CHAPTER 194: WHEN THE SEAL BROKE

Mr. Vundo, the magicians, and all the supporters who had worked so hard would gather to raise a toast to their success.

Of course, Shiao Yi would attend the event too and Dominic was invited as well.

After all, he had been one of the key contributors to the very first creation of the magic stone.

At that moment, Aaron’s magical tool delivered a small note.

The slip of paper told him that only a few pieces remained before the great ancient pattern would be finished and that he was needed immediately.

So the time had finally come!

Aaron quickly explained the situation to Shiao Yi and Mr. Vundo, then hurried off toward the old noble mansion on the outskirts of the city.

The first magic stone had been completed, and now the restoration of the fragments was also reaching its end.

What an incredible day this was turning out to be!

..

Aaron pushed open the heavy doors leading into the grand hall of the old noble mansion and the sight that met his eyes made him stop in his tracks.

It’s so Magnificent! Beautiful! Enormous!

The entire vast floor of the hall was covered with the completed ancient pattern.

The design was perfect, the structure flawless.

Overwhelmed with awe, Aaron’s whole body trembled and for a moment, he could not move at all.

The companions who had worked so hard on the restoration looked at him with proud shining eyes.

"Wonderful! Truly wonderful! Thank you! You’ve done incredible work! I don’t even know how to express my gratitude enough!"

Everyone raised their fists in victory, their smiles full of relief and joy.

It was their tireless effort and determination that had made this achievement possible.

The work had required endless patience and precision.

Aaron walked over to each of them, taking their hands one by one and expressing his gratitude sincerely.

Every single person smiled with the satisfaction of a goal achieved.

Aaron turned his gaze again to the vast pattern spread before him. Now that it was whole, he could clearly see what it truly was.

This was a complex formation of ancient writing, spells and layered magic circles.

Even though some small parts were still missing, its purpose was unmistakable now.

At the center lay one especially large magic circle, likely the key. But even this was a fusion of five different circles and spells.

Surrounding it, layer upon layer, were more circles.

After counting it carefully, Aaron realized there were 49 magic circles and 63 spells all combined into one enormous structure.

Thanks to his studies, Aaron could read a little of the ancient script.

To his eyes, both the spells and the circles seemed designed to grant protection and purification.

That was why he couldn’t understand—how had this same pattern, in another place, unleashed such terrifying destructive power?

Looking at it now, it didn’t seem like something evil at all.

Still, he felt uneasy.

The. lack stains marred the lines of the design in several places.

They weren’t carved into the surface like the rest, but seemed to be stains that had soaked into the material over long years.

No matter how much they had tried to wash them away, the marks remained.

Could it be blood?

Aaron shuddered at the thought.

He hated the idea.

Every fragment they had found bore such stains.

When he traced them carefully, the shapes almost looked like letters.

Maybe he was just imagining things, but the resemblance unsettled him.

The fragments had come from ruins that, in many cases, had crumbled to nothing but scattered stones.

Time and weather had surely played a role, but Aaron suspected destruction had been involved too.

Some ruins had shown such heavy scars of conflict that scholars now believed they were not temples at all, but fortresses.

That made sense—so many signs of battle had been left behind.

"Aaron."

Lost in admiration and thought, Aaron was snapped back to reality when one of the staff called his name.

Four people stood ready, each of them holding one of the final pieces.

They handed him the center piece.

He could feel how eager they were to finish.

"All right, let’s complete it."

"Yes!"

They moved carefully through the great pattern.

If anyone accidentally kicked a piece, it would be disastrous.

The others watched them with held breath.

First, the four people set their pieces into the four corner slots.

Once those were secure, Aaron placed the final piece gently into the empty spot in the very center.

The moment he set it in, pressure pushed out from the pattern.

A wind-like force caught Aaron and threw him outward. He slammed into the hall wall and landed hard on his backside, but he hardly noticed the pain as he stared.

The reliefs all began to glow at once.

The scattered pieces that had merely been placed there melted together in the light, changing into smooth letters and designs.

A violent alarm rang inside Aaron’s chest.

Nothing was being done and yet the pattern had started on its own.

Unable to take his eyes off the spreading phenomenon, he barked commands to the staff around him.

"Tell Mr. Vundo! Hurry—this is urgent. You two, run to the knight order and get backup! Ask anyone—get General Gabrant or any military unit to come here, now!"

"Yes! Right away!" came the tense replies, followed by the sound of pounding feet as people rushed off.

"Everyone else—get out of here now! Tell anyone nearby to flee far away! This place will become a disaster soon! Move!"

"But Sir Aaron—what about you?"

It was Aaron’s direct subordinate, Reks, who cried out in a sharp almost breaking voice.

"I have the responsibility. I will put all my strength into raising a barrier and stop the damage from spreading. You must run! I cannot divide my focus to protect you while holding this back!"

"Yes! Sir Aaron, please do not push yourself too far! I will get out of the way so I won’t interfere! So please, Sir Aaron, stay alive!"