Legacy of the Dark Sage

'There is more to the things you've inherited from the first Void Master, Kyran.' Stella continued to talk to Kyran telepathically while appearing to converse with Obstruction and Layla.

"I know what you are doing," Layla said through gritted teeth. "It is your specialty, after all. Buying time."

Stella raised her brows and chuckled, "I did not know you had a sense of humor. Though, it is pretty dry, in my opinion."

'Don't you find it strange, how the Macabre Glacier only tried to absorb your magic energy even though there are so many people using their magic now.'

'You even know that.'

'I've seen it happen.'

Kyran did not comment on that last bit from Stella and pondered what she said about the Macabre Glacier.

Truth be told, he did wonder about it. To be precise, it crossed his mind. However, he automatically reasoned that the Void energy was far more tempting for the Macabre Glacier than the magic energy from others.

Besides, when the Macabre Glacier absorbed his magic energy, he was the only one close enough to it, possessing such powerful magic.

Because of all these reasons, Kyran did not think much of it.

But now that Stella brought it up, his doubt resurfaced. As he thought that, he remembered a similar case where his magic energy got absorbed without reservation— when he was six years old and his magic core awakened.

At that time, True Void also regained consciousness but only slightly. But after being asleep for so long, he required magic energy to awaken fully.

Kyran's brow furrowed as he recalled that Caelan becoming the Dark Sage happened after killing the original. And then True Void hinted that Caelan inherited more than just the latter's title.

One of those had been the Macabre Glacier.

The Macabre Glacier was the original Dark Sage's magic weapon, just as True Void was the Void Master's.

But after Caelan inherited it, did that mean it had become his 'weapon.'

Kyran considered that before but rejected the idea immediately. After all, the Macabre Glacier possessed a sentient and would only respond to its original magic energy...

"... because nothingness gave birth to all things." 

Suddenly, Zephyr's words flashed through Kyran's mind.

'No way...'

'You seemed to have figured out something.'

Kyran did not respond because his mind reeled at the idea he just had.

When Kyran absorbed the surrounding magic energies, there was no specific 'Void magic energy' that he attracted. Regardless of what type they are, he would absorb them. After that, he could convert them into Void magic energy.

After inheriting the Macabre Glacier, could Caelan have forcefully absorbed its energy and then succeeded in 'converting' it? If this was the case, could the reason why the Macabre Glacier could not awaken its power completely be that it required Void magic energy and not Soul magic energy?

Impossible.

Just the idea gave Kyran a headache.

If this was true, why would it still absorb Haylee's magic energy?

Wait.

What about the Royal Army? Particularly Gael. Did he not try to 'awaken' the Macabre Glacier? What happened then?

Meanwhile, the conversation between Layla, Obstruction, and Stella continued.

"It does not matter what she does," Obstruction said. "He is already on his way."

Stella's brow furrowed slightly. However, before anyone could see the change in her expression, she regained her composure and smiled.

As for Layla, her scowl turned to a smile when she heard Obstruction.

"Will he also take care of the Human plane's new Sovereign?" She asked.

"You say that as if the new Sovereign is a pushover," Stella could not help but comment.

She knew Nolan and how perverse his magic could be.

As a matter of fact, she did not think anyone else could be more fitting than Nolan as the new Sovereign of the Human plane.

Yes, there was Cade. However, he had far too many things to protect inside the Human plane and would likely choose not to ascend when that opportunity came.

With Nolan as the Sovereign now, it would be impossible for Cade to ascend.

Thinking about that brought a playful smile to Stella's face, which Layla and Obstruction noticed.

"You can keep believing on that human mage," Layla started. "You said it yourself. Obstruction's level is far higher than a Sovereign already. This explains why he did not appear affected by the plane's suppression. But that is not entirely correct, is it?

"His power has been suppressed, but since his level was already higher than a Sovereign, his level did not drop much.

"Anyway, that is not what I want to make a point. What I want to say is, if someone like him has asked helped from the outside, do you think he would call someone inferior to him?"

Stella chose to stay silent while keeping a smile on her face.

"Stop wasting time, Soul Emperor," Obstruction cut in and looked at her. "You have bought enough time for you people as well, correct?"

Layla laughed softly as she looked at him, "I did not think you had noticed it."

Tritus and the others watching nearby could not help but frown at the exchange between the three.

The situation had been tense, but how did it become so relaxed?

What they were talking about was not exactly a 'relaxing' topic. However, there was no tension between them whatsoever. They even gave everyone the idea they were only old friends chatting idly.

Cade, who had been paying attention to the situation and the locations his magic sense would allow him to observe, had already made a move.

After confirming that Kyran was out of danger for the time being, he had already communicated with a few Regis Special Forces. He had them go outside the estate and check on the array formation the Soul Emperor had prepared.

Cade knew Stella had stopped the array's time, thus, halting the beam of light and saving Kyran. Nevertheless, he also knew Obstruction would not let it sit still.

It was already bad enough that Obstruction's plates had escaped, and Cade would not let him do more.

That was right. Cade knew Obstruction's calmness was not from how he successfully sent a distress call to that person he refused to name.

Cade was sure Obstruction had a trump card up his sleeves and was only waiting for the right moment to do it.

When was the right moment?

If it were Cade, he would use that trump card when Stella's magic influence weakened. 

As to what that trump card could do, Cade guessed it was a move strong enough to capture both Kyran and Stella alive.

For this reason, Cade wanted to alleviate the strain on Stella by destroying the array formation the Soul Emperor prepared. Most members of the Regis Special Forces had passable Array Knowledge, and though they were not Abjurers, they were enough to destroy those formations without the caster's knowledge.

When Obstruction commented that Layla had been 'buying time' as well, Cade had already received a message from his people.

In that message, they told Cade that two of the three Archmagus from the Royal Family had already activated a newly created Arrays.

Obviously, Layla had anticipated that someone would destroy the first Array formation. Thus, she prepared a backup so its effect could be deployed again.

Cade also heard from his people that the Aureole people were working together with Kyran's Sigils.

When Cade heard that there were humans among Kyran's Sigils, he had mixed emotions. He already knew about it after seeing the Tritus, but most Regis members did not know it.

While it was not prohibited, no Regis could stomach doing that to a human. Becoming a Sigil was equivalent to viewing their life as becoming 'beasts.' At least, that was what most of the Regis members believed.

Initially, they could not believe Kyran, their young master, would do something like that. But after double-checking the Sigil mark on the back of their hand, they had no choice but to accept it.

Nevertheless, knowing their young master had taken humans as his Sigils did not diminish their respect for him. That was just what being a Regis member meant. No matter what happened, they would stand by their people.

Of course, they would not tolerate bad doings. But they would not judge that person until they knew the truth.

In their young master's case, they all knew he had no choice but to make those people his Sigils. At least, that was how they saw it after confirming their identities.

Well, except for a man named Byron.

They did not know how such a person became Kyran's Sigil.

Putting aside the matter of Sigils, they were now working together to destroy the Array formation.

"Shall we resume then?" Layla replied with a smile.

"Do it."

Even before Obstruction responded to her question, Layla already ordered Ane and Soll to activate the new formation.

However, a huge crack appeared in the sky before any of them could even move.

Seeing this, Obstruction's face lit as he looked up.