would never be so reckless as to hand over his belongings to just anyone. Then who is Dame really? Where did he come from?' Thalos thought in growing unease, rubbing his temples as worry and confusion warred in his mind.

__

Meanwhile, after leaving the inn, Dame and Finn could now be seen in a distant region, far removed from any form of civilization. The duo sprinted side by side, their movements swift and fluid.

They jogged, leapt across uneven terrain, and pushed forward relentlessly, their speed fueled by Ki coursing through their bodies. The scenery rushed by until finally, a structure began to emerge faintly in the distance.

At first glance, it resembled some colossal building. But as they drew nearer, the image sharpened, and its true nature revealed itself.

It was not a building at all.

It was a mountain. A mountain so massive it looked as though a giant fist had descended from the heavens and smashed into the earth, lodging itself into the land.

The towering mountain possessed a wide, cavernous opening at its summit, a gaping maw that seemed to swallow the sky itself. Without hesitation, the duo leaped high, vanishing into the mouth of the mountain.

As they descended, a searing wave of heat slammed into them. Yet, to their surprise, neither was harmed nor slowed by it. They landed on something that swayed like a pendulum beneath their weight.

It was a chain.

A chain so massive it could rival mountains in size, stretching endlessly across the hollow interior of the mountain. And within that hollow, it was as if a volcano burned alive at the core, its blazing essence filling the space with suffocating heat.

Echoes filled the interior—groans, shouts, and clangs carried up from the deeper levels. The sounds were not random. They were rhythmic. Organized. This place was being used.

Training.

Jumping down from the chain they stood on, Dame and Finn landed onto another one suspended at the second level. Here the sight was clearer—men and women training intensely, their bodies moving through elaborate techniques.

Others walked the length of the chains as if on errands, carrying crates or weapons. The swaying walkways connected different parts of the hollow, forming a strange, suspended network of activity.

"Young master Dame." Someone called out respectfully with a slight bow as he passed. Yet the moment he was a few steps away, the man leaned toward his companion, and the pair chuckled quietly, their mockery barely concealed.

Dame's lips twitched, but he said nothing.

"Yo, man!" a cheerful voice suddenly rang out, breaking the tense atmosphere. The duo spun around to see Talon striding toward them with his usual carefree expression. "Took you long enough."

"What happened?" Dame asked with a raised brow, trying to sound calm.

"Your dad wants to see you," Talon replied casually.

Immediately, Dame's heart skipped a dozen beats. His chest tightened, and a chill prickled the back of his neck despite the heat around him.

With a loud gulp, he muttered under his breath. "I'm cooked."