Chapter 58: Magnius

Words : 1082 Updated : Sep 19th, 2025

Varkas mutters under his breath, clearly uncomfortable. He rarely speaks about other subordinates unless they're exceptional, and in Alix's ranks, only those above level 700 earn his acknowledgment. Magnius is one of them. A level 800 plus necromancer, Magnius is known for his relentless experimentation. It doesn't matter if it's a human, a unique monster, or any being with intelligence—if they interest him, he studies them. His methods are... unconventional. Some would call them horrific. But to Alix, Magnius is one of his most valuable assets. It was normal for NPCs in games to have their own thoughts, to interact with players as if they were real. But Magnius took that concept further—his inventions played a critical role in Alix's victories against other players. Though, admittedly, some of those creations were rather twisted. The room is unnervingly silent. Though once bustling with strange undead assisting Magnius in his research, it now stands eerily empty. Dust coats the massive shelves of tomes, and the flickering green runes on the walls pulse weakly, like a heartbeat slowing to a stop. The absence of life—or rather, unlife—is almost unsettling. Varkas exhales sharply. "Your Majesty... you're not planning to experiment on them, are you?" His tone is laced with hesitation, as if he's afraid of the answer. Alix snorts. "Do I look like a twisted person to you?" Varkas doesn't answer immediately. Alix narrows his eyes. "Really? That long of a pause?" Varkas clears his throat. "It's just—this is lord Magnius we're talking about." "Exactly," Alix says smoothly. "And you know, before his death, Magnius created a Tier 8 spell—one capable of destroying any contract, including slave marks. He should have stored it in a spellbound crystal somewhere in here." Nikon blinks. "A Tier 8 spell...?" He isn't well-versed in high-level magic, but even he knows that anything above Tier 4 is practically legendary in Raltheon Kingdom. Liss's eyes dart around the room, taking in the eerie glow of the runes and the strange objects scattered across the tables. Some look like mechanical limbs fused with bones, others resemble glass containers filled with swirling, dark mist. Everything looks fragile and dangerous, but she doesn't reach out to touch anything—just in case. Nikon stands beside her, arms crossed. His brows furrow as he studies a suspended metal cage near the ceiling. "What even is all this?" he mutters under his breath. Liss tugs on his sleeve, her voice hushed. "It's so weird. Some of these things look... alive." She shudders slightly, eyeing a severed hand encased in a glass tube. The fingers twitch every few seconds as if trying to grasp something. "Don't stare too long," Nikon warns. "You don't want to catch a curse." Liss squeaks and quickly looks away. Meanwhile, Alix and Varkas move deeper into the chamber. Varkas pulls open a heavy drawer, his movements careful but practiced. Inside, neatly stacked crystals glow with faint hues—reds, blues, greens—but none match the signature dark violet of a spellbound crystal capable of holding Tier 8 magic. Varkas exhales sharply. "Nothing. Lord Magnius must've stored it somewhere more secure." Alix doesn't respond immediately. Instead, he steps toward a tall, black cabinet at the far end of the room. Unlike the rest of the furniture, it's free of dust, the runes lining its edges still pulsing with faint energy. Alix stops in front of the black cabinet, tilting his head slightly as he studies it. Then, as if recalling something, he chuckles. "Oh, I remember now," he says, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Magnius did reveal to me his secret door and how to open it." Without further explanation, he presses his palm against a faintly glowing rune on the cabinet's surface. The moment his skin makes contact, a sharp pulse of energy surges through the air. A deep, mechanical click echoes through the chamber. Liss flinches at the sudden noise but doesn't say anything. Nikon, standing rigid beside her, watches silently, his fists clenched at his sides. The runes on the cabinet begin shifting, rearranging themselves in a slow, deliberate pattern. Then, with another resonating click, the entire back panel of the cabinet slides downward, revealing a hidden passage beyond. A narrow staircase spirals downward into darkness, an ominous green glow faintly illuminating the descent. Alix steps forward, peering down the spiraling staircase with an intrigued expression. The eerie green glow flickers against the stone walls, casting long shadows that dance with every small movement. "Let's go in," Alix says, his tone casual yet firm. Then, he glances at Varkan. "Protect the children." Varkas straightens. "Yes, Your Majesty." Without hesitation, he moves behind Liss and Nikon, positioning himself to shield them from any potential danger. The children remain silent, watching everything with wide eyes but making no complaints. Alix leads the way down, his footsteps echoing in the confined space. As they descend, the air grows colder, tinged with the faint scent of magic and metal. When they finally step into the hidden chamber, Alix can't help but smirk. The room is vast—larger than expected, stretching far beyond what should be physically possible underground. The walls are lined with half-finished contraptions, glowing runes scribbled hastily onto parchments pinned to workbenches, and towering glass containers filled with suspended, incomplete experiments. Strange skeletal constructs, missing limbs or frozen in various stages of assembly, rest on heavy metal tables. Alix whistles, impressed. "Looks like Magnius was busy." Varkas scans the room, his expression filled with amazement. "What are these? I can feel a sense of dread from these items." Alix stepping toward a table where an unfinished automaton rests, its exposed core pulsing weakly. "But these... these are new. Incomplete, yes, but still filled with potential." Varkas said. "So many of these creations... Some of them are... alive in a way that shouldn't be possible." Alix said. "Magnius was a genius. His work was always pushing boundaries, and all these unfinished pieces? They're a testament to his brilliance." He steps closer to an intricately designed creature—its limbs connected by thin strands of glowing energy, but it's motionless for now. "None of these are harmful. Not yet, at least. But they hold untapped potential. I can't wait to revive him and make him continue all these masterpieces." His voice drops, almost dreamily, as he gazes at the array of creations.

Chapter 58: Magnius

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