23 Defence Tower II

In the darkness, Friederich closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, the image of a katana forming in his mind.

He focused intensely, picturing every detail: the sharp curvature of the blade, the guard's elegant design, the intricate engravings along its length. Once the vision solidified, he chanted, "Lampos!"

A glowing katana flickered into existence in his hands.

"Haha!" A weary laugh escaped him before the sword dissipated into thin air, unable to hold its form.

The elven man collapsed, completely drained. He had depleted his mana once again; it would take at least six hours before he could attempt another spell.

"Working hard, young man!"

A boisterous voice echoed from the accessway. A large figure leaned casually against the stone wall.

"Oh, you're David, right?" Friederich asked, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Aye!" The man smiled warmly as he approached. "I've been watching you train for a while now. Never thought mages had to work this hard."

"Hmm?" Friederich responded, slightly confused.

"Well, to be honest, I never believed mages were real, considering how rare you lot are," David clarified, his teeth gleaming under the fluorescent light.

"I can't blame you for that."

"Right? And I used to think magic was effortless, like you guys could just snap your fingers and create things from thin air," he continued. Scratching his head, he added, "But seeing how much study and training it takes, not to mention the mana you need to fuel it all... It's mind-blowing. I guess I've found a whole new perspective."

This man is a former Mechanii, a citizen of Dunkelheit. Friederich recognised David's accent. "Thank you. Nothing in this world comes easily. If it does, it's probably too good to be true," he stated with pride, straightening his posture with graceful composure.

"Nice speech, young man!" David chuckled heartily.

After a brief silence, Friederich's curiosity got the better of him. "What about you? Why are you still up and about?"

David scowled playfully at the implied age difference. Am I that old? I guess I am. "I just figured out how to fix the power generator from the arcanite engine. Some of us would like to get home, you see?" His dark eyes held a hint of longing.

Friederich studied him for a moment. "Did you… lose someone during the war?"

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David shook his head. "I don't think he's dead… There's a friend, um, my best friend. Believe it or not, that man is the reason we're still alive." His voice carried more of a hopeful prayer than certainty, his gaze growing distant as if he expected Jack to emerge from the shadows.

He did not.

The middle-aged man yawned before bidding farewell and disappearing down the dark corridor.

As he waited for his mana to recover, Friederich decided to visit the most sacred place for arcanists — the library, hence why every defence tower has one within its walls.

He strode through the stone corridor, its path now well-lit thanks to the DebrisX crews.

The library stood like a grand relic of the past, lavishly adorned compared to the rest of the ancient structure. Towering bookshelves lined the walls, filled with tomes of arcane knowledge. Darkwood tables and cushioned chairs were arranged neatly in the centre.

Above, a magnificent stained-glass window depicting the All-Mother Gaia cast a mesmerising spectrum of colours as moonlight filtered through.

After some browsing, Friederich found exactly what he was looking for: tomes on swordsmanship, various sword styles, the history of the katana, and even the metallurgical compositions used in blade forging.

He settled at a table and began his studies. Knowledge was just as crucial as creativity in the realm of magic. His former master, Ignius Lux Draconus, had drilled this lesson into him relentlessly.

He could almost hear his master's voice. "Intellectually, Stellius mages are the equivalent of doctoral scholars. Mastery demands commitment, creativity, and sheer will. How can you create a sword without knowing its weight, its structure, its very composition? Study hard. Integrate knowledge with imagination. That is where true arcane mastery is forged."

He chuckled, recalling the strict yet passionate expression his master often wore when lecturing their trio — Zetius, Aurelia, and himself.

Ignius had always been harsh, but a hidden kindness resided beneath his stern demeanour.

After the death of Zetius, his prime prodigy, Ignius had become grim and distant, his resentment toward the Mechaniis growing ever darker. Still, Friederich had never been able to fully grasp the depths of his master's mind. The man remained an enigma.

Was that why he ventured into D'Arcane? Such a perilous, forbidden art… exploiting the innocent's devotion to Mother Gaia. In the end, he cast a devastating spell, drawing on the mana and lives of others, including his own…

Friederich's thoughts drifted before he shook them off and returned to his study.

"Umm…"

A soft voice broke the silence. Friederich lifted his gaze, searching for the source.

"Prime Guardian, why don't you rest?" Triss's melodic voice rang through the quiet hall. She wore a flowing white gown that shimmered in the moonlight. Her veil was absent for once, revealing cascading wavy hair that framed her delicate collarbones and ample chest.

"Sorry… ahem, I'm just reading," Friederich stammered, forcing himself to shake off the distracting sight of her ethereal beauty. The last thing he wanted was to trigger her clairvoyance again. I am raised to be a gentle man, not a pervert!

"O' Mother Gaia, would you mind if I kept you company?" she asked gently, her emerald eyes glancing sideways. "I promise I won't make a sound. Just quiet companionship."

"Well…" he hesitated slightly before composing himself. "Please, join me. But, um… I'm drenched in sweat. I might not be the most pleasant company."

"Fufu," she chuckled softly. Leaning closer, she inhaled subtly before whispering, "You actually smell quite nice, Sir Prime Guardian."

Friederich swallowed hard, steadying his nerves as he turned back to his studies. Dismissing Triss's unexpected boldness, however, proved to be quite the challenge.

The two spent the night in peaceful silence, reading under the watchful gaze of the All-Mother until the clock struck two, when they finally parted ways for some much-needed rest.

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