The day before Ravenfell was attacked, Marden had gathered all the Mana Core Magi who would be participating in the upcoming battle. This meeting took place right after he had finished speaking with Taron Norwood and Daniel Ranzenberg.

Somewhere in the snowy mountain range, north of Ravenfell, seven people—including Marden—had gathered in an abandoned outpost. They all radiated vast, overbearing auras, their strength capable of dividing the clouds and rendering the lands.

Scattered across the mountain range were several outposts, each positioned at key strategic points. In the distant past, the Magi of Ravenfell had built and used these fortresses during a brutal war against a terrifying species of magical creatures that once ruled these peaks.

It was centuries ago, and the threat those creatures posed to Ravenfell was immense, so much so that the city's Magi had united to wage a relentless war that lasted decades. In the end, the creatures were driven to extinction, and peace returned to the mountains.

But now, in an ironic twist of fate, one of these very outposts, which had once been a beacon of Ravenfell's triumph, had secretly been occupied by their enemies.

The Mana Core Magi of the Cult of Bones now plotted to do what those extinct magical creatures never could…

Exterminate the people of Ravenfell.

Sitting at a rusty table, Marden Benton, still wearing his wooden mask, looked out of the window and gazed at the distant snowy peaks. His brown eyes flashed with reminiscence, and he said:

"I was but a child when the Magi fought the fearsome yeti tribes of the mountains. They were a primitive bunch, but very powerful. They'd also tamed a massive army of direwolves, which made them all the more dangerous."

He turned to the six Magi sitting before him and scanned their faces. Then, he continued, "In the end, we were able to achieve victory, but at a great cost. Many of our people died. Yet, in the decades that the war waged on, not a single time did these monsters breach the city's walls."

Marden leaned forward, smirking underneath the wooden mask, "In fact… ever since its founding, Ravenfell has never been breached even once."

He paused for a few moments, shifting his gaze from one Magus to the other. Then, he said in a low voice, "We will be the first to breach their defenses. And we shall do it… in the most glorious manner."

"Glory to the Cult!"

The six Mana Core Magi sitting across from him thumped their chests and loudly proclaimed.

Marden's eyes flashed with a peculiar light as he, too, a moment later, mirrored their salute.

"…Glory to the Cult."

He looked at four of six cultists present and spoke solemnly, "Axar, Ramsey, Cassius, and Alecto, you four will participate in the opening act. When I deactivate the city's defensive barrier, you need to draw the attention of the Mana Core Magi hiding in the city."

Ramsey frowned. "Isn't it just the Headmaster of Saratoga? And maybe one or two more of his allies?"

"You underestimate Ravenfell's influence." Marden scoffed. "Also, have you forgotten about the Twilight Brotherhood?"

Ramsey's face darkened. "I hoped that the Brotherhood would have their hands full with the secret war going on in Europa, but it seems that I have been too optimistic. How many have they sent?"

"Just one," Marden said in a grave tone.

"Who are they?"

"The Emperor Emeritus, Gerald Acadia," Marden finally divulged the information that he had just recently learned about.

All six Magi present shifted when they heard the name of the Second Emperor of the Acadian Empire. They had never imagined that the great sealing master to personally involve himself in this battle between the two major factions of Tron!

But considering that the war was taking place in his Empire, it made sense. Still, it was a surprise for the Emperor Emeritus himself to join the battle.

"It's just the two of them then," said Axar, a bald old man. "And there are four of us, plus our undead. It shouldn't be a problem."

"Good." Marden nodded at the bald, old Magus.

Then, he turned to another elderly Magus. He had long, grey hair, and his eyes were dark and looked… lifeless.

"Daggett, you will take a couple of hundred of our men, lead them to the mountain cave I showed you in the vicinity of Pore Town. There's a tunnel deep inside the cave. Follow it, and you will reach one of the underground levels of Saratoga. The password you must tell the gate guardian is…"

Marden instructed Daggett in great detail about how they should infiltrate Saratoga Castle. The other were not surprised by this. They had long since known that Marden had attended Saratoga to pursue arcane studies in his youth.

They also believed that the reason the Cult Leader took him into the organization was because of his deep ties with Ravenfell and Saratoga. As for whether this statement was true... nobody knew.

After Marden was done with Daggett, he turned to the final Mana Core Magus in their group. His expression turned solemn, and he began:

"Felix, your work is no less important than what the rest have been assigned."

The man with short white hair and piercing grey eyes silently nodded.

Marden conjured a similar wooden mask to the one he was wearing from his storage artifact and pushed it towards the elderly Mana Core Magus.

Felix's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "Master's creation? I did not know there was another one."

Marden solemnly nodded. "You will need it."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "You are to infiltrate Ravenfell at your earliest convenience." He pointed at the mask and added, "With that, not even the Headmaster or the Second Emperor will sense your presence."

Felix placed his hand on the wooden mask, then covered his face with it. Through the slits in the mask, he calmly looked at Marden and asked, "Elder, what is it that you want me to do?"

Marden's eyes narrowed.

"Capture Adam Constantine."

At once, the six Magi glanced at Marden with strange looks on their faces. They couldn't help but wonder if sending a mighty Mana Core Magus to apprehend a mere Mana Vortex Magus was a bit too… excessive.

Felix deeply looked at Marden, remaining silent for a long time. Finally, he said:

"…Anything else?"

Marden smiled faintly. "Leave the rest to me."

Then, he turned to Daggett and said, "Once you're done with Saratoga, return to Ravenfell."

He inhaled deeply, then spoke in a solemn tone:

"If all goes according to plan, by the time the sun rises, Saratoga Castle will have fallen, Ravenfell will lie in ruins, Blackwood and Acadia will be dead, the Empire's future wiped out, and our Master… at long last, we will have acquired his vessel."

He then added inwardly:

And I will finally be free…

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