The Legendary Mage (Alavin)

Aunt Helna was delighted, happier than she'd been in eight years, but even as she smiled, tears would involuntarily fill her eyes.

Oda was even happier, casting aside all worries and fatigue, and gazing at Alavin with rapt attention, eager to hear everything.

They introduced Alavin to the relatives in the room, as well as those outside, who had all changed so much they were nearly unrecognizable. Some were former maids of the keep, and the years of turmoil had brought them closer, supporting and encouraging one another, and never giving up on or harming each other.

This small courtyard was just for the womenfolk; the Mallister men resided with Lucan in a larger compound, a good distance away. Lucan arranged for two guards to notify them and specifically instructed them to bring only a few people and to keep their arrival quiet.

Not long after, several elders arrived in haste, their eyes brimming with tears as they looked upon Alavin, unable to control their emotions.

But many loved ones from Alavin's memories did not come; they had passed away during the eight years of sorrow, their lives claimed by grief. Those who did come were so aged that they were barely recognizable.

The small courtyard had never been so lively, nor had it ever been touched with such warmth and emotion. In the dimly lit room, where candles flickered, kinfolk surrounded Alavin, their concerns for him endless.

Alavin looked upon the faces of his kin with a smile, but his heart was bitter and astringent. Everyone had grown so old, so different from his memories, both foreign and familiar. "Alavin, must you leave at dawn?" Oda clutched Alavin's hand, not wanting to let go.

"I shall return soon," Alavin forced a cheerful smile.

"Don't go on any more adventures; we are all well. You needn't worry," Aunt Helna said, even as her hand clung tight to Alavin, her eyes unwilling to leave him for a moment.

Before dawn, Alavin and Lucan stood in a corner of a mining camp, observing the bustling crowd in the distance. Alavin was silent, his face void of expression.

Lucan sighed softly. "The Azure Mountain Ore Mine will only last another half year at most. After that, we'll have to relocate to the distant Mythic Boulder Valley. It will be a brand-new mining area, but the conditions there are harsher than here."

"No one will go to Mythic Boulder Valley! Within half a year, I must establish a foothold at Cobalt Strike."

"My lord, you have proven your talent by advancing your spirit through effort and reaching Novice Mage Stage VI in such a short time. If you leave Cobalt Strike, other organizations will surely nurture you with care, offering better resources and superior Combat Magic. Heed my advice; leave Cobalt Strike behind for good, stay far from here, and do not let its troubles ensnare you again."

Alavin shook his head. "I will not go anywhere else. I belong at Cobalt Strike."

Without parents, he was the hope of the Mallister family, the lord of Stormcast Keep. It was his duty to protect his people and his kin.

Staying at Cobalt Strike meant challenging the Grand Elder, which gave him a chance to save Stormcast. But leaving Cobalt Strike meant striking the entire faction to save his loved ones from peril. Who could help him oppose Cobalt Strike? It was impossible!

"The more you shine, the more the Grand Elder will suppress you. You've finally reached the Novice Mage rank, and I would hate to see him destroy you," Lucan said, looking at the defiant Alavin with a pang of compassion.

"I will take care of myself. Lucan, but there's something I don't understand. What was in the tribute that Stormcast sent to Cobalt Strike that year? Did the Grand Elder choose to punish the entire city all because the tribute was ambushed?"

Cobalt Strike was a powerful organization in the Northlands, not only reigning over Cloudveil Woods but also over the five ancient cities around the forest, each ruled by a nominal Elder of Cobalt Strike who sent a hefty tribute each year.

Stormcast was one of those ancient cities, dutifully offering tribute at a set time each year. However, eight years ago, the tribute was ambushed deep within Cloudveil Woods while being escorted by three hundred mighty mages handpicked by Alavin's parents. The tribute vanished, and his parents and mages disappeared, leaving behind only blood and the chaos of battle.

Normally, Cobalt Strike would investigate the theft and soothe Stormcast. But instead, the organization reacted with fury. The Grand Elder himself descended upon Stormcast Keep, issuing a cruel decree of punishment.

Lucan pondered for a moment. "I don't know the specifics, but I remember a few days before the incident, the Grand Elder of Cobalt Strike visited the keep to discuss something with the lord. In the following days, the lord left to retrieve something. I suspect that this mysterious item was hidden within that year's tribute.

"When the tribute was suddenly stolen, the lord and lady, along with the three hundred mages, all disappeared. The Grand Elder might have suspected the lord of stealing the mysterious item and assumed tha they might all still be alive. That's why he's been in a rage for eight years, and is using the suffering of the Mallister family and Stormcast to coax them out."